The bald truth: Ladies do prefer a chap with hair

BALD men may like to think they have the raw sex appeal of Bruce Willis or the aristocratic bearing of Prince William.

Unfortunately, however, a study shows women find them less attractive than their fully covered counterparts – and bald white men are also judged to be less successful.

There was better news for bald black men, who were judged to be no less attractive than if they had hair in the psychological study of 120 people.

They were shown pictures of men with or without hair, then asked them to rate their personalities and traits. Those shown a bald white man, compared to those who saw the same man with a full head of hair, predicted he would be less successful and less friendly and enthusiastic in life.

Young women judged the man without hair to be significantly less attractive.

Professor Maryanne Fisher, co-author of the study from St Mary’s University in Halifax, Canada, said: ‘It is a little bit worrying how white men are perceived when they lose their hair. Being bald affects people’s view of everything from their career success to their attractiveness and personality.

‘But just because baldness can attract this unconscious view of men doesn’t mean their other qualities don’t matter – and if they are wonderful in other ways, that is very important.’ The study is published in the journal Evolutionary Psychological Science.