We all want to be judged on the content of our character, our intelligence, as a breadwinner or devoted family man. But let’s face it, everyone is also judged on how they look, and all men want to be thought of as a sexy date or handsome husband. Image does matter, and not just on first dates or job interviews.
Premature balding can significantly impact a man’s appearance. In fact, losing your hair hurts.
And it’s okay to admit it.
Many men who come to RESTORE express a recurring theme, that goes something like this: There is a mismatch, a fundamental disconnect between how I feel on the inside and what I see in the mirror. I still feel young and vibrant but my outward appearance does not reflect the true me.
Sound familiar?
Here’s the irony: the older we get the more knowledge we accrue, yet signs of aging are taken as evidence that we are less powerful than we once were, or even “over the hill.” For many people, nothing could be further from the truth. It can seem fundamentally unfair.
Being tough is part of being a man. Chances are you are talking to your buddies about your fantasy football league or your new 3 iron, not your hair loss. Or maybe you are so busy with your career and caring for the family to really listen to that nagging voice that attacks your self-image every time you look in the mirror. But the fact remains: you can’t get the subject out of, um, your head.
It’s actually far from funny. There is just nothing to smile about when you feel insecure or rejected due to your looks.
You may feel envious, defensive, or even angry at times. You may then feel guilty for having these feelings at all! Don’t I have more pressing matters to think about? Am I being vain or shallow by thinking so much about my hair? Why on earth am I letting this get to me?
You are not alone.
The “decade of life correlation” illustrates the percentage of men with hair loss, such that 50% of 50 year olds will demonstrate visible hair loss, 60% of 60 year olds, etc.
The average age of a man opting for a transplant is 40.
When you begin losing your hair, the topic becomes urgently interesting—often overnight. Suddenly you notice that guy in the office with a full head of hair who just got the promotion…perhaps there is a connection! Women don’t seem quite as receptive as they once were…is that because you now look older or because you now lack confidence? Your best buddy ribbed you about it in front of friends…you went along with the joke but secretly you can’t forgive him. Your wife commented on the Rogaine commercial…does that mean even she is embarrassed by your hair loss? Your inner monologue on hair loss keeps at it, day and night, hijacking other thoughts, turning you into someone you don’t want to be.
Aging is a natural process that presents us with unwelcome physical changes. But nothing is quite so dramatic as balding. Within the span of five years a balding man can appear two decades older. The passage of time can be painful for all of us—who doesn’t wish they looked a bit more like they did at 27? But hair loss accelerates this process, making a man feel as though his prime and his power have slipped away.
If you have lost your hair too soon, you may be asking, “What can I do to get my hair back?”
Fortunately, great hair restoration options now exist that were unthinkable even a decade ago, solutions that offer completely natural and undetectable results. Furthermore, there are many non-surgical treatments that can help you keep the hair you have. Find out more about the types of treatment that might be right for you.
Hair loss hurts. We can help.
Contact my clinic for a consultation or ask me a question about your unique situation and how we might treat it.
Dr. James Harris is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, inventor of patented follicular unit excision technology, published author in the field of hair restoration and an advocate for patient care. He is currently at the forefront of research and development in the field of hair cloning. Learn more about Dr. Harris or read rave reviews from his patients.
