Our hair can greatly influence our emotions and self-esteem. A good hair day can boost our confidence, while a bad hair day can leave us feeling insecure. This emotional connection is rooted in our innate desire to look and feel our best, as our appearance often influences how others perceive us.
Hair and identity are very closely related. Much like your fashion choices, how your hair is cut and styled sends a message to the rest of the world about what type of person you are, your interests, and which sub-cultures you fall into ‒ if any. Our hairstyle can say a lot.
What's behind this connection we have with our hair, as it turns out, is inherited and far-reaching (you'd be hard-pressed to find a culture that doesn't value hair in some way). ``It's likely we are hardwired to feel emotionally connected to our hair,'' says psychologist Vivian Diller, PhD.
Hair is a visible aspect of our identity, and changes to hair (such as cutting, shaving, or changing its color) can reflect internal emotional shifts. This doesn't mean the hair physically contains the trauma, but that our emotional states, including trauma, can influence our perception and treatment of our hair.
“As such, when women go through times of transition or crisis, they will often cut off their hair. It is symbolic of letting go of the past, getting out of our hair whatever has been troubling us, cutting old ties and lightening the load to go forwards into a new future.”
Many spiritual and religious traditions view hair as a retainer of one's vital essence. Rastafarians consider hair their connection to God, calling their long dreadlocks “God antennae.” Sikhs allow their hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation.
Touching your hair effectively strips it of its natural oils, resulting in major dryness and breakage. Additionally, repeatedly tugging at your hair is a form of mechanical stress which can result in split ends and ultimately, hair thinning.
Playing with your hair can indicate a range of emotions from attracting and flirtation, to (you guessed it) anxiety. You may touch your hair as a way to soothe anxiety. This is referred to as a pacifying behavior.
The crown chakra is the only chakra outside of the physical body and for those of us with gravity-defying locks, it is shielded within our hair. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the neverending news cycle, you can use your hair care routine as a way to come back into alignment.
Science has shown that hair can capture biochemical signals from our experiences, connecting age-old spiritual beliefs with modern scientific findings. Many cultures have traditionally seen hair as holding personal energy and history, and now science explains how these ideas might be true.
Hair structure
The hair root is in the skin and extends down to the deeper layers of the skin. It is surrounded by the hair follicle (a sheath of skin and connective tissue), which is also connected to a sebaceous gland. Each hair follicle is attached to a tiny muscle (arrector pili) that can make the hair stand up.
Sometimes hair loss can be related to mental health. Researchers have found that chronic stress can cause hair loss. Another mental heath-related issue is trichotillomania, or hair-pulling disorder, in which someone has recurring urges to pull out their hair.
Because electrons are negatively charged, the balloon acquires a negative charge, while the hair, with its loss of negative charges, now has a net positive charge. So the balloon and hair have opposite charges, and opposite charges attract each other.
Trichotillomania is a condition where you feel a strong urge to pull out your hair — typically from your head and eyelashes. Pulling hair out can temporarily release tension, giving you a feeling of relief. You may find that stress triggers your hair-pulling, or you may do it when you feel relaxed.
Trichotillomania can be related to emotions, including: Negative feelings. Pulling out hair may be a way of dealing with negative or uncomfortable feelings, such as stress, anxiety, tension, boredom, loneliness, extreme tiredness or frustration.
Now, does this definitively answer the question, “Does hair hold trauma?” No, it doesn't. But it does indicate that the health of a person's hair can be both a symptom and an effect of psychological trauma and other mental health concerns.
It is believed that the tips of your hair are like antennae that gather energy from the Universe in order to stimulate higher levels of consciousness and creativity. Hair is a natural extension of the nervous system and is said to transmit important information to the brain.
However, traumatic experiences, such as emotional abuse, neglect, or sexual trauma, can disrupt the flow of energy in the sacral chakra, leading to sacral chakra blockages and imbalances.
Playing with your hair can be a sign that you feel anxious or bored, which means it's important to deal with the cause rather than take it out on your hair. If you're feeling anxious, there are many calming techniques you could try. Talking to someone who will lend an ear, will help you process your feelings.
Repetitive behaviors and stimming are not necessarily unique to autistic individuals. Even neurotypical people may stim from time to time. Whistling, back-cracking, nail-picking, hair-twirling, and finger-tapping can all be considered stimming.
Damage from these super tight hairstyles is normally noticed around the forehead and temples, as well as the nape of the neck. With the popularization of the model bun, we're also starting to see an increase in split ends due to the twisting and tying required to secure the super sleek style.
There are many reasons as to why you could be excessively touching your hair: Boredom. Your hands are free, so they end up in your hair. You're concentrating on something and you like to fiddle with your hair at the same time.
Touching your face can spread dirt, oil, and bacteria from your hands to your face, which can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. The AAD recommends only touching your face when cleansing, moisturizing, or applying sunscreen or makeup—and only if your hands are clean, of course!
Generally, he says, the range is somewhere between once a day and once a week. “If you have very fine or thin hair, you may need to wash more often, while those with thick or curly hair may need to wash less often,” says Dr Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist and hair health expert.