Could not possibly ring more true. This is pretty much my exact stance.

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I definitely don't think we're shallow. If something is affecting your self confidence and inhibiting your life, then it's not shallow at all to do something about it.

Just to add my two cents, I don't think we're shallow at all - after all, the people who say 'don't worry about your hair loss, it's fine!' are usually not balding.

People wear make-up regularly to perfect and correct their looks, and have minor procedures to remove moles, lessen wrinkles and such like - to me, tending to your hair in the same way is no different. You should try to make the best of what you've got to look good, and for us that means working on our hair.

Good thread by the way, I know I've pondered this question a lot in the past - are we vain etc.... Truth is, all human beings are vain to an extent - we all want to look attractive and be popular. So if there's anything shallow about it - then it's not worth worrying about as it's completely natural to be so

In my opinion we kid ourselves if we don't honestly attribute personal vanity to being a partial inspiration to get hair restoration, at the same time however it is equally vain to assume that undergoing a restoration is beneath you, a catch 22 in the vanity department.

Hair or no hair you are vain.

All I gotta say is, if women can get boob jobs to boost their self-esteem, why can't men restore their hair to do the same?

I don't think so. Vanity is being "excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance." Men who seek HTs are not, for the most part, trying to improve upon what they had originally or make themselves look better than they did before -- they're simply trying to regain a little bit of what they once had so they can have a modicum of comfort in the face they present to the world. I don't see that as being any more "vain" than people who seek facial reconstructive surgery after being disfigured in accidents.

No, I don't think people in general are shallow especially not us who are suffering from hair loss and just want to grow our hair back. Some are just more conscious than the other but we're all "vain" in a way. Besides, hair loss isn't only for those aging already, hair loss now manifests as early as 18 years old to some unfortunate guys that are causing more "panic" and worry thus being considered "shallow" by some who are not experiencing losing their hair.

All I have to say is, as a below 30 woman, everyone time i talk to someone or come face to face with someone, and they instinctively look at the thinning patch right at the front of my head (and then avert their eyes as though they've intruded), it makes me very self-conscious & also embarassed to the point where i try to avoid coming face to face with people. Cos the inevitable following scene plays itself in my head over and over. Seriously, its way more than vanity when it makes you feel crappy and pray to god nobody looks at your 'patch' for more than 2 seconds.

Just did my first HT 2 days ago, 981 grafts to try bring some life to the patch. Dr Pathomvanich in Bkk who I really cannot recommend enough. Now I patiently wait for some growth and for the day i can comb my hair back and stare people in the eye and mentally challenge them to stare at the front of my head !

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There's nothing wrong with having an HT to enhance your looks by adding more hair to your hscalp, be a bare scalp or a thinning scalp. You're just using whatever hair you still have to add density to balding areas, like replanting trees in a tree-less area.....

Some people accept their hairloss, embrace it and shave their heads, some other leave their side hair long like Bozo or Krusty the Clown (which by the way looks awful), some, like us in the forums prefer to undergo HT. It's a matter of choices, and I don't see anything "vain" in it. It boosts your self-esteem, confidence and the way you look at yourself, all positive things.

EpilepticSceptic,
"For all you balding guys out there, the simplest solution to all of this (and that costs nothing) is to just start looking at really fat girls and convincing yourself that they are indeed attractive. It really is that simple !!"

That makes me think of Jack Black and his movie "Shallow Hal"....

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