As a guy who noticed he had inherited this trait, doomed from both sides of my family, at 22 years old, I’ve progressively adjusted my hair style over the years.
It’s been about 8 years now where I just started buzzing it off, and do this once or twice a week. And, I like it.
I look back on pictures where it was longer, and it’s quite alarming how much more BALD* I look leaving what’s left longer and darker, than just buzzing it. It’s almost like the hair I let linger was actually accentuating the higher forehead, because we’re good at noticing contrasts.
So, I’m just curious how other guys with MPB handle the decision of, “is less more?”
*While there was somewhat of a grieving period when loosing my hair, it’s never bothered me to the point of feeling insecure about it. I just like to figure out what looks best on me, with what I have to work with.
I’m a male with a full head of hair, but in my opinion, bald/balding guys look best with close-cropped hair, especially if you have a “patchy” baldness.
I’m also of the opinion that young men shouldn’t feel too self-conscious about having a receding hairline or a widow’s peak, because I think it can be a good look if you keep it short (think Chris Meloni; nobody would tell him he looks like a feeble, aging man to his face).
Well, it’s a very tough self-image change, especially if it happens fast. In my case, I’m fairly fresh out of high school, and BAM! thinning hair around the hairline, and in another year or two, full on receding. It’s a tough thing to adjust to for a lot, especially if it begins early on, like in my situation. Friends you bump into after a couple years hardly even recognize you.
That aside, it certainly depends on your face and the shape of your cranium. Of course, present day fashion is a factor, but for guys like me, a bit baby-faced and round, no egg-shaped dome or other undulations, I think going down to a buzz looks best.
Those more longer in the face (like my brother-in-law), I can see how shaving it down might look silly on him, but I have noticed that every time I see him, the over all length is getting shorter, and shorter.
I hear ya. I didn’t want to flood the poll with infinite options, but the general idea on this one is, you wouldn’t crop it that short, if you had a full head of hair.
Widow’s peak being the V line style of hair, Norman Osborn’s hairline? That’s got nothing to do with male pattern baldness. Widow’s peak looks rather cool usually (like V shaped eyebrows, if you like coolish Supervillain/Master Criminal looks).
I tried shaving smooth for a while, but it was more gorram trouble than having hair was, so I went to the short buzz and bi-weekly (or so) maintenance. Almost ten years in.
One side of the family gave me thick strong hair, the other side gave me a seriously receding hairline. This means at a certain short length my hair sharply spikes and sticks up, and is resistant to all control.
I would keep it short and maintain it myself, but that’s too much like hard work. So in order to avoid constant visits to the Barber, I let it grow to a decent length before getting a trim.
I wish I had hair like most other people do, manageable and stylable, but I have always had dorky hair, and it’s no big deal to me how it looks. I ticked the “don’t care” box.
Yep. It’s a real hassle. In a day you’ve got stubble, and in two, well time to shave again. I don’t mind the Bic Bald look, but it is more trouble than it’s worth when a nice buzzed look, looks good if not better, anyway. YMMV.
I let it grow until I begin to look too much like Bozo (it was very curly back when I had it) - then I get cut down to a #5 or so, and start over. That’s a haircut every two or three months, I think.
I formerly had long hair. One day I saw a picture of me getting out of a pool or something, and my hanging wet hair looked horrendous, like the bald spot was metastatizing across my skull. So I gave in and cut it short…
My dad has MPB (bald on top, not on sides or back), same as his father. I believe my maternal grandfather was the same as well, but I don’t remember. Anyways, I’m 31 and to the best of my knowledge, showing no signs whatsoever of balding (am I in the clear?). Having said that, I currently keep my hair pretty damn short to begin with (No 1 on top, no guard on the sides). I’d have no problem keeping it stubble or shorter if was balding and it looked better that way. When it’s freshly cut, you can already see my scalp on the sides.
I keep a standard cut and part… although the tip of the part is slowing sliding backwards. The thinning on top is still only thinning. I don’t quite have a bald spot yet. And I definitely don’t comb-over. I expect I will eventually move to a buzz cut and finally a full shave. But I’m not there yet.
