Cutting own hair off

Yep, I do that and have no intention to ever see a hairdresser again. My hair had become shorter for a while (but always done by a professional), then things went very bad at work, the hair was getting uncomfortably long and I couldn't face going to a hairdresser. So got clippers and did it myself. It can't be longer than 12 mm because that's the second longest thingy and to do it neatly it's easiest to cut them all to the same length first (with the longest thingy), and the 12 mm is on top, the back and sides of the head are 3-9 mm. So that was a lot shorter than they had been before and when my mum saw it on Skype it was the clearest sign for her that I was going mad. I didn't have any diagnosis back then but I don't think she understands it any better now. She still asks me with a lot of disappointment if I have cut my hair again every time it is quite obvious really. Some reasons for me doing this are probably linked but it's certainly not a "symptom" because quite honestly there is nothing wrong about a woman having short hair, it's not unhealthy by any means. A 8 year old girl in the swimming pool changing room was convinced that "there is a boy in there!!!". I was completely naked! And she said it to her mum in German so mum felt quite safe and just told her that "this" is not a boy. The girl didn't want to believe it, so I told her (also in German of course) that I'm really a woman. Poor mum :) As if you would grow a willy when you cut your hair short...

My head feels amazing, especially when it's just been done. When you stroke it with your hands or the wind blows through it (without blowing strands of hair into the face!)... If you have never had your hair that short you are missing out on something ;-) She may not like the feeling of it getting longer anymore, I could totally understand that. I would say if she didn't do it out of distress in some way there is nothing you need to worry about at all, if she did, well, focus on the distress, not the hair. If you are like my mum (who is really not obsessed with people's looks) you may think cutting your hair (and that short) is a really big bad thing and you may not be able to see any reason why you would possibly do it other than medical ones, but it may be much less crazy for your daughter, and something that makes her feel rather good. It still has this effect on me, just the thought that no hairdresser will scratch my head with their hard brush, even when I try to wiggle away, then not cut it short enough for my likings and then blow it dry with their superhot hairdryer, and the whole procedure made worse with small talk. I've got a bit of a hairdresser trauma anyway because they wanted to wash my hair when I was younger and I was totally terrified of that and embarrassed my mum a lot by screaming my head off.

I've seen some list of typical things in ASD women once which mentioned short hair, not as a symptom, just a preference. I can certainly identify with that. The feel comes first, the look, well, I think it's alright and anyone who doesn't think so (apart from my mum and my friend's dad who keeps asking him if I still have this short hair - yes, it hasn't fallen off) isn't autistic and would never be overly honest to tell me, so I don't need to care, and after all it's my head. And did I mention that it feels totally amazing?

Let me know in case she has any practical questions ;-)  Youtube and practice definitely help too.

Yep, I do that and have no intention to ever see a hairdresser again. My hair had become shorter for a while (but always done by a professional), then things went very bad at work, the hair was getting uncomfortably long and I couldn't face going to a hairdresser. So got clippers and did it myself. It can't be longer than 12 mm because that's the second longest thingy and to do it neatly it's easiest to cut them all to the same length first (with the longest thingy), and the 12 mm is on top, the back and sides of the head are 3-9 mm. So that was a lot shorter than they had been before and when my mum saw it on Skype it was the clearest sign for her that I was going mad. I didn't have any diagnosis back then but I don't think she understands it any better now. She still asks me with a lot of disappointment if I have cut my hair again every time it is quite obvious really. Some reasons for me doing this are probably linked but it's certainly not a "symptom" because quite honestly there is nothing wrong about a woman having short hair, it's not unhealthy by any means. A 8 year old girl in the swimming pool changing room was convinced that "there is a boy in there!!!". I was completely naked! And she said it to her mum in German so mum felt quite safe and just told her that "this" is not a boy. The girl didn't want to believe it, so I told her (also in German of course) that I'm really a woman. Poor mum :) As if you would grow a willy when you cut your hair short...

My head feels amazing, especially when it's just been done. When you stroke it with your hands or the wind blows through it (without blowing strands of hair into the face!)... If you have never had your hair that short you are missing out on something ;-) She may not like the feeling of it getting longer anymore, I could totally understand that. I would say if she didn't do it out of distress in some way there is nothing you need to worry about at all, if she did, well, focus on the distress, not the hair. If you are like my mum (who is really not obsessed with people's looks) you may think cutting your hair (and that short) is a really big bad thing and you may not be able to see any reason why you would possibly do it other than medical ones, but it may be much less crazy for your daughter, and something that makes her feel rather good. It still has this effect on me, just the thought that no hairdresser will scratch my head with their hard brush, even when I try to wiggle away, then not cut it short enough for my likings and then blow it dry with their superhot hairdryer, and the whole procedure made worse with small talk. I've got a bit of a hairdresser trauma anyway because they wanted to wash my hair when I was younger and I was totally terrified of that and embarrassed my mum a lot by screaming my head off.

I've seen some list of typical things in ASD women once which mentioned short hair, not as a symptom, just a preference. I can certainly identify with that. The feel comes first, the look, well, I think it's alright and anyone who doesn't think so (apart from my mum and my friend's dad who keeps asking him if I still have this short hair - yes, it hasn't fallen off) isn't autistic and would never be overly honest to tell me, so I don't need to care, and after all it's my head. And did I mention that it feels totally amazing?

Let me know in case she has any practical questions ;-)  Youtube and practice definitely help too.