Walking into a salon, for most women, is a chance to relax, be pampered and come out looking fabulous! Before that happens, however, if you have long hair that hangs down your back, your stylist will ask you that dreaded question, “How much are we taking off today?”...
Walking into a salon, for most women, is a chance to relax, be pampered and come out looking fabulous! Before that happens, however, if you have long hair that hangs down your back, your stylist will ask you that dreaded question, “How much are we taking off today?” Then, like the Wheel of Wow on the Webkins website, the wheel begins spinning very quickly in your head until it slows down and usually stops at, “Just a little trim please.” Sometimes the wheel will stop at, “Maybe an inch or two.” One day, however, that wheel in your head will stop spinning and land on “Let’s cut it off!” Your hairdresser will smile because it will make her day! She’ll actually get to REALLY CUT some hair! It’s doubtful she’ll try to talk you out of getting it cut. It’s also doubtful you’ll be asked to “Spin again.” It’s a game we all play, eventually, when it’s time to visit the salon
I’m speaking from experience. This past week my “wheel” landed on “Let’s cut it off!” So, without another thought, I did! I had eleven inches cut off of my thick, dark blonde hair three days ago and I’m already missing it! I’m not even sure why I did it. Yes, I had given it some thought for quite some time. However, I always decided in the past that short hair was not for me.
As I looked through a hairstyle magazine, while waiting for my turn in the chair, I came across a picture of a woman, about my age, with hair like mine in her “before” photo. Her "after" photo, of course, made her look much better! I couldn’t keep my eyes off of this page and her pictures. Her transformation was incredible! I looked through the rest of the magazine and even another magazine, but kept coming back to those photos. So, when I sat in my hairdresser’s chair, I was ready to accept the “Let’s cut it off” pie that my wheel landed on.
Having had a child with stage 1 Neuroblastoma cancer, I was aware of Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children under the age of 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss, from any diagnosis. If I was going to cut off my long hair of twenty years, I definitely wanted to make it worth something for someone! If you want to do what I did, make sure your hair stylist knows of your wishes to donate your hair before she takes the scissors to your mane! Locks of Love will take hair donations that are at least 10 inches in length, clean and in a ponytail or braid. (My hairdresser told me 11 inches – so I did 11). You can view their guidelines for donating hair at www.locksoflove.org.
After hearing that first sound of scissors to hair, I knew it was too late to change my mind. I put on my happy face and thought only of the gift I was giving to someone in need. It didn’t hurt at all after that.
I was excited to see my fantastic haircut dry and styled. My hairdresser did a wonderful job. It helped that she’s been cutting my hair for 25 years (I kid you not – and she is not a family member either). She knew my likes and dislikes and definitely knew my hair… probably better than I know it myself! My stylist gave me exactly what I asked for, and I left feeling relaxed, pampered and fabulous.
It’s been three days and I’m already wishing I had not had my long hair cut. I am STILL struggling with this decision I made! Cutting hair should NOT be such an emotional experience! I have to keep reminding myself that 1) it will grow back… in a couple of years and 2) it was for a good cause. Also, it doesn’t look bad, but now that I’m home and styling it myself, I’m wishing I had the long hair back. It actually takes LONGER to style my hair now than it did before I got my hair cut. It doesn’t take near as long to wash, comb and dry, however. That’s nice.
Also, getting my hair cut came as a big surprise to my husband, who has always loved my long hair. It’s as if we are both in mourning for my HAIR. It’s crazy! I think we’re going through the mourning stages below until we reach a level of acceptance…
1) Denial – “I didn’t really do this, did I?” Or, “SHE didn’t really do this, did she?”
2) Anger – “WHY did I do this?” Or “WHY didn’t she ask me about how I’d feel first?”
3) Bargaining –“I’ll take prenatal vitamins and whatever else helps hair grow fast!” Or, “I’ll tell her how beautiful other features she has are so she won’t whack them off too!”
4) Depression – “I feel ugly now.” Or, “I don’t have that long hair to touch now.”
5) Acceptance – “What’s done is done! It’s JUST HAIR! It WILL grow back – like everyone says.” Or, “She’s still the same person I married, just with less hair.”
I liked the attention my long hair gave me. It was me. It was sexy. Now I have to find a new way to feel sexy. I have come out from hiding behind my hair. I have to be someone other than my “hair.” It’s all a bit scary, but I’m up for the challenge.
If you know someone who has recently cut their beautiful, long hair short, praise them for the courage it took to do so. Male or female, that person will now have to adjust to a loss. They want to hear you tell them they look good! If they ask if they should grow their hair back out, tell them to do it only if they want to. That’s answer enough. After all, it is THEIR hair, not yours.
If you’re toying with the idea of cutting your long hair short, all I can say is that one day you will know. On that day, when you take your spin on the wheel in your head, it will land on, “Let’s cut it off!” Hopefully you’ll be able to donate your hair, like I did, but even if you can’t, you’ll know you’re making the right decision for you. Stand up tall and be confident because you are a strong person. And besides, if you don’t like it after three days… you can always grow it back.
