Many people consider their hair an integral part of their identity, as a way to express individuality, personality, and culture. When hair loss is affecting your confidence, it can feel very emotional and difficult to deal with. Hair loss or thinning can occur in men and women at any age as a result of male- or female-pattern hair loss, alopecia, cancer treatment, stress, pregnancy, or simply growing older. Whatever causes it, many people report a loss of confidence due to hair loss. If hair loss is affecting your confidence, there are some steps you can take to claim it back. In this post, we’re taking a look at how hair loss and self-esteem are linked and what you can do to reclaim your confidence after hair loss.
Is Hair Loss Affecting Your
Confidence?
When hair loss begins to affect your confidence, that fear can manifest in different ways, including depression, becoming more stressed (which can create a vicious circle if left unchecked) or a fear of leaving your home or safe space. In addition, those with hair loss may begin to perceive themselves as less attractive or feel like they are losing their identity.
Hair loss and self-esteem struggles can seem to go hand-in-hand for both men and women. Although male-pattern baldness is typically the most-discussed form of hair loss, it is often seen as something of a joke, which can discourage men from sharing their feelings on the matter. In fact, both male- and female-pattern hair loss is a type of alopecia, named ‘androgenic alopecia’, and it can start as early as the teenage years.
Of course, it is far from the only reason that a person might experience hair loss. So what can you do?
What to Do When Hair Loss Affects
Your Confidence
Style it out
If you still have some of your natural hair left, try talking to a hairstylist or barber to see if it can be styled in such a way to disguise the thinner areas. This can help boost your self-esteem after hair loss. Alternatively, strategically-placed hats or headscarves can conceal certain areas.
Fake it ‘til you make it
We know, it sounds much easier than it feels. However, faking it until you make it can be a great tool for slowly increasing your confidence. Take pictures, even if you don’t think you’ll like them. Smile when you’re nervous! Bring the focus onto other things – maybe you’re wearing a new shirt or dress, or you recently got promoted. Celebrate yourself to show those feelings of self-doubt that they won’t win.
Allow yourself to feel the loss.
Whether your hair loss is temporary or permanent, however much confidence your hair loss has taken, here is a list of things you can do or work with to build it back up.
Hair loss is a real loss, and loss of confidence due to hair loss can be serious, so it’s important to let yourself grieve your hair. This means prioritising your self-care and treating yourself a bit more gently. Creating a care routine that involves pampering your scalp or any remaining hair can help to create more positive associations with your new image, too.
Cover it up if you prefer
Whether you have thinning, patchy hair loss or total hair loss, there are plenty of solutions out there to help you feel more confident going out. Sometimes, people with hair loss find themselves struggling to leave the house in fear of being judged or stared at, and investing in a wig or hairpiece can feel like protective armour!
If this is all new to you, check out our beginner’s guide to wig-wearing and the best hairpieces for thinning hair for some guidance.
Seek out external support
You don’t have to go it alone. Hair loss is much more common than many people realise, and there are plenty of resources and support groups available to help you process your feelings. Talk to your friends and family if you feel comfortable doing that. If you find that your hair loss is affecting your confidence to the point that it is impacting your daily life, talking to a doctor, therapist or counsellor might help you work through that.
Make yourself go out
The days when you really don’t want to go out are often the days that you need to make yourself do it. Sometimes, it’s just a case of proving to your anxiety that it isn’t actually as bad as it sounds! Whether it’s a quick walk to get some fresh air, meeting friends for lunch or going out for a date, getting out is a great way to desensitise yourself and have fun doing it.
Top tip: If you’re worried about being questioned on whether you’re wearing a wig, try creating some script responses that you can fall back on. We have some ideas in our previous blog on how to respond when asked if you’re wearing a wig, but in general, it’s a good idea to know in advance how much you want to tell people. For example, you might decide to tell your loved ones that you’re wearing a wig and if you would like to talk about it or not. For strangers, you don’t have to tell them anything if you don’t want to. You don’t owe anyone anything!
Find your community
We recommend finding a community of people who have gone through (or are currently going through) the same thing as you. At Simply Wigs, we’ve named our community ‘We, That Wear Wigs’, and it is full of men and women of all ages sharing their stories, experiences, tips and tricks on hair loss and self-esteem, wig-wearing and coping with the harder times.
If you would like to share your story with our supportive and empathetic community, please send it in! We love to read about your experiences, and you might help someone else feel more confident too!
You are not alone!
When you’re feeling a loss of confidence due to hair loss, remember that hair loss is common in people of all ages and hair loss affecting your confidence is normal. Studies show that around 16% of men aged 18-29 report noticeable hair loss, with the figure jumping to 53% of men aged 40-49. Additionally, around 8 million women in the UK have some type of hair loss.
If you would like to speak to one of our expert team about your options regarding your self-esteem, hair loss and wigs or headwear, please contact us today.
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