Embracing Your Baldness

1. Try to come to terms with your loss

Many (probably all) men panic when they first see a thinning patch in their hair. Hair symbolizes vitality, sex appeal, and youth. Men fear going bald because they fear that they are losing these things. However, the truth is that it’s all in the mind. Reconciling yourself to less hair, and being proud of your baldness, could make you happier in the end.

• It is natural to feel some embarrassment when you first start to lose hair. The key is to neutralize this feeling of shame. You may not love the way you look at first, but you can’t allow yourself to be paralyzed by it.
• Learn to recognize negative feelings and then consciously let them pass. There is a big difference between thinking “I feel unattractive” and “I AM unattractive.” If you feel silly, tell yourself, “Yes, I feel foolish.” Then, move on with what you are doing without letting the thoughts control you.
• Some people call this a “mental shrug.” If somebody called you stupid, for instance, you would realize that they are being hostile and would probably not internalize the idea that you are stupid. You can dismiss your embarrassment at baldness in much the same way.
• Challenge your negative thoughts, as well. One reason you might feel embarrassed is that you agree with the “conventional” view of baldness – that it is somehow undesirable or unattractive. This sort of thinking can lead you to internalize the thoughts.

2. Take steps to lessen self-consciousness

Do away with “conventional” definitions of attractiveness, for one, and try to cultivate a healthier self-image. The media may show the ideal man one way, but there are many ways to be a strong and handsome man. You can adopt a different view.

• Don’t compare yourself to others. Every individual has a unique makeup. It does no good to look at other men and envy them for their looks or fuller head of hair. The men you see in the movies and in magazines are also not entirely real, in that they have the benefit of things like cosmetic treatments and airbrushing.
• Take pride in things other than looks. Looks define you, but so do your talents, your interests, and your relationships. Find things that you like about yourself, like the fact that you have a fine baritone voice or are a great fullback on your soccer team.
• Take a break from mirrors. If you find yourself obsessing about your hair, take a break. Stop yourself from constantly checking your hair line in the rear-view mirror or in shop windows. In these moments, remind yourself of one of your great inner qualities.

3. Learn to love the bald

Your goal shouldn’t just be toleration of how you look, but pride and acceptance. Remember that you are not alone. Baldness is a part of being male and there is no reason to let it control your emotions. In fact, one of the most powerful things you can do to combat hair loss is to not just live with it but embrace it – learn to love the bald.

• Accept it. 50 million men in the US have some amount of hair loss, and hair loss increases as we age. In fact, about 50% of men have some hair loss by age 50, while 80% experience it by age 70.
• Remind yourself of famous, powerful, and sexy bald men. What do Sean Connery, Patrick Stewart, Michael Jordan, Bruce Willis, and LL Cool J have in common? They are all bald – and they don’t hide it.
• Keep in mind that some women find bald men very attractive. What many find especially attractive is confidence, though, whether a guy has hair or no.

4. Don’t try to hide it

With thinning hair, you might be better shaving it off. According to one study, men with shaved heads were consistently rated as more masculine and dominant than those who tried to conceal hair loss, in addition to being rated as taller and stronger.

• By embracing baldness, you might actually appear more rather than less manly and attractive. Concealing thinning hair can be a big turn-off, as the concealment looks desperate and lacking in self-assurance.

5. Go for a close-cropped look

Try a hair style that shows your thinning hair to best advantage. The general rule is that short is better when it comes to balding men, whether you go crew cut or full cue ball.

• For one thing, close-cropped hairstyles give your hair a sense of added fullness and lift. They also makes existing bald spots less conspicuous and are much less expensive in the long-run than various concealment or treatments.
• Shorter lengths like buzz cuts also exude confidence. They say to onlookers, “Yes, I’m balding. So what?”

6. Shave it off

The final way to embrace your baldness is to go beyond the close crop and shave everything off. It is conspicuous, it is self-confident, and it is a good option for men with large bald spots.

• Although you will have to razor your head every now and then, a clean shave on top means that you will never have to bother with washing and styling again. It is the ultimate in low maintenance hair.
• For many men with the style, the shaved head has become a signature look. Consider Jordan, consider Captain Picard, consider Andre Agassi.

7. Grow facial hair

You can also grow facial hair as a way to offset the loss up top and to direct attention down from your thinning pate. Adding a mustache, beard, or goatee can help to balance your face.

• Full goatees work well with thinning hair, for example, as do thick, handlebar mustaches.
• A full, bushy beard and shaved head is another bold look. If done properly, it can be extremely manly.