Hair-raising Problems
Why is it that we are so completely
with the hair on our heads? Millions of dollars are spent each year on cutting hair, lengthening hair, bleaching hair, straightening hair, curling hair, highlighting hair, and even growing hair; whatever you can do to hair, someone is willing to
to do it. Natural redheads long
brunettes and dishwater blondes dream of shiny golden tresses. Both men and women cringe at the sight of each gray hair,
teenagers enjoy weekly experiments with magenta dyes, spikes, and tangerine streaks.
All of these thoughts cross my mind as I examine the
my most recent hair adventure. As a mature woman watching the gray hairs
with my natural brunette tones, I decided over a year
approach my stylist with the idea of highlights. Having seen many of my peers go this route, I figured that highlighting
the answer to my reluctance to look my age.
[1] The monthly highlighting went
for those times when my hair turned out a little too subdued, making me look partially gray instead of brunette. [2] I suffered through it remarkably well, saying to myself, "She'll get it right the next time." [3]
, I've enjoyed my year of highlights, so much so that I bravely approached Donna, my stylist, two months ago and proclaimed that I was done with wimpy highlighting and ready to go blonde. [4] The result was not quite what I expected, but I resolved to live with it! [5] Donna was surprised at my suggestion, but quickly began sharing my unbridled enthusiasm as she gathered the appropriate chemicals and concoctions that would soon transform me.11
Three months later, I find myself
between tears and laughter as I attempt to cover up a patch of nearly bald scalp on the top of my head. For someone who has long been fanatical about the appearance of her hair, this absence of hair has
quite a challenge to my ego and self-confidence. I've always enjoyed styling my hair, and suddenly, I have nothing to style.
Each time I begin to experience a new pang of disgust and despair over this new hair anomaly, I once again ask myself why we are so obsessed with the hair on our heads. The answer always comes to me in a flash, in a simple two-word phrase: pure vanity. Soon after this realization, I cease my crying. 14