# What do you think of women who shave their heads? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772 "2011-04-26T14:55:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/1 "2011-04-26T14:55:09Z")
Poll upcoming. Lettuce discuss our thoughts on the topic. I’ve never met anyone with a weak opinion on this subject, so I’m hoping the discussion will be interesting 🙂 I think bald women are bold and brave and generally beautiful. Whether it’s a personal choice or a result of chemotherapy, as long as they aren’t a skinhead I’m cool with it. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/2 "2011-04-26T14:58:05Z")
Humm - I went to art college with a girl who shaved her head. She spent most of her time insisting that Sinead OConnor wasn’t the first woman to shave her head and why did people insist on bringing it up all the time. That was a pretty annoying aspect of her personality - I mean, come on - you shave your head in the early '90s and then get bent out of shape when people bring up Sinead OConnor? Gimme a break! Generally she was a nice girl though, and could pull the look off ok so I liked it fine. Important to remember this was in art college so a shaved head wasn’t even particularly note worthy as far as hair styles went. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/3 "2011-04-26T15:17:03Z")
It can look good on certain women. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/4 "2011-04-26T15:17:41Z")
I’ve yet to see the woman who looks better for shaving her head and would usually assume it was done for medical reasons rather than fashion. Not horribly deviant but more of a “Huh, can’t figure out why you decided to go with _that_…” ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/5 "2011-04-26T15:36:51Z")
My daughter – who is a high-school teacher in her late 20s – once agreed to shave her head if her class raised a certain amount for a charity. They did, and so she did – she didn’t look better with her head shorn, but it does represent another reason for a woman to shave her head. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/6 "2011-04-26T15:40:26Z")
Not a good look. Sinead was able to pull it off though. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/7 "2011-04-26T15:47:54Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > it does represent another reason for a woman to shave her head. Fair enough. I’d assume there were _some sort_ of special circumstances to the shorn look beyond fashion 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/8 "2011-04-26T15:48:44Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I’ve yet to see the woman who looks better for shaving her head and would usually assume it was done for medical reasons rather than fashion. Not horribly deviant but more of a “Huh, can’t figure out why you decided to go with _that_…” Yeah, pretty much. But I can’t imagine ever shaving my head, and I am not really up on the decisions leading to it. My hair is an element of my femininity to me. I may not value all of the marks of my femininity (I wouldn’t mind if my period would just go away, forever), but hair is something I would never want to lose. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/9 "2011-04-26T16:05:03Z")
I know quite a few women who shave part of their heads, and that can look very good. I’ve only known a couple who’ve shaved all of it, but I’ve seen that look good as well. I voted for “It’s their hair”, because anyone’s choice of hairstyle is their own, and shouldn’t be dependant on what I think it looks like. ---
**Author:** ![Ura-Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Ura-Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ura-Maru)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/10 "2011-04-26T16:12:39Z")
Generally positive. It’s not a look that looks good on most people, you need a certain kind of face and build. It’s less extreme sister, the buzzcut, is far more forgiving. As always, being young and pretty as most examples I see are, helps considerably. Much like men with shaved heads, I do think they look better in the 5ocock-shadow stage, considering that women are less likely to be balding. Still, I appreciate the attempt, even if the results aren’t always what you were hoping for. – I was going throw a quip out there that it was a good indication that the lady in question wouldn’t be interested in dating me. But then I realized, that’s true of pretty much ANY hairstyle . . . ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/11 "2011-04-26T16:13:11Z")
I voted for “It’s their hair” too. But I have to admit that I personally dislike the [head scarf thing](http://www.headcovers.com/scarves/head-scarves/). Especially when it’s worn under a hat. ---
**Author:** ![Azeotrope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@Azeotrope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Azeotrope)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/12 "2011-04-26T16:26:21Z")
Voted for “it’s their hair.” 9 times out of 10 I think it looks awful but it ain’t my decision to make. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/13 "2011-04-26T16:37:34Z")
“I don’t care, it’s her hair” shouldn’t be an option. Of course it’s her hair and she can do whatever she wants with it. But people can still have an opinion about how it looks. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/14 "2011-04-26T16:40:09Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > “I don’t care, it’s her hair” shouldn’t be an option. Of course it’s her hair and she can do whatever she wants with it. But people can still have an opinion about how it looks. I was just thinking that. Why have an opinion poll where one option is “my opinion doesn’t count”? ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/15 "2011-04-26T16:42:14Z")
I’ll own up and say I voted “Women with shaved heads look ridiculous, why would anyone do that to herself?” A woman has a right to do whatever she wants to her own body, including her hair. However, “beautiful” is never a thought I’ve had whenever I’ve seen a woman with a shaved head. Just not attractive to me. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/16 "2011-04-26T16:57:59Z")
[Sometimes it can look OK](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_SiaqiAT5FyE/SpgKgrgWBYI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/9FrXvIb9EfE/s400/PersisKhambattaBonanza-25.jpg). 🙂 “I don’t care, it’s her hair” was my vote, but if she’s not doing it for medical reasons or to prepare for a role in a major motion picture, I tend to read it as, “Hey, look at me, I’m an individual and I’m confident and unique and pay attention to me I said look at me look at me LOOK AT ME!!!” ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/17 "2011-04-26T16:59:14Z")
To me, they are just like men with shaved heads - it looks amazing and sexy if they are attractive and have a nicely-shaped skull, otherwise it’s ‘meh’ or even unflattering. I do think otherwise good-looking women with masculine styling are exceptionally attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/18 "2011-04-26T17:08:15Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > I know quite a few women who shave part of their heads, and that can look very good. Really? Can you post a picture? I don’t think I’ve seen this look since the 80’s, when women were doing [terrible things like this](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_CpLDLJcRP88/SQk6Xoyc9TI/AAAAAAAAAc8/HsiFaMXNX4Q/s400/Kristi%27s+hair.jpg). I struggle to image anything like that ever looking good. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/19 "2011-04-26T17:11:14Z")
I don’t think there’s an omnibus answer to express my opinion, so I went with “don’t care, it’s her hair.” To expand, I think that some women look absolutely beautiful with shaved heads. I think some look ridiculous. Some do it for admirable reasons - like **Giles’** daughter, or a dear friend of mine who shaved her head last week to show solidarity with a friend battling brain cancer, and to donate to Locks of Love/oil spill cleanup. (The friend with brain cancer shaved his head 17 years ago when the other friend fought ovarian cancer.) [St. Baldrick’s Day](http://www.stbaldricks.org/) is a big deal fundraiser around here for children’s cancer research. And of course, there are women who have no choice, losing their hair due to medical conditions. I admire women who go about their lives regardless of the state of their hair/lack of hair. (Maybe because I’ve never had issues with hair - mine’s very thick, fairly attractive, and insanely low-maintenance - I go with “It’s just hair, for God’s sake. It’ll grow back!” [Except, of course, in cases like a woman with alopecia, which is usually pretty obvious due to accompanying lack of lashes/brows.] The only reason I didn’t shave my head with my friend last week is that my complexion matches my red hair, and recent sunny days plus a never-before-exposed scalp would have me risking skin cancer due to the inevitable sunburns. Instead, I’m growing mine another couple of inches and getting a very short cut, with the extra tonnage being donated.) Women who shave their heads for political reasons? Depends on their reasons. As mentioned in the poll, skinhead? I think you’re an idiot. “Oooh, I’m such a rebel/misfit/original person?” I think you’re a complete poseur. Shaving to show solidarity with the oppressed Tibetan monks? Maybe okay, maybe you’re a poseur. I don’t know. Mostly, though, if a woman has a shaved head, I don’t ask - if she wants to share her reasons, that’s her choice. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772/20 "2011-04-26T17:15:09Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Poll upcoming. Lettuce discuss our thoughts on the topic. I’ve never met anyone with a weak opinion on this subject, so I’m hoping the discussion will be interesting 🙂 > > I think bald women are bold and brave and generally beautiful. Whether it’s a personal choice or a result of chemotherapy, as long as they aren’t a skinhead I’m cool with it. I can’t wrap my brain about the idea of a haircut being bold and brave. It’s a hair choice, it grows back. Personally as far as womens hair goes the longer the better, a woman loses attractiveness in direct proportion to the shortness of her hair. But hair is still much lower in the priority scale of attractiveness than say body or face. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-women-who-shave-their-heads/579772.md?page=2)