Reddit Users Rank Hair Loss Among Top Body Image Concerns

Give 3,000 men the shield of anonymity and it’s not long before their deepest, darkest thoughts start pouring out. And when the question at hand is “what are you most self-conscious about?”, it’s little surprise that one of the biggest concerns is hair loss.

The question was posted on internet forum Reddit in August and quickly started to gather traction as men opened up about the things they hated when they look in the mirror. Everything from man boobs to height to lack of conversational skills was offered up by the thousands of men who replied.

User comments included:

“Been going bald for five years now: sometimes I'll shave it all off, and everyone tells me I look angry or mean.”

“I just don't buy into the myth that a shaved head is better than the balding look 100% of the time. If you don't have the dome or jawline for it a shaved head just looks weird, like you're a giant toe. A tasteful haircut can make a balding man look good without shaving it like everyone else does.”

“Probably my hair, or lack of hair as I should say. I can lose weight but unless I get wealthy enough to undergo several procedures I'll not have a full head of hair again, and I'm only 23.”

The comments echo the oft-heard refrain that going bald is one of the worst things that can happen to a man in terms of self-esteem.

Hair loss deeply distressing

As soon as they become teenagers, many men start developing the first in a long series of hairstyles that they feel to be an extension of their personality. Losing that ability and being forced to work with thinning hair that many people associate with the ageing process can be deeply distressing.

What many men don’t realise is that most hair loss conditions are treatable. In most cases, men who show signs of balding will be losing hair to the genetic condition Male Pattern Baldness. This typically leads to thinner hair along the top of the scalp and at the crown and/or a receding hairline. It happens because of an inherited sensitivity to a testosterone by-product named DHT. This latches on to hair follicles around the top of the head and slowly destroys them. The outward result of this is thinning hair and, eventually hair loss or even baldness.

"...Nothing Better Than Feeling Confident You Have a Full Head of Hair!" - Click to View This Happy Belgravia Client's Treatment Success Story

As the comment from the 23-year-old Reddit user above illustrates, Male Pattern Baldness can strike at any time after puberty, and is not actually a sign of growing old. Nor is it a guaranteed precursor to total baldness. Hairloss can happen over many years or decades, and in a way those first signs of hair loss are actually a helpful warning system for men who want to keep their hair.

Stimulate regrowth

By reducing the production of DHT, clinically-proven products recommended as part of a personalised regrowth plan by a hair loss specialist can stop hair falling out. They can also help to stimulate regrowth, improving hair density. The key is to act quickly, and start fighting back as soon as the thinning or receding is first noticed. A swift intervention can make all the difference and many Belgravia clients tell us they wish they had started sooner!

A bespoke male hair loss treatment course at Belgravia comes with the added bonus of a rock-solid support system. Staff are helpful, empathetic and well-informed, as well as experienced so can really help men during what can be a challenging part of their lives. Clients frequently tell us that this aspect of their treatment is as important to their success story as the products they are given. Many also say how their self-confidence improves as their hair does!

Which isn’t to say they won’t have anything to grumble about the next time someone poses a personal question on Reddit. It’s just that their gripe is less likely to be about hair loss!