Hair Loss News

DENVER - To get ahead, it’s good to have a full head of hair.  That’s the conclusion of a national consumer survey that reached more than 1,000 men and women, ranging from about 20 to 50 years of age.  The survey, which was released today by Hair Sciences Center of Colorado, revealed, among other interesting results, that 61 percent of respondents believe that both men and women today are judged by their hair.

Other findings include:

• 52 percent of respondents believe that men and women who have what is perceived as “good hair” get better jobs while 53 percent say men/women with good hair have more attractive partners.
• 46.5 percent indicate that men with a full head of hair are smarter than those who are balding or bald.  Among these, results show that men who are losing their hair were the least smart when compared with those with hair or those who are already bald.
• 66 percent say they think that men with a full head of hair are more successful.  Men losing their hair ranked the least successful, even more so than those who are bald.
• 73 percent of respondents say they notice when a mature woman’s hair is thinning.
• Of the 140 female respondents that reported hair loss, 70 percent believe their self-esteem will decrease with hair loss.
• Although hair is perceived to play a key role in career paths, self-esteem, image and personal success among respondents, upwards of 83 percent of those surveyed say they would rather lose their hair than 20 percent of their income.

“It is obvious that throughout our society today, hair is extremely vital to overall looks, professional success, self image and relationships,” said Dr. James Harris, founder of Hair Sciences Center of Colorado and a hair restoration surgery recipient himself, regarding the results.  “As a practicing hair restoration specialist, I witness and address these concerns in my clinic every day.  We found it interesting to learn that the strongest negative perceptions about baldness lie primarily among those men who are in the process of losing their hair – not in men who are completely bald.  Certainly, there were several other surprises revealed in our study as well, including the significant psychological impact of hair loss for women. 

Perhaps this is why hair restoration surgeries performed in the U.S. each year are on the rise.  According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), a leading industry trade organization, approximately 170,000 hair restoration procedures were performed worldwide in 2005.  We believe this will continue to increase as evidenced by the growth in hair restoration surgeries my practice has realized during the past several years,” Harris explained.

Other important results gleaned from the survey were:

• 60 percent of respondents state that it was important for men to have a full head of hair;
• 56 percent say balding men look older than they are;
• 78 percent note that men with a full head of hair are sexier than those who are losing their hair and those who are bald, again those in the process of losing their hair ranked below the others;
• About 80 percent would rather lose their hair than their virility;
• 63 percent say their ability to attract men/women would change with hair loss while 85 percent noted that they would not wear a hairpiece; and,
• 53 percent of men and woman with hair loss worry about it, yet only 10 percent seek advice.  Of those seeking advice, only 11 percent seek advice from a hair restoration specialist.

The study, conducted by Zoomerang during December 2006, surveyed 1,022 men and women ranging from about 20 to 50 years of age.  Of those, 524 were male and 499 female; 656 of which report they are not experiencing hair loss and 366 who indicated they are.  The margin of error for the survey was +4/–4 percent. 

Complete results are available by visiting http://www.hsccolorado.com/surveyresults.asp.