According to statistics, as many as 50 million men are affected by baldness, most commonly referred to as androgenic alopecia. Alopecia affects a great many people and it is largely due to genetic make-up. The fact of the matter is that men are not as willing as women to go consult a specialist about their thinning hair. This is regrettable because there are medications that can slow down the progression of androgenic alopecia. Some men who experience progressive hair loss are able to cope with the change, others are not and they usually succumb to depression. To be more precise, they experience powerful psychological effects. Nobody talks about the emotional aspects of androgenic alopecia. Except for us. In this article, we are going to point out the dramatic psychological effects of hair loss in men and what can be done to make androgenic alopecia go away.
The crushing psychological effects of androgenic alopecia
Loss of confidence in appearance and fear of not being attractive
Even a few bald spots on the scalp can affect the way one looks. The changes might not be dramatic, but the way that people look does not coincide with the image that they have of themselves. We are not talking about vanity or narcissism. We are talking about the mental picture that everyone has of himself or herself, the one that describes matters like handsomeness. In spite of the fact that male hair loss is quite common and treatable, it still troubles sufferers. The thing is that men are preoccupied with what others think. Losing hair is considered an aging sign and they do not want to be perceived as being unattractive. Men are not the only ones who like to emphasize their appearance. We all do it and base our self-esteem on how good we think that we look. The main problem is that trying to win the approval of others with one’s appearance is a battle lost at the very beginning. Going back to hair loss, people cannot help but feel a loss of confidence. According to a study realized by psychology today, men are under the impression that their outward aspect has a great impact on the opposite sex, when in reality women do not value appearance too much. Men are prone to developing a negative body image as a result for hair loss. Does this affect their relationships in any way? Yes. Individuals constantly compare themselves to others, experiencing feelings of severe despondency. The most affected ones are men who start suffering from androgenic alopecia from an early age.
Looking older than their actual age
Hair loss is typically associated with aging. Balding patterns make their appearance after the age of 40. As mentioned before, hair loss is hereditary in nature, meaning that it is not caused by medication or illness. Taking a course of 15% minoxidil can be helpful. Hair loss is one of the factors that make men look older than they really are. Baldness adds an average of 8 years to a man’s perceived age. Feeling older than the chronological age leads to a loss of confidence in one’s appearance. What is certain is that adults who are confronted with androgenic alopecia do not enjoy high levels of affective wellbeing and neither do they have emotional stability. Men often keep their hair on the sides and do comb-overs in an attempt to hide the hair loss patterns. Why? Because they live in a culture that is obsessed with youth and appearance.
Minoxidil – the remedy for androgenic alopecia
Until this point, it is clear that androgenic alopecia is a devastating health issue. Maybe it is not so clear what can be done in order to avoid problems. The answer is simple: treating hair loss. Regardless of the cause, androgenic alopecia is treatable. 15% minoxidil is a good option. Many individuals are concerned with 15% minoxidil side effects. More specifically, they fear developing symptoms like swelling or dizziness. It’s important to point out that no user has ever developed side effects. This basically means that using the topical solution is completely safe. Minoxidil is available as an over the counter treatment, so it is not difficult to get hold of it. Attention needs to be paid to the fact that minoxidil is the only treatment that has been approved by the FDA for hair loss. What the treatment does is enhance the duration of the anagen phase, which is part of the hair growth cycle, and makes the size of the hair follicles normal. What the topical solution cannot do is reactivate dead hair follicles. 15% minoxidil works best if it is used immediately after having noticed hair loss. Since it is available over the counter, it is not necessary to have a prescription in order to purchase it. It is essential that 15 percent of the weight of the solution be minoxidil. There are topical solutions out there, in concentrations of 2% and 5%. It is recommendable to get a topical solution in concentrations of 15%. Does 15% minoxidil work for everyone? It has been found that the treatment is good for androgenic alopecia, having reversed the problem in many people. According to research, the topical solution has worked even in cases of severe hair loss. Nonetheless, the results do not appear immediately. The treatment takes some time before starting to work. As a rule, it takes several months for the topical solution to show effects. While in the first 3 months of the treatment, the results are not so visible, following 6 months one can expect great results. Naturally, if the treatment is interrupted, the effects wear off. That is just another thing people don’t know about male hair loss.
Final considerations
Androgenic alopecia takes its toll on sufferers. Men feel effects such as loss of confidence in their personal appearance, fear of being unattractive, and looking older than they really are. 15% minoxidil is useful in the fight against hair loss, helping men deal with this disorder. Users are not disappointed with the effects.