Back in 2014, I was going through the struggles of high school and the daunting future that is college. My high school required all seniors to do a senior project so I dedicated my project to Locks of Love and cancer. I decided that if I could get over 25 people in high school to donate their hair at the hair drive I put together, I would shave my own hair for cancer. Well, I reached my goal and ended up with a bald head. The feeling was so liberating!
At first, I was scared of doing something so drastic to my appearance, especially since my hair was long and curly down my back. But honestly, it was the best decision that I’ve ever made and I would do it all over again. I originally wanted to cut my hair for numerous reasons. One being that I didn’t like my hair. I didn’t know how to style it or how to take care of it, and since my hair was long, it always hot down my back. There was also a lot of damage for me bleaching my bangs at home. The second reason was that I’ve always believed that hair doesn’t define a person. It’s just an extension of your beauty, not the creator of it. I wanted to prove that to myself that was something I fully believed in, not just something I spoke about. Finally, I wanted to show other girls in my school that motto of mine and give my hair to someone who needed it.
The Reactions That Followed
When I shaved my head the first time, I didn’t really think that people would treat me any differently or that I would be constantly stared at. But that’s exactly what happened. People and children questioned my health, my gender, and my sexuality. While for a hot second, I enjoyed the attention because I knew I was different and that people were finally noticing that. But after a while, it became annoying. I would rather have people ask me why I shaved my head, instead of gawk at me in the aisles of a store. So when people finally started having the guts to ask me, I was able to tell my story and gain awareness of children’s cancer even further than I had anticipated.
[bctt tweet=”Hair is an extension of your beauty; Not the creator of it.” username=”uniquelymickie”]
My Thoughts Now
Looking back on that moment in time, I am really proud of myself for going through with my decision and setting up the entire hair drive at my school by myself. I definitely would do the whole experience over again! I hope to one day be able to organize more hair drives around the US to give back to the girls who are going through cancer treatments. I can only imagine what they are going through and if donating hair and making wigs for them to feel beautiful can help them through their journey, then by all means, I want to do everything in my power to do that.
I truly enjoyed not having a full head of hair. It’s a very liberating feeling being able to wake up and walk out the door. At the beginning stages, I didn’t really have to add a lot of products to my hair for it to look pretty. And even when my hair started to grow out, it was very low maintenance.
In 2015, I decided to grow out my hair to be able to learn and love my hair for the curly mess that it is, through all of the awkward stages. Having a shaved head, it made me learn to love myself for who I was and to appreciate all of my features. I could no longer hide behind my big hair. I was being noticed and I had to confront that fear of mine for being noticed and looked at.
My Motto That I Stick By:
“Hair doesn’t define a person’s beauty. It’s an extension of your beauty, not the creator of it”- Makaela
Do you have a motto that you live by? And would you ever have the courage to shave your head for cancer?
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