Growing old is an inevitable part of life. And while getting to live to a ripe old age is considered a blessing, there are aspects of it that can be rather uncomfortable or even unpleasant.
For instance, there’s a gradual loss of mobility, deterioration of senses, and the emergence of aches and pains all over the body.
Source: Adobe Stock Images
A lot will change in terms of outward appearances too, with wrinkles and grey hair suddenly greeting you in the mirror. You might even find your hairline creeping further and further up your head.
If that last sentence sent shivers down your spine, you’re not the only one — MS News spoke to 50 young Singaporean men to find out what they fear the most about ageing and learnt that balding is the top concern.
In 2013, a hair loss clinic in the United Kingdom conducted a survey with 2,000 men to find out what they fear most about ageing.
The Daily Mail reported that a whopping 94% of respondents were the most terrified about balding as it makes them an open target for nasty jokes and comments.
Source: Medical Channel Asia
A decade later, this remains true for the men that MS News spoke to.
67% of respondents said that balding was a physical aspect of ageing that scared them the most.
Flight attendant Darren N, 28, admitted that he fears balding as he is “quite a vain person” and cares about his appearance, especially given the nature of his job, which requires him to look presentable.
“Balding would lower my confidence and my overall mood,” he shared.
Source: The Clifford Clinic
Operations managers Michael A, 32, and Ian L, 30, both agreed that hair is important and is what “makes a man”.
“Not everyone can pull off the bald-headed look like Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock,” Michael mused.
Entrepreneur Jimmy C, 34, said that it’s only natural to still want to look good even as one gets older, and being able to style one’s hair is a way to achieve that. He said,
I’d rather get lots of white hair than have no hair at all!
Our respondents certainly aren’t alone.
CNN also spoke to Asian men who shared their fears about how having a receding hairline would affect their confidence and even career prospects. One man said that he believes hairstyles are “critically important” in making a first impression.
There seems to be some truth in that statement — a Korean study found that 90% of survey respondents perceived balding men as being “older and less attractive”.
Placing second in the poll with 53% of votes was the fear of one’s eyesight or hearing deteriorating.
“You need your eyes and ears to live normally,” said Brian L, 26, noting that having all his senses intact is essential for his role as an engineer.
It was a tie between losing teeth, having wrinkles or sagging skin, and gaining weight or losing muscle, each of which got 28% of votes.
Source: Diana Polekhina on Unsplash
On the other hand, tech analyst Kenneth C, 29, dreads losing muscle as he does not want to feel “weak” and unable to do any physical activities, so he makes it a point to work out regularly.
Source: Andres Ayrton on Pexels
Going grey was a concern for 10% of survey respondents, although a few of them acknowledged that this is an issue that’s easily solved by dyeing their hair.
While there are many things to be worried about when it comes to growing old, our survey has shown that many men are still the most concerned about balding.
If you’re one of them, you’ll be glad to know that there is a way to address this problem and make your locks appear even healthier than ever.
Beijing 101’s Meridian Hair & Scalp Purity Treatment is customised to target different hair and scalp concerns, including hair loss.
Here’s a quick look at what goes down during a sesh.
After doing a close-up scan of your scalp to literally zoom into the root of your hair woes, a skilled hair consultant will have a better idea of what customised treatment to prescribe.
Now, the very relaxing process can begin.
First is the application of a soothing mask that’s tailored based on your hair and scalp needs, followed by a herbal hair wash to cleanse the scalp.
The consultant will then apply a tonic that consists of premium TCM ingredients such as he shou wu and ginseng.
The concoction is specially formulated to address the root of the problem, not just the symptoms, so you could think of it as the treatment’s ‘secret sauce’.
Up next is the Signature Meridian Massage, which focuses on eight acupuncture points on the scalp to improve blood circulation and stimulate hair growth.
Definitely something those scared of balding would want to hear.
Last but not least, modern technology comes into play with a helmet-like device.
This futuristic-looking gadget uses light therapy to improve blood circulation and ensure all those nutrients are fully absorbed.
Now, it’s time to admire your new and refreshed scalp.
At the end of the treatment, you’ll be brought back into the consultation room for another scan so you can see just what a difference the treatment made on your scalp.
Right off the bat, you’ll notice how much cleaner and healthier-looking your scalp is, with previous problems such as flaking and inflamed skin all washed and massaged away.
Image courtesy of Beijing 101
If you’re raring to give this a go, you’ll be happy to know that first-time customers can enjoy Beijing 101’s Meridian Hair and Scalp Purity Treatment at just S$40 NETT instead of the usual price of S$532.
What’s more, they’ll even give you S$10 worth of FairPrice credits via a promo code so you can go to the supermarket and buy something nice to treat yourself.
Not that the procedure isn’t already a treat in itself — it was recently crowned Best Anti-Hairfall Treatment at Harper’s Bazaar Singapore Spa Awards 2022, so you know you’ll be in good hands.
To sign up, visit Beijing 101’s website here.
When you look good, you also feel good, which can have a positive impact on your confidence and demeanour.
Unless we somehow magically gain superpowers, we won’t be able to stop the clock and prevent ourselves from ageing. But what we can do is take steps to ensure that we do so gracefully.
As with any issue in life, the key is to get to the root of the problem as soon as possible. This means not taking your youth for granted by starting to care for your appearance early to prevent balding and other issues that come with age.
That way, we won’t have to be afraid of anything.
This post was brought to you in collaboration with Beijing 101 Hair Consultants.
Featured image adapted from Medical Channel Asia and Adobe Stock Images. Original photography by Poh Jin Ron.
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