How To Shave Your Head?

If you're googling how to shave your head and your a woman, it’s safe to say that you are thinking about doing something that you never, in your wildest dreams, imagined yourself doing. Yes, you are about to be bald and beautiful!

Personally, my life changed dramatically when I developed alopecia universalis (AU) during my second pregnancy (detailed video here). At eight months pregnant, I noticed a small bald spot at the top of my head, and within twenty days, I had lost eighty percent of the hair on my head. But the worst was yet to come, four months postpartum, when most women are battling postpartum depression due to hormonal imbalances, I lost all my eyebrows, eyelashes, and body hair within a week. During this time, I tried to summon up enough courage to shave my head but couldn’t. I recall watching Youtube videos or TicToks and googling, brave the shave. For women, hair loss is cruel, extreme, and incredibly sad and all the videos I watched proved that to be true. None of them demonstrated how I truly felt after I shaved my head. Shaving your head is a big decision so feeling scared or anxious about it is completely normal. It is a personal decision so don't feel pressured to rush into the decision; take some time to think about it. Below are some insights that I gained after I shaved my head and my hope is that it will give you a different perspective.

Shaving My Head - Freed Me, Allowed Me To Move On, and Gave Me My Power Back

Losing hair can be one of the most difficult and emotional experiences anyone can go through. As a woman who has suffered from alopecia, I understand the pain of seeing my hair fall and the anxiety it caused me. I held on to my hair, saving the strands that fell out in plastic ziplock bags, because it felt like the right thing to do—a way to hold on to a part of myself that was slipping away. I know how devastating it can be to see your hair fall out in clumps and to wake up with a pillow full of hair. It feels like you are taking one step forward and ten steps back. But the more I clung onto my hair, the more I felt like I was losing a part of myself.  However, the day I finally shaved my head was the day I let go of what was and embrace what is. Shaving my head allowed me to move on; it gave me my power back and freed me. As someone who has struggled with alopecia, I understand how hard it is to shave your head. It's a massive leap with faith, but it will liberate and empower you in the end!

How To Find The Strength

For anyone who is thinking about shaving their head, the best advice I can share with you is that it's all about mindset and letting go. Don't worry; I won't get all spiritual on you, but, remember that you are not alone; thousands of women, if not more, have done what you are about to do. None of them really wanted to do it, but in the end, they did it.

The Peaceful Shave

The most peaceful kind of shave I know of takes place within the Hindu religion in India. This ancient custom involves a ceremonial haircut or shave known as tonsure, which is considered a religious pilgrimage for many Hindus. The rituals before and after the shave involve prayers, blessings, and offerings, and the hair is ultimately given to holy waters. But beyond the religious context, the act of shaving your head is also a symbol of total submission and humility, which allows you to get closer to your true self. By removing the mask of vanity and arrogance, you can discover the essence of your being and reconnect with your spirituality.

What I have learned from the tonsuring process is that it is not about the loss of hair but about the celebration of life, the expression of faith, and the surrender of ego. Shaving your head can be a similar act of self-discovery and self-expression, a way to let go of the past, embrace the present, and create a new future. When I shaved my head, I felt a sense of freedom and empowerment that I had never felt before. It was not about being bald or having hair, but about being true to myself, letting go of my fears, and embracing my inner beauty. It was a way to move on from the pain and sadness of hair loss, and to embrace the joy and hope of a new beginning.

Therefore, I urge you to change your perspective on what it means to shave your head as a woman. Instead of seeing it as a loss, see it as an opportunity for growth and transformation. When I shaved my head, I felt liberated, empowered, and ready for a new chapter in my life. It was not an easy journey, but it was worth it.

The Memory I Wish I Had

Here is my wish for you: to take time to consider ways that you can make shaving your head a truly memorable and unforgettable moment. How can you transform this experience into a positive one? What steps can you take to turn it into a cherished memory? What does your perfect day look like? What do you love to do? Think about your "perfect" day, and then make that day come true. Create an amazing memory for yourself to remember, celebrate your life, and do it with loved ones! Then, at the end of the day or weekend, let it go, shave your head, and watch what happens! Yes, you might not love seeing your bald head, I still don't love seeing mine, but I promise you will be elevated from the loss, and one day you will look back and say, Wow, that was such a great day and I did it. I did something I never imagined I would. What an amazing memory that would be!

I recently consulted with a 26-year-old woman with aggressive breast cancer who followed this advice. She had just learned how to ski and loved going to the mountains. I told her to ski with friends and loved ones all weekend, have a great time, laugh a lot, and enjoy herself. I told her to try to not think about the shave, although I am sure that she did but she was doing something she loved and she was living her best life—she was living her perfect day! Finally, at the end of the weekend, she went through with it and shaved her head. Did she love it? Did she want to do it? No, but she did it, and she had a beautiful weekend to remember it by.

I will end this post with this thought. Shaving your head doesn't have to be a sad story. It doesn't have to be ho-hum or just another memory. Do your best to make it special! And in the end, let go of what was, embrace what is, and live your absolute best life—a different perspective indeed.

Much love,

Allison