user10381: http://9gag.com/gag/arOnzn5 says that the Buddha's "hair" on this statue represents snails.

I thought Buddha shave his head like all his disciples. And there is a claim that his hair are actually snails.

user9992: Buddha cut his hair himself when he left his palace for retreat. In some India and Buddhism countries, it is not respectful that touching one's head if the one who touched is younger in age or less respectful (lower in rank) than the one who was touched. So logically no one should touch Buddha's head for shaving since Buddha is superior to all living beings. That is why there was no barber who did Buddha's hair after his retreat and Buddha-hood. So Buddha cut his hair by himself once when his monk life began, definitely not possible to shave himself. So there some hair left on the head and are all in clockwise spiral shape and rest till Buddha's Mahaprinivana. 
The above statement is very logical but there are no reference or citation in pali canon as far as I read. Buddha definitely was not totally bald like monks and hair relic are supporting facts about it though it has not been proved scientifically.  

user254: This blog entry, The Buddha's Hair, says no: not snails.
Also, you're probably right about his shaving his head:

the Tipitaka offers no authentic information about the Buddha’s hair other than to say that it was black (kalakesa) and that he cut it off when he renounced the world to become a monk (M.I,163). Although it is not mentioned anywhere in the Tipitaka, we can safely assume that the Buddha shaved his head like all other monks. Depictions of him with hair, is an iconographical convention without historical basis.

It theorizes that it's an attempt to depict one of the "32 Signs of a Great Man", which it calls "a rather strange idea introduced into Buddhism at a later period", one of the signs being that "the Great Man’s hair was black and curled upwards and to the right".

user10304: Buddha didn't shave his hair like a monk, as a teacher doesn't wear uniform when students do, in school. 
Buddha has deep blue hair, 绀青色 similar to ultramarine, his hair naturally curled clockwise, harmonized with the spinning of the universal energy. In fact the Buddha statues in ancient China are made with strict proportions, with support from the Sutras. 
If the Buddha statues show signs that we ordinary human beings don't have, it's not necessary an imagination of the people at that time. For Buddha is an enlightened being, when one's self-cultivation has reached a higher level, the body will change, too, it must, else this is not a true advancement but only an intellectual achievement. The structure of a body is the reflection of thought, thus a facial feature, hair colour, skin texture, limbs etc., all are not randomly by chance, it has it's intrinsic value. 

user8238: The question isn't just whether the hair represent the snails, but what do the 108 snails present. Recall that Buddhism heavily utilize symbolism to convey it's message. It doesn't mean that the historical Buddha actually had snails on his head.
The number 108 represents the 108 mental afflictions.
http://mrob.com/pub/epist/buddhism.html

In traditional Buddhist thought, people are said to have 108
  afflictions or klesas. There are six senses (sight, sound, smell,
  taste, touch, and consciousness) multiplied by three reactions
  (positive, negative, or indifference) making 18 "feelings." Each of
  these feelings can be either "attached to pleasure or detached from
  pleasure" making 36 "passions", each of which may be manifested in the
  past, present, or future.
which corresponds to: {sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and
  consciousness} × {positive, negative, indifferent} × {attached to
  pleasure, detached from pleasure} × {past, present, future}    =
  6×3×2×3 = 108

In this sense the snails and their hard shells essentially represents mindful concentration which guards against all these afflictions.

10381: <p><a href="http://9gag.com/gag/arOnzn5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://9gag.com/gag/arOnzn5</a> says that the Buddha's "hair" on this statue represents snails.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/VMjX1.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/VMjX1.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>I thought Buddha shave his head like all his disciples. And there is a claim that his hair are actually snails.</p>
 9992: <p>Buddha cut his hair himself when he left his palace for retreat. In some India and Buddhism countries, it is not respectful that touching one's head if the one who touched is younger in age or less respectful (lower in rank) than the one who was touched. So logically no one should touch Buddha's head for shaving since Buddha is superior to all living beings. That is why there was no barber who did Buddha's hair after his retreat and Buddha-hood. So Buddha cut his hair by himself once when his monk life began, definitely not possible to shave himself. So there some hair left on the head and are all in clockwise spiral shape and rest till Buddha's Mahaprinivana. </p>

<p>The above statement is very logical but there are no reference or citation in pali canon as far as I read. Buddha definitely was not totally bald like monks and hair relic are supporting facts about it though it has not been proved scientifically.  </p>
 254: <p>This blog entry, <a href="http://sdhammika.blogspot.fr/2009/07/buddhas-hail.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Buddha's Hair</a>, says no: not snails.</p>

<p>Also, you're probably right about his shaving his head:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>the Tipitaka offers no authentic information about the Buddha’s hair other than to say that it was black (kalakesa) and that he cut it off when he renounced the world to become a monk (M.I,163). Although it is not mentioned anywhere in the Tipitaka, we can safely assume that the Buddha shaved his head like all other monks. Depictions of him with hair, is an iconographical convention without historical basis.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It theorizes that it's an attempt to depict one of the "32 Signs of a Great Man", which it calls "a rather strange idea introduced into Buddhism at a later period", one of the signs being that "the Great Man’s hair was black and curled upwards and to the right".</p>
 10304: <p>Buddha didn't shave his hair like a monk, as a <strong>teacher</strong> doesn't wear uniform when <strong>students</strong> do, in school. </p>

<p>Buddha has deep blue hair, 绀青色 similar to ultramarine, his hair naturally curled clockwise, harmonized with the spinning of the universal energy. In fact the Buddha statues in ancient China are made with strict proportions, with support from the Sutras. </p>

<p>If the Buddha statues show signs that we ordinary human beings don't have, it's not necessary an imagination of the people at that time. For Buddha is an enlightened being, when one's self-cultivation has reached a higher level, the body will change, too, it must, else this is not a true advancement but only an intellectual achievement. The structure of a body is the reflection of thought, thus a facial feature, hair colour, skin texture, limbs etc., all are not randomly by chance, it has it's intrinsic value. </p>
 8238: <p>The question isn't just whether the hair represent the snails, but what do the 108 snails present. Recall that Buddhism heavily utilize symbolism to convey it's message. It doesn't mean that the historical Buddha actually had snails on his head.</p>

<p>The number 108 represents the 108 mental afflictions.</p>

<p><a href="http://mrob.com/pub/epist/buddhism.html" rel="noreferrer">http://mrob.com/pub/epist/buddhism.html</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In traditional Buddhist thought, people are said to have 108
  afflictions or klesas. There are six senses (sight, sound, smell,
  taste, touch, and consciousness) multiplied by three reactions
  (positive, negative, or indifference) making 18 "feelings." Each of
  these feelings can be either "attached to pleasure or detached from
  pleasure" making 36 "passions", each of which may be manifested in the
  past, present, or future.</p>
  
  <p>which corresponds to: {sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and
  consciousness} × {positive, negative, indifferent} × {attached to
  pleasure, detached from pleasure} × {past, present, future}    =
  6×3×2×3 = 108</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In this sense the snails and their hard shells essentially represents mindful concentration which guards against all these afflictions.</p>
