Let's face it - hair loss sucks. For the majority of men, we accept it because all of us, at some point, lose our hair. But for women, it's a much more deep and often painful journey.
One in three women with hair loss suffer from chronic depression according to a survey from the Belgravia Centre. Of the 505 women polled, over 30% believed hair loss would affect how attractive they were to their partner and the opposite sex, whilst 69% believed that healthy hair was a major part of their self-image.
Hair loss can be caused by a variety of factors, from health conditions such as an under-active thyroid or iron-deficiency anaemia to medication side-effects and even severe stress.
Stress of any kind can play a role in hair loss, and depression is no exception. People experiencing depression or anxiety may suffer from interrupted sleep, or they may change their eating patterns, all of which can negatively impact hair health. Furthermore, depression affects all women and it affects their marital, work, and social relationships.
There are few solutions on the market today for women with hair loss. Prescription drugs like Minoxidil or Rogaine works only for about half the women polled, 40% with no hair growth and 10% seeing no effect. Let's not even talk about the side-effects.
Hair transplants, as discussed many times here on my blog, typically does not help women. The procedure is not only costly, but it does not grow new hair. It simply moves hair follicles from one place to another. For men who have their hair short, it's acceptable, but for women, moving hair from the back to the top means you are missing hair regardless. Not only that, the average transplant loses between 10-15% of the follicles that are taken out during the procedure.
Micropigmentation has been hailed as the best thing that has happened to the hair loss industry in the last decade and many of my clients will attest to that. While it does not grow new hair, it is a medical tattoo that camouflages the hair loss. By adding subtle shading and faux hair follicles to the scalp, the look of a more dense, thicker and fuller head of hair is easily achieved.
As you can see from the image above, the results are absolutely stunning. This client came in at 11am (photo on left) and left at 3pm (photo on right) with some dramatic results. These photos are taken immediately before and after the procedure. Hair density treatments are often between 1-2 sessions depending on the level of hair loss of the particular client and the cost ranges between $1200-2500, which is still a fraction of the majority of hair transplants and other hair loss alternatives.
For women suffering from depression as a result of hair loss, look into micropigmentation as an alternative. You will find that it is the best solution to hair loss and provides better alternatives than most other treatments. Depression sucks and it affects everything around us from our relationships to our work.