Robert B. Brown
In “The Gambler”, a song most famously sang by Kenny Rogers, he states that you have to know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em. It’s about cutting your losses or trying to hold on to what you have. This is a perfect analogy for those dealing with hair loss. How much longer do you want to spend fighting it? Are you fighting a winnable battle? Or is it time to literally cut your losses?
How to deal with hair loss
There are many options to take when dealing with hair loss. Some people are only losing a bit of their hair, so it really isn’t too noticeable. Others age gracefully and just lose the right amount as the years go by. Other times, it appears that a person is losing ten percent of their hair every week or two, and it is not growing back. The severity of the hair loss is going to lead you down certain paths. However, be certain that you retain your self-respect through it all.
Supplements
There are definitely supplements, vitamins, and medicines that have been shown to help keep your hair or even regrow a bit. Most of these require taking a pill or two every day or applying something to the top of your head once or twice a day. In doing so, this is a lifetime commitment. You will have to keep on doing this or lose the hair soon after you stop.
Hair Transplants
We have all seen the infomercials that seem to show that a good hair transplant could be the answer to your dreams. Most of the ones shown are incredible, with the transplants being virtually undetectable. What they fail to tell you is that the full head of hair look that was achieved was a result of probably at least two or more hair transplants. Again, if money is no object, then two or more transplant procedures could be perfect for you.
However, if an average hair transplant procedure is $10,000 and you have at least two of them, you are looking at a cost of $20,000. Plus, in real life and not on infomercials, it appears there are just as many hair transplant failures as there are successes. One telltale sign is the scar strip on the back of their head after they start cutting their hair close to the back.
Concealers
As a man that used concealers every day for five years for my hair loss, I would like to think I am an expert on this topic. It is a good way to fight the appearance of your hair loss, but it does take some time and it comes with a bit of risk.
If your hair loss is near the back of your head and you would like to conceal it, hair fibers are the way to go. Probably the most popular hair fibers product on the market is Toppik. Just scatter some out on your thinning spot and pat down to disperse. Then use a hairspray to keep them in place. The cover-up sprays and cream be just as effective.
I’ve also written a more detailed review on how concealer are working here.
Although be careful about running your hands through your hair. It will come off and get under your fingernails. And it does make it a bit awkward when you are in a romantic situation and they start playing with your hair. It is tough to explain why their hands appear filthy. It can definitely ruin the moment and perhaps make you look less manly in the process. Trying to reason with a woman on why you wear hair makeup is beyond cringe-worthy. I used to have one always ask me why I would turn her pillowcase black when I spent the night. I never had a good answer.
Wigs
There are a lot of fancy names out there for wigs. Of course, men are said to wear toupees and not wigs, but it is the exact same concept. Maintaining and preparing the thing every morning and night seems like a lot of work to me. But some of the ones out on the market now are undetectable.
There is a famous hair system available on the market with several infomercials on late at night. They make it all appear so mysterious. Hair Club for Men says they have a non-surgical hair replacement system available. In their infomercials, they say they add more hair to your existing hair. In my head, I was thinking this was similar to hair extensions of some sort.
I actually made an appointment and met with them. I was ready to be clued into the whole process. The man that met me had amazing hair, and he told me quickly it was one of their systems. Then he started telling me about all of these celebrities that wear their hair system but they are unable to mention it on the commercials because of privacy reasons. Next, they parted the curtain and allowed me to see the secrets of the universe. Or at least on their non-surgical hair system. To put it simply, they shave the top part of your head, super glue a wig or toupee to where they just shaved your head, then they cut and style it to your liking. Not exactly rocket science.
Styling It Just Right
Some men get very creative when dealing with hair loss. They comb it all forward to hide it. They comb it all backward to cover up the spot. They comb it to the side and spray everything in place. This can definitely work for those that still have quite a bit of their hair. It is only when you are facing severe hair loss that this can become quite painful. Spending an hour on your hair in the morning and having it still look bad is not acceptable.
Cut It Close
If you are losing your hair and you are done with the concealers, the styling tricks, the supplements, and the wigs, then the best thing you can do is to take out the electric clippers and take it down as far as it will go. If you leave a little bit of length on the top and take the sides and the back as low as the Clippers will go, it is actually a pretty good look. It’s saying to the world that you are comfortable with yourself.
Just think of all the things you will be able to do again. You can stop wearing baseball caps. You can go out on a windy or rainy day and not be concerned about concealers running all over your face or the wind ruining your perfectly styled hair. You can actually go swimming again!
Take It All Off!
Cutting it close is just one step away from shaving it all off. There is something so freeing about having a completely shaved head. Until you get used to it, it is a bit like walking around naked. Once you do it, you will wonder why you struggled with hair loss for so long. You will be kicking yourself for not doing it earlier. However, make sure you stay in shape or get in shape once you start walking around with the bald look. You do not want to be the fat, bald guy. You want to be the muscular, bad-ass bald guy that chicks love.
The maintenance of it is almost zero. Once every couple days or so, take out the razor and shave away. There are actually special razors made just for this. The HeadBlade is a pretty popular one to use. But almost any razor will do. And you will have so much extra time on your hands now. Plus, it will save you money! No more hair loss shampoos, special products, paying for haircuts, and purchasing hair loss items. Get a little scruff going on the face and keep your head smooth. It is a timeless look.
