There’s no denying the importance hair plays in the self-esteem of an individual, as well, unfortunately, as the perceptions many sections of society will hold about them.
Vanity is human nature and each of us experiences this trait to varying degrees. The problem with vanity is that the changeability of our appearance is a natural and ongoing process. So if much of our feeling of self-worth is wrapped up in how we look when we are relatively youthful, when we start to lose our hair, the impact on our self-esteem can be considerable.
A few statistics to illustrate the point
A recent survey of men living in five countries across the Europe, including the
- 70 percent said that their hair played an important part in their self-image;
- 62 percent of men believed thinning hair had reduced their self-esteem;
- 43 percent felt that a loss of hair had reduced their level of attractiveness;
- 37 percent linked hair loss with concerns about getting older;
- 22 percent felt hair loss was having a detrimental effect on their social lives.
(Source: PubMed.gov)
Loss of confidence and embarrassment
Although there is certainly no guarantee that men with a full head of hair will feel confident in themselves, studies show that nearly 75 percent of men with thinning hair have lost confidence, particularly when interacting with the opposite sex, since their hair loss began.
Of course the same can be said for women, to an even higher degree. Statistics detailing how women react to hair loss are very difficult to find. This is due in no small part to the societal stigma that traditionally surrounds the topic.
Body image and personal appearance
Hair loss can significantly alter the way we look. Thinning hair at the front of the head has the effect of altering the balance of the face, making the forehead appear larger and the individual look older.
One study of men (Girman, Rhodes, Lilly – Effects of self-perceived hair loss in a community sample of men) in the more advanced stages of hair loss found them to be more dissatisfied with their looks and their aged appearance than those who were at earlier stages of the hair loss cycle. This was particularly prominent amongst younger men.
There’s plenty of help available
Thinning hair and hair loss in general causes a fair amount of stress and anxiety. But don’t worry, you’re not alone. You’re not the first man to feel this way, and you certainly won’t be the last.
Luckily for you, you live in an age when hair loss treatments are becoming more advanced with every passing year. An immediate solution involves hair fibers. Keratin hair fibers provide an extremely effective method of speedily concealing areas of hair loss and thinning hair, whilst in the long term, surgery and prescription tablets can be effective to promote regrowth.
