There are many things that a man might look forward as he ages but we’re pretty sure balding and thinning hair isn’t one of them.
An unfortunate reality for many, with some men staring to lose their hair in their twenties, either suffering a receding hairline or slowly developing a bald spot. But whenever you start to lose your hair and however it happens, it’s good to feel like you have some control over the process. You might choose to bald as gracefully as possible, or you might choose to fight it with everything that you have, giving yourself luscious-looking locks again. Whichever way you want to go we have some options to help you along the way.
Shave it all off
When you’re already starting to lose your hair, the idea of shaving it all off might suddenly not seem so scary. For some men, deciding to lean into their new baldness and go completely bald just makes sense. Of course, you might decide that it’s not for you after all, if your head turns out to be a bit odd-looking under that hair, but you can always grow it back and try something else. If you’re willing to take the risk, shaving all of your hair off can give you control over your balding and you might just love the look. However, you’ll need to maintain it, which can mean shaving your whole head at least every few days, if not every day.
Keep it short
Perhaps you’re not quite ready to shave the lot off, but you think that keeping your hair trim could be the best way to go. It will certainly help to avoid the mullet or comb-over look and it can make it less obvious that you’re suffering from thinning or balding. Also it will leave you looking smart and well-groomed as well as keeping you comfortable with your looks – if it’s good enough for the Duke of Cambridge, it’s good enough for you!
Take care of what you have
You might have less hair than you did as a younger man, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look after the hair you have left. Taking good care of your remaining hair helps you to look stylish and can help you to feel more confident about your new look. Finding the right products to wash, condition and style your hair will keep it healthy and looking sleek. Regular visits to the barber will also help your hair to stay healthy and prevent split ends, dry strands and other problems. Try out some different products and styles to find the right ones for you.
Get a hair transplant
If you would rather fight your hair loss than adapt to it, there are various options that you might consider. One of the more modern options is to get a hair transplant, which involves transplanting hair follicles from one place to another. You might have seen hair transplants in the past that have left you with doubt, however, they have improved a huge amount in recent years and can now produce excellent results. A transplant could be an option for you if you have a bald spot or your hairline has receded but you want to get your full head of hair back.
Try a regrowth shampoo
For a milder approach to addressing hair loss, you can consider some of the specifically-designed shampoos on the market. How effective these are can vary, so pay attention to what’s in them and also see what other people are writing about their effectiveness. Some shampoos might contain topical medications like Rogaine, while others might use ingredients like caffeine or natural ingredients that are intended to help regrow hair. Some shampoos might not be designed to regrow hair exactly but to try and improve your hair volume and they might help if your hair is thinning but you don’t have any obvious bald patches.
Take hair loss medication
There are some hair loss medications that might be useful for you – the two main options being finasteride and minoxidil, which can be found under different brand names. You might find that they help your hair to grow more or that they improve the volume of your hair. These treatments aren’t available on the NHS, so you will have to buy them yourself and you aren’t guarantee results but trying them out can’t hurt.
Wear a hairpiece?
This may well conjure up some interesting images, but hairpieces aren’t all that bad! It’s true that there are some poor options out there but you can find good ones, you just need to be careful about your selection. If you want a natural-looking hairpiece that suits your style, you will most likely pay more for decent quality and you need to make sure that you take good care of a hairpiece so that it stays in good condition.
Address how it makes you feel
While there are lots of ways to change your appearance if you start losing your hair, it’s important not to ignore the emotional impact. Losing your hair can affect your self-esteem and confidence, and it’s worth thinking about how you can feel better about your hair loss. Talking to others about your hair loss and how it makes you feel might be a good start to accepting it. Hair loss is inevitable for many men, but you don’t have to let it rule your life.
