Media and Companies Argue for or Against

¶ … media and companies argue for or against the causes and treatments of baldness those that are bald must learn to accept themselves despite societies harsh perceptions of them. This is not an easy task in a society that measures so much by the idea of physical perfection as it is seen on billboards, in movies, and on the pages of magazines. Those who suffer from hair loss must not only deal with the fact that they are losing something but they must also deal with how they are perceived in all aspects of our society.

Everyday a company or members of the media are conducting surveys and studies on various hair treatment solutions and how people perceive bald men. Study after study show that bald men are perceived as being weaker, less likable, and over all not as good as someone who has hair. Many believe that worrying about hair loss is a sign of vanity and should be ignored but how can any man ignore the loss of their hair when it seems that their social life or even career will be harmed by how society will view him when he is a bald male. Knowledge of how important it is for today's male to have hair often causes serious distress and even deep depression in those that begin to show signs of hair loss.

Society has taught us to believe that men with thick, healthy hair are attractive while balding or bald men are not. Everywhere you look there is male model advertising clothing or cologne that has attractively tousled hair. There are many times when the particular model or does not have what would be considered 'the perfect' body but they always have hair. The same holds true for government officials. The majority of those who hold office have their natural hair or have undergone treatment as society perceives bald men as less aggressive and not likable which are not desirable quality in an important leader.

Television shows and even movies, usually comedies, often make jokes regarding male hair loss. The most common solution is trying to cover or conceal the hair loss with a toupee of some sort. Often the characters are doing this to appear younger and more attractive in order to date more women. There are usually many jokes regarding the baldness since as a society this loss is perceived as comical even though if it were a male who suddenly lost all of his teeth this would not be so funny.

Even those who are close to the individual suffering from hair loss often reinforce these perceptions sometimes unconsciously. Many send out the message that hair loss is shocking, unnatural, and undesirable. They do this by using body language such as constantly looking at the receding hairline or the bald spot with a frown or even staring. The same way one would look at someone with a nasty sore, injury, or loss of a limb.

When they do not do that often people will offer suggestions regarding covering it up. A spouse may suggest under going a painful surgery or even buying a hair growth product hinting that they would rather have a mate with hair. Also there are constant advertisements for hair loss formulas and treatments praying on insecurities. They usually use an advertising campaign where the male is ashamed of his baldness often wearing a cap or hat not being active until after the chosen treatment.