There’s a lot of pressure put on both men and women to look a certain way. When you don’t meet these unrealistic standards, it can cause damage to your self-esteem. If there’s no one out there who looks like you, then you can feel like an outsider.
If you’ve suffered from hair loss, you’ll understand the trauma of having to deal with losing your hair. It can be a long and difficult journey to get back your confidence.
It can feel lonely when you are coping with hair loss, but it might surprise you to know that 21 million women and 35 million men suffer from hair loss. Constantly changing or dying your hair can cause damage which can take time to heal, along with lots of other conditions that can mean losing your hair.
There are so many people who wear wigs and are not ashamed of it. Some for fun or some to cope with hair loss.
Society has slowly embraced being inclusive. There is a gradual representation of not just one type of person but all types of people. This movement has brought attention to people without hair or who wear wigs.
Celebrities like Keira Knightly have helped raise awareness of hair loss. She revealed that for several years on film sets she wears wigs because of her damaged hair.
Christina Aguilera was also honest about her hair loss, reporting hair extensions had caused her hair to be patchy. In 2017 Jade, @lifeonastrand, started a petition to have a bald emoji created and blogged about her experience of hair loss. She said, “I shouldn’t be ashamed that I don’t have perfect hair.”
This sort of spotlight on the issue of hair loss has helped to normalise the issue. It has helped people understand some of the reasons people might wear wigs.
Apple unveiled 217 new inclusive emojis including a bald man and woman emoji. Samsung, WhatsApp, and Twitter all have their own versions of the bald emoji.
They have also created the bald emoji with a range of different skin tones. Red hair emojis were also unveiled as it is a hair colour that is not widely represented.
An emoji may seem a small thing (and not just literally) but it means a lot. Feeling included helps to normalise the issue of hair loss and wig wearing. It gives those affected confidence to be proud of who they are.
When you feel confident it raises your self-esteem and you feel like you can do anything. A wig can give you that confidence and you can be proud of it. If it isn’t seen as a big deal wearing a wig, then you won’t feel insecure about wearing it or talking to people about it.
Take lots of selfies of yourself and include the emoji that represents you. You are one of many people who have had hair loss issues or wear a wig and you deserve to be represented.
