Three weeks
ago I deadheaded my sangria daisies, and I am shocked that even with the cooler
October weather new blooms emerged to brighten my landscaping. I love those flowers—and not just for the
name.
Also around
that same time I kept looking in the mirror at my dead head…my broken, dried
hair...and thought—do I have the guts to just chop off my lack-lustrous locks? I
haven’t had shorter hair in decades. Just
like Sally Field’s character M’Lynn worried in the 1989 movie Steel Magnolias—I agonized whether my
hair would end up looking like a helmet.
Or I’d get that dreaded “Mom cut,” which would certainly age me.
How much do we worry about
hair at midlife? Men going bald? Women dealing with thinning hair?
I’ve been “blessed”
with fine, straight locks my entire life, (hope you read the sarcasm in that statement)…and
for the last five years have been dealing with thyroid issues, which has negatively
affected my hair. Sometimes I find my
eyes scanning the crowds—admiring Irish and Indian women with their thick tresses.
And then on the opposite side of the spectrum I think of my adult friends with
alopecia who’ve completely lost their hair, and my heart goes out to them.
It’s
inevitable that this visible, physical transformation occurs—unless you’re
Sofia Vergara with her amazing mane. No
denying it—as we get older our hair does change. It turns gray, alters in texture, and loses
some of its elasticity. And our hair
surrounds a facial structure which also ages--our facial bones,
including our eye sockets, nose and upper jaw, continue to morph. Should our hairstyle be an accessory to this
mature face?
Are there other
mid-life people who fear changing hairstyles?
How attached are we? I
have some friends who boldly alter their persona with crazy color and frequent cuts,
and I have others who haven’t changed their styles, (like me), for years. Is it an emotional tie? Our hair being a key to our personality? A refusal to accept that our hair should
change as we get older?
I’m not sure
we have to modernize our hair as we age, and I am not convinced that a haircut is
timeless and can last for decades on our transforming faces. I know I personally had to make a literal
head vs. heart decision to cut my hair, and honestly, I’m still getting used to
my mirror’s reflection.
If you’re at
your “split ends” with what to do with your aging hair I suggest asking for
honest opinions from your friends and trusting an experienced stylist who will
take into account your hair’s texture and facial structure before deciding the
best length and cut. Maybe it’s time for
a fresh new style—or a simple enhancement of what you currently sport. I never thought those daisies would spring
forth additional life this late in the growing season…and maybe, just maybe…my
own chopping will yield a brand new look—and outlook—of my own.
I’d love to
hear about your relationship with your hair as you’re getting older. Please comment and share your thoughts.
If you’re
interested in checking out hairstyles for different age groups:
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