“In Texas, Rick Perry is also known as Governor Good Hair” writes CNN’s Jack Kafferty. In fact, “when he jumped into the race just a few short weeks ago, fellow Texan Paul Begala described it as ‘when Rick Perry threw his hair in the ring.’
So whether you like the current Republican front runner or not, he’s got great hair. But wait, the number two man, Mitt Romney is no hair slouch. He’s blessed with great hair too.
Is it a Republican thing only? No. John Edwards has great hair and it’s been reported that he spends $400 for a haircut. President Obama has hair; Vice President Joe Biden has hair now but lost his hair in his early30s. According and article by Avizenilman from August, 28, 2008, “In 1987, a Washington Post reporter asked him to confirm the theory. ‘Guess,’ he responded. ‘I’ve got to keep some mystery in my life.’
AP Photo http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12760.htmlfr
Strangely, there are fewer bald male congressmen and senators as a percentage, than the American population. A very small percentage of politicians are bald compared to the percentage of balding Americans. “In fact, you have to go all the way back to the 1950s and Dwight Eisenhower to find a bald-headed president,” says Cafferty.
Attractiveness and Electability
Studies show a candidate’s appearance plays an important role in their electability. Hair, or lack of it, can be a significant part of how a person looks and is perceived.
“A study of the 1974 Canadian federal elections found that attractive candidates received more than two and a Half times as many votes as unattractive candidates.” (Efran & Patterson, 1976)
Those voters surveyed were unaware of their bias. “Despite such evidence of favoritism toward handsome politicians, follow-up research demonstrated that voters did not realize their bias.
In fact, 73 percent of Canadian voters surveyed denied in the strongest possible terms that their votes had been influenced by physical appearance; only 14 percent even allowed for the possibility of such influence.” (Efran & Patterson, 1976). Voters can deny the impact of attractiveness on electability all they want, but evidence has continued to confirm its presence.” (Budesheim & DePaola, 1994).
The Halo Effect
Is there something magical about how a person looks and how we think they will perform? It seems so. There is something called the ‘halo affect.’ That is where we project onto people certain positive attributes because of the way they look. Appearance is a powerful thing in Politics around the world.
BBC News on Dec 30th, 2004 reported “Seventy-three year old Italian president Berlusconi says he feels 25 years younger after having a hair transplant surgery.”
Pictures from baldingblog.com Berlusconi Before and After
This ‘halo affect’ is well documented in politics and in the average person’s life.
Having Hair is an Asset
Having a nice appearance is a positive attribute that helps in the workplace as well as socially. Hair is a natural extension of that for many men. While some men look great without hair, most don’t. Having hair is an asset in almost every instance in life.
Running for office is the ultimate interview. It is an interview with thepublic. Men and women who’ve had hair loss often feel a bias against them – whether it’s a conscious bias on the public’s part or not, it exists.
So whether you’re interviewing for political office, a job, a date or just want to look and feel your best, having hair can’t hurt.
PAI Medical has been in the business of helping men and women with hair loss for nearly 20 years. For more information call 615- 376-6010 or 800-496-7225 or visit: www.WeGrowHair.com
This article was featured in October 2011 TN Health and Wellness Magazine.
By: Michael Ramsey, MBA/HCM, Clinic Director PAI Medical Group / WeGrowHair.com
