"I shaved my head for all those girls out there who struggle with their self-image because of their hair. Maybe they are going through chemotherapy and have no hair, or possibly have an autoimmune condition like alopecia that causes them to lose their hair. Women and young girls in the media are usually seen as having long beautiful hair. Think about the Disney Princesses. They all have had long, flowing, perfect hair at some point in their story. Now, I am by no means a role model for cutting my hair but I just want girls and women to know that they are beautiful no matter what. Their hair does not equal their beauty. I had a condition a few years ago that caused me to lose half the hair on my head. Since my hair was so thick, no one could tell this was happening other than my family who realized I had clogged the shower drain a few too many times. The feeling of having my hair fall out was slightly terrifying because I had no idea when it was going to stop and when it would begin to grow back. I learned that I should not be ashamed or worried about what others think about my hair. This experience was one of the reasons why I signed up to shave my head to raise money for Childhood Cancer Canada. After shaving my head I feel like people can actually see me instead of the obnoxious amount of hair I had surrounding my head. Now that my hair is gone, getting ready in the morning is a thousand times easier. Showers are shorter, I don’t have to fuss with bobby pins or hair elastics, and bad hair days do not currently exist for me. Shaving your head is an amazing experience that leaves you feeling like a badass on the cutting edge of fashion, and I believe everyone should try it once in their life."
Made possible by UOttawa's Smiling Over Sickness
Usman Kahn, MD2019, Blog Photographer
Usman Kahn, MD2019, Blog Photographer
