Should Hair Loss Be Treated as a Disease?

Isn’t it interesting what humankind decides is a “disease?” The dictionary definition reads: “a disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces specific signs or symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury.” The definition also says: “a particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people.” Synonyms for disease include illness, sickness, and ill health. As such, here’s an interesting question… should hair loss be treated as a disease?

Hair Loss and Mental Health

Hair loss can have an impact on mental health. In other words, it can really, truly bother a person who is dealing with it! There’s tremendous societal pressure these days to have a full head of hair. Just think of all the online social media, including “selfies,” and Instagram photos, etc. Our society expects us to maintain a youthful, healthy, happy look– even when we’re older.

Tennis player Andre Agassi once wrote that losing his hair at a young age felt like losing “little pieces of my identity.” And he was popular before the Internet! Today, young people are more conscious about their appearance than ever before. To them, hair loss feels like a disease– one that needs treatment/fixing/healing. Furthermore, people are waiting longer in life to enter into a serious relationship. If men are waiting until their 30s to find a wife, and hair loss begins in their 20s, are they having a tougher time finding a mate when they’re losing hair at age 35? Perhaps.

Hair Loss Solutions

Drug makers wish they had the cure for hair loss. While some drugs have shown some promise, for the most part a drug capable of stopping hair loss in its tracks just doesn’t exist. Minoxidil and Finasteride can help slow down hair loss, but they don’t stop it completely.

Right now hair loss is viewed as a cosmetic problem rather than a disease. And because of this viewpoint, money is not being spent on research for a “cure.” Billions have NOT been spent on serious hair research.

Hair loss may cause psychological problems for people, but it’s not seen as a life-threatening disease. Therefore, it’s not taken as seriously as other things, such as cancer.

That said, there are people and places who find ways to replace or regenerate lost hair. There’s definitely a demand for it. If you’re in the New York City area and have experienced hair loss, why not see how NM Hair Replacement Studio can help? Call 718-267-2516 and ask for a free consultation today.