Major League Baseball Opening Day – Is That Why You’re Wearing Your Baseball Hat?
One of the most common myths about losing one’s hair is that wearing a baseball cap causes hair loss. Sorry Moms of the world…it doesn’t!
However, that baseball cap can be a very important sign to a hair restoration surgeon during a man’s consultation.
There are a couple of different scenarios. The first is the young patient who comes in for a consultation with his mother in tow. She often pulls me aside to tell me to tell her son that the myth above is true. Now, I hate to contradict any mother; however, I cautiously set her straight on that myth!
This does, though, bring up a very important point of discussion with that family. I always directly ask them whether he wears that baseball cap all the time. I ask if he does not go to special occasions at restaurants or to weddings or to funerals or anywhere else where he cannot wear that cap. This is commonly observed where the young patient simply cannot go out in such public venues without the cap. This is a very important sign to me because, in addition to treating his hair loss, I often recommend that he speak with his family physician or with a psychiatrist for evaluation and treatment of anxiety. As hard as it is to believe, in the last 26 years that I have specialized in hair restoration surgery, I have saved lives from the devastating condition of agoraphobia (fear of going out in the public)—all beginning with the severe anxiety of going out without that baseball cap.
The second scenario is the older man who comes into the doctor’s office wearing that cap. I was raised to remove my hat before going to the doctors or into a restaurant or, for that matter, pretty much anywhere indoors. These “older” men come in and wear their hats in the office. This, too, is a sign for me that their hair loss is bothering them and I address this with them as well.
Whatever the reason, wearing a baseball cap often is a “crutch” for men due to their concern about losing their hair. Once they treat their balding, however, they feel a sort of freedom in not to “have” to wear their hat. They, instead, just “want” to wear it to support their favorite team!
Doc