Balding Holding You Back? 4 Office Considerations
Hair loss is an inevitable part of life for many men, with 85% of men over age 50 either bald or suffering from thinning hair, according to the American Hair Loss Association. Unfortunately, despite hair loss being exceedingly normal, there’s significant concern among men that hair loss can put them at a disadvantage in the workplace – and plenty of rumors to support this belief. But does the idea that hair loss can hurt your career really hold water?
The answer is, unfortunately, not entirely straightforward but hair definitely plays a role in workplace power. So what’s a balding fellow to do? These 4 considerations can help you work your thinning hair to your advantage.
Bald Vs. Balding
The first question when it comes to thinning hair in the workplace is are you balding or are you bald? While balding men are seen as impotent and may be overlooked, bald men are viewed as powerful, masculine, and typically wield a lot of control in professional situations. That’s why you’re more likely to see a bald president than a balding one – in the most recent election cycle, there was even media gossip that thinning hair could cost Marco Rubio his chance at the presidency. We just don’t trust a man whose hair is thinning with serious power.
Work What You’ve Got
One advantage of thinning hair is that you can opt to go one of two ways: you can shave it all off and gain the power that comes with a perfectly bald head or you can cover the problem with hair transplantation.
Modern procedures like follicular unit extraction (FUE) use your existing hair to fill in thinning areas. This is ideal for professionals who need a polished look because it’s consistent with the rest of your hair and, as the experts at MAXiM Hair Restoration note, transplantation is permanent since hair from the sides and back of your head is resistant to DHT, the androgen that drives male pattern baldness.
Style It Right
If you opt not to fill in missing hair through transplantation, it’s vital that you style thinning hair the right way to disguise thin areas. Too many men with thinning hair try to grow their hair out to make up for thinning areas or use too much product to shape it. Both of these can actually emphasize thin areas by weighing your hair down. Go for a simple buzz cut and keep your hair close cropped for the best results.
No Bad Hair Days
Ultimately, if you’re feeling self-conscious about thinning hair but don’t want to keep up with a regular buzz or undergo a hair transplant, you can always go old school and opt for a wig. In fact, many celebrities wear wigs, regardless of how their hair looks, because they can’t afford to have a bad hair day. So while many people consider wearing a wig to be a low-class solution to hair loss, take a tip from the celebrities and invest in a quality cover up – and skip the toupee entirely.
No workplace is going to admit that they pass over men with thinning hair for promotions, but the fact is that it’s all a matter of perception. No one wants a leader who looks drained of authority and that’s exactly what thinning hair does to a man still in his prime. Pick a direction – fully bald or thick and luxurious – and go with it.
