new thread
I been growing out my hair for a while, and when I appealed to her for haircare tips, one of my friends pointed me in the direction of the Longhair FAQ (which had a link to here at the end). Spent all last night reading it, and now I feel like I want to tell my "Longhair Story."
My sense of style is based on a combination laziness, curiosity, and stubbornness. Basically as soon as my mom stopped directly dictating when I should get a haircut, I stopped getting them. For most of middle school and all of high school, I'd generally go 6 months before a haircut, and when I got one it was generally a "you're not coming to Passover seder with hair like that" or "you're not going to look like a bum for your graduation photos," and if I was getting a haircut, I figured I'd go all the way. I don't think I have a single school photo where my hair is any longer than a crew cut. This means that I more or less spent the entirety of my teenage years in the "awkward phase" (kinda appropriate, no?)
I graduated, took a year off from school, and didn't cut my hair once in that year (see, 'cause at that point, I *was* a bum, so it was appropriate). Somehow I managed to get into college (one in Israel, no less [please no politics], something I've wanted since I was a kid), and yet again my mom chimes in "you can't start at a new school with hair like that." Eh, I'm gonna be 7,000 miles away, I may as well listen to her one last time.
So a year goes by, and I come home for the Summer, and something strange happens. Every time my hair has grown out, its grown out differently, but it's more or less conformed to a white-man-fro. Over the Summer, that stopped working, and for the first time in my life, I've got to brush my hair back in order for it to look half-decent. Part of that was that my hair was longer than it had ever been at that point, and part of it was that my receeding hairline was making the hair on my forehead act stupid. Yeah... I've got a receeding hairline at the age of 20. I can't grow out a full beard yet, but I've got a receeding hairline. Sometimes genetics just doesn't like you.
So Summer ends, and I go back to Israel, and sometime during the semester, a classmate bets me that I won't cut my hair until graduation. It's easy money, but I don't like gambling, so at graduation, I'm gonna get the equivalent of $10 USD. I might raise the stakes at some point. Some people have commented on my hair, and my response has been "it's a protest against my physiology: as long as my hair insists on dissapearing off the front of my head, I'm gonna force it to keep growing on the back of my head," or something that sounds better in context.
Which more or less brings me to now. I made the arbitrary decision (see: curiosity, stubbornness) that I'd start tying my hair back for next semester (which starts on Sunday... Israeli schools start and end later than American schools), which seems to conform perfectly to the FAQ ('bout a year and a half). It took me three stores to find any hair ties that weren't neon, filled with glitter, or fluffy, but I found some, and spent an afternoon finding any female on my various IM buddylists trying to figure out how to get it so the tie wasn't so tight as to be painful, or so loose as to fall out. One of them was the above mentioned who sent me here.
Future of my hair: I fully intend to collect on that $10. However, when I moved here, I chose to become a full citizen of Israel (again, please, no politics), which has the advantage of the govt. giving me money (much needed), but the disadvantage of requiring military service after I get my degree (or flunk out, whichever comes first :-p). That second part means that, since I graduate in '08, I've got at most another two years to grow out my hair before a drill sergent attacks me with a razor. Sacrifices you have to make, y'know? I intend to donate my mane to Locks for Love or some similar "wigs for cancer patients" organization, but I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with my hair once I'm done with military. Not sure if I'll *have* hair after military. That's a ways away, and I've got time :)
So there you go. The below (above? I don't know where it's gonna appear on the post) picture is from over the Summer, probably the day after I first decided to brush my hair back. It's roughly 11 months since my last haircut. It's not a good photo, and it was after a long night, so my hair looks even worse than it normally did at that point. I wish I had a camera so I could upload a better/more recent photo, but I don't.
Locks for Love or some similar "wigs for cancer patients"
Most of these organizations make disingenuous claims. If you absolutely have to cut your hair, I would suggest trying to sell the hair itself and then donate the money.
I've heard that. This is why I added the "or some similar organization" part. I think L'Oreal runs the same kind of program, and my immediate thought is that, being an actual corporation, they're held to some sort of standard, but I haven't done the research yet to say one way or the other. If and when I donate my hair, I'll make sure I *have* done enough research so that I'm confident my hair is going to proper use.
Although you've made me curious: how does one go about selling their hair, and what kind of parties have interest in such a thing?
I agree with Jason about what to do with your hair prior to military service.
Don't give up hope about the receding hairline just yet. A slightly higher hairline normally occurs in one's 20's as everyone transitions from a juvenile to a mature hairline, this is normal. If the hairline continues to recede, and you also notice thinning in the crown area, then it is more likely that you have MPB but there ARE medications that can halt or even reverse this. The best advice I can give is that if you have ANY concerns at all, see a doctor, preferably a dermatologist, (as soon as possible), who can lay out an action plan so that you can keep your hair. There is NO need to lose your hair, just remember, NEVER give up hope! You can and WILL grow it again after your military service!
All the best,
David
I appreciate the advice, but I'm more of a naturalist on things like this. If I'm going to lose my hair, I'll let it go. I complain because I think it's funny, but I'm not one to go spend money trying to stop something that nature intends. I've found that nature tends to know what it's doing.
I mean, my older brother has a big forehead, and his hair is the *least* of the reasons he's ugly :-p
i hope this link works for you if your going to cut and sale your hair
but i sure wouldn't cut my hair to sale or give away just my to cents
I wouldn't really have all that much choice. But I've got a good relationship with my hair, it'll understand. And if I pass my hair on to someone else, I'll know that all these years I've grown it out will benefit someone. My hair's been good to me, and I know it'll take care of someone else just as well.
disadvantage of requiring military service after I get my degree (or flunk out, whichever comes first :-p). -----two years to grow out my hair before a drill sergent attacks me with a razor. :Check your facts. There was a news article about 2 years ago that said Israli military COULD have long hair so don't go into premature mourning.
I'll check it out, but that doesn't sound right. That probably applies to females, and certain non-combat units, or certain religious exceptions, but if I want to do anything worthwhile, I'll probably have to do it shaven. I'd rather serve my country honorably and sacrifice my dashing good looks than hide behind a desk and keep my hair as a reminder of the job someone else had to do because I wouldn't do it. But, hey, if I can get the best of both worlds, then go me :)
In my case it is a long gone past: This month is the 20th anniversary of the last time when I had to cut my hair short for military service. I was called in for a month of military training in Feb 1987, only to be sent back home right away because I was too heavy. But they cut my hair anyway before dismissing me...
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A Linux Longhair
That sounds horrible. I've already gone through all the preparatory stuff, and I don't even *qualify* for service for another year and a half. Nobody made me do anything except wake up at an ungodly hour and pay for the two busses it takes to get to the recruitment office. Although, apparently, I'm both mentally and physically capable for military service, so I won't be disqualified because of weight.
(but just in case, how much do you think I could gain in a year and a half? :P)
At the time when I was called in 1987 my weight was about 150 kgs (330 - 340 lbs).
Many years ago I made several attempts to loose weight, but never got under 110 - 120 kgs (230 - 240 lbs). After each attempt I regained all what I had shed and some more within a few weeks. Eventually I gave up on dieting and all and gained about 40 kgs in one year.
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A Linux Longhair