What's Hair Got To Do With It?

Identity expresses itself through hair - in more ways than you can imagine

- Rituparna Som

If only it weren’t true. That our hair has power over our sense of self. So much so that it lends itself to sometimes define the quality of the day we are going to have. However, the truth is that our hair and our identity are inextricably linked. Perhaps more so for women than men. Landmark moments in life are marked by a change in hair – colour, cut, or style. Hair loss, whether because of disease or lifestyle, is a devastating change to confront. And greying feels a lot more confrontational than wrinkles.

“Hair is very closely tied to one’s identity and feelings of attractiveness,” says psychologist Aekta Brahmbhatt. “Hair has been associated with good health, beauty, and youth, which makes it a very desirable asset. It’s also a visual silhouette of someone’s personality, which impacts one’s sense of self. It immediately attracts attention, making one feel attractive and desirable.”

As one of the first visual markers of who we are, and its nature of being a lot more adaptable to change physically (relatively speaking), hair becomes an integral tool of expression. When life gets more and more unpredictable, changing your hair via a cut or colour is an act of gaining some control over it, and thus, the first step towards assembling back a life seemingly askew. “A change in hairstyle is often associated with creating a new identity. It’s often a coping mechanism – people cut their hair dramatically post a breakup to cope with a stressful life event to signify a new beginning and to let go of the past,” says Brahmbhatt.