WHY YOU SHOULD EMBRACE MALE BALDNESS (AND HOW TO DO IT)
What do Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Jason Statham and Vin Diesel have in common? Sure, there’s the unquestionable acting pedigree and careers that show just how good getting typecast can be (for your wallet at least), but there’s another common denominator shared by action’s most wanted: they’re all bald. They’re bald, immensely successful and regularly top ‘sexiest men’ lists, proving you don’t need hair up top to get there. Here, we make the case for why you should embrace baldness, and how to do it in style.
MAKE The MOST OF WHAT YOU HAVE (LeFT)
Nothing brings the cringe quite like a man clinging to his hair for dear life. But that’s not to say if you notice your hair beginning to recede or thin slightly you need to throw the bald-headed baby out with the bathwater.
If you’re seeing more of your scalp than you used to, there are steps that can be taken to conceal the beginnings of male pattern baldness.
Firstly, assess the damage with the help of a barber; they’ll be able to survey the fallout from all angles and advise on a style that’ll visually thicken what’s left of your thatch.
RAID THE MEDICINE CABINET
you might also consider enlisting the hair-boosting powers of chemistry, by using a topical vasodilator (a fancy term for a group of medicines that open blood vessels to allow blood to flow more easily) such as minoxidil, more commonly known as Regaine, which helps prevent or even temporarily reverse pattern hair loss.
BE BOLD, GET BUZZED
While smart styling and chemical aids can slow the rate of hair loss, there will come a time for many men when their head most closely resembles that weird egg you get in a carton that looks as if it might hatch at any moment. And that, friends, is your cue to get the chop. Break out the clippers and take the plunge. Wash your hair, towel-dry and then with the clippers set to a grade one or two, buzz until all that’s left is stubble. For extra smoothness, follow up by applying shaving cream or oil and allowing it to soften the follicles before shaving with a clean, sharp razor, taking care to shave with the grain. This is, unsurprisingly, not for the faint of heart, so consider booking time in the barber’s chair before mistakenly scalping yourself.
The BALD MAN’S BATHROOM CABINET
Once you’ve buzzed your hair and committed to the #baldlyfe, you’ll need to bolster your bathroom cabinet with a few pate-enhancing product
MOISTURISER
Since it’s more exposed skin than hair, a bald head is just as susceptible to dryness and flakiness as the skin on other parts of your body. Keep it soft and supple with a matte moisturiser like headBlade’s headLube matte moisturising lotion.
EXFOLIANT
Again, like skin, a bald head needs its dead skin cells sloughed off now and then. Apply a little of whatever you use for your face to your noggin at least once a week.
SUNSCREEN
Being particularly susceptible to sun damage, the skin on your head should be protected from the sun’s damaging uV rays at all times. That means an SPF moisturiser in the morning and a repairing moisturiser at night. unless, of course, you’re not too bothered about spending the summer getting mistaken for a traffic light.