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Psychological Effects |
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Hair, though mildly useful for protecting our heads, has an important social and decorative role. Since Samson and Delilah were dating in biblical times, hair has symbolized strength, masculinity, and virility for men and beauty and fertility for women. This is borne out by the fact that every year people spend billions of dollars on shampoos, conditioners, styling agents, and treatments that claim to regrow hair. Hair is often the first thing you notice when meeting someone and it is usually the last thing you fuss with before a social event or business meeting. By changing its shape with a setting gel, its color with highlights, or its style with a new haircut, you are able to considerably alter your features and your appearance. No wonder why losing hair can cause stress and anxiety and affect a person's body image and self-esteem.
Even for people without hair loss the prospect of losing hair can be worrisome. A recent US survey conducted by Nourkrin (Lifes2good) looked at how any potential future thinning hair or hair loss would affect a woman's self-confidence50 percent of women said they would be more self-aware, 36 percent said they would be embarrassed, 24 percent said they would |
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Coping with Hair Loss |
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So what is it about hair that causes such concern when it falls out and such joy when it is styled just right? What makes it so easy to use as the butt of a joke? I recall seeing a film when I was a teenager where two women were fighting over some money and one pulled die other's hair, which came off in her hand. After a split second, in which it took the audience to realize it was a wig, everyone in the theater broke out in hysterical laughter. Would you have also laughed? If your friend or spouse laughed, does it mean that he or she is insensitive to your hair loss?
I remember a young man in his early twenties with thinning hair being the butt of jokes from friends and families. Is this an example of playfulness or insensitivity? The giving and taking of mild teasing is something most of us do with our friends and relatives. It's part of the fabric of friendship and camaraderie. However, is hair loss fodder for gentle teasing? Would you tease your friend's acne or the scar your sister got from a fall or the birthmark on your brother's face? |
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How to Overcome the Psychological Effects |
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How can you overcome your fears and get back to living a normal life?
The first thing I want to stress is that if your hair-loss worries are truly changing the way you live your life, seek help from a psychologist or psychiatrist who understands the issues you are experiencing.
"I'm frightened to wash my hair."
For many people, hair-wash days are the worst days of the week; this is when they see lots of hair falling out. People dread having to wash their hair but know it is necessary because their hair is starting to look dirty and their scalp is itchy.
Most hair that you see lost during the wash stopped growing approximately six to sixteen weeks before. The less the hair is washed, the more hair loss accumulates. So don't be afraid to wash your hair. In fact, wash it as frequently as you are able and you'll actually see less hair fall out. In addition, your hair looks best when it is freshly washed and dried. It tends to have more body and shine and will allow you to look your best as you start your day. Don't be afraid to use styling products, colors, or perms, as these will |
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Calling the Doctor |
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You feel that your hair is thinning and/or falling out. Now what should you do? Well, the first step is to find out why your hair is falling out. This will help point you in the right direction for choosing the treatments that are best for you. Therefore, make an appointment to see a hair-loss specialist such as a dermatologist or a qualified trichologist.
When searching for a hair-loss specialist, ask questions. Many people are afraid to ask the practitioner's office staff questions, for fear of sounding ignorant or being difficult. However, if you're worried about losing your hair, then you want to see someone who knows what he or she is talking about.
When you call an office, before making an appointment make sure that the replies to your questions make sense and that the person on the other end of the phone is helpful. Rightly or wrongly, if the secretary or receptionist is uncooperative, then it may indicate that the office in general (including the hair-loss specialist) could be unsupportive. Let's face it. If you need to call the office in the future about making further appointments or refilling prescriptions, the last thing you want to deal with is an |
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"I've seen so many doctors about my hair loss and I'm still losing hair." |
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If you have seen many specialists and are still not getting the results you are looking for, ask yourself whether you've given their advice a chance. Did you follow their suggestions for at least three months? Sometimes there are no easy answers as to why you are losing hair, and there's no magic pill that will stop your hair loss overnight. Often hair loss is a chronic condition that needs to be treated over time. Moreover, there is no reliable cure or definite regrowth formula. Sometimes nothing can be done to regrow all your hair; however, the advice that you have been given may help stabilize or slow the continuance of the condition. Remember that left unchecked (without treatment), some hair-loss conditions will continue unabated. Even these "partial" successes are, in fact, helping your hair loss.
In addition, some treatments may help your hair look better cosmetically, the importance of which should not be underestimated.
"My physician/hair-loss specialist said some hurtful things about my hair loss."
Some of the things I've heard that have been said to people with hair loss have been extremely hurtful. You would think that a physician or specialist would have a better bedside manner or show some empathy, |
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