How hair loss can affect you physically, emotionally, professionally and socially

When someone starts losing their hair, it can cause massive damage to their self-esteem and self-confidence and negatively impact their relationships, career and social life. Our hair is an important part of our self-image and how we feel we ‘fit’ into the world. However, you are not your hair.

Hair loss is not as simple as vanity

Tell a friend about your hair loss and they’ll probably say, “Yeah, mate, it’s going to happen to us all eventually.” Unfortunately, until someone’s been through it themselves, they’ll never really get it.

There are so many things we can change about our appearance, which is why fashion exists, for starters. Men can play with the way they wear their facial hair, women can apply makeup, and we can all choose the clothes we wear to express ourselves how we want to. Most of us can choose a hairstyle that suits us or work out to build muscle and definition. But hair loss is different.

When hair loss occurs, it can make a person feel like they’re not in control of their own appearance. Every time they look in the mirror or see hair on their pillow, their towel, or on the shower floor, it can feel like a sucker punch to the guts. At best, it can be a disappointment that can be fixed by wearing a baseball cap all the time. At worst, it can feel like disfigurement and make a person want to shut themselves away and withdraw from relationships. People have been known to spiral in their careers and personal life, and worse, develop severe anxiety or depression.

There’s no quick fix to hair loss

Unlike working out to get shredded or getting Botox or fillers to fine tune some facial features, hair loss can be a demoralising factor in people’s lives. There’s no physical goal to work towards like building muscle. There’s no quick fix like cosmetic injectables. Hair loss can make a person feel hopeless.
“Where do I even start?”
“Is there a fix for me?”
“How can I afford to get a hair transplant?”
Well, firstly, slow down. I know from personal experience that panic and a sense of dread can quickly set in. Hair loss statistics will probably make you feel less alone. Between 50% and 70% of men experience hair loss at some point in their lives. In women, around 20% to 50% will notice hair loss.

Where to start when you’re losing your hair

Your first port of call should be your family doctor, who can help to diagnose the kind of hair loss you have. Yours may be caused by illness, medication, or simply genetics.

If you receive a referral to a hair loss specialist, make the appointment and go. If your hair loss is in its early stages, the specialist will provide you with some recommendations for supplements and hair products and advice on how to prevent further hair loss. If it’s a more advanced case, you may receive a referral to a hair transplant surgeon.

Get educated on hair loss and how you can beat it

In between those options, I would recommend educating yourself about your hair loss and what treatments are available. There are endless resources on the internet, but beware, some are far more reputable and credible than others. Here are just a couple to help get you started and also use my website too.

• The Bald Truth UK radio show – An informative, nationally syndicated program that includes recorded podcasts with callers to discuss their hair loss and hair transplant journeys. Housed exclusively on the Male Grooming blog, ApetoGentleman.

• International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons – The IAHRS is devoted to promoting ethical, safe, world-leading hair restoration treatments and only accepts the most reputable surgeons to be its members.

What to do when you’re suffering mentally

Never suffer in silence. If your hair loss is causing you anxiety, depression, social withdrawal or any other emotional issue, speak to a health professional. Do this while also exploring your treatment options but avoid only doing one or the other.
Joining a support group can be helpful, such as The Bald Truth radio show. When you interact with others who are experiencing hair loss too, you realise you’re not isolated and there are people who understand what you’re going through. Many have already been on a long journey and discovered what works and what doesn’t.

No one should have to suffer emotional torture just because they’re losing their hair, even if that emotional torture is self-inflicted. Unfortunately, when you’re facing it alone your perspective can get very distorted, and you can conjure up all kinds of wild fallacies in your own mind about how other people view you. You can get very down and paranoid. In fact, it’s likely that no one’s judging you or scrutinising you – you’re simply judging yourself.

Follow credible pathways to valuable information

As someone who has had multiple hair transplant surgeries – some very, very bad – I can tell you that there are plenty of grubby, disreputable operators out there. But there are also a lot of incredibly talented, completely ethical operators who will not waste your time, money or emotions. They are there to help guide and support you with what’s right for you but you need to be in the right headspace to receive the intel.

Top tips:
• Don’t bury your head in the proverbial sand and hope your hair loss goes away.
• Don’t get caught up in too-good-to-be-true offers you see on social media.
• Don’t chase the bottom dollar, it’s simply false economy. I know because I’ve been there, I’ve done it and I’ve got the scars to prove it. I’ve always thrown away lots of money unnecessarily.
• Do get examined, get educated, get treated and get on with life. Being proactive is a great way to feel emotionally uplifted.
• Do seek help for the emotional aspects of hair loss. Your feelings are valid and having someone help you put them in perspective can be gold.

Depending on your specific situation, it could be a short or a long road to the result you want, so why wait? The longer you leave it, the more you could suffer from the psychosocial impacts.
Your hair is obviously important to you so try to think of remedying your hair loss as a personal project, like muscle-building or even tinkering with a vintage car. Think of all the positive aspects that will come from following the suggestions above: a better understanding of your condition, improved appearance, higher self-esteem, greater confidence, and feeling better in yourself, emotionally. You can do this!

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Spencer (Spex) Stevenson has been a leading figure in the online hair loss community for over two decades. After beginning his hair loss journey in his early 20s and falling victim to the unregulated hair transplant industry, he successfully underwent repairs for two botched hair transplant surgeries. He has since dedicated his life to becoming the U.K.’s foremost consumer educator and media expert on the dangers of the hair transplant industry. As the Co-Host of Spencer Kobren’s The Bald Truth U.K. and through his writing, Spencer Stevenson has helped countless vulnerable hair loss sufferers safely navigate this treacherous industry. https://www.spexhair.com