How to Keep Your Confidence When Losing Your Hair

Bruce Willis, Jason Statham — there are many confident men who have turned male pattern hair loss into a feature of their confidence, instead of a challenge to it. How did they get to that point of accepting hair loss?

There are plenty of ways to cover or conceal a bald head. But whether you address hair loss with a toupee, a comb-over, or your favorite clippers, the end goal is to feel more confident with the way you look.

Below, we’ve explored suggestions for how to stop worrying about hair loss if you’re starting to see a few extra hairs on your pillow or at the bottom of the shower drain and focus on building up your confidence instead.

Male pattern baldness is a physical, aesthetic issue. However, like lots of other conditions that affect your appearance, it can also produce psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, and a negative impact on your self-esteem. 

In fact, research has found that many of the psychological effects of hair loss are hard to treat through conventional means.

So, why is hair loss so devastating mentally for many guys? Researchers believe that it could be due to a feeling of loss, as well as the change in a person’s perception of themselves that can occur when their appearance changes.

There’s also a cultural element to hair loss. Over the years, hairstyles have gone in and out of fashion. However, one thing remains unchanged — hair plays an important role in any person’s self-confidence, and a full head of hair is often considered a measure of good looks.

Losing this part of your aesthetic identity can feel like a serious blow, especially when it occurs relatively early in life. For some guys, severe hair loss may even trigger body dysmorphic disorder, a condition in which a person experiences strong anxiety about their looks.

While hair loss can have a severe impact on your confidence, the good news is that it doesn’t need to have a long-term effect on how you think, feel, and behave.

Plus, if you act promptly, hair loss doesn’t need to be permanent. We’ve shared more about this further down the page, but with the right approach, it’s usually possible to protect yourself from further hair loss — and even restore your lost hair.

Here are seven tips for how to cope with hair loss:

You’ve undoubtedly heard the saying that "you are your own worst critic," and it’s definitely true — you are harder on yourself than anyone else is. This also means that you probably view your hair loss more critically than others do. 

The reality is, hair loss is normal. According to research data, 16 percent of men aged 18 to 29 already show some signs of moderate or extensive hair loss.

For you, your hair loss might be an unwanted change that you can’t help but see every time you look at yourself in the mirror. But for others, it might just be part of your appearance — a specific feature that makes “you,” well, you.

Whether it’s a different way of looking at it or just seeing things from someone else’s point of view, changing your perspective might be all you need to love yourself.

The first time you notice you’re losing hair can seem scary, but as any dermatologist will tell you, male pattern hair loss isn’t dangerous. In other words, it doesn’t pose a threat to your life or have any negative impact on your health in and of itself. 

Learning to live with hair loss can be a psychological challenge, but it’s only as difficult as you make it. As such, one of the best ways to deal with hair loss is to simply be pragmatic about it. Accept that it’s happening, find a way to make it work, and make it a positive feature — not a weakness you feel uncomfortable about. 

Contrary to popular belief, developing a receding hairline or experiencing some thinning on the top of your head doesn’t mean that you can no longer rock a stylish haircut. And as mentioned earlier, there are plenty of bald guys out there who have already mastered the look.

The key is to choose a style that suits your hair. Instead of going for something that requires a low hairline or lots of thickness, choose a hairstyle for thinning hair, such as a buzz cut, shaved head, quiff, or skin fade. 

For receding hairlines, try growing out the hair at the front of your head and combing it backward, or cutting your hair short on the sides to make your hairline less obvious. If you’re developing a bald spot on one side of your head, try parting your hair to that side. 

The key is to choose a style that suits the hair you have — not the hair you want.

If you’re losing hair because of a nutritional deficiency, or due to the effects of cancer treatment or another medical condition, it’s important to be careful with how you style and care for your hair.

Simple things that you can do to prevent putting pressure on your hair follicles include: 

• Brushing it carefully with a wide-toothed comb instead of a regular hairbrush.

• Avoiding hair dryers and letting your hair dry naturally instead.

• Using gentle hair products to wash or style your hair.

If your hair falls out at night, try wearing a hair net or using a satin pillowcase to reduce any unwanted tension on your hair roots.

While these techniques won’t necessarily stop hair loss, they can prevent you from pulling out weak hairs accidentally. 

If your hair loss is having a major impact on the way you think, feel, or behave, it’s okay to seek professional help.

Research suggests that people with hair loss often have higher-than-average levels of anxiety and depression. This is very understandable, given the impact that losing your hair can have on your self-perception.

Talking to a therapist or other mental health professional can help you to put your hair loss in context, deal with negative feelings, and work out your next steps. 

Almost all hair loss — whether due to male pattern baldness to telogen effluvium — is treatable. By acting as early as you can, you might be able to stop your hair loss from getting worse and even regrow hair in thinning areas such as your hairline or crown.

Here are the two best ways to prevent and treat hair loss, along with the science on how each treatment option works:

Finasteride

If you’re starting to develop a receding hairline, hair thinning, or other early signs of male pattern baldness, the most effective medication that you can add to your hair loss prevention arsenal is finasteride.

Finasteride (generic PropeciaⓇ) is an oral medication for hair regrowth. It works by preventing your body from converting testosterone into DHT, the hormone that can damage your hair follicles and stop your hair from growing.

Used daily, finasteride is highly effective at preventing and treating male pattern baldness. In a long-term study from Japan, more than 90 percent of balding men who used finasteride saw an improvement in their hair’s appearance. 

We offer finasteride online, following a consultation with a licensed healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate. 

Minoxidil

If finasteride is the most effective medication you can use to stop hair loss, minoxidil is definitely its partner in crime. 

Minoxidil is an over-the-counter topical hair loss medication. Instead of blocking DHT production, it works locally by moving your hair follicles into the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle and improving the local blood flow to your scalp.

Like finasteride, minoxidil is backed up by a wealth of research. In fact, in one study published in the journal Dermatologic Therapy, researchers found that 94.1 percent of balding men who used minoxidil and finasteride together experienced improvements in hair growth over 12 months.

We offer minoxidil solution and minoxidil foam online, as well as finasteride and minoxidil in our combination Topical Finasteride & Minoxidil Spray. 

If you have more noticeable hair loss, or if you’re looking for fast results, you may want to look into hair transplant surgery.

This cosmetic procedure involves harvesting hair follicles from the back and sides of your scalp, then using them to restore your hairline or crown. Performed by a good hair transplant surgeon, this type of surgery can produce natural, aesthetically pleasing results.

The biggest disadvantage to hair transplantation is that it doesn’t come cheap, nor does it offer any protection against future hair loss. You’ll also need to have a reasonable amount of hair left, which means that if you have complete hair loss, this may not be the best option for you. 

The first step in dealing with hair loss is working out what’s causing you to lose hair, as well as whether or not your hair loss is likely to be permanent. 

Although we often think of all hair loss as the same thing, there are actually numerous different types of hair loss that can affect men. Each type of hair loss can cause different symptoms and may require its own unique, targeted form of treatment. 

We’ve listed the most common forms of hair loss below, as well as the specific factors that can cause each one.

Androgenetic Alopecia (Male Pattern Baldness)

The most common type of hair loss in men is known as androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness. 

You’ve probably heard of this type of hair loss before. It usually starts at your hairline or crown, then gradually progresses to more noticeable thinning. Over time, it results in the classic “back and sides” hair pattern, with thick hair on the sides of your head and little to nothing on top.

Male pattern baldness is largely caused by a combination of genetic factors and the effects of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. 

Over time, DHT can bind to receptors in your scalp and cause your hair follicles to “miniaturize,” or shrink. As the hair follicles become smaller, they eventually stop producing new hairs, leading to noticeable hair loss. 

Our guide to DHT and male hair loss describes the effects of DHT in greater detail and explains how DHT is produced in your body. 

Hair loss from male pattern baldness is permanent, meaning it’s important to detect it early and take a proactive approach to treatment.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium is a form of temporary hair shedding. It’s a reactive process that’s caused by external stressors, such as infections, nutritional deficiencies, surgery, illnesses that cause you to develop a fever, and sudden changes in your levels of certain hormones.

Unlike male pattern baldness, telogen effluvium doesn’t damage your hair follicles. Instead, the hair loss from telogen effluvium occurs when your hairs suddenly transition from the anagen, or growth, phase of the hair growth cycle into the telogen, or resting, phase.

Instead of a receding hairline or bald patch, telogen effluvium usually produces diffuse thinning that affects your entire scalp.

Hair loss from telogen effluvium is only temporary. However, even after you treat the underlying cause of your hair loss, it can take months for your hair to grow back as normal. 

Anagen Effluvium

Anagen effluvium is another form of temporary hair shedding. Unlike telogen effluvium, which is often caused by illnesses or trauma, anagen effluvium is almost always caused by medications, particularly cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Because of this association, anagen effluvium is occasionally called chemotherapy-induced hair loss.

Like telogen effluvium, anagen effluvium occurs when your hair’s growth cycle is interrupted. In this case, the effects of medication affect the growth of the hair shaft, causing your scalp, facial, body, and pubic hair to shed prematurely.

Anagen effluvium hair loss usually occurs quickly. If you’re prescribed medication that can cause this type of hair loss, you may notice shedding within 14 days of the start of your treatment.

Like other forms of hair shedding, anagen effluvium is not permanent. Once you no longer need to take medication, your hair will eventually grow back to normal.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is a form of autoimmune hair loss. It usually causes small, round, or oval-shaped bald patches to develop on your scalp. Sometimes, it may also cause you to shed hair on your face, limbs, and torso.

Like other types of autoimmune disease, alopecia areata is caused by your own immune system attacking a certain part of your body — in this case, your hair follicles.

You might have a higher risk of developing this form of hair loss if you have a blood relative who has alopecia areata, or if you have asthma, thyroid disease, or certain other conditions.

Traction Alopecia

Traction alopecia is a form of hair loss that’s caused by repeated tension or pulling on your hair roots. It’s most common among African-Americans, as well as gymnasts, military personnel, and other people who need to wear their hair in a tight, pulled-back style.

Most of the time, traction alopecia starts as small white or flesh-colored bumps, with hair loss at your hairline.

You may be at risk of this type of hair loss if you wear your hair in braids, dreadlocks, cornrows, or other styles that pull on the roots, or if you style your hair with strong hold gel or wax.

Hair loss from traction alopecia may become permanent if left untreated, making it important to treat this form of hair loss as soon as you notice early symptoms. 

Other Types of Hair Loss

A diverse range of other conditions, health issues, and habits also can cause you to shed hair. This can range from scalp infections, such as tinea capitis, to anxiety-related disorders like trichotillomania, a form of chronic hair pulling.

You may not have a choice about losing your hair, but you can choose how you respond. One option is to live in denial and allow your hair loss to hurt your confidence, lower your quality of life, and get in the way of your ability to feel happy and fulfilled. 

The other option is accepting hair loss as a part of your life and if necessary, taking action to get it under control.

To get started with treating hair loss, you can view our range of science-based hair loss treatments online and choose the option that’s best suited to your needs. 

Confidence is a choice, and in spite of your hair loss, it is one that you should be making each and every day.