An interesting presentation of a male with a hair fetish is described in some detail. The fetish began before the age of four, and the connection with the mother was clear-cut and provocative. The subject not only had been intrigued by seeing her face alternately covered and uncovered with her hair, but his interest was further enhanced by the fact that his mother herself cut his own hair until puberty. His need to cut off the woman's hair represented both a wish that she did not have a penis and a wish to prove that she did possess a hidden penis. The fear of both led to compulsive masturbation as a reassurance against castration anxiety. One mode of acting out was to shave his head and body. This served to displace the sadistic and criminal trend on to himself, and this self-punishment neutralized his guilt. The patient's permanent improvement began after he released a great deal of aggression toward his father in the analysis.