TLDR Male pattern hair loss can cause significant emotional distress for men.
The paper discusses the emotional significance of male pattern hair loss, a topic often overlooked in psychoanalytic literature. It reviews sociological and psychoanalytic literature on hair loss and presents four perspectives on the subject: hair as a symbol of maternal desire, hair loss evoking feelings of helplessness from infancy, hair loss as a symbol of aging and death, and hair loss as a representation of paternal identifications and experiences. These perspectives are illustrated using T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and a clinical case. The paper emphasizes that hair loss can cause considerable emotional distress in men, highlighting the need for further exploration in this area.
36 citations,
November 2018 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” Alopecia is linked to various health and mental conditions, impacts life quality, and needs medical attention beyond its cosmetic effects.
30 citations,
May 2018 in “Experimental Dermatology” The conclusion is that future hair loss treatments should target the root causes of hair thinning, not just promote hair growth.
27 citations,
March 2013 in “Social Semiotics” Commercial hair loss websites promote Propecia by making men feel insecure about baldness and suggesting it's a medical issue needing treatment.
12 citations,
July 2012 in “Social Psychological and Personality Science” Men with shaved heads are seen as more dominant but older and less attractive.
68 citations,
February 1990 in “Journal of Applied Social Psychology” Bald men are often viewed more negatively and as older than they really are.
14 citations,
July 2015 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” Sebaceous glands in male pattern hair loss patients have more lobules and might cause early hair growth phase shifts.
January 2022 in “Journal of Ayurveda case reports” Ayurvedic treatment significantly reduced hair loss and improved hair quality in a 30-year-old male.
October 2022 in “Hair Transplantation” 
19 citations,
June 2019 in “Clinical Drug Investigation” Platelet-rich plasma injections significantly improve hair density and thickness in both male and female pattern hair loss, especially in early stages.
September 2015 in “SelfCare Journal” Two treatments for male pattern hair loss are minoxidil and finasteride, but they have side effects and may not satisfy everyone.
170 citations,
December 2009 in “Histopathology” The conclusion is that accurate diagnosis of different types of hair loss requires good teamwork between skin doctors and lab experts.
