As a 17-year-old girl on TikTok, I see my fair share of different trends and other types of videos about all sorts of concepts.
There’s a trend going around about an attachment to one’s hair. Thousands of people, and counting, have taken to the platform with their own takes on the “hair holds memories” bandwagon. Even such names as Dixie D’Amelio, Benji Krol, and Niamh Adkins have put their spin on it.
Generally, the videos feature a photo or clip of a person with long hair, and then, it shifts to a different one of the same person now, oftentimes with drastically shorter or differently colored hair.
In some cases, the videos are purely happy, stating that, since hair is believed to hold memories, one’s hair is their most prized possession. In other cases, however, the videos take a more somber approach, facing the concept with the idea that, if hair holds memories, it subsequently holds trauma as well, so the only possible solution to this issue is to cut it all off.
Both types of videos have amassed a considerable amount of attention from the public—a collective 10.9 billion views, to be exact—and the most interesting thing to me about it is that there is no drama in almost any circumstance relating to the concept.
In and of itself, it’s not an idea that is going to be inherently dramatic, but, as of recently, TikTok users generally tend to jump at the chance to attack somebody for anything. Not with this, though.
The “therapeutic chop,” as many have been calling it, has actually brought users together in ways that are slowly restoring my faith in humanity. People all over the world are posting their transformations and the sheer amount of support and utter enthusiasm that people are facing each other with is enough to bring people from all walks of life together in ways nobody would have thought.
A collective trauma bond has begun through this movement. I hesitate to even call it a trend simply because it’s not something that is being done just for the sake of getting views, but rather, a healing process that millions of people are undergoing together.
Whether it be healing from a breakup, a traumatic experience, or even accepting one’s sexuality, everybody has welcomed this idea with open arms. It’s a beautiful thing to watch so many people finally relate to each other on a level that is so often neglected by cultural differences or media influence.
While different cultures, religions, and races have different takes on the trend, it still provides enough of a commonality that people can understand regardless of background. “The chop” applies to everybody evenly; it’s not a biased trend.
Communities of color, in particular, have taken to the trend and provided other people with a greater understanding of the stresses of being a person of color in this world. The “big chop” for these people is more than just cutting their hair; it’s standing up against the bias and prejudice in the media in regards to their hair. In a survey of 52,000 Black women, an astounding 95% of them said they use hair relaxers of some sort; they don’t feel like their hair is beautiful as it is, so they change it. The trend, however, has made many of these women realize that there is no reason to not love their hair, and the “therapeutic chop” is their way of reverting back to their roots, both literally and figuratively. They chop off the hair that has been chemically treated, and they allow their natural hair to shine through.
As a naturally inquisitive person, I did some research and found that there’s some holistic backing to the idea of hair holding memories, as well.
Physically speaking, hair is just hair, but right off the bat, it makes a bit of sense that hair could hold memory if you take into consideration the fact that hair often falls out during stressful times and sickness. Hair is seen by many as an extension of the mind, connecting to our thoughts, feelings, health, stress, and fears.
Clinically speaking, there is technically no scientific evidence to suggest that the neural patterns responsible for memories can transfer to hair, but there are other explanations that still make plenty of sense.
Aside from this, hair is seen by some as an indirect extension of the cerebrum, so whatever your hair experiences is believed to be related to the brain. The stress on the brain from a traumatic event or a loss can seemingly transfer to your hair, and so cutting that hair may allow that bad energy to be shed.
The chop brings both a lifted weight—physical and mental—and a new creation process, and that is a beautiful thing.
I’ve partaken in “the chop” in the past, but it’s time for me to get a trim. Maybe I’ll get rid of some of that stress. Regardless of what I choose, there’s a whole community supporting each other and me.
