Bald Is Beautiful!

For many men, it's an inevitability as they get older: receding hairlines, thinning hair, pattern baldness. Time marches on, and the hair marches off right along with it, off into the sunset. It doesn't every happen to every man, sure, and it doesn't necessarily only happen to older men, but it's a common enough thing that it warrants a bit of a look.


Stress can cause baldness, including stress over going bald.

What Causes Baldness?
If there was a single, simple answer for this, then maybe there would be a treatment for it already on the market (one that works, anyway). But the reasons for baldness, both permanent or temporary, are many.

Hereditary. Sometimes, your genes dictate how much of your hair you get to keep and for how long. Researchers have shown that the X chromosome, which men get from their mother, is very influential in terms of hair loss, which has given rise to the idea that if your maternal grandfather went bald, so will you. Fortunately, that's not the only factor. There are other genetic markers that can be inherited from either side of the family.

In other words, it's hard to predict based on the amount of hair your grandfather has (or hasn't!).

Stress. Yes, stress can cause baldness. The good news is, it can be reversed. The bad news is, you need to remove the source of stress, or at least somehow get it under control. So, it looks as if there was more truth in the idea that kids can cause a father to lose hair than anyone thought!

Hairstyles. Certain hairstyles that pull hair tight, as well as perms and hot oil treatments, can cause sufficient scalp trauma that can result in hair loss. But on the good news side, there's no actual proof that wearing a hat or using a hair dryer will in fact make you lose your hair.

How Do You Deal With Baldness?
Now that we've touched upon some of the big culprits of baldness, what do you do about it? There are as many options as there are causes for baldness in the first place.

As The Beatles Sang, "Let It Be". Just forget about it, and accept it. Ironically, stressing about losing one's hair may result in, well, losing one's hair. Though it's easier said than done, stop worrying and just go with the flow. Take what hair you have and make the best of it. The article "What's Better For A Balding Man: Long Or Short Hair?" has some good insights on making the most of what you have.

Get A Jump On The Baldness. Or you can shave your head. Enough men (celebrities in particular) have done this that it's a thing now, and it's considered a good look for some. Beat the balding to the punch and just go all scorched earth on your head (safety tip: do not actually apply flames to your head. This is bad.).

Fight Back. There are numerous hair care products, hair replacement techniques, and drugs that a balding man can turn to and not only halt the balding process, but in face reverse it. Granted, these techniques take time, persistence, and of course money, but if they work, then it's worth it. Check out "New Developments In Male Pattern Baldness" for more insights.

All in all, baldness is aggravating. For the most part, society still considers a full head of hair as a sign of beauty and virility, so hair loss still can cause feelings of insecurity. Fortunately, as seen above, there are options.