Going bald is never a fun time for men, especially if it’s happening prematurely. Going bald can lead to a lack of confidence and even a depression in men.  Going bald is not the end of the world but it can be frustrating for men. It’s important to keep your cool and make some good, rational decisions.  If you’ve woken up to some hair on your pillow and it wasn’t your buddies playing a joke on you, here are some tips on how to deal with going bald.

1. Consult with a doctor.  If the cure to baldness really existed in the form of a 2-hour infomercial on public access television at 2am then it wouldn’t be a 2-hour infomercial on public access television at 2am. Consult with your doctor. The sooner you notice baldness beginning the sooner he can recommend corrective action.


2. Start cutting your hair short.  If baldness is coming, start going towards it gracefully while you explore other options. If you have long hair, the balding areas are going to start standing out more.  Start sporting a shorter cut to minimize the contrast of your balding areas. You’ll also detract attention from other people in the process.


3. Don’t start wearing hats.  If you weren’t the kind of guy who wore hats everywhere to begin with, you’ll only start raising eyebrows if you start wearing a hat everywhere now. Going bald can be embarrassing but the goal should be to detract embarrassment, not bring more attention to the thing you’re self-conscious of.


4. Don’t grow out the hair you do have.  Whether your intention is to “make the best of what I do have” or to try and cover up the bald areas with longer hair, stop. At best this is a short-term fix and it’s one that tends to look ridiculous, calls more attention to your baldness, and will only get more difficult as the baldness spreads.


5. Don’t Fool Yourself.  Toupees, hair plugs, spray-on hair, comb overs, the list goes on. All of these things look bad, fake, and you aren’t fooling anyone so don’t fool yourself either.  Pretty much the only baldness “cure” that isn’t a waste of time and money are products that help stimulate your own hair growth and even many of those are snake oil. When they work, it looks natural because it is. Everything else can be spotted from a mile away no matter what the advertisements say.


6. Elicit the opinion of someone you trust.  Ask most people “can you tell I’m going bald?” or “does this hairstyle look bad?” and you’re going to get a very polite, non-confrontational response.  Guys, when a woman asks “do I look fat in this?” Would you ever consider telling her the truth if the truth wasn’t “no?” The same applies here.  Most people are going to be polite and tell us what we want to hear. If you have a no nonsense friend or family member who will tell it like it is, run it by them. Does that toupee look fake? Can you tell I’m combing it over? The answer is likely yes so find someone to give it to you straight.


7. Consider Shaving your Head.  As men, it’s socially acceptable to shave our heads. If your baldness is weighing on you that heavily, consider being done with it altogether. It’s a cleaner, more aesthetic look than toupees or plugs. Embrace it and save a ton of money on shampoo and conditioners.

Balding is a process that many men will have to face in their lives. It is important to respond gracefully and reasonably when you realize you’re losing your hair. There are a variety of legitimate products on the market that can help and also a lot of snake oil as well so research is important, as is consulting with a doctor.

Good luck.