DOES FORTUNE FAVOR THE BALD - PSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF HAIR LOSS IN MALES

In order to investigate the relationship between male hair loss and ps ychological distress, 182 men were recruited who had a wide range of a ges and hair loss varying from none to severe. Care was taken to ensur e that hair loss and age were uncorrelated in the sample. Multiple reg ression was used to predict possible consequences of baldness, control ling for age, and examining the interaction between baldness and age t o see if consequences were especially severe in cases of premature bal dness. Increasing degrees of hair loss were associated with loss of se lf-esteem, depression, introversion, neuroticism and feeling unattract ive. These effects were more marked for young men in the case of self- esteem, introversion and feeling unattractive.