Almost anyone that has ever had any success at the dating game would likely preach the overused maxim of “first impressions are everything”. Manoeuvring across the minefield that is dating isn’t an easy task, even if you do have bankable qualities such as your razor sharp wit and dazzling charm. Turns out, as a recent survey by online dating app Paktor will attest, that hair recession is a major turn off for many ladies out there.
The survey, which polled 1,264 of Paktor’s users across the region, reveals that 3 out of 5 women consider thinning hair in men a significant negative quality in the dating sphere. This “no-no” is only topped by bad breath and body odour, showing how much importance women generally place on the state of a man’s hair.
Many might cringe at the fact that this negativity is visually-driven, though is understandable considering that historically a full head of hair symbolised virility and youth.
“In the sphere of online dating, when first impressions truly matter, people inevitably make judgements based on the initial visual impression,” notes Joseph Phua, CEO and Co-founder of Paktor.
Managing Partner and CEO of Alpecin, Eduard R. Doerrenberg, naturally shares the same sentiments considering Alpecin primarily sells cosmeceutical hair and scalp tonics.
“Typically there tends to be a negative connotation attached to balding. This can be further exacerbated when it comes to the dating world where first impressions count. Dating in itself can be stressful and the state of ones “mane” or the lack of it, should not serve as an added stress. The trick is to always address the problem at an early stage,” he says.
The psychological effects of hair loss are far from superficial, as a survey conducted by Nielsen on behalf of Alpecin shows that over 81% of Malaysian male participants noted having greater confidence from having a full head of hair. Further, 39% of the men polled confirmed that hair loss has an extremely negative impact with regards to being popular amongst women.
The survey further reveals that 47% of the men polled agreed that thinning hair made them less desirable and 57% admitting that they are envious of their fuller-haired peers. On top of that, the Paktor survey also revealed that 61.7% of men spend up to 45 minutes to get ready for their first date.
Moral of the story? Either embrace baldness (as opposed to balding) or grab yourself a hair and scalp shampoo to improve your chances of scoring at the dating game. Alpecin would love you more if you subscribe to the latter option and buy their products at any Guardian store nationwide, though.
