hair-less truth

You know you are entering a particular age, leaving the yesteryears of hippy youth behind, when topics like receding hairline and balding start creeping into your conversations with friends. Suddenly the Beijing 101 advertisements fronted by mediacorp artistes don't seem that funny or ridiculous anymore. No, they've become, what shall i say, relevant?

If wrinkles are an incriminating scar of lost youth for women, hair loss must be the equivalent for men. I don't think guys are bothered by wrinkles. Besides, it seems that people tend to observe wrinkles in women more than in men, hence guys aren't particularly concerned about it. And I can imagine having a paunch would be less traumatising than losing hair. After all, a paunch is popularly linked to lack of exercise and frequent beer drinking, which seem legitimate enough an excuse. But balding?

What sets balding apart is that, remedies notwithstanding, it appears to be something beyond one's control. I don't know about the science of balding, but i should think watching one's diet and lifestyle wouldn't have much of an impact on controlling hair loss, or does it? While a paunch can be hidden by judicious dressing, it's rather hard to conceal a balding crown. You can't be wearing a hat to work or social functions all the time.

That said, is there anything to feel embarrassed or worried about losing hair? For guys, losing hair is often associated with a drop in confidence and ego. Hair is a potent and visible symbol of vitality and youth. Hence losing hair appears to expose the unpalatable bald truth: one is losing one's youth. And as with many other things, there's always societal perceptions to blame. Guys lose sleep over receding hairline just as women do over developing wrinkles: they worry about what people think of them. It is not for nothing that advertisements on hair loss treatment (as with slimming, treating wrinkles, pimples etc) portray the 'before version' of a satisfied client in a most unflattering light, which is almost surely a gross exaggeration: hideous, repulsive, unattractive, these before-treatment pictures reinforce the fears of you and i who grapple with issues that affect one's self-confidence.

So, what inspired all that above commentary? Well, just the other day F and SP were talking about it. They are probably the last people amongst my friends who will lose confidence about themselves, so for now i don't think they are taking the issue of hair loss too seriously, though F said that he's stopped dyeing his hair for fear that his thinning hair might just become worse. As for me, well, i believe i haven't had to lose sleep over hair loss - yet.