The Psychological Effects of Hair Loss
When people think of hair loss, they typically imagine a man who’s balding or completely bald. Though hair loss, especially of the genetic variety, affects millions of men around the world, it also affects women to a staggering degree. Estimates suggest that 40% of women experience significant hair loss before they turn 40, yet the normalization of female hair loss is far behind where it should be.
Losing hair can be a pain, especially when it affects the previously full and healthy appearance of your head of hair. However, when it comes to female hair loss, one of the most underrated effects is the toll that it takes on women psychologically.
For women, hair is not just a versatile accessory–it can be a significant part of your sense of self and a huge factor in your self-confidence. Plus, the fact that obvious hair loss is much less commonly seen in women than in men makes even the most typical everyday tasks seem impossible without a hat or hood. In this article we are going to go into the psychological effects of hair loss and hair growth treatments that can help combat your hair loss condition.
The Psychological Effects of Hair Loss on Women: How to Face Hair Loss Head On
If you’re experiencing thinning hair or hair loss and are having trouble coping with it emotionally, you’re not alone. Here are a few useful tips for coming to terms with hair loss and taking matters into your own hands.
Don’t skimp on self-care. Studies have shown that women facing a major change in their appearances, such as decreased hair thickness or noticeable balding, tend to also suffer in other areas. For example, women feeling helpless about their hair loss will pay less attention to exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, spending time with friends and family, and other important facets of self-care.
We totally get it. On days when you don’t feel like your appearance is where you want it to be, the urge to hide away can be difficult to resist. However, isolating yourself and slacking on activities that are good for your body and mind will only exacerbate the negative feelings you’re having about your hair loss.
Feeding yourself nourishing foods packed with vitamins and minerals, exercising and getting outside regularly, and spending quality time with loved ones will help you to feel more positive and more like yourself as you research potential treatments for your hair loss.
Simplify your hair care routine. Keeping your hair looking and feeling clean and fresh isn’t only important for the health of your hair and scalp, it can affect your success in relationships, business interactions, and even friendships. However, many women take their hair care too far and end up damaging their hair or even causing hair loss.
Some examples of harmful hair habits include:
- Washing too often
- Brushing too often
- Brushing when wet
- Using hair dryers too often
- Using curlers/straighteners too often
- Using dyes with harsh chemicals
Much like junk food, many of these practices aren’t harmful when taken in moderation. It’s the habitual use of heat treatments, over-washing and over-brushing, and constant dyeing that can cause real damage over time.
Try reducing your hair washing schedule to every other day or even between 2 and 3 washes a week. In addition, cut down hair dryer, straightener, and curling iron as much as possible and explore all-natural dye options for coloring. Whether you’ve been experiencing hair loss for a while or you’re just starting to notice the signs, these simple swaps can improve the health of your hair, prevent excessive hair loss, and even support hair regrowth.
Try low-level light therapy. If you’ve never heard of LLLT, don’t worry. It’s a one-of-a-kind FDA-cleared technology designed to slow the progression of genetic hair loss while simultaneously supporting new hair growth.
Administered through a cap that’s worn for 30 minutes every other day, low-level light therapy is recommended by many physicians for pattern baldness treatment and has reaped noticeable results for thousands facing hair loss. If you’re interested in treating your hair loss but want to avoid medications and surgical procedures, laser hair caps that utilize LLLT are the perfect solution.
Be patient. Once you notice signs of hair loss, it’s important to let your doctor know immediately so you can determine together what the cause might be. In some cases, your hair loss may be the result of a stressful event, the end of a pregnancy, or some other hormonal catalyst, and your natural hair growth cycle will be back to normal before long. In other cases, your hair loss may be genetic, and you’ll have to seek treatment options if you want your hair to return to the way it was.
Either way, a waiting period will be involved before you see the changes you want. Therefore, it’s important to have patience and keep a positive outlook while you maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce harmful hair care practices.
