Bollywood Breaking the Stigma & Shame on hair loss

It is really encouraging to see how Bollywood is finally trying to showcase the lives of people who are suffering from hair loss issues. Not using their life stories to build caricatures and possibly lesser mortals, but rather emphasising the need of acknowledging the problem and issues connected with it. There are some movies going to be released soon in the later part of year 2019 that revolve around the hair loss issue, which shows that now Bollywood is breaking the stigma & shame on hair loss. One is “Bala” and another one is “Gone Kesh”. Let’s talk about what these movies are all about.

Famous Bollywood actor, Ayushmann Khurrana will be seen in his new upcoming movie- Bala, which is set to release in November this year. The movie is set to break the shame and stigma of hair loss. Ayushmann will play the role of a man in the film, who balds maturely and he will be seen playing a man suffering from Alopecia (hair loss). Yami Gautam is playing a supermodel struggling with self-image issues in the film and Bhumi Pednekar will play the role of a dusky small-town girl at odds with a society that is obsessed with fair skin.

Qasim Khallow’s film-“Gone Kesh” is an uplifting tale of crushing societal standards of beauty, conquering fear and exploring the parent-child bond. The film is most relatable for women, who are conditioned to believe that they have to be perfect if they wish to get a good husband.

Gone Kesh is about a poor father whose daughter is struggling with a type of hair loss condition- Alopecia in which one slowly loses hair, ultimately leading to baldness. It is a parent’s nightmare even though it may not sound tragic enough and especially when it happens to a girl who wants to become a dancer. Then there is the burden of marrying her too. It is a beautiful story about achieving your dreams no matter what happens.

The story revolves around a girl whose biggest fear is losing her hair. Her self-worth and confidence take a beating as her visible bald patches start drawing needless attention at school. Her hair loss becomes a subject of mockery for classmates and concern for her parents. Her hair loss not only hampers her peace of mind but also allegedly sabotages her marriage prospects.

It is mainly about a girl who is afflicted with alopecia, a condition that leads to total hair loss; it makes the most of its unusual theme and delivers a story and a set of characters that we all can relate to very easily. When she loses her hair, it sucks the happiness out of her life. She covers her head with a scarf, stares at every other woman with envy, and struggles to put up a brave front. Her simple parents are willing to do anything for her hair regrowth treatment. But can she free herself from self-pitying? The strong inner struggle to come to terms with her condition and with its results - how it influences her equations with the world around her.

In the end, both the films are touching an unconventional subject, which is commendable. That is more than one can say about many of the mindless or devious Bollywood blockbusters that are being dumped upon us in a season of deliberate excess.

Body Image and Cinema

In today’s generation, body image perceptions are mainly influenced by the media, our norms, and culture, etc. However, movies and the media play a crucial role in the socialization of youngsters and Individuals.

Bollywood has been serving from the beginning, an ever-evolving guide to the ideal body type in India. Such impractical ideals of body image have to lead to a considerable rise in body image issues. Body image issues are most of the time deeply connected to low self-esteem, self-perception, low sense of self & worth, depression, etc.

The relation between cinema and the creation-and-perception of body image is both complex and interesting. The concept of what constitutes beauty, and how it resides in the eye of the beholder, has been a medium in the movies, which reflect, shape and impact those ideas: what is ideal, and even more fascinatingly, what is not.

Hair loss and Self-Image

Hair loss has many possible causes, such as medical conditions, genetics, cancer treatments, or medications for other health conditions, etc. And for many people, hair loss or thinning hair can result in a loss of self-esteem and cause anxiety, depression and other emotional issues that all stop hair regrowth for men & women.

Why is hair loss so distressing to men and women? The main reason is- cultural. Almost every society in the world links lustrous hair with beauty, youth and good health. Right from childhood, our race to fit in begins. Our society has set unrealistic standards of beauty and women must live up to those expectations. If you are not up to those standards in terms of your physical beauty, you are considered unworthy of success, love or marriage.

For centuries, humans have adorned themselves in a variety of ways for many years, such as nail art, tattooing, and most commonly, hairstyles of different sorts. Years of research say that for many people, their hair is what makes them feel beautiful. Therefore it can be devastating when you lose your hair- for whatever reason.

What is hair loss?

Hair loss that occurs with no scarring of the scalp is a very common condition and affects most people at some point in their lives. Medical experts should differentiate hair loss from breakage of the hair shaft from hair loss because of decreased hair growth.

Common balding, called androgenetic alopecia takes place in men and women and is due to the effect of testosterone metabolites in hair follicles that are genetically susceptible. Alopecia areata is a form of hair loss created by the autoimmune destruction of hair follicles in restricted areas of skin. Anemia, Thyroid disease, protein deficiency, chemotherapy, syphilis, and low vitamin levels may cause hair loss.

Signs and Symptoms of Hair Loss

1. Circular bald spots- Some people experience smooth, circular bald spots. It sometimes also occurs in beards or eyebrows but this type of hair loss usually affects just the scalp.
2. Regular thinning on top of the head- This affects both men and women as they age and is the most common type of hair loss. In men, hair often begins to recede from the forehead in a line and women usually have a broadening of the part in their hair but maintain the hairline on the forehead.
3. Full-body hair loss- Some medical treatments and other conditions, such as chemotherapy for cancer, can result in the loss of hair all over your body but if you get alopecia areata treatment, the hair will most likely grow back.
4. Sudden loosening of hair- An emotional or physical shock can cause hair to release. This type of hair loss typically causes complete hair thinning and not bald patches.

Why Hair Loss is a Big Deal?

Women tend to link their hair with their beauty, sexuality, and sensuality. Mention hair, and for many people, it conjures up images of women known for magnificent, flowing locks of actresses and celebrities. A woman believes she is no longer attractive when she loses her hair or have thinning hair. Hair is also a critical part of the male psyche as well. To men, their hair represents their masculinity and, like women, when they experience conditions that cause hair loss, thinning hair or a bald spot, they believe they aren’t as manly or good-looking anymore.

How to Cope With Hair Loss

Now you must be wondering that has anyone ever successfully grown back their hair, after experiencing hair loss or baldness? And the answer is yes. Apart from effective hair loss treatments you can also try to treat it on the emotional or mental level. Here are some effective ways to deal with the emotional side of hair loss:

1. Hair loss is not a life-threatening condition- It may not be amusing and it can be unfortunate also, but instead of worrying over it, try to find out a hair loss solution. Hair loss is not as tricky as you think.
2. Friends and Family- Your true friends and family will like you for yourself and not for how much hair you have on your head. When it comes to sexuality, you have many other attributes to excite your partner.
3. Find a hairstyle that suits you- You may want to find a wig, hat, or a headscarf that complements your sense of fashion. If your hair is thinning, it’s best to keep it short rather than try to hide bald spots.
4. Therapy- Get help from a mental health professional if the emotional impact of hair loss is getting in the way of living your life. It can help you to overcome any anxiety or depression as well.
5. Know that your hair can grow back- If your hair loss is related to chemotherapy; it will most likely grow back. In fact, there are various other hair loss conditions that are also temporary.
6. Hair loss treatments- The best solution is to get a baldness treatment from a trusted hair clinic. Get your hair back by non-surgical hair replacement in Mumbai from Advanced Hair Studio and feel more positive about your appearance.

End Note

In order to get rid of your hair loss, try not to let it affect you as much as possible. Also, now the question arises that is there any effective treatment available?

Find an advanced hair treatment to the problem by visiting the best hair loss clinic- Advanced Hair Studio. For over 45 years, Advanced Hair Studio has been helping hair loss clients through various advanced & unique hair transplantation and hair restoration procedures. Book your appointment today to get the most effective hair transplant in Mumbai.