Beauty standards are harsh. And we can't even say that it's just like that nowadays - it's always been like that. The only thing that differs is the standards themselves.
Here, today, many believe that a woman should rock long hair, while someone with a bald head is a "weirdo". Even if sometimes the latter isn't even a choice - it's just a result of a condition someone has.
So, it's understandable for them to want to wear a wig. What is not understandable is trying to manipulate someone into donating their hair for a wig.
More info: Reddit
Each person decides how they want to look, and still, we have to acknowledge that sometimes these choices are influenced by certain beauty standards
Image credits: teksomolika / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Like in this story, when a family wanted to get their 8-year-old daughter a wig, because of how insecure she felt about her bald head
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
She didn't even choose this bald head herself - it was simply the result of her alopecia
Image credits: amixstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
At the same time, her sister's friend had long hair, which would be perfect to make a wig, but she refused to donate it
Image credits: m_c_re
The girl's sister tried to manipulate her friend into cutting off her hair, but she didn't give in to the pressure
The OP has very long hair – it’s over 3 feet in length, or just over 90 centimeters. And it’s nice hair – no breakage, or heat damage – she’s been taking care of it. The reason why she grows it out isn’t in any way related to religion or anything like that – she simply just likes to have long hair.
At the same time, her friend's 8-year-old sister has alopecia, which causes her to be bald. This makes her insecure, so getting her a wig might seem like a good idea. But the thing is that she’s allergic to one of the main ingredients in synthetic wigs and needs a natural one, which her family cannot afford.
The friend contacted the wig-making place, which informed her that they could give them a discount if they would get the hair themselves. So, the friend asked the original poster to donate hers – she has so much, after all. But the woman didn't want to donate her hair, so she said no.
The friend didn’t take her ‘no’ seriously, as she kept pushing her to donate, saying she didn’t need it, which wasn’t totally true. Yes, she didn’t need hair for religious reasons, but she likes to use it to hide her scalp from psoriasis, which is just as sensible a reason as any other. But the friend didn’t see it that way – she couldn’t fathom the fact that she wouldn’t get the hair she so desperately wanted for her sister with alopecia.
If you have never heard about alopecia before, it’s an autoimmune disease that causes sudden hair loss. It doesn’t have to be the hair on the head; it can be anywhere on the body, but the kind that affects hair on the head is the most noticeable.
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Anyone can develop this disease, but the chances are greater for those who are children or have a family history of alopecia areata or other autoimmune disorders like diabetes, lupus, or thyroid disease. It also cannot be fully cured – just managed with medication and other treatments.
Since bald heads are technically not up to today’s beauty standards, especially for women, many of them opt for wigs, just as the family decided to do for the 8-year-old in this story. And if you think wigs are a cheap way to solve this issue, they’re not. You’re likely simply thinking about those cheap costume store wigs, which aren’t suitable for everyday wear.
Those that are suitable are expensive, as they require high-quality materials, intensive labor of skilled artisans, who hand-tie strands for a natural look, and customization for a perfect fit. Granted, synthetic ones tend to be a tad cheaper than those made with real hair, but they still cost a pretty penny. And, as today’s story shows, they might not be a good fit for each person, which calls for the more expensive version.
And so, it’s understandable to want to cut down a high price tag by sourcing hair from someone they know, but what’s not understandable is the manipulation they used to get it. Especially when your “source” has a good explanation for wanting to keep her hair.
That’s why netizens dubbed the OP a non-jerk. Would you say the same? Or is your opinion different?
Netizens praised the woman for standing her ground and dragged the friend for being so shady, even with good intentions
