Psychological Effects of Hair Loss
Dealing with hair loss can be extremely difficult. Imagine going to bed and waking up the next morning to see strands of your hair on your pillow. Since hair is a massive part of our appearance, losing it can seem like we’re missing pieces of ourselves. The media is continuously promoting “the perfect body/hair,” it’s easy for someone who’s losing their hair to become self-conscious.
Many conditions can be the cause of hair loss. The more hair that is lost, the less likely it will regrow. If the hair does grow back, there’s still a chance that the hair may fall out again. Even if there’s some regrowth, the hair may be a different texture and even color than before. Either condition can have a significant effect on someone’s emotional state.
Psychologically, hair loss can be personal and socially damaging.
People suffering from severe hair loss may experience more distress than those with mild hair loss. The loss of hair is a hard connection to the loss of someone’s look. Significantly when eyebrows and eyelashes are affected because they help define a person’s facial features. Losing hair can be emotionally taxing because some people may feel their hair loss is to see a physical failure.
For people who already battle social anxieties, hair loss can lead to more distress and even depression. Their self-esteem is drastically lowered, and the fear of being judged by others is heightened. They may then begin to feel ashamed and even disgusted with their appearance. If they are in a relationship, the frustrations from hair loss can lead to sexual and other issues.
Women who deal with high levels of stress are more likely to suffer from hair loss than those that report dealing with low stress. People battling hair loss are at a higher risk of acquiring psychiatric, anxiety, and depressive disorders. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, support groups, and medications are treatments for people who suffer from anxiety and depression. There’s still no actual direct treatment for those who are psychologically suffering from hair loss. Clinically, more research is needed to understand the stress response one has while dealing with hair loss.
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Hair transplantation is a way to restore hair and regain any lost confidence. If you’re considering hair transplants and would like to know more about the process, contact us today.