Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Hair loss research

The Independent has a story about new discoveries regarding the genetic causes of natural hair loss (specifically, they've found a crucial gene on the X-chromosone, meaning we inherit a significant factor in baldness from our mothers). While it's interesting stuff from a scientific perspective, I also found this bit at the end interesting.
Three-quarters of men who have started losing their hair suffer self-esteem problems and two-thirds of them feel insecure as a result of hair loss, the Gallup survey of 1,500 men in five European countries indicated.

Men in southern Europe were more relaxed about hair loss and more comfortable about getting treatment. Half of British men opted for shaving their heads or keeping their hair very short to make any follicular deficiency less obvious.
To me, the greatest problem with hair loss is not that it happens, but that people feel insecure about it. Hair loss is a completely natural affair, and nothing to fear or be ashamed of, but the social stigma remains. Unfortunately, unhealthy attitudes about things like hair loss, weight, wrinkles, and similar things are far too prevalent among many people.

The article also includes some hair loss myths, like the ideas that combing, blow-drying, or washing your hair too much will cause your hair to fall out.

2 comments:

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