You read the title correctly, and everyone, including you dear reader, should go bald at least once in their life. Especially now, during the quarantimes. Who’s going to judge you for being bald, your cat?
First, it’s the perfect opportunity to try out every single hairstyle you’ve ever wanted to try. Now, I know that sounds counterintuitive (a distinct lack of hair may be a cause for concern when you wanted curtain bangs) but I promise it’ll make sense. If you know that you’re going to shave off all of your hair on a set date, then the day before is when you get to have the most fun with a pair of scissors. Bangs, a mullet, a mohawk if you’re feeling frisky, they’re all on the table! You get to test out everything you want to try, with no fear of repercussions the day after.
It is literally the epitome of a fresh start. If you’ve been excessively bleaching, trimming and otherwise damaging your hair, now is a great time to rejuvenate it. All those split ends, broken strands, knots? Completely gone. Don’t you miss people complimenting you on how soft your hair is? Don’t you want your hair to match your eyebrows? Also, you’ll get to see your natural hair texture. Buzzing your hair off is a fast and easy way to get rid of those problems. Plus, it feels amazing when you or someone else touches your head. It allows you to get rid of a lot of distractors—such as spending several hours bleaching and dyeing your hair—and allows you to really spend time introspectively and get to know yourself.
If a fresh start and getting to try out different hairstyles aren’t enough to convince you, this will. You’ll be twinning with Mr. Clean, possibly one of the most powerful beings to exist. On a serious note though, being bald makes your features pop. Your face is usually partially covered by your hair and by having it bare, you may notice that certain parts of your face become more prominent. For example, your ears are more present. This can make it easier for you to play around with earrings, for example, or makeup, as it’s more noticeable. Also, change your clothes. You can play with so many different silhouettes now that you’re freshly bald.
Moreover, you’ll be saving so much time and money! Who doesn’t want to save time and money? Washing your hair will take five minutes compared to the twenty minutes it would take to shampoo and condition. The fifteen minute difference over time is something you can do so much with: learn a new language, learn how to make focaccia, so many opportunities to choose from. You’re going to be saving money by using barely any hair products; shampoo, conditioner, heat protectant? Nonexistent. Just as important, you won’t have to worry about brushing your hair, getting your hair caught in stuff, feeling your hair on your neck – it’s a game changer.
Finally, you will look absolutely amazing. Hotter even. People with buzz cuts are just cooler in my opinion. It’s a great conversation starter, and lots of people will want to know about it. It’s a great opportunity to raise awareness about hair loss related to chemotherapy and alopecia. It’s basically the less intense version of getting pregnant and seeing how many friends you have left. Buzzing your hair off can be empowering, fun, and a choice that you will remember fondly down the road.
However, there are some things to keep in mind if you’re planning on doing a big chop. Shaving off your hair should be first and foremost centred around your wants and needs. You have to be prepared for other people’s judgments and criticisms, not accept them, but be aware that they will hold them. A lot of people are uncomfortable with people that don’t conform to what they view as socially acceptable and will voice their unsolicited opinions and concerns. You might have people asking you if you are mentally stable. This question unfortunately is more often asked of feminine presenting people rather than masculine people. People might also ask you if you have cancer or another illness that caused you to lose your hair. People will stare at you, in stores, in school and at other places.
But, overall I think the benefits outweigh the risks and I’m really glad that I shaved my head. You don’t ever need a reason to shave your hair and you don’t owe people explanations either. Hair grows back, and beauty is subjective anyway. Go bald!
