The mental health of more than one in five Brits is being “seriously impacted” by hair loss, new research reveals. London men report feeling the greatest distress over the issue – 13 per cent say the issue has a serious impact on their mental health – nearly double the national average.
The data suggests premature hair loss may be a key factor in the nation’s ongoing mental health crisis. 22% of women and 19% of men reported an impact, according to national research carried out by insights agency Opinium. However, the research suggests that men are more seriously affected, with seven per cent stating that their mental health is “seriously impacted” by the issue. The figure equates to 2.4m British men.
“These numbers show how serious the impact of hair loss is on men’s mental health,” said Niki Clarke, founder of London-based mental health charity My Black Dog.
“This should be a wake-up call for the severity of this mental health epidemic in the UK. Men often feel they cannot reach out but research shows them that they are not alone, they should know there is help available and people to talk to. We have seen an increasing number of visitors and are open to anyone struggling with their mental health, seven days a week.”
Mental health crisis lines are seeing “record demand” with 200,000 calls every week in England alone, according to NHS England. The latest available figures saw a 5.9% year-on-year leap in the UK’s suicide rate, with the rate nearly three times higher for men than women. The research shows that 30 per cent of young men affected by hair loss reported that the issue was the “leading contributory factor” to a decline in their mental health. One in four men starts to lose their hair before the age of 21, that figure rises to one in three by the age of 35.
Footballers have won plaudits for helping to break the stigma of hair loss, Wayne Rooney and Arsenal star Rob Holding both went public after undergoing hair transplant operations.
London, England, 22nd May 2022. Rob Holding of Arsenal applauds the crowd after the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium, London. Picture credit should read: Paul Terry / Sportimage via PA Images
Warren Vaheeswaran, CEO of hair transplant specialists at the Wimpole Clinic, said: “We commissioned this research to uncover the true impact hair loss has on mental health. Over many decades, of dealing with tens of thousands of young people in our network of hair clinics, I know first-hand just how traumatic hair loss is for this demographic. It is a silent epidemic, and it is vital that the public knows the true extent so they can treat this area with sensitivity – lives are being needlessly lost.”
Opinium questioned 2,000 adults across the UK. 85 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women will experience noticeable hair loss in their lifetime. Approximately 25 per cent of men start to lose their hair before the age of 21.
