Male hair loss

[stacheasaurus]

Hey, anyone have suggestions for methods or materials to slow/revert male hair loss? Not ready to cut it all off.

[2Birds1Stone]

Embrace the look, resistance is futile.

[Askel]

Embrace the look, resistance is futile.

No! Fight it at all costs! With as little dignity as possible! 

Get a good combover going.   

Or a really terrible rug.   

[Fru-Gal]

There’s a lot of YouTube channels on this nowadays. Dunno how effective some of the treatments are but it seems the younger you are when you start, the better.

https://www.webmd.com/beauty/thinning-hair

Or work on your hat game!

[Metalcat]

Propecia (Finasteride) if you are willing to accept the side effects. I've seen impressive results. I just saw a friend from 20+ years ago who started balding in his mid 20s and I had just heard of Propecia at the time and suggested it to him and now in his late 40s he actually has more hair than he did back then.

Obviously results vary, but it was a real WTF moment when I saw him recently.

If you have even a hint of prostate symptoms, you can get Proscar, which is the same drug, but covered by insurance. It was always a prostate drug, they just stumbled on the fact that it stops balding and can make hair regrow. Like Bimatoprost, which has always been  a glaucoma med, but they found that it makes people's eyelashes grow like crazy, so they sell it as a cosmetic drug under the name Latisse.

[waltworks]

Microdosing (ie ~2.5mg) Minoxidil is an off label but super common treatment. My sister recommended it (she's a dermatologist who regularly prescribes it). It will arrest hair loss, and in some cases grow new hair.

Downsides are:
-If you have heart issues, it's possible it'll make them worse/can be dangerous.
-If you stop taking it, you revert back to where you would have been without it (ie, lots of hair loss rapidly).
-Since it's not targeted (like the creams/foams with monoxidil you put on your scalp) you will also grow more hair other places. This may or may not bother you. I find I have to shave every day rather than every other day, for example.

-W

[2Birds1Stone]

The potential side effects/reliance on an exogenous substance should give folks pause.

I was lucky and started shaving my head back in my early 20's because I hated hat hair, helmet hair and going to the barbershop. Now in my mid/late 30's as my hair thins it's not a big deal because this is the look I've embraced for almost 15 years.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, OP!

Edited to add: The $ saved over 15 years of buzzing with the same Wahl clippers is somewhere between $7-10k, plus 200-250 hours of time saved.

[RWTL]

In my early 20's I tried Rogaine and Propecia.  Neither did anything, but it does work for some people.  These are worth a try if you aren't ready to throw in the towel. 

I've gone with a buzz cut for the last 30 years and gave up caring long ago.

Here are the pros:

1. Never worry about bed head! 
2. Doing your hair after a shower takes exactly zero seconds!
3. Your hair never gets in your eyes!

Cons:

1. Sunburns
2. Usual idiots making jokes.  I usually try to beat them to the punch to take the wind out of their sails.

[Metalcat]

In my early 20's I tried Rogaine and Propecia.  Neither did anything, but it does work for some people.  These are worth a try if you aren't ready to throw in the towel. 

I've gone with a buzz cut for the last 30 years and gave up caring long ago.

Here are the pros:

1. Never worry about bed head! 
2. Doing your hair after a shower takes exactly zero seconds!
3. Your hair never gets in your eyes!

Cons:

1. Sunburns
2. Usual idiots making jokes.  I usually try to beat them to the punch to take the wind out of their sails.

I shaved my head for awhile and the benefit of entirely low maintenance hair is amazing. I had a shaver I could use in the shower, so it took less time than shampoo and conditioner would.

I'm a young looking woman though, so that cancer comments got pretty tedious. But I very much enjoyed not having any hair to contend with.

I now have ear-length hair and it's SO ANNOYING. I think having a shaved head made me literally hate having hair, lol. I'm tolerating this length because it looks really good, but I know I'm just one annoying day away from taking it all off again.

[Midwest_Handlebar]

You could get hair transplants. Basically just move hair from the back of your head to the top. I had it done during Covid, and I'm glad I did. The results are unnoticeable from people who haven't had hair loss.

Yes I'm vain, wasted money, etc.... don't care. I look better/feel better.

[Metalcat]

You could get hair transplants. Basically just move hair from the back of your head to the top. I had it done during Covid, and I'm glad I did. The results are unnoticeable from people who haven't had hair loss.

Yes I'm vain, wasted money, etc.... don't care. I look better/feel better.

Does this still leave the really characteristic scarring on the back of your head? I know the older procedures left a really obvious scarring, which was fine if the transplant worked, but very unsightly and obvious what it was if it didn't and the man ended up shaving his head anyway. I'm assuming the technology and procedures have improved, but I have no current info.

[Midwest_Handlebar]

No. I had FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) done. The procedure relocates one hair follicle at a time from the back of your head to any thinning areas. I had 2700 done and it covered everywhere I had hair loss. You will need more or less depending on your situation.

[GuitarStv]

It really is a losing battle, just trim it very short.  Bruce Willis should be the role model of all balding men.

[Metalcat]

No. I had FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) done. The procedure relocates one hair follicle at a time from the back of your head to any thinning areas. I had 2700 done and it covered everywhere I had hair loss. You will need more or less depending on your situation.

Thanks for the info. I figured the tech would have come a long way.

I personally won't need it because I'm a woman, but I'm also a medical professional and men in my life come to me for a lot of guidance on personal care issues.

[wenchsenior]

I have multiple forms of balding (as a woman)... started out with MASSES of glorious hair, lost about 2/3rds to male pattern balding due to PCOS, treated the PCOS (by treating insulin resistance) and grew most of it back, then lost it again in my early 40s due to two different types of autoimmune disease.

Androgen blockers, treating insulin resistance (tons of people have undiagnosed insulin resistance), minoxidil all can help, if it's typical androgenic thinning.

But honestly, I'd recommending just accepting and getting on with things. Wigs on 'fun/special occasions', cropped or shaved head and/or fun hats the rest of the time.

[Metalcat]

I have multiple forms of balding (as a woman)... started out with MASSES of glorious hair, lost about 2/3rds to male pattern balding due to PCOS, treated the PCOS (by treating insulin resistance) and grew most of it back, then lost it again in my early 40s due to two different types of autoimmune disease.

Androgen blockers, treating insulin resistance (tons of people have undiagnosed insulin resistance), minoxidil all can help, if it's typical androgenic thinning.

But honestly, I'd recommending just accepting and getting on with things. Wigs on 'fun/special occasions', cropped or shaved head and/or fun hats the rest of the time.

Thanks for the reminder that this isn't just a men's issue. My previous response was dumb.

[wenchsenior]

I have multiple forms of balding (as a woman)... started out with MASSES of glorious hair, lost about 2/3rds to male pattern balding due to PCOS, treated the PCOS (by treating insulin resistance) and grew most of it back, then lost it again in my early 40s due to two different types of autoimmune disease.

Androgen blockers, treating insulin resistance (tons of people have undiagnosed insulin resistance), minoxidil all can help, if it's typical androgenic thinning.

But honestly, I'd recommending just accepting and getting on with things. Wigs on 'fun/special occasions', cropped or shaved head and/or fun hats the rest of the time.

Thanks for the reminder that this isn't just a men's issue. My previous response was dumb.

No worries, I wasn't responding to you. Though women (including me in my 20s) always assume that it can't happen to them. It absolutely can, at any time.

[Sibley]

In my early 20's I tried Rogaine and Propecia.  Neither did anything, but it does work for some people.  These are worth a try if you aren't ready to throw in the towel. 

I've gone with a buzz cut for the last 30 years and gave up caring long ago.

Here are the pros:

1. Never worry about bed head! 
2. Doing your hair after a shower takes exactly zero seconds!
3. Your hair never gets in your eyes!

Cons:

1. Sunburns
2. Usual idiots making jokes.  I usually try to beat them to the punch to take the wind out of their sails.

I shaved my head for awhile and the benefit of entirely low maintenance hair is amazing. I had a shaver I could use in the shower, so it took less time than shampoo and conditioner would.

I'm a young looking woman though, so that cancer comments got pretty tedious. But I very much enjoyed not having any hair to contend with.

I now have ear-length hair and it's SO ANNOYING. I think having a shaved head made me literally hate having hair, lol. I'm tolerating this length because it looks really good, but I know I'm just one annoying day away from taking it all off again.

Same problem. Female, I came very close to a buzzcut last year and loved it. Winter is brutal however with no hair so I'm letting it grow right now. I can't figure out what I want to with my hair so for now I just hate the way I look in pictures, and I don't look in the mirror much.


OP - in the long term, you're not going to win this battle. If you can come to accept the hair loss you will spare yourself much grief and expense. However, I'm very much aware that emotions are not logical.

[Metalcat]

In my early 20's I tried Rogaine and Propecia.  Neither did anything, but it does work for some people.  These are worth a try if you aren't ready to throw in the towel. 

I've gone with a buzz cut for the last 30 years and gave up caring long ago.

Here are the pros:

1. Never worry about bed head! 
2. Doing your hair after a shower takes exactly zero seconds!
3. Your hair never gets in your eyes!

Cons:

1. Sunburns
2. Usual idiots making jokes.  I usually try to beat them to the punch to take the wind out of their sails.

I shaved my head for awhile and the benefit of entirely low maintenance hair is amazing. I had a shaver I could use in the shower, so it took less time than shampoo and conditioner would.

I'm a young looking woman though, so that cancer comments got pretty tedious. But I very much enjoyed not having any hair to contend with.

I now have ear-length hair and it's SO ANNOYING. I think having a shaved head made me literally hate having hair, lol. I'm tolerating this length because it looks really good, but I know I'm just one annoying day away from taking it all off again.

Same problem. Female, I came very close to a buzzcut last year and loved it. Winter is brutal however with no hair so I'm letting it grow right now. I can't figure out what I want to with my hair so for now I just hate the way I look in pictures, and I don't look in the mirror much.


OP - in the long term, you're not going to win this battle. If you can come to accept the hair loss you will spare yourself much grief and expense. However, I'm very much aware that emotions are not logical.

I wore a merino wool skull cap with ear flaps under my thick cashmere hat for winter and it was all good.

[Midwest_Handlebar]

It really is a losing battle, just trim it very short.  Bruce Willis should be the role model of all balding men.

Yes, we are all slowly falling apart, but I'm going to at least try to keep it together as long as I can. It's the same reason I go to the gym regularly. To look and feel my best. Some guys embrace the bald look, but I'm not one of them.

[Purple_Crayon]

I started losing my hair when I was 15. Was essentially done with it by 19.

Comments in high school were VERY mean. I also got to see how differently strangers treat you very quickly (everyone my age treating me like I was their parents' age).

Now that I'm closing in on forty, and watching so many of my friends go through identity crises for the same process, I'm so glad I learned very young to derive my confidence and self-love elsewhere. I'm not saying I wouldn't rather have what my culture generally sees as attractive (I certainly would), but I have been convinced that a good deal of positives came from being forced to just get on with it before I was even twenty and find other things to focus on to make me feel good about myself.

I tend to agree with those that suggest acceptance as the best solution.

[Metalcat]

I started losing my hair when I was 15. Was essentially done with it by 19.

Comments in high school were VERY mean. I also got to see how differently strangers treat you very quickly (everyone my age treating me like I was their parents' age).

Now that I'm closing in on forty, and watching so many of my friends go through identity crises for the same process, I'm so glad I learned very young to derive my confidence and self-love elsewhere. I'm not saying I wouldn't rather have what my culture generally sees as attractive (I certainly would), but I have been convinced that a good deal of positives came from being forced to just get on with it before I was even twenty and find other things to focus on to make me feel good about myself.

I tend to agree with those that suggest acceptance as the best solution.

I had a similar experience with starting to go grey at 13. It's fundamentally different because I'm a woman and can choose to dye my hair whatever colour I want without stigma, but I chose to accept it as something kind of interesting about me.

People would point out my greys when I was in my 20s and I would be like "yeah, crazy right? It started when I was 13!"

Now I'm in my 40s and folks around me are having meltdowns about their grey hair and I'm definitely grateful not to have to contend with the existential angst they all seem to be feeling.

Likewise having to use a cane really young. I've seen countless seniors break hips and friggin' DIE because they had an existential crisis and refused to use a cane. Or would only use a cane and refuse to use a walker, and just, y'know, fall over.

Meanwhile the first thing I do when someone comes to my house is I show off the wall of walking aides as you walk in. I'm all like "check out these, they have lights, and horns, and suspension!"

There is a certain privilege to being forced to grapple with the Hallmark signs of aging well ahead of schedule. You do have to deal with the social stigma, but they don't actually signal "aging" to you because they happened young.

You have to deal with bullshit, but you don't have to deal with grappling with the existential dread that they trigger in midlife.

[Fru-Gal]

To @Metalcat ‘s point, I always think it’s funny how society & especially celebrities are obsessed with outward signs of aging while neglecting overall functioning of the body. Plus the obsession with these outer milestones leads to missing the beauty and purpose of aging (wisdom, mental freedom, feeling of achievement in family-life-business, shutting down of reproduction, etc). And possibly making the aging worse in the process.

But I’m also vain and I do dye my hair so I get it totally. Specifically, hair is a whole ‘nother thing. You have the Hollywood Hair Theory, it’s a major fashion signifier, etc.

[wenchsenior]

I started losing my hair when I was 15. Was essentially done with it by 19.

Comments in high school were VERY mean. I also got to see how differently strangers treat you very quickly (everyone my age treating me like I was their parents' age).

Now that I'm closing in on forty, and watching so many of my friends go through identity crises for the same process, I'm so glad I learned very young to derive my confidence and self-love elsewhere. I'm not saying I wouldn't rather have what my culture generally sees as attractive (I certainly would), but I have been convinced that a good deal of positives came from being forced to just get on with it before I was even twenty and find other things to focus on to make me feel good about myself.

I tend to agree with those that suggest acceptance as the best solution.

This is very similar to my experience as well. It's interesting to watch the people around me struggle so intensely with issues related to their physical appearance as they age, when I had to come to terms with a lot of that MUCH younger (I also had to come to terms with having many chronic health problems at a relatively young age).

Focusing on quality of life and functionality of the body within the limits of our health disorders is such a valuable lesson to learn so young. Now I look back at my teens and 20s and how focused I was on how I looked, and it seems crazy to me.

[Midwest_Handlebar]

Unfortunately your appearance directly impacts your quality of life. People judge you by your appearance; most just learn after high school not to say it to your face. It impacts your earnings, your romantic/work relationships, how friendly people are to you... hell even your lifespan according to this study:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354260_Facial_attractiveness_predicts_longevity#:~:text=Henderson%20and%20Anglin%20(2003)%20found,surviving%20in%20a%20competitive%20environment.

Humans are shallow and quick to judge. Most of us are just monkeys in clothes. It just makes sense to optimize your appearance within reason to make our lives easier/more rewarding. I wish our culture was different, but to deny it puts you at a disadvantage.

[wenchsenior]

Unfortunately your appearance directly impacts your quality of life. People judge you by your appearance; most just learn after high school not to say it to your face. It impacts your earnings, your romantic/work relationships, how friendly people are to you... hell even your lifespan according to this study:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354260_Facial_attractiveness_predicts_longevity#:~:text=Henderson%20and%20Anglin%20(2003)%20found,surviving%20in%20a%20competitive%20environment.

Humans are shallow and quick to judge. Most of us are just monkeys in clothes. It just makes sense to optimize your appearance within reason to make our lives easier/more rewarding. I wish our culture was different, but to deny it puts you at a disadvantage.

I believe the stats, and the plural of anecdote isn't 'data' as I well know. But it's weird that almost no one I know in real life has experienced this (except one person who is mentally disabled as well).

I only know a few notably good looking people (there are a few on each side of my family but there's no pattern of them doing better in life than the less good looking ones).  Among my friends/acquaintances there's no pattern of success correlating with looks either.

In fact most of the most successful people I know are average to below average, and mildly to very overweight. Most of the women don't style their hair or wear makeup,  most don't 'dress up' for work, etc. Almost all have long happy marraiges in addition to their succesfful careers. Clearly we are all doing something that is offsetting how the stats work.

Partly it's likely the work environments most of us are in, maybe?  I think traditional business environments are MUCH more conservative and require careful dressing and makeup and all that. My father's family is mostly in that type of work, and many are also successful at work, though often their private lives are miserable beyond words.

ETA: It's also possible that we would all be even happier and more successful if we were all good looking. Maybe if my husband and I had hair, we'd be at close to 3 million or 4 million net worth instead of 2 million. Maybe if we were fat, we'd be at 1 million and divorced. Who knows.

[RWTL]

ETA: It's also possible that we would all be even happier and more successful if we were all good looking. Maybe if my husband and I had hair, we'd be at close to 3 million or 4 million net worth instead of 2 million. Maybe if we were fat, we'd be at 1 million and divorced. Who knows.

Considering how successful so many of us are at saving and retiring early, this must be one fantastic looking group.  That's my opinion anyway.

[GuitarStv]

ETA: It's also possible that we would all be even happier and more successful if we were all good looking. Maybe if my husband and I had hair, we'd be at close to 3 million or 4 million net worth instead of 2 million. Maybe if we were fat, we'd be at 1 million and divorced. Who knows.

Considering how successful so many of us are at saving and retiring early, this must be one fantastic looking group.  That's my opinion anyway.

Theory checks out over here.

:D

[Metalcat]

Unfortunately your appearance directly impacts your quality of life. People judge you by your appearance; most just learn after high school not to say it to your face. It impacts your earnings, your romantic/work relationships, how friendly people are to you... hell even your lifespan according to this study:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354260_Facial_attractiveness_predicts_longevity#:~:text=Henderson%20and%20Anglin%20(2003)%20found,surviving%20in%20a%20competitive%20environment.

Humans are shallow and quick to judge. Most of us are just monkeys in clothes. It just makes sense to optimize your appearance within reason to make our lives easier/more rewarding. I wish our culture was different, but to deny it puts you at a disadvantage.

What's "within reason" though.

I was the first one to mention Propecia and the first thing I said was to note that it's use depends on being able to handle the side effects.

Some men experience erectile dysfunction on Propecia, is that a "within reason" cost for vanity?

I don't have an answer, that's a very personal decision for men.

Btw, the other side effects include:

Breast tenderness or swelling
Decreased libido
Dizziness
Ejaculatory disorder
Headache
Male breast cancer
Skin rash or hives
Swelling in face, arms, hands, legs, or feet
Weakness

I totally agree that most people will care about their appearance "within reason," but the definition of what's reasonable varies radically per person.

Also, let's not equate a bald head with *not* being attractive. On me, personally, it's actually the *most* flattering look for my bone structure. I've been told by hair stylists my whole life that I should shave my head...so I did.

I was super into shaved heads in my early 20s because I dated a lot of body builders who...um...tend to exogenously speed up the balding process in a trade off of hair for muscles.

I find a lot of men get pretty godawful haircuts, so many times, a shaved head is a lot more stylish.

[Purple_Crayon]

Unfortunately your appearance directly impacts your quality of life. People judge you by your appearance; most just learn after high school not to say it to your face. It impacts your earnings, your romantic/work relationships, how friendly people are to you... hell even your lifespan according to this study:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354260_Facial_attractiveness_predicts_longevity#:~:text=Henderson%20and%20Anglin%20(2003)%20found,surviving%20in%20a%20competitive%20environment.

Humans are shallow and quick to judge. Most of us are just monkeys in clothes. It just makes sense to optimize your appearance within reason to make our lives easier/more rewarding. I wish our culture was different, but to deny it puts you at a disadvantage.

I definitely agree with you that strangers and acquaintances treat you differently. But in my experience, I would definitely never go so far as to say it impacted "quality of life" for me. I could understand otherwise, however, for any person who tends to derive more of their satisfaction with life by the way they are treated by strangers or acquaintances. I tend to immediately set down any superficial meanness I encounter because I don't find it worthwhile to carry.

The below is by no means saying I disagree with your above statement. I fully acknowledge some aspects of the unfortunate reality you have laid out.

I understand one person's experience is not representative of any greater whole. However, I just want to send out some love to anyone else out there feeling bad about themselves for this reason. I spent my twenties looking 45 and had a FUCKING ball. I found that the lack of hair was no barrier from having all the crazy relationships/flings the twenties can bring, being the frontman in a bunch of shitty touring rock bands, playing (badly) all the sports I love, being leads in theatre productions, maintaining a huge circle of good friends, having fantastic relationships at work and at home, etc. If anything, it short circuits superficial relationships and saves you a shit ton of time so you can focus on the social things that matter more. It serves to deter those whose friendships are likely not going to be as rich or legitimate if pursued.

Take care of your mental, physical, and spiritual health (whatever that means for you), and surround yourself with people who couldn't give two shits what you look like. From this one person (who is only a single anecdote in 8 billion), that is where quality of life comes from.

[Midwest_Handlebar]

Unfortunately your appearance directly impacts your quality of life. People judge you by your appearance; most just learn after high school not to say it to your face. It impacts your earnings, your romantic/work relationships, how friendly people are to you... hell even your lifespan according to this study:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354260_Facial_attractiveness_predicts_longevity#:~:text=Henderson%20and%20Anglin%20(2003)%20found,surviving%20in%20a%20competitive%20environment.

Humans are shallow and quick to judge. Most of us are just monkeys in clothes. It just makes sense to optimize your appearance within reason to make our lives easier/more rewarding. I wish our culture was different, but to deny it puts you at a disadvantage.

I definitely agree with you that strangers and acquaintances treat you differently. But in my experience, I would definitely never go so far as to say it impacted "quality of life" for me. I could understand otherwise, however, for any person who tends to derive more of their satisfaction with life by the way they are treated by strangers or acquaintances. I tend to immediately set down any superficial meanness I encounter because I don't find it worthwhile to carry.

The below is by no means saying I disagree with your above statement. I fully acknowledge some aspects of the unfortunate reality you have laid out.

I understand one person's experience is not representative of any greater whole. However, I just want to send out some love to anyone else out there feeling bad about themselves for this reason. I spent my twenties looking 45 and had a FUCKING ball. I found that the lack of hair was no barrier from having all the crazy relationships/flings the twenties can bring, being the frontman in a bunch of shitty touring rock bands, playing (badly) all the sports I love, being leads in theatre productions, maintaining a huge circle of good friends, having fantastic relationships at work and at home, etc. If anything, it short circuits superficial relationships and saves you a shit ton of time so you can focus on the social things that matter more. It serves to deter those whose friendships are likely not going to be as rich or legitimate if pursued.

Take care of your mental, physical, and spiritual health (whatever that means for you), and surround yourself with people who couldn't give two shits what you look like. From this one person (who is only a single anecdote in 8 billion), that is where quality of life comes from.

Sounds like you had an awesome time in your twenties! I spent most of mine setting up the financial success I'm now enjoying. Looking back I don't have any regrets, but yours sounds more fun...

I obviously agree that appearance isn't everything (or really even makes the top 10 of important things), but hair transplants were worth it for me. It took a day, spent far less than what my portfolio fluctuates on a daily basis, and a few weeks of looking like I had been scalped. It really wasn't that big of a deal for me to do.

[Metalcat]

Unfortunately your appearance directly impacts your quality of life. People judge you by your appearance; most just learn after high school not to say it to your face. It impacts your earnings, your romantic/work relationships, how friendly people are to you... hell even your lifespan according to this study:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354260_Facial_attractiveness_predicts_longevity#:~:text=Henderson%20and%20Anglin%20(2003)%20found,surviving%20in%20a%20competitive%20environment.

Humans are shallow and quick to judge. Most of us are just monkeys in clothes. It just makes sense to optimize your appearance within reason to make our lives easier/more rewarding. I wish our culture was different, but to deny it puts you at a disadvantage.

I definitely agree with you that strangers and acquaintances treat you differently. But in my experience, I would definitely never go so far as to say it impacted "quality of life" for me. I could understand otherwise, however, for any person who tends to derive more of their satisfaction with life by the way they are treated by strangers or acquaintances. I tend to immediately set down any superficial meanness I encounter because I don't find it worthwhile to carry.

The below is by no means saying I disagree with your above statement. I fully acknowledge some aspects of the unfortunate reality you have laid out.

I understand one person's experience is not representative of any greater whole. However, I just want to send out some love to anyone else out there feeling bad about themselves for this reason. I spent my twenties looking 45 and had a FUCKING ball. I found that the lack of hair was no barrier from having all the crazy relationships/flings the twenties can bring, being the frontman in a bunch of shitty touring rock bands, playing (badly) all the sports I love, being leads in theatre productions, maintaining a huge circle of good friends, having fantastic relationships at work and at home, etc. If anything, it short circuits superficial relationships and saves you a shit ton of time so you can focus on the social things that matter more. It serves to deter those whose friendships are likely not going to be as rich or legitimate if pursued.

Take care of your mental, physical, and spiritual health (whatever that means for you), and surround yourself with people who couldn't give two shits what you look like. From this one person (who is only a single anecdote in 8 billion), that is where quality of life comes from.

Yep, tons of research shows that short men are at a major disadvantage and yet I'm married to a supremely confident, very successful short man (Short King as the Gen Z say), who describes his 20s and 30s as "oh yeah, I was a total manwhore, but it was fun."

Averages from aggregate data means virtually nothing for individuals.

[Metalcat]

Sounds like you had an awesome time in your twenties! I spent most of mine setting up the financial success I'm now enjoying. Looking back I don't have any regrets, but yours sounds more fun...

I obviously agree that appearance isn't everything (or really even makes the top 10 of important things), but hair transplants were worth it for me. It took a day, spent far less than what my portfolio fluctuates on a daily basis, and a few weeks of looking like I had been scalped. It really wasn't that big of a deal for me to do.

I hear you, I will spend a hell of a lot more than that on Botox in my lifetime. I get a tiny amount to stop myself from looking perpetually pissed off. It's totally worth it to me.

[wenchsenior]

ETA: It's also possible that we would all be even happier and more successful if we were all good looking. Maybe if my husband and I had hair, we'd be at close to 3 million or 4 million net worth instead of 2 million. Maybe if we were fat, we'd be at 1 million and divorced. Who knows.

Considering how successful so many of us are at saving and retiring early, this must be one fantastic looking group.  That's my opinion anyway.

Theory checks out over here.

:D

No wonder we all hang out here. The hotness is clearly seeping through the computer screens and keeping us hooked!

[wenchsenior]

Sounds like you had an awesome time in your twenties! I spent most of mine setting up the financial success I'm now enjoying. Looking back I don't have any regrets, but yours sounds more fun...

I obviously agree that appearance isn't everything (or really even makes the top 10 of important things), but hair transplants were worth it for me. It took a day, spent far less than what my portfolio fluctuates on a daily basis, and a few weeks of looking like I had been scalped. It really wasn't that big of a deal for me to do.

I hear you, I will spend a hell of a lot more than that on Botox in my lifetime. I get a tiny amount to stop myself from looking perpetually pissed off. It's totally worth it to me.

HA!  I considered this also as I hit 30 for the same reason, but...I'm just too lazy to keep up with that kind of regimen. Resting bitch face...I've grown to love it.

[GilesMM]

They can do amazing things with toupees these days and prices are reasonable.

[lifeandlimb]

It really is a losing battle, just trim it very short.  Bruce Willis should be the role model of all balding men.

And Woody Harrelson! HUGE crush. (Sorry if it's not helpful, OP)

[ChickenStash]

I started losing my hair in my mid-20s. I tried a few of the OTC solutions over the years but didn't see results significant enough to deal with the cost. Now, a few years later (ahem), I'm *this* close to just going cueball. There's still some hair but it's mostly useless - not enough to slow sunburn but enough it still has to be trimmed. Many of my friends went cueball so I wouldn't stand out and I've never been anything to look at so not much would change there. I do have some gnarly scars that the remaining hair is hiding, but I suppose I could just come up with a good story for them - maybe something with ninjas.

[FLBiker]

Any good hat recommendations?  Based on my family history, I feel very luck to have made it to 47 with as much hair as I still have.  I'd consider shaving, but I have a largish birthmark under my remaining hair.  When the time comes that it is no longer hidden by my hair, I'd love a hat option.  Is there any kind of hat that could be routinely worn indoors, even in business settings?  The only ones I could think of are those with religious connotations.

[zolotiyeruki]

I shaved my head for the first time in my late 20's.  DW sure was shocked when I got back from that business trip!  It took a little while to get used to, but she prefers it now.  I'm solidly in the "embrace it!" camp.

Life has such an incredible bounty of things to experience and explore, worrying about my quantity of hair is a waste of time.  I'd rather be playing video games with my kids, or learning a new skill, or getting in better shape, or tackling a project at home.  I almost never look in a mirror nowadays, except to adjust my tie on Sundays before church and to give myself a haircut every couple of weeks.  The lack of maintenance is amazing.

For me, the worry, expense, and hassle of forestalling the inevitable hair loss just isn't worth it for the expected benefit.

[Metalcat]

Any good hat recommendations?  Based on my family history, I feel very luck to have made it to 47 with as much hair as I still have.  I'd consider shaving, but I have a largish birthmark under my remaining hair.  When the time comes that it is no longer hidden by my hair, I'd love a hat option.  Is there any kind of hat that could be routinely worn indoors, even in business settings?  The only ones I could think of are those with religious connotations.

Just my humble opinion, but I don't think there's anything inherently unsexy about a birth mark.

[Fru-Gal]

Kangol-style flat caps look nice.

[ysette9]

I feel for the OP as a woman struggling with hair loss. Society treats men with hair loss better than women, but I imagine it is rough all around. If you can accept it, shave it, and go on with your life, more power to you. I have not reached that zen state, so I won't judge anyone who isn't there either.

I'd recommend first going to a dermatologist. Get yourself a diagnosis, because there are different types of hair loss that would lead to different types of treatments. As a woman, I was told that ultimately my loss was triggered by chronic iron deficiency that came from going off the pill (starting to bleed again), followed by multiple pregnancies and nursing. I am also low in vitamin D, and both are needed for maintaining healthy hair. You can have hair loss due to one-off stressful events or just genetics. As a man, it is less likely that you will be iron deficient, but I see the occasional man in my iron deficiency support group, so it does happen. (You need your ferritin to be at least 70 for hair regrowth, something GPs often don't recognize).

A dermatologist can prescribe things that can help. The gold standard is minoxidil. You can buy it OTC as rogaine or the generics, but honestly I found it a pain in the butt to apply daily. Oral minoxidil is cheap and easy to take so I'm on that. It can be paired with something like finasteride for men. I'm also on Spironolactone which is prescribed to women.

[onecoolcat]

I started losing my hair in my mid-twenties.  I tried minoxidil and saw no results, so I stopped.  I didn't really care that much about balding.  At 34 the baldness progressed - near horseshoe.  I just saw a picture of me one day playing with my kids and saw the top of my head and said "when the fuck did that happen?"   

Anyways, I was really bothered by the hair thing for the first time and was pumped to just shave it completely bald.  I told my wife the plan and she wasn't in favor shaving it completely.  I reluctantly made a last ditch effort to try finasteride+minoxidil through KEEPs.  I told myself if there were any side effects then I'd stop and shave it.  I've been taking it for almost two years now and I have had zero side effects.  Side effects are pretty rare in men - I think it is something like >1%, so there is nothing special about me.  The results have been significant for me, but not ideal.  I now have thick hair in front-half, but I have a spot that appears thinning in the back.  There is hair there, its just thin.  A hair transplant is probably the only thing that will fill that area out.  I've read that the sooner you start finasteride the better results you'll see.  Big surprise there.  If I would have started finasteride sooner then I probably could have kept a full head of hair. 

My advise is talk to your doctor about finasteride+minoxidil asap.  Stop the regimen immediately if you have any side effects.  FUE hair transplant is a good option if you see finasteride+minoxidil keeps your conditioning from worsening (that is probably where I am at).

I used KEEPS for the first 3 months of treatment and saw very good results in that time.  I then reached out to transfer my prescription to Costco as it was much cheaper and they dropped my price to match Costco's Finasteride prices.  I dropped the minoxidil completely from Keeps and now use Costco's brand - Kirkland purchased from Costco's online store.  The whole treatment is around $180 for the year.

[FLBiker]

Any good hat recommendations?  Based on my family history, I feel very luck to have made it to 47 with as much hair as I still have.  I'd consider shaving, but I have a largish birthmark under my remaining hair.  When the time comes that it is no longer hidden by my hair, I'd love a hat option.  Is there any kind of hat that could be routinely worn indoors, even in business settings?  The only ones I could think of are those with religious connotations.

Just my humble opinion, but I don't think there's anything inherently unsexy about a birth mark.

Thanks! :)  I'm not super worried about it, but it's kind of big so it does cross my mind sometimes.  I'm happily married, though, so it isn't a huge deal (and my wife is supportive of letting nature take it's course).

Kangol-style flat caps look nice.

That's what my wife said, too.  I'm not convinced I could pull that off, but I should give it a try...

[dcheesi]

If/when you do cut it all off, I recommend facial hair to go along with it.

My personal theory is that bald men with shaved faces look bad because of mixed signals: baldness indicates age/maturity, while a shaved face indicates youth/boyishness. Pick one or the other and you're good, but the two together just don't work.

Also, hair helps frame your face, and without it on top, you benefit from having more of it on the bottom.

[RWTL]

If/when you do cut it all off, I recommend facial hair to go along with it.

My personal theory is that bald men with shaved faces look bad because of mixed signals: baldness indicates age/maturity, while a shaved face indicates youth/boyishness. Pick one or the other and you're good, but the two together just don't work.

Also, hair helps frame your face, and without it on top, you benefit from having more of it on the bottom.

I fit into that demographic.  I've had a beard with a buzz cut for the last 30+ years.  Shaved my beard a couple times and it didn't look quite right to me.

[ChpBstrd]

I shaved my head for awhile and the benefit of entirely low maintenance hair is amazing. I had a shaver I could use in the shower, so it took less time than shampoo and conditioner would.
...
I now have ear-length hair and it's SO ANNOYING. I think having a shaved head made me literally hate having hair, lol. I'm tolerating this length because it looks really good, but I know I'm just one annoying day away from taking it all off again.

I took my head down to razor bald in 2020 as a fun little isolation project, along with growing an actual walrus mustache. Some notes:

• My head actually felt hot with zero hair on it, in a way it does not with a quarter inch or half inch. Very short hair apparently functions to dissipate heat, or else there's some sensory thing going on.
• I had some trouble getting to sleep, because it was so weird feeling my pillow against skin.
• If I actually wanted to keep it slick, it would require daily shaving. Waaaay too much work for me, and the cost of blades would start to rise. In terms of minimizing effort wasted on hair, the most efficient thing is probably to buzz cut it and then grow it out until it's bothersome.
• DW did not like. Said I have a lumpy skull, though I didn't see it. Said I looked creepy, and I did see that. Looked like one of the prisoners in Alien 3.

On the other hand, I have never been able to stand hair that goes into my ears and tickles. It just gets unmanageable after about 1.5 inches. So I've always buzzed my own head to 0.75" and let it grow out to about 1.5".

Life has such an incredible bounty of things to experience and explore, worrying about my quantity of hair is a waste of time.  I'd rather be playing video games with my kids, or learning a new skill, or getting in better shape, or tackling a project at home.  I almost never look in a mirror nowadays, except to adjust my tie on Sundays before church and to give myself a haircut every couple of weeks.  The lack of maintenance is amazing.

For me, the worry, expense, and hassle of forestalling the inevitable hair loss just isn't worth it for the expected benefit.

Now I'm getting a bald spot. Rogaine is on sale right now for $38 / 3-month supply. That means we can quantify the price of doing something about hair loss versus accepting it. It's $152/year. To some people, that will seem like a bargain. To others, a waste. I'm on the fence, because I'm ugly anyway, and that price is just above my willingness to pay. Sounds like the routine of rubbing it in is a relatively minor burden.

When I asked my 95 year old grandfather for his secret to maintaining a full head of hair, he said "you have to rub it." I'll never know if he was fucking with me or if that was his truth.

[simonsez]

If/when you do cut it all off, I recommend facial hair to go along with it.

My personal theory is that bald men with shaved faces look bad because of mixed signals: baldness indicates age/maturity, while a shaved face indicates youth/boyishness. Pick one or the other and you're good, but the two together just don't work.

Also, hair helps frame your face, and without it on top, you benefit from having more of it on the bottom.

I fit into that demographic.  I've had a beard with a buzz cut for the last 30+ years.  Shaved my beard a couple times and it didn't look quite right to me.

Friday afternoon or sometimes Saturday is my "spa day".  I shave my head with no guard and then about every 1/3 or 1/4 of the time, I also do about the top 1" of sideburn with no guard, then progressively using a 1/2, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and finally a 4 getting down to near my chin though it does vary on the season.  It takes about 10-15 min (depending if shaping my beard or not) and is honestly pretty therapeutic/a-nice-release even though it is a chore of sorts.  Mentally I feel great afterwards.  Being hygienic and caring about your appearance is probably a positive for self esteem and something probably underappreciated by a decent % of men (who instead view self care or any time over the absolute minimum it takes to "get ready" as a waste of resources or at least not masculine).  Having the beard shape be slightly pointed (longer in the middle near the chin) I find allows the face to look less fat.

If you can't grow a beard and are bald, hit the gym.  I guess everyone should hit the gym, regardless but I do feel for the chubby, bald, beardless guys.

[wenchsenior]

If/when you do cut it all off, I recommend facial hair to go along with it.

My personal theory is that bald men with shaved faces look bad because of mixed signals: baldness indicates age/maturity, while a shaved face indicates youth/boyishness. Pick one or the other and you're good, but the two together just don't work.

Also, hair helps frame your face, and without it on top, you benefit from having more of it on the bottom.

Agree.