For many men, going bald is, while not welcome, not the source of any deep psychological trauma or problems. They either try to find reasonable ways to treat their hair loss, such as topical hair-restorers, or hair replacement; or they accept it as part of the maturation process, and focus on other things. But for some, it does indeed result in profound psychological and emotion challenges that can severely impact their lives.
These traumatic effects tend to be especially so for women, and for males who lose their hair at a young age. Under these circumstances, the loss of this important part of these persons that is so closely linked to appearance and sex appeal can be devastating.
And for those (including children) whose hair loss comes from disease or its treatment, it can have a significant effect on the recovery process. Losing hair when you're already fighting an illness, perhaps for your life, is a potential cause of depression. Under these circumstances, depression can be an additional and very large, hurdle to overcome.
The reactions that we have to the loss of our hair are, for the most part, understandable. There really aren't any body parts that we could lose without suffering in some way for it. Whether it's the loss of teeth or an amputation, the effects are real and valid. The one difference is that going bald does not threaten our ability to function as whole human beings. But it's still losing a part of our selves, and we feel it nonetheless.
Going bald poses a real emotional dilemma for men. They can experience real anxiety and stress over losing their hair, but be afraid of making too much of it publicly, fearful of appearing "unmanly" and overly concerned with appearance. This can contribute to the depressed feeling these men may be dealing with under these circumstances.
Much of this anxiety has a very real basis for existence. So much of our ideas about sex appeal and virility are tied to our hair. Most men feel that they are more attractive to women if they have a full head of hair (though that's changing as more and more men choose the shaved head look). All of this concern is great news for the hair replacement and restoration industry. Because such a stigma is still attached to going bald, many are willing to invest a lot of money in solutions to correct it.
The reaction of some men to losing their hair can be likened to a form of grief, with several stages making up the experience. The range of emotional stages can go from denial at the onset, to depression about the inevitability of it, to acceptance and a healthy embracing of it as simply a part of who they are. Some men however, can become stuck at an intermediate stage, which is anything but healthy. When this happens, counseling of one sort or another may be needed to get past this point.
No one is immune from the effects of hair loss, no matter how lofty their position in life. We've all seen those famous and powerful men who show signs of having difficulty accepting their loss. The politician or power broker with the comb-over, or the actor with the toupee, or the entertainer who is never without a hat or head covering, are all examples of difficulty-accepting-his-hair-loss syndrome.
So some of us are able to take our hair loss in stride, and others go to great lengths to get more hair. Either is really OK. There is nothing inherently wrong with resorting to hair loss remedies. Sometimes, for some individuals, this is the best way to deal with their loss. After all, we wouldn't begrudge someone replacing missing teeth. So if using minoxidil or getting a transplant or wearing a toupee makes you feel better, then it should make everyone else who cares about you feel better too.
For the most part, society prizes a full head of hair. Research studies have shown that bald men are seen generally as less virile and ineffectual. Bald men are more likely to be passed over for job promotions or pay raises. Although there are women who are attracted to bald men, there is a general impression that baldness is related to age and lack of sexual appeal. If this were not the case, then hair restoration would not be the multi-million-dollar-a-year business that it is.
Stephanie McIntyre and Wendell Bryant are Internet developers. Visit their site at http://hairlosscentralhome.com