For many young men, losing their hair is not only a terrifying sign of aging, but also a huge blow to their self-esteem.
Hair loss in young men has many psychological consequences, including higher levels of anxiety and depression, decreased self-confidence and even social withdrawal.
More than 60 percent of hair loss patients in Australia are under the age of 35, with 87 percent seeking treatment, according to data from online men’s health platform Mosh.
Daniel, the father of two, told Daily Mail Australia that he lost his confidence after shaving off the remains of his thinning hair and would hide his baldness by wearing a hat everywhere he went.
“It was a matter of self-esteem. I didn’t own the baldness, as some people do, and I was constantly trying to hide it behind caps and hats,’ Daniel said.
‘Walking around in a cap and a suit isn’t the prettiest, but I’d wear it in the middle of a rainy day in winter.
“In fact, I’m a big fan of going to the races and would wear a hat, even if it looked weird, just to hide my hair loss.”
Father-of-two Daniel (pictured before his hair loss treatment) lost his confidence after shaving off the remains of his thinning hair, and he hid his baldness by wearing a hat
The 38-year-old described himself as a ‘typical northern English man’ who has to have his leg chopped off before going to the doctor – and it was his partner who referred him for hair loss treatment.
Daniel initially thought the treatment would be a tedious process, with time-consuming and expensive doctor appointments.
However, his partner sent him a link to a 10-minute online survey that he took through Mosh from the comfort of his bedroom.
The father-of-two sent photos of his hair loss and received oral and topical treatment, which he began in January last year.
Daniel, who works in recruitment, saw results after four months and by July he had stopped shaving his head and found a new sense of confidence.
“I no longer hide behind hats. It has taken me back to when I was in my twenties and I had a full head of hair,” said Daniel.
‘I feel completely different. It has definitely given me back my self-esteem, both in my personal life and at work.
“I post quite a few videos online for work and people have noticed the change in my confidence and in my hair. I’ve even had a few people ask about my treatment because they see the results.
Daniel saw results after just four months of treatment and now has confidence again. His partner loves his grown back hair but isn’t a big fan of the bun he’s wearing now (right)
Daniel, who lives in Western Australia, said his partner loves his grown-back hair but isn’t a big fan of the bun he now wears.
“She’s very happy with it, but she’s not a big fan of the topknot I’m wearing now!” Daniel laughed.
“I just don’t want to cut it off. Why would I cut it off? I haven’t had any hair in five years, might as well just keep growing it and see what happens.”
Warren August told the Daily Mail Australia that he started looking into hair loss treatment after his friends jokingly signed him up for an online clinic.
The 35-year-old said he noticed a change in his thick and full head of hair about four years ago, when it started thinning and his bald patch got “bigger and bigger.”
“To be honest, I never thought I’d ever go bald. I had so much hair,” said Mr. August.
“It was just starting to get bald at the top and my friends would joke around when we were in the pub.”
However, the prank of the boys’ online clinic led Mr. August to look into cheaper alternatives, and he soon booked an online appointment with a dermatologist through Mosh.
“I thought, I’ll see how it goes. You know, like the last roll of the dice – and it worked,’ Mr August said.
Warren August, 35, said his friends initially signed him up for an expensive hair loss treatment as a joke. The 38-year-old was asked to research a cheaper alternative and found a treatment that helped his hair grow back (pictured, left to right, Warren before and after treatment)
Mr. August saw results after four months of using an oral and topical treatment. His hair has grown back and he now advises others to get treatment.
Dermatologist and Mosh consultant Niyati Sharma told Daily Mail Australia that young men are under pressure to look a certain way in order to be socially accepted, especially in the dating world.
“More and more young men are seeking treatment for hair loss and I think part of that is the social pressure that young men have put on them,” said Dr Sharma.
“There aren’t many positive reports about baldness or receding hairlines.
“And there’s an increasing demand that women don’t date balding men, so I think men are very concerned about that.
“In fact, I had a young 21-year-old who was seeking treatment for hair loss, even though he has very minimal changes to his hair because it is a source of anxiety for him. And that really comes down to dating and looking a certain way.”
Dr. Sharma said the stigma around baldness needs to change, but also urged men concerned about their hair loss to seek treatment early.
“From a medical point of view, if you have milder hair loss, you’re more likely to reduce that trajectory of hair loss over time, compared to if you’ve already had advanced hair loss,” said Dr. Sharma.
“It’s always possible to thicken existing hair and increase its density, but once an area has lost all its hair, it becomes difficult to grow back.”
Dermatologist Niyati Sharma (pictured) said the stigma around baldness needs to change, but also urged men concerned about it to seek treatment early for better outcomes.
Dr. Sharma explained that millennials and Gen-Z men benefit from at-home treatments, which are more effective and more widely available than generations before them.
“What we’re finding is that it takes a lot of courage for young men to talk to a doctor,” said Dr Sharma.
“From what I’ve seen, the Mosh platform offers men the option of an online appointment, which can be much more effective.
“Patients are more likely to keep appointments and talk openly about their situation, and it’s an easier way to get a diagnosis and treatment.”
Dr. Sharma explained that male hair loss is often caused by a variety of factors, including age, grief, trauma, drug changes, illness, and vitamin deficiencies.
Mosh was co-founded in 2018 by Gabriel Baker and David Narunsky with the goal of providing affordable and accessible treatments while removing the stigma around “embarrassing” men’s health issues such as hair loss and sexual performance.
The Australian-based online health clinic works by connecting men with Australian doctors, dietitians and psychologists to organize treatments at home.