Issues of aging, health and vanity are traditionally seen as feminine concerns, which leads men to believe that they are being weak or unusual, when they report issues of stress or upset over hair thinning. The bald or thinning man as a punchline for many a joke and comedy sketch has added to the feeling that hair loss isn’t something to be taken seriously by men. All of these feelings and beliefs can add up to a man experiencing hair loss feeling isolated and unhappy.
Thankfully, times are changing and men’s mental health is being taken seriously. Signs of aging can be stressful for anyone, and in today’s image conscious-world, where it’s fashionable to appear youthful, it’s a hard change for some to accept.
The crippling anxiety that some men feel about hair loss can prevent them from seeking treatment. If their father and grandfather accepted their baldness, then they feel that they ought to accept it too – despite hankering after a more youthful head of hair. Wigs, hairpieces and spray-on hair thickeners have all advanced hugely in the 21st century, but many men still hesitate to explore their options to contend with hair loss, for fear of being mocked or appearing frivolous. Modern wigs and toupees are nothing like the obvious “rugs” of the 1970’s and ‘80’s, can look completely natural, and some can even be worn during sports or swimming.
Some men use hair retaining drugs and products such as Rogaine. While these work very well for a percentage of men, they don’t work for others, and can even cause stressful side-effects such as impotence, depression and anger.
The ultimate answer to hair loss is a hair transplant, as this is both natural and long-lasting. Many UK men take advantage of the hair transplant Turkey market, to undergo procedures that would cost up to four or five times as much in the UK. A dedicated company such as London-based MedAway can advise and assist the wannabe medical tourist’s trip to Turkey, including liaising with the best clinics for the procedure, and arranging transport and travel, as well as aftercare. While a hair transplant is a surgical operation and requires a short amount of down time, it’s the only permanent way to restore hair to thinning or balding patches.
