What isn't there to love about a shaved head? Aside from looking edgy and cool, a shaved head can save you so much time that you'd otherwise have to spend brushing and/or styling your hair. It will also save you money on haircuts and styling products. And how about the next time you're driving a convertible or even just riding in a car with the window right down? No need to worry, no need for a scarf, no need to look like you have a nest on your head. Wind is now your friend. Perhaps most exciting, you can raise money for a great cause by shaving your head as part of a fundraiser, so your victory goes beyond your own life and can impact positively on the world around you. Aside from the hassle of having hair, what have you got to lose?
I witnessed something truly inspirational today. A twelve year-old girl at school, alongside her teacher, shaved their heads to raise money for cancer research. The girl's family has been tragically touched by brain cancer, so she stood up today to show solidarity and to raise money for research into this insidious disease. I hope that as she gets used to her new look over the coming days, she will also realise just how many advantages there are to shaving your head. This led me to recall the time when I too shaved my head. Granted, my own reasons weren't nearly as noble, but nonetheless I am in a position to share my insight on the joys of not having hair. And there are plenty.
I drove a cool little 4-wheel drive back then. Oversized tyres, tinted windows, sunroof. Also teeny tiny, but still pretty groovy. The only problem was the virtual hurricane that whipped through that car whenever a window was down. It just wasn't the same driving around town with Kylie blaring...not able to open the window and maintain a chill disposition in the ensuing wind storm. But how to solve this problem? I could have kept the windows up all the time, all through the stifling hot summer (with no air conditioning), but then the sweating would begin and that's not cool. And have you ever seen people driving around in classic cars, top-down, trying to look like they're enjoying the wind whipping around them, invariably holding onto the scarf tied around their heads in an effort to keep their hair in order. Not a great look either, and imagine the muscle strain having to keep a hold on things. Solution? Lose the hair. The feeling of the breeze around a shorn head is as freeing as...having no hair!
As a mother of two young girls, all of us with various amounts of hair, I can tell you first hand that hair causes us stress, costs me time and has a negative effect on my family relationships. On average, I spend twelve minutes a morning brushing and styling hair, and this time is vital in getting us all out the door to school and work on time. Invariably, the girls' hair is tangled and the frantic attempts to detangle their locks leads to pain and suffering that could be avoided. Further, the detangling spray, hairbrushes, shampoo and conditioner and volumising spray cost an average of 27 cents per day. This money could be better spent in any number of alternative ways. And that's not even considering the two male members of our family, who may actually use more product than we girls. Imagine how stress-free and mutually respectful our mornings could be if hair was not a factor in our morning?
If you've passed your eyes over the catwalks of Paris or Milan lately, you'll have seen a bevy of beauties with shaved heads. Cara Delevingne, for example. Not to mention that many actresses also choose to crop, from Sigourney Weaver to Natalie Portman. And how about Millie Bobby Brown, or Lupita Nyong'o with their beautiful buzz cut setting off their Oscar gowns. Many of the most successful singers, from Grace Jones to Sinead O'Connor to Jessie J show that a shave is not only stunningly beautiful, but also cool in spades and across generations.
Despite all these facts that are undeniable, there is one more thing that you should consider if you are thinking about a head shave. Just keep in mind, it's hair. If you take the plunge and the novelty of raising money for charity, the freedom of the wind in your...I mean on your head, the congenial mornings in your household and extra money in your wallet...it's hair. It grows back.
