Hair loss has been a subject of taboo in the beauty industry for many years. It’s almost treated like a contagious disease of sorts. Hair loss can be debilitating, it can affect women not only from a physical aspect but also psychologically. Yet, only hair loss’ physical complications are recognized and treated. If we were to look a little deeper and listen to the stories of those with the hair loss experience, we would know that many of the issues they face are social, emotional and mental. There are deeply ingrained scars left behind in circumstances where there is permanent hair loss.
People with cancer go through treatment and have first hand knowledge of the devastating toll the treatments have on their body. It’s a well-known fact that most women will lose their hair during chemo and radiation treatments. There’s one stark difference in outcomes of hair loss due to cancer treatment and hair loss due to other medical conditions. Events such as Alopecia and Lupus many times cause hair loss and in some cases, the does not grow back.
What are the consequences? Based on the conversations and consultations I’ve had with many of my hair loss clients, the diagnosis of permanent hair loss has devastating re. In fact, there are many after effects of hair loss such as depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, low self-esteem and more. More often than not, these women suffer in silence not even confiding to their hair stylist about their hair loss condition. They put on a brave face and mask their secret from the world. In their mind, there’s not much that can be done and this leaves one feeling vulnerable and alone.
Ladies! You are not alone! There are hundreds of thousands of women who suffer with hair loss and experience some of the same symptoms. The worst thing you can do is isolate yourself! People say all the time that we are more than our hair, but I say that our hair is very much a part of who we are and that should be acknowledged.
There are 3 important things you must remember if you are diagnosed with a disease or scalp condition which causes hair loss.
1) Refrain from isolating yourself from others. People who love and support you will want to help you the best way that they know how. With the love and support of those who genuinely care for you, you’ll be more likely to seek treatment and assistance in order to maintain a greater quality of care.
2) Don’t underestimate the impacts on your social and emotional health. Seek help from doctors, counselors and life coaches to help you find coping strategies. Seek consulting services with a hairstylist to help you come up with ideas to maintain your image and beauty standards.
3) Encourage others who are in your situation! The power of healing lies in the ability to help someone else along their healing process while you are healing. This will help take your mind off of your circumstances and allows you to focus on the greater good. There’s a great sense of satisfaction when you help someone else feel better.
With acceptance comes healing. The sooner you face your situation head on, without judging yourself, the better off you’ll be.
