For people with alopecia, hair is a complicated business. Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that causes hair to fall out. Sometimes it’s unnoticeable, but sometimes it falls out in patches, and when those patches connect, it can become quite noticeable. At that point, some people with alopecia choose to shave their heads and embrace baldness, wear wigs, or both.
A video shared by Rex Chapman on Twitter shows a woman having her head shaved by a man with the caption, “His girlfriend was struggling with her hair loss from alopecia. Get out the tissues. Humanity.”
It’s clear from the get go that the woman is feeling emotional, occasionally wiping her eyes as he repeatedly runs the razor over her head. And it’s clear that he cares for her—you can see it in the way he tenderly holds her neck as he shaves.
But then, just as he’s finishing the final touches, he turns the razor around, and oof. Seriously, you might want to grab a tissue.
Sweet, selfless solidarity. This is what love looks like.
People on Twitter chimed in with their own alopecia experiences and stories about going through chemo for cancer and losing their hair. Many can relate to the emotional experience of shaving their hair off and the realization that they could be beautiful bald. The woman in this video rocks the shaved head. The guy…well, a little hard to tell until he finishes the job, but his act of kindness and compassion is definitely beautiful.
This article originally appeared on 7.30.20
