A Real-Life Rapunzel: Hair only an inch shorter than own height

What do you think would happen to YOUR hair if you never cut it? For Brazilian 12-year old Natasha Moraes De Andrade it meant 5 feet 2 inches of a whole lot of brushing and washing. Natasha, who lives in a shanty town in Rio de Janeiro, had the longest locks and an uneasy lifestyle because of them.

At 5ft 3in tall she was only one inch taller than her hair – and had to carry it around so it doesn’t snag. She had to spend up to an hour and a half brushing it each day. And the fans in her house couldn’t be turned on in case it got caught – can’t be easy with the typical Brazilian heat and no ventilation.

Despite living in poor economic conditions, her shampoo expenses were astronomical (over $600 a year). Natasha’s mother, Catarina, said: “At the moment she is like a prisoner.”

It’s only just recently that Natasha finally walked into a salon and cut her hair. It was also the beginning of a new life.

“I love my long hair and I’ll be sad when it’s gone. But it’s a pain looking after it. I can’t do a lot of things, like P.E. lessons at school. I hope to sell it for £3,500 and refurbish my bedroom. I hope it can give me a new life.”

Natasha wept as her 5ft 2in locks were sheared for the first time ever. Now she has it as a simple bob of just 15in in length, and washing her hair only takes five minutes. The real life Rapunzel managed to sell her hair for $5000 which helped save her family from financial issues. They now plan to build the house they’ve always dreamed of, all thanks to a new haircut.