So much of a person's looks are attributed to their hair. You may be used to being known as "the blonde-haired guy" or "the dude with the long, brown curls." So when you start balding and losing your hair, it can feel like your identity is falling away with it. You may experience a loss of confidence, feelings of confusion, and even a sense of dread. Some men seek hair replacement surgery as a solution for baldness, but this comes with its downsides. It can be expensive and painful, and it does not always yield the results you would hope. What, then, can you do about baldness? Here are a few guiding tips.

1. Work on other aspects of your self-esteem.

Ultimately, your goal should be to feel confident and composed even if you no longer have a full head of hair. This can take some work. Start by spending 10 or 15 minutes a day writing down positive affirmations about yourself. Reflect on positive qualities in yourself, other than your hair. For example, you could write "I have a great sense of humor" or "I have a toned body." Some of these affirmations can be physical, but some should also be non-physical, as this will help you separate your self-esteem from your look.

2. Invest in a hairpiece.

After a few months or a few years of working on your self-esteem, you may decide to embrace baldness and face the world hair-free on a daily basis. But in the meantime, having a hairpiece to fall back on will come in handy. You don't have to use the hairpiece every day if you do not want to. You can just wear it to work or to special events where you feel particularly self-conscious.

There are many companies that make hairpieces for men. Look for one that makes custom pieces -- you need to ensure the false hair matches whatever hair you have left exactly. Hairpieces made from real human hair are the most convincing, though those made from artificial hair tend to be cheaper. You can always start with an artificial hairpiece and then upgrade later if you end up using it a lot.

3. Upgrade your hat collection.

There may be times when you need to leave the house in a hurry, and you don't have time to fiddle with your hairpiece. If you are afraid to face the world as your bald self, a couple of stylish hats can do the trick. You can become "the guy with the cool hat," which is almost as fun as being "the guy with the cool hair." With styles becoming more casual, it is becoming more acceptable to wear hats in public, so don't worry about taking yours off unless you are somewhere very formal like a fine dining restaurant or a place of worship.

4. Prepare some comebacks and answers.

Even with the best hairpiece or hat, there will be times when people comment on your baldness or loss of hair. It's best to get comfortable with these comments and have some comebacks prepared for the times when they come up. You could go with polite responses, like "Yeah, it happens to everyone eventually" or something more snarky like, "I like bowling so much, I decided to go for the bowling ball hairstyle." Having these answers in your back pocket will make situations in which people comment on your hair less trying.

Going bald is never anyone's dream, but it does happen to a lot of people. If you follow the tips above, you can learn to embrace this new quality about yourself rather than letting it run your life. 

Share