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I just cut my hair: here is an essay I wrote about it and why I am growing it back.
I am a man, and I have long hair. Or, rather, I had long hair, up until a week ago when I woke up my brother, handed him a razor, and told him to lop my majestic mane off. This decision was the result of over a month of musing. Never in my life had I had a buzz cut, and I was growing curious. A small group of women had been ceaselessly pestering me to cut my hair since I began to grow it out over two years ago. Doubt entered my mind; I began to think their prophecies about how much better I would look with short hair, might fulfill themselves. Long hair had also become a part of my identity, and I wondered how cutting it off would affect my sense of self. I also chose to cut my hair in an attempt to redefine myself. After a long discussion with my brother I reached the conclusion that I was going to cut my hair. A few days later, I woke him up and told him to buzz away.
My hair was long, golden-brown, and draped over my shoulders, down slightly past my shoulder blades. I would braid it, or wear it in a pony-tail, a bun, or leave it loose. I vividly remember the feeling of my hair brushing my back as I got out of bed each morning. Now, my hair is less than two centimeters long. It is nearly invisible, a fixed brown skullcap on my head.
So why do I still say that I am a man with long hair? My hair is no more than two centimeters long, short enough that people might mistake me for a skinhead or a punk, instead of a hippie or a woman. There is no question that my hair is short.
However, after some reflection I realized that although I may have less hair than a military recruit, I still identify with the long-haired community. I am still Galen Shearn-Nance, to that degree my sense-of-self is intact, but there is a part of me that is missing. Long hair became part of my identity. I was, and am, a man with long hair.
I realize now that there is no harm in being defined by other people, if you are comfortable with yourself. To change what you are, or what you want to be, in order to either avoid definition by others, or to better fit other’s definition of what you should be is a fruitless task that can never yield satisfaction. One must only be true to themselves, cliché but real.
I have concluded that over the next two years I will go through the process of growing my hair out again, and when it is long I plan on keeping it long until male pattern-baldness inevitably robs me of my flowing tresses. In my opinion, the benefits of long hair outweigh any downsides.
Allow me to list the only redeeming quality of a buzz cut: faster showers. The downsides? Colder scalp, less fashion variety, strange prickly sensation on the pillow, the appearance of a neo-nazi. Longer hair on the other hand: is stylistically variable (can be worn in a bun, in a pony-tail, in a braid, loose, or a thousand other ways), can be draped over the naked bodies of beautiful women, keeps your head, ears, and even neck warm when let down, or cool when tied up, enhances dancing, functions as a curtain to shield oneself from bright light, enhances mental vibration to space, and can be used as a protein source in survival scenarios. The only downsides: must be washed, dried, and combed.
For me, it is a clear choice. Do I regret cutting my hair? No, of course not…if I had never cut my hair, I would never have had the strong conviction to grow it back out, and keep it out. And if women don’t like it, well that's too bad. Long hair acts as a “women filter” because a girl who wouldn’t date me for having long hair isn’t worth having around anyway (I’d like to think).
To conclude: My hair may be short, but it is only a matter of time before the majestic mane returns. Two years, approximately. That’s a long time. What the heck was I thinking? Oh well, it will be back, and it will be longer than before, and it will be here to stay.
Well, it's very unfortunate that you cut such an amazing mane but we all make mistakes in life. It sounds like you've "seen the light" and will not be mutilating yourself again in this fashion. Being true to oneself is certainly at the core of finding peace with oneself. Many of us have longhair identities and we've learned not to mess with it.
I wish you success on regrowing!
Are you sure you're going to be strongly affected by MPB? Do you have genes for it from both parents?
I agree it's a terrible curse and can strike any man but I'm hoping your thick mane will regrow and remain unaffected by MPB.
It has been proven that Propecia works best for those who take it before significant loss occurs so that might be a consideration for you.
Hey Jason,
Could you say a little bit more about men's baldness? How would I suspect that I have the genes for it or not? Would I look at my parents and/or my grandparents to come to some determination?
Any light you could shed on this would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Raymond
That's a good one, Raymond. Yeah, I'd make a wild guess that looking at one's parents and grandparents would be a good place to start to determine one's hereditary traits.
"Are you sure you're going to be strongly affected by MPB? Do you have genes for it from both parents?"
Actually I don't think I will get MPB, that was mostly a joke. But who knows? My dad is bald, but on my mom's side there is good hair on all the men so it is very likely I'll have good hair all my life. I was just trying to keep my little essay amusing for myself I reckon.
It's just a great shame you cut to such an very inspiring mane, oh well you've done it now!
Cheers,
John.B
Galen,
I feel for you, bro.
Enjoy the process of growing out your hair; it will pass quickly. Celebrate the milestones of growing out your hair as you reach them; eg.: when you can bite your hair, when you can put it in a ponytail, when your hair begins to touch your shoulders . . . etc. You know now that you are a longhair, it is part of who you are.
If you need any support we're here for you, bro.
Raymond
it was a superb mane - a lesson to anyone else musing about trying a buzz to see what it is like.
Male pattern baldness comes in various degrees, so even if you get it, you may not get it too bad. My hair started thinning in my 30's, but it didn't all go. At 64, it's thin, but it's still long (click my avatar picture).
This is a very well-written and poignant statement about why NOT to cut off one's hair. Moderators, I think it would be worthwhile to make it permanently available somewhere on this site, for men who might be considering removing their manes (perhaps in the FAQ?). If not, maybe someone could post it to an off-site page and provide a link here at the MLHH.
Galen, sorry for the loss of your powerful mane, and good journey toward its return.
--Val
Well Galen, what is done is done.
And the good news is that you now know that you are a natural longhaired being. In a way your haircutting has clearly defined for you this.
And with all the hair care hints learnt here and elsewhere growing it back the second time would I think be a breeze and knowing how to look after it better in the awkward phrase then before may mean a slightly better looking head of hair (not that your recent mane wasn't in excellent condition) the second time around.
And enjoying the opportunity to experience different hairstyles for short hair while it's growing out!
Duncan
I did something similar in my early 20s and regretted it immediately, although it took a few years before I got round to growing it again. Still, it does grow back. These days, my mane's long enough to sit on (just) when loose, which took about five to six years. Time will tell how long it will eventually grow. I'm going for terminal this time.
A small group of women had been ceaselessly pestering me to cut my hair since I began to grow it out over two years ago.
Hey Galen,
Please don't take this question in the wrong way; it's not meant to add insult to injury - just to reinforce something you already said in your essay.
What do these women say now that you have a buzz cut?
Remember Samson and Delilah?
You are so correct, bro in saying that you have to know yourself and just endure whatever quips and slurs others may throw at you because of your long hair.
I hope the time passes quickly for you and that you grow it even longer than before.
Raymond
"What do these women say now that you have a buzz cut?"
Well, some of them say, "It looks so good," and some of them say, "aww why did you cut it?" This just demonstrates that no matter what you do, some people will like it and some will dislike it, so you might as well just do what you want because you'll never make everyone happy. Or something like that haha