The last time I had a haircut was at the beginning of this year, a very short style known as the “bondol” cut. Afterward, I made a promise to myself to let my hair grow out until it was long again, as a sign that I was all right — and I kept that promise. Looking back, I’m grateful I didn’t follow through on last year’s urge to shave my head completely. It would have been a drastic statement of something I hadn’t yet come to understand.
As someone always fascinated by the reasons behind small actions, I found myself wondering: is there an association between haircuts and stress? Interestingly, while there isn’t a direct scientific proof that cutting one’s hair relieves stress, there is a psychological basis for why people often change their hair during challenging times or after major life events. In moments of stress, we can feel a loss of control, and changing our hair offers us a way to reclaim agency over something immediate and visible. Studies show that this feeling of control can help reduce stress and improve emotional well-being.
Haircuts often symbolize a fresh start or the desire to shed old patterns. Research on life transitions suggests that physical changes, like cutting hair, can act as a “ritual of transition,” signaling the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. This shift can foster a sense of closure, and it’s often associated with positive psychological effects.
Since hair and appearance are deeply linked to self-image, a new haircut can also enhance confidence and self-esteem, indirectly alleviating stress. A study in The Journal of Aesthetic Psychology found that changes in self-image, like haircuts, can positively influence mood, helping us cope with stress.
For me, this act felt like a quiet part of my healing journey. I may have stopped needing a haircut to feel in control because, over time, I found that control within myself. Now, my hair grows freely, almost as if to mark the growth within me, like a quiet testimony to a journey I’m learning to trust.
