Hair loss is often brushed off as a vanity issue, but for many women, the emotional impact runs far deeper. In a recent NewBeauty survey of more than 1,300 readers,* women ranging in age from 18 to 100 opened up about the shame, anxiety and sadness that so often accompany thinning hair. Their responses reveal a shared truth: no matter your age, hair loss can shake your confidence and change how you see yourself.
At 20, one woman shares simply: “I wear wigs because I feel unconfident.” Another, 26, reveals: “I’m depressed and anxious because of it and I don’t go out as often as I used to.”
For some, the loss triggers a complete withdrawal from social interactions. A 28-year-old shares: “It has impacted me beyond my ability to understand. I hate leaving the house and I never let anyone take pictures of me or with me.” And by 31, another woman shares, “My self image is impacted greatly.”
For women navigating their 40s and beyond, the story is often one of frustration mixed with fear: “I avoid washing my hair to avoid seeing all the shedding,” a 40-year-old says. “I feel less confident and want to get extensions but am afraid it’ll make it fall out more.”
In their 50s, the struggle can become even more visible and isolating. One woman, 50, writes: “I have lost a considerable amount of hair. I’m forced to wear wigs. I hate it! I can’t leave my house without my hair covered. Only certain people I allow to see me without my wig or hat on.”
Another, 51, shares a deeply personal account: “Losing over 70 percent of my hair has been truly devastating to my self esteem and mental health… Each time I was my hair, I cry as I watch more and more chunks of it fall out… I don’t want to put on makeup or try to look nice, because no matter what I do, I don’t feel beautiful.”
By 60, the emotion becomes even harder to bear: “[It’s] been extremely distraught, a very difficult experience to deal with.” At 68: “Hair loss is emotionally draining. I take supplements, use topicals and fibers to try to hide it. It is time consuming and expensive.” And at 75: “It has been devastating.”
Even at 100, hair loss continues to affect self-image. “I don’t look my age—except my hair loss is a major drawback. Do I feel great about it? Absolutely not.”
From early adulthood to later decades of life, these women echo the same feelings: hair loss isn’t just about aesthetics. It touches confidence, identity and emotional well-being—and it’s time the conversation around it changed.
*Source: BeautyEngine Advanced Research, 2025
