How to Adjust to Hair Loss and Baldness

Last Updated: October 22, 2022 References

You are combing your hair one morning and notice a thin patch. Or is it? You second guess yourself for a moment and then panic. It definitely is thin! Balding is a reality that most men – and even some women – will face in their lifetime and it can exact a heavy mental toll, from depression to self-consciousness. However, you’ll find that with a little work you can embrace your baldness. If you’d rather conceal your hair loss while you adjust, there are ways to do that, too.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Hiding a Receding Hairline

1
Get a strategic haircut. If you are still adjusting to new hair loss, you might be able to subtly conceal it with the right haircut. Talk to your barber or stylist and ask for their opinion. Keep in mind that this is not a long-term solution, and that the wrong hairdo can emphasize rather than hide hair loss.^{[1]
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- Go for a textured crop. This short hair style adds layers and tousle to the top of your head, making for a more substantial look. Think Matthew McConaughey.^{[2]
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- A more messy style can work also, in that it can both conceal and draw attention away from a thinning pate.
- Get a Caesar cut. This very short style creates a vertical fringe for styling the hair forward to conceal a receding hairline.^{[3]
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- Avoid long hair. A longer length can actually draw attention to the fact that your hair is thinner.
- Steer clear of comb-overs, which exaggerate hair loss rather than disguising it.
2
Try concealing products. There are certain non-medical hair products that you can try to hide a bald spot or receding hairline, as well. These too are temporary fixes. Still, they can help in cases of early hair loss.
- Some products like Toppik use “electrostatically charged microfibers” made from keratin that intertwine with your own hair for a fuller appearance.
- Products like Toppik come in different colors and wash out with shampoo.^{[4]
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- Other products like DermMatch color your scalp so that it more closely resembles your hair.
- Coloring products help conceal thinness and coat the hair for a fuller look.
- These products are temporary. They don't actually increase the amount of hair on your head or stop the balding process.
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3
Don a fashionable hat. Contrary to popular belief, wearing hats has no effect on balding. They do not cause the hair to fall out by rubbing or “straining” hair follicles.^{[5]
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Research source} In fact, wearing a hat might be a good choice is you are self-conscious about hair loss while out and about.
- According to legend, Frank Sinatra started wearing his trademark fedora to hide his receding hair line.
- Not only was it the height of cool, but Sinatra also angled it to convey different moods.
- A pushed back hat conveys accessibility, tipped forward gives a sense of mystery, and slightly tilted up means no-nonsense.^{[6]
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- You can choose any variety of hat, depending on your personal style. A fedora exudes cool, while a homburg is more debonair and a ball cap more casual.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Taking Action Against Baldness

1
Shop for a hairpiece. If your baldness is more advanced, or you just feel more self-conscious about it, one option to consider is a hairpiece, sometimes called a toupee. Don’t write toupees off as a joke. A cheap toupee can look terrible, it is true, but a customized hairpiece is worth the money.^{[7]
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- Although no longer as popular as they once were, top-of-the-line, customized “hair systems” are much better than the “rugs” of old.
- These weave real human hair into a membrane that looks like scalp, which is then fitted to the client’s head.^{[8]
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- Adhesive technology has also come a long way. New hypoallergenic glues can bond the toupee to the scalp for as long as six weeks and even allow the wearer to swim.^{[9]
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- An elite hairpiece will not come cheap, however. Expect to pay out around $1,000 to $3,000.
2
Experiment with hair growth medicine. Balding men can also look to a number of medications that either slow hair loss or, in some cases, stop and reverse it. Many such products are ineffective – no better than snake oil. However, the last twenty years has seen at least two that are medically tested and proven. Talk to your doctor about these, especially Propecia and Minoxidil.^{[10]
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- Propecia was approved by the FDA in 1997 and works in a majority of men. About 65% of patients experience a “significant” increase in hair growth.^{[11]
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- Minoxidil, better known by the brand name Rogaine, is applied topically.
- While it does sometimes slow or halt hair loss, some physicians do not consider it effective.
- Users may also start to lose hair again after they stop treatment.^{[12]
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3
Talk to your doctor about hair transplants. Hair replacement therapy is one of the more aggressive ways to combat baldness. A doctor grafts baldness-resistant hair follicles from the back or sides of the head and “transplants” them to thinning patches, so that the new hair will also be resistant to balding.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Courtney Foster
Licensed Cosmetologist
Expert Interview. 9 December 2019.}
- Hair transplants have a success rate of about 60% in 6 to 9 months.
- Often patients undergo the therapy in conjunction with hair growth topicals or medicine.
- You may experience pain or tenderness in your scalp for several days, and your doctor may prescribe pain meds or a surgical dressing for several days after.^{[15]
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- Be advised that, if done poorly, hair transplants can look unnatural.
- Hair transplants are also expensive. You'll need between 600-1000 individual scalp grafts, each costing around $6.
- In total, expect to pay $6,000 to $10,000 for a full head of hair.^{[16]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

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.^{[17]
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- There is a big difference between thinking “I feel unattractive” and “I AM unattractive.”
- Learn to recognize negative feelings and then consciously let them pass. Some people call this a “mental shrug.”
- If you feel silly, tell yourself, “Yes, I feel foolish.” Then, move on with what you are doing without letting the thoughts control you.^{[18]
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- Challenge your negative thoughts like you'd challenge a random person making a mean comment about you.^{[19]
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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.^{[20]
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- Don’t compare yourself to others. Every individual has a unique makeup.
- The men you see in the movies and in magazines have the benefit of things like cosmetic treatments and airbrushing.
- Your talents, your interests, and your relationships define you more than looks.
- 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.
- When you feel tempted to check your hairline in a mirror, remind yourself of your great inner qualities.^{[21]
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3
Learn to love baldness. 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.
- Accept it. 50 million men in the US have some amount of hair loss, and hair loss increases as we age.
- About 50% of men have some hair loss by age 50, while 80% experience it by age 70.^{[22]
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- 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.^{[23]
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- 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.^{[24]
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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.^{[25]
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- For one thing, close-cropped hairstyles give your hair a sense of added fullness and lift.
- They also make existing bald spots less conspicuous and are much less expensive in the long-run than 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.^{[26]
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- Although you will have to razor your head every now and then, with a clean shave on top, you'll never have to bother with washing and styling again.
- For many men with the style, the shaved head has become a signature look.
- Consider Michael Jordan, Captain Picard, and 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.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you regrow hair from balding?

Courtney Foster
Certified Hair Loss Practitioner
Courtney Foster is a Licensed Cosmetologist, Certified Hair Loss Practitioner, and Cosmetology Educator based out of New York City. Courtney runs Courtney Foster Beauty, LLC and her work has been featured on The Wendy Williams Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and in East/West Magazine. She received her Cosmetology License from the State of New York after training at the Empire Beauty School - Manhattan.

Courtney Foster

Certified Hair Loss Practitioner

Expert Answer

For a less invasive option, talk to your doctor about micro-scalp pigmentation, where hairline strokes are drawn in to cover thin or bald patches.