Many Women in Northern Ireland Suffer from Hair Loss, Survey Revealed




female alopecia According to a new survey, women of Northern Ireland have the second highest rate of hair loss in the United Kingdom after Scotland. Almost a quarter, or 23 percent, of the female population of Ulster are battling, or have battled at least once during their lifetime, different forms of alopecia.

From among those suffering from hair loss, three quarters, or 75 percent, also experience severe stress and negative emotions in relation to their condition, while 14 percent of women with alopecia said that their hair loss interfered with their social and employment engagements and activities, sometimes leading to social withdrawal and other serious psychological problems. About one fifth, or 20 percent of the respondents, said that they would postpone or cancel a date because of their “bad hair” day. Many women in Ulster were so distressed with their condition that they were seeking medical attention regarding alopecia more often than women from any other parts of the UK.

Over three quarters of Northern Ireland female respondents said that they did not have much information about female-pattern hair loss and hair thinning, commenting that most available information on hair loss was devoted to men’s problems. These made the women feel like hair loss was an entirely male condition not typical for women, which added to the distress and discomfort they experienced in relation to their alopecia.

Many medical practitioners of the country evaluate the results of the survey as “very disturbing” and “extremely worrying”. The research shows that female hair loss is a very serious and, unfortunately, largely neglected problem potentially leading to psychological, mental and social complications and disrupting women’s emotional health and well-being. Information on female hair loss should be more readily available so that women with alopecia do not feel like they are suffering alone.

Dr Linda Papadopoulos, a clinical psychologist, comments on the results of the study that hair loss in women is still a “taboo issue”, making women do all they can to hide the condition. The common result is that women feel ashamed of hair loss, fell inadequate, develop a low self-esteem, and lack emotional support they need.

Commenting on their hair loss condition, almost three quarters, or 74 per cent of the respondents, said that their alopecia could have been caused by high levels of stress, while almost one third, or 30 percent, pointed out that the diet might have been a culprit.

To cope with psychological distress caused by “bad hair”, about one third of women, or 37 percent, applied to the pleasures of eating, which negatively influenced their body weight and further added to their dissatisfaction with themselves.

The new survey was conducted by Vitabiotics Perfectil, a manufacturer of popular vitamin supplements. Alongside with female-pattern hair loss, it also examined the incidence of acne among women living in Northern Ireland.

Christiana Roberts

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Posted on December 7, 2007 
Filed Under Hair Loss News and Statistics

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