The psychological impact of hair loss on women

It fits with what you might expect, but studies have shown that women experience greater distress at losing hair than men. Our hair is a fundamental part of our appearance so unwanted changes can leave a person shaken and even traumatised. The nature of our society means that women experience this more acutely.

Loss of hair can have a great impact on a woman’s self confidence. Good hair is closely associated with beauty, so it is obvious that its loss will be keenly felt. For a woman who is already insecure about her appearance, the effects can be truly devastating.

The other major problem facing women is that hair loss is not seen as a female condition. As male pattern baldness is so common, loss of hair is closely associated with men. This means additional stigma can be perceived for women as it is seen as being in some way abnormal, even though female hair loss is far more common than many realise.

Fortunately, with increased awareness has come a greater range of treatments and hair management options. Women suffering from hair loss are now more likely to get correctly diagnosed and can make use of better hair management options while being treated.