If the truth be known the hair on our head is there to protect us. It helps to shield us from the sun, and to keep us warm by stopping heat from escaping from our bodies too quickly. Why then, are some of us emotionally attached to our hair so much that we are afraid of haircuts?

Perhaps the answer lays not in biology but in psychology. Our haircut is likely to represent to us far more than protection from the elements. In-fact, many of us intertwine our looks, and particularly our hair, with our self esteem. Not only only is this so, but we also use our haircut to represent us as individuals and to send a message to observers about who we are.

At different stages in our lives, such as when we begin a new phase of life, we may alter our haircut to signify that our lives are changing and that we are getting ready to begin a new project, whether that be a new relationship or career.

The element of fear may rear it's head when the prospect of a new haircut arrives because we are afraid of the unknown. On the one hand we fear the possibility that the haircut may be unsuccessful, leaving us feeling that others may judge us unfavorably as a result. On the other hand we may be unsure about what to expect, will the new hairstyle accurately reflect us as individuals and fit in with how we see ourselves?

It isn't surprising that as a society we fear being judged negatively by others for the way we present ourselves. After-all, people who fair well in the appearance steaks tend to receive a larger portion of the popularity pie when it comes to success both in the board room and with members of the opposite sex.

There is one more important reason though, for being afraid of haircuts. The fear may stem from our childhood when it is likely that we had little control over the choices that were made with regards to our appearance. Most parents choose both what a young child will wear and the haircut that they have.

If an individual is just approaching puberty and suddenly feels self conscious about how they look, they may begin to associate the feeling of being out of control when it comes to their destiny with a lack of control over how their hair is cut.

Doe's this sound ridiculous? If so think about why it could possibly be that a grown up shudders and sweats when a trained, professional hairdresser approaches with scissors. It is unlikely that they are frightened that the hairdresser will hurt them, and far more likely that they are afraid of surrendering control by handing it over to another person.

Learn more about this author, Bridget Webber.
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