Forget the temper tantrums former supermodel Naomi Campbell makes the news with these days. While it isn’t easy to feel much sympathy for a diva who belittles and abuses those who actually have jobs, maybe Campbell can still gain some love as the world finds out she may be going bald. According fashion photographer, Huggy Ragnarsson, Campbell began balding when she was only 23. He blames her weave habit. Perhaps the rage issues and the baldness are tied, waxed, clamped, or otherwise melded together somehow. Using weaves or pulling hair tight for many years can cause something called traction alopecia, which Campbell may have become a “victim” of.
However, we’re not here to dwell on pseudo-celebrity gossip. We’re here to discuss another issue: female baldness. Lots of men will know the stigma of baldness, but most of these men will grudgingly accept it. And, because it’s much more socially acceptable to be surrounded by balding men, we don’t really discuss it much beyond laughing at bad toupees, seeing a bunch of men who shave their heads, or perhaps see ads for Rogaine – simply because it isn’t a big deal. However, women who begin to lose their hair might feel a similar shock and awe as some men, but the days of accepting women losing their hair may never become a socially acceptable norm. Whatever their body’s appearance, at least they’ll keep their hair.
Female pattern baldness is real, and, just as with male pattern baldness, the causes can be similar. Genetics, nutrition, various illnesses, and more can cause women to lose their hair. Yet, Campbell’s hair loss is reportedly caused by willful choice, and knowing that risk of damaging her hair and scalp was a possibility, she did it anyway.
There are many ways to try to restore hair. These include prescription drugs like Propecia, follicle stimulation, and hair grafts. If these all sound like familiar solutions, it may be because they’re the same options balding men have. Alas, there is no one magic way to cure baldness, though this isn’t for lack of trying. Until then, many women will wonder who they offended to be cursed by hair loss and look for ways to either alleviate this loss, or become total shut-ins by avoiding friends, family, and other social obligations.
If you are losing your hair, and you’re not quite sure what to do about it, see your doctor. Perhaps the reason is as simple as some kind of deficiency in your diet. However, if it is something else, and you are in good health, consider speaking with a cosmetic surgeon who knows something about surgical hair restoration. And, if you are metaphorically pulling your hair out over your hair loss, please contact a cosmetic surgeon in your area to see if they can help get you back out in public. Finally, if you have a hair weave, think hard about the risks.
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