If you are affected by hair loss like so many American men and are thinking about doing something about it, you might be familiar with a nagging feeling that’s holding you back: a sense of shame. You may feel that wanting to restore your hair to a fuller look is some kind of moral shortcoming; that you shouldn’t want to look different; that by getting a hair transplant, you are “cheating” in some way or form. In this article we will discuss this stigma of hair loss.
How Do Celebrities Handle Hair Loss?
Feeling Ashamed of Hair Loss
Too often, the idea of having cosmetic surgery to improve our looks is associated with shame. For some reason, it’s completely okay to work on our bodies – by dieting and exercising, for instance – and then proudly displaying our new look for all the world to see. It’s even acceptable to use all kinds of product and supplements to get there. Lotions, protein shakes, pills – we have no qualms about getting the “assist” if it makes us look better.
But for whatever reason, as soon as we use cosmetic surgery to help with our “transformation,” we are not quite so proud anymore. We might even feel a little bit ashamed of not having been able to do it on our own. We are conditioned to think that changing our appearance with the help of anything other than our own hard work is somehow not valid.
It’s hard to shake that feeling of slight shame for getting an “unfair advantage” to boost your image. This is particularly true for hair transplants. Since it’s impossible to regrow our hair by working hard at it, or by having led a better lifestyle to avoid losing it in the first place, the only avenue for improvement is hair restoration surgery. If you want to do something about your hair loss, you basically have to have a procedure done. There isn’t only the stigma of hair loss, but also the stigma of getting help to battle against it. You’ll wonder what people will think of your new look. “Has he, or hasn’t he, had a hair transplant?”, you’re afraid they they will wonder.
The writer of a recent article we came across sums up best why considering a hair transplant shouldn’t be shameful at all:
“Do I feel vain or any less masculine because I want my hair back? No. Am I embarrassed to say I am considering plastic surgery for my hair? Absolutely not. I don’t believe a guy should feel discerned because he wants to have a full head of hair again.”
He shares that he is a twenty-seven year old who’s been “perpetually balding since I was 18.” Kudos to him for speaking up and talking about it without embarrassment, not just on his own behalf but for the millions of men who are affected by male pattern baldness. This helps take away the stigma from some of the treatment options for hair loss.
The Stigma of Hair Loss and Hair Transplant Surgery Among Celebrities
The good news is that hair loss is an entirely democratic affair. It doesn’t affect everyone equally, but it certainly doesn’t spare the rich or the famous. If we told you that some of your favorite celebrities have likely or even reportedly had hair transplants, you wouldn’t like them any less, would you? You might just enjoy looking at them a little bit more.
Well, here are a few names from such a list:
Tom Hanks
Idris Elba
Tom Brady
Kevin Costner
Sean Penn
Lebron James
Ben Afleck
John Travolta
Jamie Foxx
Dreams Casino
Were you surprised about some of these? To see what we mean, we encourage you to take a look at these and more celebrity hair transplants. We would like to point out that we are not listing these names to “out” or “shame” anyone. On the contrary, we’d like to show that you are by far not alone in dealing with hair loss from male pattern baldness or other causes. At some point in time in our lives, we all go through it. There are effective treatment options available to you, just as they are available to the celebrities who’ve taken advantage of them.
It’s Not About Vanity, It’s About Confidence
And yet, you may still harbor some feelings of shame, even on behalf of the men listed above. Why is this stigma of hair loss and hair replacement so ingrained in our thinking? It might have to do with the way we were brought up. Vanity, we were told, is a vice, and we should avoid succumbing to it.
But is it really about vanity? Or isn’t it much more about confidence? What you do or don’t do about your hair has nothing to do with other people. Therefore, why should you be ashamed about anything you do? It’s simply about you and the way you feel. If you feel younger, more confident, and bolder when you look in the mirror and see yourself with a restored hairline, what does it matter how you got there? Who are others to judge? You’re not harming anyone. And you’ll arguably be a better friend, colleague, spouse, and member of society if you feel confident.
Perhaps we can all take a slice out of the lives of those more famous than us. Why not do the same and get treatment so that you can sport the hairstyle you want, without any feelings of guilt or shame?
If you’d like to learn more about FUE hair restoration to reverse hair loss effectively and with natural looking results, please give Nashville Hair Doctor a call or request a free quote.
