Discomfort over hair thinning prevalent in women

Discomfort over hair thinning prevalent in women | Image Credit: © Siam - © Siam - stock.adobe.com.

According to research from Nutrafol, hair thinning is tied with weight loss for the physical issues women are most uncomfortable with.

OnePoll conducted the research on behalf of Nutrafol, the leading brand reshaping hair health. The research was conducted to evaluate the struggles women experience with hair loss and wellness concerns besides physical effects, such as embarrassment, loss of confidence, and self-doubt.

Over 2000 women were included in the survey, which was conducted from July 19 to July 25, 2023. About 1/3 of women included had not told anyone else about physical issues which concerned them. Hair loss and weight issues were those which brought the most discomfort, each reported by 23% of women as the issue they were most uncomfortable with.

Of women with hair loss, 46% have reported feeling sad, 43% embarrassed, and 42% scared. According to Giorgos Tsetis, Nutrafol co-founder and CEO, hair thinning occurs in over half of women. This new data highlights the prevalence of this issue and the need for hair loss thinning to be destigmatized.

Adverse impacts on self-confidence were reported by 45% of women, professional career by 33%, and personal relationships by 30%. Of women with hair loss, 39% reported not feeling like themselves and 32% felt less like a woman.

Beliefs surrounding hair thinning differed based on an individual’s age. Not talking about hair thinning with other people was reported by 44% of Millennials, 37% of Gen X, and 26% of baby boomers. Impacts on their professional career were reported by 41% of Millennials, 27% of Gen X, and 11% of baby boomers.

"Physical changes are a natural part of the aging process, but for many women, this can cause new insecurities related to appearance or anxieties around not feeling like themselves," said Michelle Henry, MD, board certified dermatologist. "I commonly see patients who are experiencing hair thinning and are unsure how to address it, or where to turn to for support. It can be an incredibly isolating experience."

The appearance of one’s hair impacting how they viewed themselves on any particular day was reported by 2/3 of participants, with the average woman with hair thinning distracted by thoughts of the issue approximately 15 times per day. However, compared to 5 years ago, 1/3 of women felt the same about their hair and 31% felt better. Another 1/3 believed they would feel better within 5 years.

Reference

New survey from Nutrafolsheds light on the impact of female hair thinning. Nutrafol. August 16, 2023. Accessed August 16, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-survey-from-nutrafol-sheds-light-on-the-impact-of-female-hair-thinning-301901699.html#:~:text=The%20research%2C%20conducted%20by%20OnePoll,doubt%20and%20loss%20of%20confidence.