The Silent Struggle: How Hair Loss Hits Mental Health

Last Updated:August 03, 2025, 14:01 IST

Hair loss isn’t only about how you look. It’s about how you feel. Let’s talk about that more. Let’s be kind. It’s time we stop dismissing something that cuts so deep

Let’s be honest. When people talk about hair loss, they usually talk about shampoos. Serums. Hair transplants. Maybe a fancy ad with flowing hair. But honestly? For millions, hair loss isn’t just about the scalp. It’s a quiet emotional battle. A mental one. And it’s real. Thinning hair. Sudden patches. Balding. Conditions like alopecia aren’t just physical, they mess with how you see yourself. It’s not just hair falling out. Sometimes, it’s your confidence too. Your identity. Your comfort in public spaces. Society calls it “just hair,” but anyone going through it knows it’s way more than that.

Aarushi Kohli, a Counseling Psychologist and Rehabilitation Therapist, shares all you need to know:

The Emotional Punch of Hair Loss

Hair and identity? Deeply linked. Hair stands for youth, beauty, health even power. When it goes, people feel like they’re losing parts of themselves. For many, the mirror becomes an uncomfortable place. Studies show it. Women with hair loss report avoiding social events. Some even say it strains their marriages.

Men feel it too. Baldness is often wrongly tied to aging, weakness, or loss of control. Now imagine it happening overnight. Alopecia areata. Chemo-related hair loss. Boom, no time to adjust. No warning. Just loss. It’s shocking. And it sticks. Some people even develop trauma around it. Because unlike gradual balding, this kind hits harder, fast and unexpected.

And the worst part? It might grow back. And then fall again. The unpredictability hurts. A lot.

Stigma, Support & Starting Over

Here’s the other thing. People don’t always get it. “Wear a wig,” they say. Or, “Come on, it’s just hair.” But when your emotions are dismissed, it doesn’t make you feel better, it makes you want to disappear.

Many people don’t ask for help because they fear being labeled dramatic or vain. That has to change. Therapy CBT, narrative work, ACT, it helps. Support groups too. Even Instagram communities. Sometimes, just talking to someone who gets it makes a big difference.

Self-compassion matters. So does reimagining identity. Some people rock bald looks. Others use scarves, color, art. There’s no right way to cope just your way.

We need to stop calling it a “small” issue. Hair loss hurts. And emotional wounds deserve care too.

Hair loss isn’t only about how you look. It’s about how you feel. Let’s talk about that more. Let’s be kind. It’s time we stop dismissing something that cuts so deep.

Swati Chaturvedi

Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl…Read More

Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl… Read More

view comments

Read More