Bald men do not get a date with the prom queen and women with thinning hair are not likely to date the captain of the football team. Of course, few people experience hair loss as early as high school; however, our cultural views about hair loss are usually firmly set by the time we reach adulthood. It does not take a scientific study to prove that hair loss can affect your social life, and your career.

The news is rife with stories of discrimination against overweight people. Most politically correct people will now call them weight challenged, but does that even begin to undo the average person’s first impression of people with substantial girth?

We assume that they have no discipline and self-control. Even when they have a relatively proportioned body, attractive facial features or a great head of hair, our cultural prejudices will kick in. We either ignore them, try to fix them, or make jokes about their condition.

With few legal cases on the books, it is difficult to prove that the weight challenged suffer from unfair discrimination in employment. However, certain jobs, including the military, do impose weight restrictions on potential applicants. So, career opportunities for people whose weight exceeds the standard can be limited.

Career discrimination against bald people and those who are losing their hair is one of the hidden costs of hair loss. Our cultural perceptions of competency and leadership potential are tied to a genetic message hardwired into the human psyche.

In the days of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of early humanoids, the strongest men were appointed to track down dangerous predators like the saber-toothed tiger. Even those who were charged with hunting down the beasts that provided food had to meet certain requirements of speed, strength and virility. The bald and the old need not apply. With survival a priority, the subtle discrimination against people with hair loss took root in human culture.

We all know that appearance can affect career opportunities. Many people in line for management and corporate leadership positions go to great expense to hide any evidence of hair loss. They dress for success by investing in the right clothing, shoes and other career props. They also realize that they must treat hair loss aggressively before it affects their career opportunities.

Being the most competent and qualified often is not enough if your competition has more hair!