While many would tend to think that hair maintenance falls pretty low on the list of “Things To Worry About During A Pandemic,” thousands of people, especially teenage girls, have proved this theory to be anything but true.

During these times of uncertainty and extreme boredom, some have taken to making drastic changes to their hair, like cutting or dying it, in order to add some much-needed color and vibrancy back into their mundane lives. Since quarantine has started, Pinterest has reported that searches for “home haircut” are up by 417% and “how to strip hair color naturally” by 15%. 

It’s human nature to crave a physical change that matches the magnitude of an emotional one. During this pandemic, some feel as though they may not have control over much happening in the world or in their lives, so in turn, they dye or cut their hair in order to regain some of that control. 

This concept is familiar to “break-up hair,” but something about “quarantine hair” feels different. It’s edgier, hungrier. It’s desperate to mean something; it feels significant enough to display on social media. The hashtag #quarantinehair provides no shortage of proof: People of all different kinds, including celebs like Pink and Miley Cyrus, are channeling their pent-up energy into DIY bang trims, buzz cuts and bleach jobs.

While this trend may seem harmless, it’s important to make sure you’re not processing your hair at the expense of processing your feelings. Of course, not all quarantine hair is symbolic, but maybe isolation is an opportunity to question the “normalcy” of beauty standards that have us spending thousands of dollars a year on root touch ups. Now is the time to separate our own ideals from society’s ideals and to step outside of our comfort zone. 

“There is something profoundly empowering and cathartic about cutting your own hair,” said Scarbrough, a professional stylist. “The very same way a distressed animal sheds or molts, we, as human animals, are also subject to these primal impulses.”

So, if you’re looking for a sign to cut or dye your hair, this is it. There is no better time than now to try that new hair cut or crazy color you’ve been wanting. If it doesn’t work out the way you wanted, just remember that your hair will always grow back.