Imagine if humans were born without hair, that growing hair on the head is considered abnormal? That the term “hair” did not even exist at all? Or that there is no solution, permanent or temporary, to remove or hide it? Wouldn’t just this freakish outgrowth incite psychological and social anxiety? True, that is only theoretical. But when it happens to you, anxiety in all forms will be a certainty because you deviate from the definition of being “normal.”
The point is, this leaves us fully aware of the social pressures we were introduced to and how we unconsciously succumbed to them. Now they are fully embedded in our system and we cannot simply escape them — because living without hair is the exact opposite of the reality we are living today. How important, then, has hair become?
Even during the metal ages, people already considered hair an essential structure. Evidences from well-preserved graves suggest that people have a high regard for their physical appearance and hair was their primary instrument to a change in appearance. Their hairstyles were quite refined. Women used braids, hairnets, and ornaments. They also kept their hair at a shoulder length or in a bob. In the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age graves, a hair dress was a common equipment.
Aside from that, people were very well-groomed. They shaved regularly and braided their hair. Cut it and used tweezers to pluck facial hairs. The evidences also suggest that their hair ornaments were a work of great craftsmanship.
It’s probably man’s nature to use the hair to imply that beauty and power are of great importance. The hair is elemental in one’s appearance which is why grooming, styling, embellishing, and getting rid of it have always been common practices in all societies. Also, this indicates how hair loss is considered by society to be a worrisome condition.
Indeed, overtime, hairstyles were a product of the preceding cultures, religion, politics, and various aspects of lifestyles including personal expression, fashion, and sports. Aside from that, hair was also used to imply social status, identify gender, conceal the signs of aging, and even show nonconformity.
Today, only the endless possibilities of what we can do to our hair has changed — in fact, evolved. The importance remains the same. Hair is still the same structure in the upper part of our body that can serve as an avenue for personal expression besides the fact that it can gauge a person’s health. The rise of photography and film has put increasing stress on hairstyles and the hair at large, as depicted by the mass media.
