| Abstrakt: |
The article discusses the negative effect of hair loss on self-perception. Ours is a culture preoccupied with physical appearance. Physical appearance plays a major role in the formation of body image. People who are physically attractive are thought to be more socially skilled, live better lives, are more successful with interpersonal relations and command greater respect in business. The causes of hair loss are many and, depending on the type of hair loss, the individual's response will differ. This in turn will affect how the practitioner approaches the individual. Even though the loss of hair is not life threatening, it may be a sign of systemic illness. It is also, depending on the extent, "image threatening." It is usually not physically painful, but can be psycho- logically devastating. Androgenic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness, is the most common type of hair loss. Though relatively common compared to other causes of hair loss, androgenic alopecia is far less socially acceptable in females than in males. For a young woman, this can be devastating to her self- image. She suddenly feels less feminine, less attractive, less desirable. |
