Some men age gracefully. We see them front and center in movie posters and magazine covers. They’ve embraced it. Of course, many of them have giant piles of money and herds of yes men to tell them how amazing they are. You can’t overlook the power of a good yes man.
The rest of us aren’t so lucky. We don’t see an errant clump of hair clinging to the shower drain and revel in our aging process. We start breathing rapidly, desperately trying to force the hair back on our heads with sheer will power and end up sobbing on the shower floor in the fetal position.
Ok, so maybe that’s an overstatement but most men don’t handle it well. We’ve all seen them: the man with the obvious comb over flying in the breeze of his topless new sports car. It’s not too late for you, however. Before you start researching which sports car you want, here’s some tips for slowing and gracefully accepting your inevitable hair loss.
Get a ‘do’
The easiest way to cope is to shake things up. You’re used to seeing yourself in a certain way, with a certain style. Now that your hair is refusing to work with you, embrace the change. Your barber or stylist could probably suggest a new style that will minimize the impact of a few missing follicles.
Shave it off
If you’re really angry at your hair and blame it for all your woes, you could just shave it off. No one would have to know you were going bald. This could just be your choice after binge watching Breaking Bad for the 5th time. The shaved look has become more popular lately so intentional hair loss has become a viable way of hiding unintentional hair loss.
Cover it up
The simples and most obvious solution to something going on upstairs that you don’t want people to see is to put a roof on it. Get a hat. While you may not look as cool as Indiana Jones rocking a fedora in a rain forest, there are many styles of hats to choose from and any of them will hide your slowly expanding forehead.
Slow it down
Maybe you’ve only lost a few hairs. It might not be too late to save what’s left. Making a few simple changes could slow the process down and get you a few more years rocking that lion’s mane on your head. First, stop attacking your head with a towel after each shower. If you have loose hair that just pulls it out. Gently pat your head dry. And speaking of showers, don’t shampoo every day. Your hair needs the oils it produces to be healthy. Experts recommend shampooing three times a week.
Accept it
Of course, the best answer is to just accept it. Every man will eventually experience a receding hairline or some thinning in the crown. And hair loss occurs earlier in men with more testosterone. So the balder you are, the manlier you are. Remind yourself that you don’t need piles of money or movie posters or a full head of hair to be a man. And if you need a yes man, I got you. You look great man. Don’t change a thing.
