Can having no hair stop you getting ahead?

BALD people are more likely to miss out on jobs – and even marriage – because society stigmatises their hair loss, research suggests.

Experts say the impact of alopecia is not merely cosmetic but hits victims’ self-confidence, affecting their life chances.

Those with hair loss are less likely to be seen as employable, attractive and intelligent, amid false perceptions that the condition could be contagious. The US researchers, from Harvard Medical School, say their findings highlight the need for better hair growth treatments – and more sympathy.

There are different types of alopecia – the technical term for hair loss – including male pattern baldness, which affects the scalp, and alopecia areata, which can affect any part of the body and may be caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles.

Some types cause temporary hair loss, while others are permanent and can involve the loss of all bodily hair.

The researchers assessed public perceptions of baldness using computer-edited images of six subjects, showing them with full hair, partial hair loss and total baldness. More than 2,000 volunteers were randomly shown one photo of each.

Those in which the subject had a full head of hair were rated more favourably on average, with the bald ones scoring lowest – 29.8 per cent were described as looking ill and 21.4 per cent unattractive, while 6.2 per cent were considered unemployable.

Writing in the journal JAMA Dermatology, the researchers say: ‘These data findings confirm that hair loss can have negative associations with the way others perceive individuals with alopecia, which may affect their ability to connect with others.

‘This stigma from hair loss may extend to the workplace.

‘Respondents reported that they would not feel comfortable having physical contact with patients with alopecia or hiring them for a job.

‘These findings confirm the concerns of patients with alopecia who have expressed fears that their disease could affect their professional careers, and reinforce the need for improved medical therapies for hair loss.’

The researchers said that, in the interim, their findings showed the need for better availability of hairpieces and wigs, adding: ‘Increasing alopecia awareness and understanding may have a positive bearing on how these patients are perceived.’

Dr Kerry Montgomery, psychological wellbeing lead at Alopecia UK, said: ‘Sadly, the findings of this study highlight issues we are aware of... the reality of discrimination in the workplace.

‘We hear from individuals with alopecia who experience negative reactions from others, ranging from staring, to questions, to uninvited comments and even bullying. As a result, some stop going out and socialising.

‘There is a myth that alopecia is contagious, or that hair loss always means someone is sick. This is simply not the case and yet these myths persist.

‘We also hear from people who have had negative experiences in the workplace which they feel is a result of having alopecia.

‘The problem lies with inaccurate perceptions of those with alopecia and that is where we need to focus our attention.’

‘Fear it could affect career’