The Considerable Advantages of Being Bald

People who lose their hair know a little secret that people endowed with thick heads of hair seldom appreciate: Life without hair can be a lot easier to take.

The bald look on men is more common than ever now as many choose to shave their heads rather than bother trying to hide the fact that they are losing their hair. Even superstar basketball player Michael Jordan went for the clean look when his hairline started receding. Now the aquiline lines of his beautiful dark face are burned into our memories. But so is the image of his shining bald head wet with sweat as he literally smoked the entire NBA into his later years as a player. We were all left to wonder what magic really goes on inside that slippery skull. Could someone really get better with age? Michael did, and his bald head made the statement that having less hair did not make the man.

Women who lose their hair admittedly have it a bit tougher when it comes to what they want to do about it. Fortunately even those stigmas are disappearing as women who lose their hair through cancer treatments or other conditions either skip the wig route or transition with short hair once it grows back. Many find the new, short-haired look actually suits them.

Going temporarily bald is no fun, but at least people largely have learned to show compassion for victims of hair loss. Women can now throw on scarves or wigs and head out into the world, telling people in so many words to "deal with it" through their brave appearance. Perhaps it is even these strong women who have made it more acceptable for men to be bald as well.

30 years ago, going bald considered a sign of growing old too young. Which meant that some men hid their heads with dreadful, greasy combovers, using their own hair to grow a flap that reached from one side of the head to the other. The comb over became a bit of a sad art form. Some men combed hair from the back over the top of the head. Others accomplished the comb over from the side, with hair being pulled from lower and lower toward the ear as hair on top thinned or disappeared. The king of all comb overs was always the "swirl" in which hair was literally twirled and pasted into place to cover baldness. None of these looks did anything but make men look desperate and foolish. But most people were too kind or embarrassed to comment.

Or, men stuck toupees on their noggins. Matching the hair in a toupee to the hair on a man's head is not always easy. A bad toupee looks like a hairy rag slapped on top of the head. Even a good toupee requires considerable care in how it is applied. It cannot be done in a hurry for fear of loose ends, protruding glue and other problems.

The worst part about toupees is that they get people guessing whether it is real hair or not, creating greater scrutiny as time goes by. Like fake breasts or a nose job, a toupee must be done perfectly or the affectation is apparent.

For men sensitive about baldness that do not want to wear a toupee, there are always hair replacements involving real hair woven or sewn into the top of your scalp. These techniques wind up requiring care and maintenance of the transplanted hair that if neglected wind up looking like a cornfield in the aftermath of a tornado, patchy and worn.

These days it is far les trouble to come to grips with male baldness by simply trimming your remaining hair down to a very short length. And by then, many men shave their heads completely and grow used to the look. Granted, if your head has a funny shape or protrusions about which you feel self-conscious without hair, shaving your head is not always an option. But with so many men now choosing shaved heads as a fashion statement as opposed to a compensatory response to baldness, there is no reason why every man who is losing his hair should not consider shaving his head rather than trying to trick the world into thinking he isn't going bald.

Beside, being bald has all sorts of advantages over having hair. Here are a few examples.

You'll use far less shampoo and conditioner. Most bald men simply lather up with body wash. There's nothing to condition if your hair is shaved off! Given that the average person with hair goes through 6 bottles of shampoo a year at an average of $7.00-$10 a bottle, you'll save nearly $50.

Bald men need no hair dryer, and that saves electricity.

The barber bill goes down dramatically if you learn to buzz your head with an electric trimmer. It's quite easy to do. Set the trimmer down to one of the shortest lengths. Throw a towel over the sink to catch the falling hair and grab a hand mirror to check on your progress. You can cut your own hair and save between $10 and $20 per month at the barber. That's another $100-$200 a year you won't spend.

Going bald is also more environmentally friendly in saving water and time in the shower.

The key precautions bald men must take are protecting their scalp from harmful rays of the sun. Skin cancer is a growing problem and allowing your scalp to be burned repeatedly is not a good strategy for long term skin health.

Bumping your head on things can also be a problem. Working in the garage or basement with low ceilings or sharp edges can result in nasty scrapes or cuts to the head even while wearing a cap.

In fact many bald men learn to wear caps almost everywhere they go. In winter caps provide warmth. In summer they protect the skin from the sun. Around the house they shield your skin from accidental bumps and knocks.

Admittedly the need for hats about balances out what you might save on haircuts, shampoo and the like. But if you choose well, your caps can become a hallmark of your appearance. Just make the effort to learn which style of cap goes with your daily wardrobe to avoid looking out of sync. Baseball caps worn with suits are seldom as cool looking as they might feel. Better to find a stylish dress cap or brimmed hat to finish off the more formal look. In the stocking cap category, better to choose something simple and color-coordinated to your jacket so that cap doesn't look like a mistake. A simple North Face, Columbia or Patagonia fleece cap in cold weather should suffice.

Socially, being bald requires a touche of panache. So avoid making it harder on yourself than it has to be. Don't make self-effacing bald jokes on your own to start off conversations, for example. And when people do make insensitive or ignorant comments (even in jest) simply state that you're happy to be bald and give some of the reasons listed above to prove the practicality of your choice. Most often the conversation ends there.

Bald really is beautiful these days. Not every potential partner or friend will buy the line, but those who don't would likely find something else not to like about you if they can't accept the beauty of your bald head.

Most of all, coming to grips with your own bald head is a personally liberating experience. There is something inherently joyous about being realistic about your personal appearance. You might find that being bald is magnetic to those around you. An assertively bald man can come off as more open, accepting and honest. Those are desirable traits worth affirming.

The truth is there are far worse problems to have in this world than a little less hair.