Amongst the 35 million men and 21 million women suffering from hair loss, you may know somebody going through this life-altering phase. More often than you’d like, it’ll be someone close to you, and you’re going to want to do everything to make hair loss less painful for them.
The American Hair Loss Association considers hair loss a grave concern amongst women affecting their emotional well-being and self-confidence. But we see it as a life-altering condition for everybody who goes through it, regardless of gender. This is why you must do your best to be there for them during this challenging time.
Here are a few ideas you can try.
Don’t Ignore, but Don’t Overstep Either
When your loved one is going through something as grave as hair loss, it can get awkward. You may think ignoring the situation is the safest option, but unintentionally, you’re taking away their right to vent to you about their situation; they may mistake your silence as your disinterest.
At the same time, you’re walking on a thin line. You’re one lame bald joke away from dissolving your friendship forever. So, don’t give unwanted opinions and don’t make bald jokes until they’ve reached a place in their hair loss journey where they’re comfortable with laughing about it.
Be A Good Listener and Avoid Comparisons
Here’s a golden rule: until you’ve assessed the exact state of their mind, the less you say, the better it is. All you need to do is be there for them. Listen to their concerns with interest, and whatever you do, do not compare their situation to anything.
If you compare their hair loss to somebody else’s hair loss journey who had it worse, you’ll just be undermining their problem, and that won’t help your loved one feel any better.
Offer to Go Wig Shopping with Them
Firstly, don’t just suggest wigs out of the blue. Physical appearances are important to most people. The decision to make any significant changes to one’s appearance has to come from the person themselves.
Once they’ve decided that they’re ready to start wearing a wig, offer to help them select the right one.
Be Their Cheerleader, Not A Criticizer
Don’t forget that you’re only here to give endless support. This means tons of random compliments, and no matter how much they rant, you’re not allowed to get mad. Match every rant with a hug and a compliment.
Additionally, support their hair loss-related decisions. Whether they decide to get a wig or a buzz cut, you must never criticize.
Research and Suggest Safe Treatment Options
Hair loss, in some cases, is reversible. For instance, you can discuss and help them set up a dermatologist appointment, and they might find some solutions there.
Or, if it turns out that hair regrowth isn’t an option, you can look at non-surgical hair loss treatments like scalp micropigmentation. This is an entirely safe procedure that uses non-invasive methods to create a natural-looking hairline and camouflages baldness using pigmentation, giving you a much fuller looking head.
At Delaware Scalp Micropigmentation, we offer SMP hair loss treatmentsfor both men and women. Book a free consultation for your loved one today to help them learn more about the treatment.