Coping with Hair Loss in Women

1. See your doctor

If you have experienced hair loss or are currently going bald, it’s important to see your doctor to find a cause. It may be a product of cancer treatments or alopecia, or you may have an underlying disease that’s causing your hair loss.

• Your doctor may order blood tests to assess hormone levels that can cause hair loss.
• If you are undergoing cancer treatments, your doctor may be able to tell you if your treatments can cause hair loss.
• Your doctor may also be able to prescribe you anti-depressants to help you overcome feelings of depression and anxiety for your hair loss.

2. Embrace being bald

In some cases, your hair may never grow back. Although it make take a few months or longer, learn to embrace your baldness can help you cope with and overcome the condition.

• Embracing your baldness won’t happen overnight, in part because hair loss is often devastating. Gradually allow yourself to get used to your condition. For example, don’t wear a wig, hat, or scarf at night or one day a week. You can build up to never using an aid or only on occasions when it’s absolutely necessary.
• There are different ways to help yourself embrace your hair loss. Consider giving yourself daily positive affirmations such as “I am strong and beautiful.” This can help bolster your confidence and may help you more readily accept your baldness.
• Consider taking an online course on how to cope. For example, the American Cancer Society offers several courses on how to best cope with self-esteem issues related to cancer.
• There are online forums from other groups such as the National Alopecia Areata Foundation which can put you in touch with other alopecia sufferers who can help bolster your confidence and accept your baldness.

3. Be aware of social stigmas

Even though most people are socialized, there are often still social stigmas attached to baldness, especially in women. These stigmas can cause you shame, stress, anxiety, or depression. Addressing the negative connotations and your own feelings associated can help you move forward and lead a normal life.

• Many people feel shame and embarrassment when they first experience hair loss. This is a completely normal initial reaction, but you should know that hair loss is fairly common and you don’t need to feel this way.
• Seeing a counselor, doctor, or friend can help you deal with your feelings.

4. Join a support group for sufferers of hair loss

Joining a support group of others who suffer from baldness can offer you unconditional support from others who understand what you’re experiencing. It can also help you effectively deal with the various aspects of the condition.

• Depending on the cause of your hair loss, there are support groups that can help you deal with a disease and the emotional side effects that come with losing your hair as a product of it. For example, cancer and alopecia support groups can offer significant support on this issue.

5. Communicate with people

An important part of living with hair loss is talking with people about your baldness. Being open about your condition can help avoid uncomfortable questions or looks and may help you be more at ease as well.

• Being open about your baldness or thinning hair is the best way to cope rather than fretting about it. When others realize that you're okay with your hair loss, then they will likely be, too.
• It may also help to be open about what is causing your baldness. Sometimes simply saying something such as “I’m going through cancer treatments and they’ve caused me to lose my hair” can help relieve tension in situation or even minimize unwelcome glances from other people.