# Is a Croydon facelift a faux pas like a Guy's comb over? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762 "2011-10-15T22:13:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/1 "2011-10-15T22:13:38Z")
I’m not sure what the American term is for a Croydon facelift. > **[Croydon facelift](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croydon_facelift)** > > In English slang, a Croydon facelift (sometimes council house facelift, or in Northern Ireland a Millie facelift) is a particular hairstyle worn by some women. The hair is pulled back tightly and tied in a bun or ponytail at the back. The supposed result is that the skin of the forehead and face are pulled up and back, producing the effects of a facelift.\[citation needed\] > Traction alopecia, a type of gradual hair loss, can result from hairstyles that tightly pull the hair in this manner. > This h... We’ve all see women’s hair pulled up ridiculously tight in a bun or ponytail. It stretches the face and hides the lines. 😛 It fools no one. Is it a faux pas like a guys comb over? **Example** Victoria Beckham is practically ripping the hair out of her scalp and lifting the face. Google Images lists dozens more examples of other women. [![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/02/03/article-0-0822FFB4000005DC-387_468x478.jpg) ](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/02/03/article-0-0822FFB4000005DC-387_468x478.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/2 "2011-10-15T23:19:25Z")
Nicole Kidman does it too. The give away is how tight the hair is stretched on the forehead. The wiki article mentions early hair loss from this style. [http://health.ninemsn.com.au/healthnews/873527/nicole-kidmans-secret-to-a-wrinkle-free-face](http://health.ninemsn.com.au/healthnews/873527/nicole-kidmans-secret-to-a-wrinkle-free-face) > [@](#): > > It’s simple! All you need to do is tightly pull back your hair into a sky-high ponytail, which in turn then smoothes out your face, _not to mention gives you a headache if you’re not used to super-tight hairstyles_. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/3 "2011-10-16T00:35:26Z")
I’m not a celebrity-watcher but last time I saw that hairdo it was the mid-90’s and a style in one demographic in my area. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/4 "2011-10-16T02:00:58Z")
Well, I think the Beckham example is fairly stupid-looking, with that wonky little bun, especially considering she’s supposedly a fashion icon. That said, I see nothing at all wrong with a sleek ponytail, and if it also gives a temporary facelift, bonus! ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/5 "2011-10-16T02:10:52Z")
Victoria Beckham is only 37- she certainly shouldn’t need to have _any_ kind of facelift. I choose to believe that she just likes this look. I once saw on old lady that had taken two tiny butterfly (hair) clips and attached them to her temples after pulling her skin all back. It was weird. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/6 "2011-10-16T02:21:34Z")
Ladies of a certain age used to do something like that in the 1950s and '60s (Marlene Dietrich and Gloria Swanson come to mind). You braid the hair around the hairline, pull it back _real tight_ and plunk a wig over it. You look _surprised_. And you have tell-tale pull marks around the jawline. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/7 "2011-10-16T03:47:24Z")
The vanity aspect reminded me of guys and their comb overs. Interesting that women literally stretch their hair tight to pull out lines and wrinkles from their forehead & face. 😉 Vanity is kind of funny and a bit silly in both sexes. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/8 "2011-10-16T05:03:57Z")
That article looks like it was written by a teenager. “Ageing”? ---
**Author:** ![CTburns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a5b964/32.png) [@CTburns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CTburns)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/9 "2011-10-16T13:17:19Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I’m not a celebrity-watcher but last time I saw that hairdo it was the mid-90’s and a style in one demographic in my area. I thought that also. They also seemed to have red makeup(blush?) high up on their cheekbones. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/10 "2011-10-16T13:20:47Z")
Nowhere near as desperate-looking as the combover, IMO. Too many young women do that for various reasons (ballerinas are notorious for super-tight ponytails) that it’s not restricted to the trying-to-look-20-years-younger crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/11 "2011-10-16T13:22:03Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > That article looks like it was written by a teenager. “Ageing”? Well, it was the Daily Mail, which means you are being generous. But seriously, ageing is correct in British English. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/12 "2011-10-16T13:45:55Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Nicole Kidman does it too. The give away is how tight the hair is stretched on the forehead. The wiki article mentions early hair loss from this style. > [http://health.ninemsn.com.au/healthnews/873527/nicole-kidmans-secret-to-a-wrinkle-free-face](http://health.ninemsn.com.au/healthnews/873527/nicole-kidmans-secret-to-a-wrinkle-free-face) Kidman’s secret to a wrinkle-free face is a good derm and plastic surgeon! ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/13 "2011-10-16T13:52:50Z")
I suppose it’s a good look for a dominatrix… ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/14 "2011-10-16T14:30:15Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Kidman’s secret to a wrinkle-free face is a good derm \>snip\< plastic surgeon! ..and a vampiric aversion to the sun. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/15 "2011-10-16T15:01:08Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Victoria Beckham is only 37- she certainly shouldn’t need to have _any_ kind of facelift. I choose to believe that she just likes this look. Isn’t that the time when many women are most upset about the obvious and increasingly apparent lines growing on their face? victoria beckham’s 37 year old face simply does not and can not look like a 22 year old face, but she is still young enough to think it still can, hence the super tight hairdo- it looks bad, but it does still make her look less wrinkled (but not younger) than she would otherwise- I have no doubt she’s intentionally trying for that effect. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/16 "2011-10-16T15:12:15Z")
Eh, I don’t think so. It’s not a particularly flattering hairstyle, but if either Victoria Beckham or Nicole Kidman want a smoother face, I’m sure they would just use botox. Kidman’s hairdo in the linked picture didn’t even look particularly tight, and discussion of her newly movable face was rampant when she was pregnant (it’s not advisable to use botox when preggo). I’m not saying that no women do this, I’ve just never met any, and despite my advancing years it’s never occurred to me to try this. I suppose I could, although I have shorter hair and I think the 1 inch micro pony tail would look stupider than just trying to stretch my face back. ETA: Ok, well I just went and tried it and it did nothing. Now, it’s possible that my face hasn’t begun sagging or wrinkling in the way that this is supposed to combat (possible, I do have pretty good genes and avoid the sun), or it just doesn’t work. The thing is, a combover actually works a little bit when it’s very small. The issues develops when the patch being covered gets bigger and bigger and the amount of hair gets smaller and smaller. I don’t think they’re the same. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-croydon-facelift-a-faux-pas-like-a-guys-comb-over/599762/17 "2011-10-16T15:20:47Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Well, it was the Daily Mail MSN Australia. The term “Croydon facelift” is more about the “Croydon” part than the anti-aging part. It’s about “chavs”, the underclass, roughly equivalent to the US term “trailer trash”. Croydon is the sort of place such people are imagined to live, by whoever dreams up these things. People do know the phrase, but only in that sort of smart-arse context.