Hair and who we are

Hour 2

Our hair says a lot about who we are.  That’s why losing it can be so traumatic. But for balding men, a new study may offer some hope. It turns out that a completely shorn head is viewed as masculine and powerful.  Just think of all the macho action movie heroes played by Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, and Vin Diesel; or powerful CEOS like Dreamwork’s Jeffrey Katzenberg and Amazon’s Jeffrey Bezos; and there are plenty of bald sports stars — Andre Agassi and Michael Jordon.  This hour, we explore the meaning of hair and how it identifies us.  We’ll also learn about how close we are to a cure for baldness. We’ll talk with ALBERT MANNES, a lecturer at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of the new study on baldness and dominance.  We’ll also talk about the science of hair loss with GEORGE COTARELIS, chair of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania.  And we’ll get a unique perspective on what hair loss means for women from SHERRY KREEK, a hair salon manager who has lost her hair twice to chemotherapy.

Listen:
[audio: 100812_110630.mp3]
Photo credit: Flickr user Aurimas (CC License)