The Urge to Cut

Long hair chop - Hairdresser cutting a client's long hair off in a salon — Photo: Bigstock

We often wonder why women with the most beautiful and long, luxurious locks will feel the need to grab the scissors and opt for a short and spiky pixie cut. It almost defies comprehension. There are so many women out there who would kill for thick, silky, and healthy hair, and the concept of someone just chopping it all off feels like hair shaming or a betrayal.

Thousands of dollars are spent on hair extensions to achieve the perfect strands as we watch the fortunate just get cut. But what makes someone with long hair suddenly feel this insatiable urge to cut all of their hair off? And furthermore, why do those (again) with the most beautiful heads of hair go for the dramatic chop?

There are many reasons, some practical while others are impulsive. And though it can be great and fun to play with your look, thinking about the permanence is something that we all need to do, otherwise we will be left crying in the salon chair because we did not thoroughly think this change through.

Let us start off with the reasons why women start to think about cutting their hair and what brings about these urges to get a better understanding and then we will explore how to combat these urges and maybe some ways to get around them. If you are contemplating cutting your long hair, you can take what I am saying and truly think before you leap or understand the consequences of what you feel is best. Because one thing we know for sure is that hair (almost always) grows, so hair that was cut off impulsively will grow back if you have patience and a free-spirited attitude. But again, mainly patience is key.

Breakups bring about the biggest need for women to change their appearances, mainly their hair. Katy Perry went for a dramatic chop when she and Orlando Bloom broke up, so much so that she got a total pixie cut. She rocked it, but she once made a comment that if she went blonde too quickly, her hair would get damaged and she would be forced to have this haircut. It seems like she was finding liberation in being free from her hair, but she is also a hair chameleon, so it kind of makes sense.

Miley Cyrus also showed signs of problems with her on-and-off again fiancé Liam Hemsworth when she chopped off her signature locks several years ago, which have since grown back.

Women also tend to go to the salon or grab the scissors and cut their own hair when they are feeling down, unfortunately. They have the mentality that if they cut their hair, they can cut off their problems as well. But trust me, it only lasts about ten minutes or maybe a day or two and that is not how problems are solved. It might make them worse once you look in the mirror and see what you have done and that there is no going back.

Young woman sporting a freshly cut pixie with a short nape — Image: AI illustration

I have had sad moments where I think a cut will fix it all and for a moment, I feel better. But then, I am still the same person and nothing has been resolved because beauty has to first come from within. Despite how cliché it may sound, it is the truth.

Another reason one may want to cut their hair is because they feel that their hair is weighing them down or becoming too heavy. Talk to your stylist and find a reasonable length to take some of the bulk out without cutting all the length so you will feel some relief without losing all your hair.

If you suffer from over-processed/damaged hair from too much coloring and/or heat exposure, try some glosses and deep conditioners before you give up and give in. You might find new life in your "old hair."

Long hair that has been cut off to donate — Image: Boyloso/Getty Images via Canva

The best reason to cut your hair completely off is if you have been growing it out purposely so that you can donate it to kids with cancer; in that case, cut away. You have a plan that is fully supported, and you are doing something so amazing that you can feel it in your heart.

Occasionally, women want a new hairstyle to go with a change in life, but you don't want to shock your system. So again, maybe go gradually into the super-short world and don't rush. There are so many fun, happy mediums that are often overlooked because we can go all-or-nothing, and that is not always a bad thing, but it is not always the most beneficial.

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