Hair is more than just a biological feature. An integral part of human identity, it is a personal and social symbol, and a powerful expression of self. For many, individuality, gender, age, status, or even mood can be expressed simply through hair. A hairstyle – for any gender – can tell a story, whether it’s a practical ponytail or a traditional braid, a buzz cut or a defiant mohawk.
Around the world and across history, hair has also carried immense psychological, cultural, and spiritual meaning. When people lose their hair, especially due to medical treatments like chemotherapy, the impact can go far beyond the physical and touch the very core of who they are.
Hair loss during chemotherapy can represent a loss of control and an outward sign of illness. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal.
The chance to preserve hair during cancer treatment is about more than vanity – it’s about dignity, self-confidence, and a sense of continuity during a time of upheaval.
This emotional toll is magnified for those whose cultural or religious beliefs invest even greater meaning in hair. In this article, we explore the diverse religious and cultural reasons of why hair matters.
For Sikhs, hair is not simply a personal feature. It is considered a sacred gift from God. Observant Sikhs do not cut their hair, as part of their religious commitment to maintain the body in the form in which it was created.[i] The uncut hair (kesh) is one of the Five Ks, or articles of faith – outward symbols of Sikh faith, devotion, and spiritual discipline – commanded by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, the tenth and last human Sikh Guru.
Bhai Taru Singh was a Sikh martyr, known for refusing to renounce his faith and have his hair cut in 1745.[ii] This event serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of maintaining Sikh faith and outward appearance.
Losing hair due to chemotherapy can therefore be deeply distressing and challenging for Sikh individuals. It not only challenges their appearance but touches on a core element of their religious identity. However, many Sikh scholars and community leaders emphasise that health and preservation of life take priority. In the case of chemotherapy, a treatment that can save lives, the hair is not being intentionally cut or removed.
However, preserving hair through scalp cooling can, in these cases, help patients maintain their spiritual integrity.
In Orthodox Judaism, hair (particularly for women) is closely linked to modesty and spiritual duty. Married women often cover their hair in public with scarves, hats, or wigs, signifying privacy and commitment. Hair is viewed as sensual and therefore protected under religious modesty laws (tzeniut).[iii]
For men, traditions such as growing sidelocks (payot) are observed as a Biblical obligation in some sects, based on interpretations of Torah commandments. Leviticus 19:27 states “Do not round the corners of your head…” interpreted as prohibition of removing hair that grows in this area. This prohibition also applies to corners of the beard.[iv] Some interpret this commandment as avoiding cutting the payot altogether, whilst others see it as merely prohibiting removing the hair altogether.
Chemotherapy-induced hair loss can thus not only alter physical appearance but disrupt deeply held religious practices and community norms.
In Christianity, hair has long been tied to spiritual symbolism and personal virtue. In the New Testament, Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians speaks of a woman’s long hair as a “glory to her,” symbolising modesty and devotion.[v]
In many Christian traditions—especially among conservative or Pentecostal denominations—women choose to grow their hair long as a form of piety and obedience to scripture.
Conversely, the story of Samson in the Old Testament highlights hair as a source of divine strength: his power was said to reside in his uncut hair, and losing it marked a profound fall from grace.[vi] Hair is also featured in acts of repentance and humility, such as Mary Magdalene washing Jesus’ feet with her hair.
For devout Christians, especially those who view hair as a physical sign of spiritual life, losing it due to illness can be an emotionally painful experience. Scalp cooling offers a way to preserve not just physical appearance, but to provide the strength to which hair is often be associated.
In Islam, hair is associated with cleanliness, dignity, and personal grooming.[vii] While specific practices vary across cultures, many Muslim men grow beards as a sign of faith. Some women may cover their hair as an expression of modesty and religious devotion, whilst considering it a form of adornment.
Hair grooming is emphasized in Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, which act as guide for Muslims, alongside the Quran). Keeping hair neat and clean is considered part of the Sunnah (tradition).[viii] Sudden hair loss, especially among women who cover their heads in public but enjoy revealing their hair in private and familial spaces, can affect not only self-esteem but also the intimate, private sense of self.
In Hindu culture, hair holds various symbolic meanings. Hair can be associated with undesirable traits from past lives, and shaving the head (mundan) is a common ritual of purification. Children often undergo their first mundan as a rite of passage.
Devotees also shave their heads in sacrifice to signify humility, devotion, or the shedding of ego (such as during pilgrimages to temples like Tirupati in India).
Uncut hair can also symbolise spiritual practice, detachment from worldly concerns, and a connection to the divine.[ix] For Hindu women, long hair is traditionally seen as a symbol of beauty, strength, and fertility.
Some Hindus may find hair loss emotionally devastating, particularly where hair is part of their religious devotion or cultural practices. Like for many women, femininity and beauty is also closely associated with long, healthy hair.
In many African cultures, hairstyles are historical markers of tribe, social status, age, marital status, and even wealth. Hair has been braided, coiled, or adorned in ways that carry ancestral knowledge, artistic expression, individuality, and connection to heritage.
It is also a powerful symbol of resistance, as hairstyles like cornrows were used historically to transmit secret messages and even create escape maps during the horrific era of slavery.[x] Hair was often forcibly shaved to erase identity, making its loss a powerful symbol of oppression.
Today, natural hairstyles like afros, locs, and braids are expressions of cultural pride and resilience. Movements such as “Black is Beautiful” encourages Black people to embrace their natural hair and reject the pressure to conform to Eurocentric styles.[xi]
Chemotherapy-related hair loss in these communities can therefore have a layered emotional impact, not just as a personal challenge, but a symbolic rupture in heritage and history.
There is a common misconception that scalp cooling does not work for people of colour, however, with the appropriate hair preparation, there is no reason why people of colour cannot achieve hair retention.
In East Asian societies, such as China, Japan, and Korea, hair has historically been connected to social order and respect for one’s parents. In ancient China, Confucian values emphasised that the body (including hair) is a gift from one's parents and should not be altered or damaged.[xii] Shaving the head was once a form of punishment or mourning.
Hairstyles were often used to denote social class, marital status and even political affiliation. For example, in Japan, samurais wore topknots to signify their status.
In modern contexts, beauty standards in East Asia still heavily favour certain hairstyles and healthy, full hair, particularly among women. Sudden hair loss can contribute to feelings of social alienation or embarrassment, making scalp cooling a welcome option for preserving normality and self-esteem.
Many Indigenous cultures around the world regard hair as a physical extension of the spirit. In Native American traditions, for instance, hair is deeply spiritual. Long hair is considered sacred, representing wisdom, strength, and a direct connection to nature and the land.[xiii]
Cutting or losing one’s hair is often reserved for specific rites of mourning or transformation. When hair falls out involuntarily due to illness, it can be experienced as a spiritual wound. Offering patients in these communities the choice to preserve their hair through scalp cooling is a way of honouring their cultural values and sense of self.
Hair loss from chemotherapy is often described as one of the most feared side effects of cancer treatment. The distress of losing hair can have serious emotional and psychological consequences.
As we’ve seen, an additional cultural or religious layer on top, where hair carries a special meaning, can make hair loss even more difficult to contend with – especially when coupled with life-threatening cancer and other chemotherapy side effects.
These are just some of the many world-wide examples of how religion and culture can place significance on outward appearance and a person’s connection to hair.
By preserving hair, we’re not simply maintaining appearances; we’re supporting the psychological wellbeing and cultural dignity of people from all walks of life. It is a step towards holistic, compassionate cancer care that respects not just the body, but the whole person.
Hair is far more than strands of keratin. It is culture, faith, and identity woven together.
[i] The 5 K’s of Sikhism. SikhNet. https://www.sikhnet.com/oldsikhnet/SikhEducation/5K's.pdf
[ii] Bhai Taru Singh Ji. Damdami Taksal.https://www.damdamitaksal.com/history/gursikhs/113-bhai-taru-singh-ji
[iii] Head Covering Part 5: Where?. Deracheha. https://www.deracheha.org/head-covering-5-where/
[iv] Why Do Orthodox Jewish Men Have Sidecurls?. Jew in the City. June 2018. https://jewinthecity.com/2018/06/why-do-orthodox-jewish-men-have-sidecurls/
[v] If a Woman Have Long Hair, It Is a Glory to Her. Free Presbyterian Church. https://www.fpchurch.org.uk/about-us/what-we-contend-for/distinctions-between-male-and- female/long-hair-for-women-and-short-hair-for-men/if-a-woman-have-long-hair-it-is-a-glory-to-her/
[vi] Samson. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samson
[vii] Personal Hygiene in Islam: Hair Care and Nail Care. Islam.org.uk. https://www.islam.org.uk/manners-overview/personal-etiquette/personal-hygiene/#:~:text=Hair%20care%20is%20an%20important,Nail%20Care:
[viii]Ibid.
[ix] The Cultural Significance of Hair. 31st Annual. https://31stannual.org/cultural-significance-of-hair/
[x] The History of Black Hair. BLAM UK. September 15, 2022. https://blamuk.org/2022/09/15/the-history-of-black-hair/
[xi] Black is Beautiful: The Emergence of Black Culture and Identity in the 60s and 70s. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/black-beautiful-emergence-black-culture-and-identity-60s-and-70s
[xii] Choice Chengyu: Symbolism of Hair. The World of Chinese. March 2021. https://www.theworldofchinese.com/2021/03/choice-chengyu-symbolism-of-hair/
[xiii] The Importance of Long Hair in Indigenous Culture. Gold Rush Trail. https://goldrushtrail.ca/stories/the-importance-of-long-hair-in-indigenous-culture/
