One could call Asha Mandela the real life Rapunzel, her 55ft long dreadlocks are almost two-stories high, stretching from upstairs to downstairs. But this is not a Disney movie - in real life the weight of such long locks have an effect on the body. Asha Mandela's doctors have warned her that her hair, which weighs three stone could paralyse her. However, she says she will never cut it.
Mrs Mandela, currently holds the Guinness World Record for the longest dreadlocks, and says of her decision, "My hair has become part of me. It is my life. I will never cut it. Cutting it would be equivalent to suicide. It would be like being a zombie."
She calls her hair 'her baby' and credits them with helping her overcome cancer, two strokes and two heart-attacks. Her incredible hair has also brought her fans across the world and she has launched her own secret hair formula on the back of her success.
It takes two days to wash and dry her hair, which weighs the same as a reception-age child, and is even heavier when wet. It can also get easily trapped in doors or snag on bushes.
She has to wind it up into a baby sling when she leaves the house which gives her a greater degree of freedom. But Mrs Mandela worries that 'someone with a hair fetish' will cut off a lock of her hair when she is not looking.
Doctors have also asked her to consider cutting her hair for health reasons, including the risk of bacterial infection. But their main concern is the weight.
She said: 'The doctors seem to think I have a curvature of my spine and that it's the length and the weight of my hair that's making me curve.
'Some have said my neck has collapsed at the back and that I need to be careful because I could start having spasms in my spine and probably be paralysed.'
Mrs Mandela, who has a 11-year-old son, Zion, with her second husband, said her hair has helped her love life. She said: 'My hair has never caused a problem with intimacy. I think it adds a little spice on top.'
Mrs Mandela, who is happily married to her third husband, was born in Trinidad and Tobago.
She began growing her hair 25 years ago following a 'spiritual calling'.
Read more: Mail Online
Wow. I really don't know what to say. I just hope the hair is not the reason for her strokes and heart attacks.
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I thought the same ting too. And the whole spiritual calling.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of hair is really just for records, what enjoyment is in it, more like work jare....
ReplyDeletei was thinking of doing dreads but after seeing and reading this with all the spiritual calling stuff i change my mind will just wear my natural hair thank you.
ReplyDeleteHair is hair...is hair...is hair! In deciding how one wears her hair, the key factor is comfort. the 2nd is comfort. I got my hair locked when i got sick of relaxers, heat drying and weavons. It was either the dreads or low cut. Religiou hocus-pucos had nothing to do with it. The day i get tired of it, i will not hesitate to get rid of it.
ReplyDeletei have dreads and loving it.. low maintenance, no skin pain.. bye bye to human, arificial, brazilian, indian and all types of hair out there...
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