How To Feel Confident When Dealing With Hair Loss
Most people consider their hair an essential part of their identity, appearance, and culture. You feel good about yourself when you style or wear your hair at a certain length. So, when you deal with hair loss, you experience low self-esteem.
Hair loss (or baldness) can occur in both men and women at any age for different reasons. According to studies, over 80% of men and almost 50% of women experience hair loss at some point.
Another source also states that the most prevalent cause of hair loss is male- and female-pattern baldness, which can start as early as your 20s and worsen as you age. Other causes of hair loss or thinning include alopecia, stress, hormonal imbalance, cancer treatment, or aging.
How does hair loss affect confidence?
Losing your confidence because of hair loss manifests in different ways. For instance, you may feel more stressed every day, especially when you constantly see your hair fall. You may also begin to view yourself as unattractive and stay home more often just to avoid questions about your hair. Men’s hair loss is often seen as a joke to many, which is why some choose to distance themselves and hide their true feelings about the matter.
How can you regain your confidence when dealing with hair loss?
Although hair loss can significantly affect your confidence, it doesn’t have to affect how you think and feel about yourself in the long term. Read on to find out what you can do to regain your confidence when dealing with hair loss.
1. Let yourself grieve and view the loss as part of your journey to acceptance
For most people, their hair isn’t merely just hair. It’s part of their identity and self-expression, so losing their hair can be a real loss for them, especially when it’s permanent.
To accept the situation, allow yourself some time to grieve. Prioritize self-care and be gentle with yourself. You can also follow a new hair care routine that focuses on caring for your remaining hair or scalp. For instance, you don’t have to wash your hair every day. Dermatologists say that washing your hair often eliminates the oils your hair needs.
2. Find a new style
Just because your hair is thinning or you’ve got a receding hairline doesn’t mean you can’t style your hair. If there’s little natural hair left, you can consult your barber or hairstylist to help you find a new style that will help conceal thinner areas. They may share some tips, like wearing hats or headscarves to hide certain areas.
Alternatively, if there’s little to no more natural hair left, consider getting a hair replacement or hair transplant. This can be a great permanent solution to restore your hair, especially if your hair loss condition is permanent.
3. Put on a gorgeous wig
Although hair loss can make you feel unattractive and insecure, you can take this as an opportunity to explore other hairstyles you’ve never tried before. Why not try wearing a gorgeous human hair wig? The prevalence of hair loss across the globe has made human hair wigs more popular every year. In fact, reports show that the market size for human hair wigs has reached over USD$6 billion in 2021.
With many wig options available, you can get one that matches your natural hair or experiment with a bold style. If you’re naturally blonde but want to try having red hair, you’ll find a natural red hair wig that’s perfect.
You can even switch to different wigs as often as you want to celebrate yourself for getting your confidence back and overcoming self-doubt. Lace front wigs, for instance, are ideal for trying various hairstyles. They’re especially suitable for those who have thinning hair in the front. They offer a natural-looking hairline, spacing your hair apart to make it seem like it grows naturally at the front.
Monofilament wigs are another type. Providing comfort, they trick you into seeing a beautiful parting on your head. Like lace front wigs, they give you the freedom to sport new hairstyles, boasting a variety of lengths and sizes and durability.
4. Seek support from the right people
The more you avoid talking about the problem, the harder and longer it’ll take for you to accept it. The same goes for hair loss. Most people don’t realize how common hair loss actually is. So, if you’re dealing with hair loss right now, know that you’re never alone. Several support groups, communities, and organizations are available for people who need help processing their feelings about hair loss.
You can listen to stories and gain insights from people who have gone through hair loss and learn how they were able to regain their confidence. If you have friends or family members who have undergone the same thing, talk to them. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others. Speaking up may even help someone feel confident about themselves too.
If your hair loss has severely impacted your confidence to the point that it has caused drastic consequences in your daily life, seek support from a therapist or counselor.
5. Encourage yourself to go out
Research shows that hair loss can bring about psychological effects in several ways, such as anxiety or social phobia. As you feel insecure and unhappy about your hair thinning, you begin to lose interest in the activities you used to enjoy or shut yourself out.
But the thing is, the days when you don’t want to go out should be the days when you need to encourage yourself to do it. You can start slowly, such as taking a short stroll outdoors, meeting your friends or family for lunch, or traveling to a new place. Putting yourself out there can be a great way to slowly build confidence and learn to accept that hair loss is normal and common for most people.
If you’re worried about people questioning your thinning hair or wig, prepare some scripted responses. This way, you won’t feel anxious. You don’t owe strangers any explanation about your hair loss at all. Do your own thing and embrace your new look.
Key takeaway
Remember, hair loss is common. It’s how you approach this problem that can help boost your confidence. You either succumb to your anxiety or social phobia or accept and deal with the situation.
There are temporary and permanent hair treatment solutions that you can consider. And with all these tips, you’ll be able to cope with the problem and stand tall and proud.