I am a woman and so the chances are I will never have to add baldness to my list of personal issues as I age. In any case in my younger days I did actually shave my hair off for a while, admittedly only after a disastrous trip to the hairdressers left me with little option. Had I been born a man however, I would already be bald as a coot as all the men on both side of my family lost their hair, my father by the age of 23. The question is would I care and does baldness matter?
Mistaken Identity
Having tried baldness for a while I have to say that it was quite liberating. There was much less faffing around to get ready in the morning and I never had to worry about the wind and rain ruining my hair. People were a bit taken aback of course but that was just because I was female. I think most people thought that I was undergoing cancer treatment as I suddenly seemed to be the recipient of a lot sympathetic looks and random acts of kindness!
Different for Men
Many men do lose their hair and the effect on their psyche varies dramatically. Whilst some seem indifferent to hair loss others are sent into a spiral of depression and completely lose their confidence. We do now live in a world where there is an undue emphasis on appearance but I Have to say that I think the men who are concerned about their pates are worrying for nothing. After all baldness hasn’t done the likes of Bruce Wills and Jason Statham any harm in the popularity stakes.
The Research
Perversely research has shown that women find men who are bald more manly but the same research also suggests that they find bald men less attractive. That may be true to an extent but I think this is probably a quite marginal thing or a result of the way the questions are asked. If you are posed the question in isolation you might well say that men with hair are more attractive but if a really attractive guy with no hair is standing in front of you and you are asked what you think of him your feelings might well be different. Personally I have never felt that hair or the lack of it makes much difference when it comes to sex appeal.
Transplants
Of course these days if you lose your hair you can put it back again providing you have the cash to pay for a transplant. Whilst the likes of Ed Harris, Bruce Willis and Woody Harrelson have had no trouble in remaining at the top of the tree without their hair others, notably Wayne Rooney, have gone down the surgical route. For the record Mr Rooney you wasted your money, the problem was not your hair!
Altered Perceptions
At the end of the day the world would be such a boring place if everyone looked the same. Variety is the spice of life and that includes hair density. Some men actually look better without hair but perhaps they just don’t see it. As with everything else what you see in your mirror isn’t necessarily how others perceive you. If you need hair to feel confident then have the transplant for your own sake but it probably won’t change the way others see you.
Sally Stacey is a keen writer and business owner who divides her time between writing and running her shop.