Hair loss is not a simple matter. Its psychological impact can last for many years, causing hidden scars to one’s self-esteem. James Brown, a renowned Hollywood celebrity hair stylist, started losing his hair in his early twenties. He confessed dreading the thought of travelling via plane and going through airport security. “I got to the point when it was so bad, I didn’t want to take my hat off. Those minutes before going through security and taking my hat off, they were torture for me,” he said.
James shares a problem with millions of men and women. Studies show a link between emotional stress and hair loss, regardless of the cause of the condition.
Hair loss in men and women have also involved relations with other people, even acquaintances. Let us briefly explore how hair loss affects personal relationships and lasting solutions to losing your locks.
Bald patches can ruin your dating prospects
Book author John Molloy said that balding can hurt a man’s dating prospects. In his book, “Why Men Marry Some Women and Not Others”, Molloy noted that balding or putting on weight “often makes men look older” and less attractive to the opposite sex. Interestingly, these men are said to be more ready for a serious relationship than their peers. Instead of investing in fine expensive clothes, why not visit a hair loss clinic and boost your self-image?
Hair loss can lead to break ups
Can hair loss ruin relationships? A study of 600 Singaporeans on hair loss and romantic relationships suggests that this is so. The findings revealed that 75% of Singaporeans would urge their partners to seek help if the latter were suffering from hair loss. Moreover, one out of five confessed feeling embarrassed about introducing their balding significant other to family and friends.
Losing your locks and your cool
Hair loss can be caused by a number of factors, such as an underlying disease, drastic weight loss or a stressful event. Contrary to the belief of nearly 300 surveyed Singaporean men, hair loss is not a normal part of aging. Seeing handfuls of hair on your bathroom floor can only add to the stress and pressure you’re already facing. This becomes a vicious cycle of stress and hair shedding. It’s imperative that you seek help if your condition makes you cranky and a pain to people closest to you.
Depression and hair loss
One of the sad effects of hair loss is the tendency to be the laughing stock in your own household. This is largely due to our common ignorance of hair loss and its impact on a person’s disposition. It’s understandable if you end up preferring to isolate yourself than to be the reference of dinner jokes. However, withdrawing from the company of family and friends will not do you any good. It’ll help to discuss this matter with your parents, partner, best friend or hair transplant solutions experts near you. Let them know how your bald patches affect you.
Hair fall and falling out
If you haven’t earned the nickname Uncle Fester, you may soon do as your hair loss progresses. Bald people are often discriminated against, regarded as either comical or villainous and are not taken seriously. Ramon, a 35-year-old unmarried banker, is also called Mr. Scrooge because of his ill temper. His family and coworkers refrain from making fun of his bald patches, at least when he’s within hearing distance.
Ramon compensates his insecurity by putting on a don’t-mess-with-me personality. He rarely shares light moments with office colleagues and even family members. He’s too afraid that if he shows a crack in his walls, people will take license to humiliate and demean him because of his hair loss. He may not be physically isolating himself, but he’s withdrawing nonetheless.
Shedding your hair and career opportunities
The impact of hair loss on relationships often goes beyond the household. Your physical appearance can weaken or break your relations with colleagues, affecting your career prospects. Your crowning glory, or the lack thereof, can influence a company’s decision to hire or promote you. During the application process, it only takes a few minutes for an interviewer to create an impression of you.
Dr. James Uleman, a psychology professor at New York University, said: “The impression you create may affect future job opportunities, collaborations or other important matters.” Your physical presentation, including the way you style your hair, plays a role in how impressions on you are formed.
Hair loss in women can be interpreted as a sign of a poor health or immense stress. True or not, these can be demerits in your promotion scorecard. Women losing their locks are usually in foul moods mainly due to their insecurity and lowered self-esteem. When you don’t feel confident about your personal appearance, it will show in your actions.
Your hair loss issues and your children
Are you aware that the psychology of hair loss can be passed on to younger generations? Young children tend to imitate adults, regardless of culture or socio-economic status. “Humans seem to almost forget about the outcome and copy everything we see,” said Dr. Mark Nielsen, a psychologist at the University of Queensland.
People suffering from bald patches can be moody, stressed and depressed. These feelings, manifested by actions, are picked up by children whether they understand them or not. Your dissatisfaction with your personal appearance and life prospects also affect your relations with your kids. You’re likely to avoid joining them in social events such as school programs and sports activities. Spending time with your children is important for their well-being. Unless you figure out lasting solutions to your hair loss problems, you might end up raising insecure and ill-tempered adults.
Hair loss is a serious matter, but it’s not a helpless situation. It’s important that you acknowledge your predicament. Know the cause of your condition – whether it’s a disease, your lifestyle habits or a recent stressful event. Seek professional assistance before your bald patches interfere with your life any more than they already have. Remember that you’re not in this alone.