Why are haircuts and shaving important to NTs?

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When I was in college and it didn't matter, I let my head hair grow because I liked it that way and I let my facial hair grow because I was too lazy to shave every morning and would prefer to sleep for the extra three minutes it would have taken me to shave.

When I had to get a job, I cut my hair and shaved regularly, and I keep it that way to keep my job. When I retire, I will probably let my hair grow again and sport a beard.

The reality is, first impressions make a difference. And if you want to get a good-paying, white color job in a professional field, you have to look the part. There is a lot of competition for those jobs by people with short hair and clean-shaven faces, and most hiring decisions are based on first impressions. I'm not saying I'm for it, that's just the way it is. Bottom line, 99% of the time.

I really don't care how I look, however, I tried to keep my head and face shaved, for the simply fact I can't really stand hair, it's irritating, I even sometime shave my armpits, and arms.

You gotta look good. Or at least I do. Sometimes I do forget to shave, like when I wake up and don't have time. I like to keep my hair cut, or it gets curly and fluffy, and just looks bad. People judge you based on how you look, and if you have a clean shaven face with short, clean hair, you will be received much better than if you have a scraggly beard and long messy hair.

i shave my hair of with hair clippers myself coz i dont trust anyone else
worryed they mite cut my ear off or something
i dont really shave my face tho, unless u count useing the hair clippers to cut it
somethin unsettleing about putting a razor to my own neck that i reall dont like

I shave my head every few years. Just did it 2 Sundays ago; actually housemate did it for me, kind of difficult to shave the back myself.

Used to shave it to support my patients on chemo. Liked the freedom it gave me, and the hair came back in thick and curly, nice regeneration.

Then I shaved it because it made kayaking easier, could just jump in the lake and not worry about hair, which gets quite long in between shaves.

This time I shaved it because I'm in a swamp and got sick of all the slugs bugs frogs and things getting stuck in my hair. Should have shaved it when it was hot in middle of summer but procrastinated, just really busy and it's always a bit of a shock to shave it, makes head cold, let alone add the shock of everybody else who sees me with a bald head.

But I was out cleaning the bird feeders in the front and this older woman was walking her dog and actually said to me, "Honey if you ever want to cut your hair please let me know because I make old people dolls and it's very hard to find white curly long hair." So I laughed knowing this was the end of the procrastination, ran into the house and got the scissors and had her lop off my hair. She was very happy to have it but was having a hard time covering up her shock at how readily this person she didn't know sliced off all this hair.

Oh well, one of the joys of being an Aspie is the relaxed ability to blow ppl's minds with seeming weirdness and just be amused.

It's really nice now to work around the yard and not have the frogs jump into my hair and get tangled up and start thrashing about making it worse.

I'm growing my hair out now. I was dared by a friend to see how long I would let it grow before it bothered me too much (him knowing that certain things bother me, but not because of Aspergers, for which I haven't told anyone other than my family about it.) As far as shaving goes, I used to shave every day with an electric razor, but that got annoying so I switched to a manual razor and I only shave two, maybe three times a week now. And as far as shaving foam goes? No thanks, I shave in the shower, then I just wipe my face with a cold wet cloth, and I haven't gotten razor burn from that so I know somehow I must be doing something right LOL

LOL @ Cascadian Great story!

Thanks DenvrDave -- and it's 100% true.

For an almost-50 woman it's funny and quirky. Good thing I'm not too concerned with what others think. Signed, Uncle Festus, back out to the swamp

Why are they important to NT's?
Well they're kind of important to everyone in a way.

Now I'm certainly an advocate for neglect. If I could, I'd be a mountain man up in the woods somewhere, and never shave or cut my hair.

Living the somewhat public life that I do, it's just so much easier socially for me to keep a normal haircut and shave my face every couple days. I want to avoid unneccessary scrutiny. I try to blend in so that I don't have to deal with people.

Take away the anti-social aspect, and other people are still doing the same thing. They are trying to blend in to some group, some hierarchy. They conform to expectations of appearance whether they realize it or not, because that's how people get along and get ahead in this world. You have to play the game. And for better or for worse, appearance is definitely part of the game.

So, uh, I think that answers the "why?" question.