Written by Josh Doyle

Last week, we reached out to the men and women on campus showing signs of silver in their hair, in hopes of lessening their burden. We promised to give that same recognition and support to those with different hair trouble. As promised, we now present you with the survival guide to going bald.

As we males are fully aware, baldness is not uncommon. It is no surprise when we look at older, or even middle aged men, to see an absence of hair on their heads. As we age, hair grows at a decreased rate, causing it to thin over time. Approximately 25 per cent of men in North America will begin losing their hair by the age of 30, and nearly 75 per cent will go bald before they are 80.

Our society deals with hair loss rather well, many opting for the time-tested comb over, while others just shave their heads altogether. Some try to balance their hair equation by growing the remaining hair rather long. This, however, can have a negative effect on your appearance, and the Ontarion does not recommend it.

While losing hair with age seems natural, a more difficult phenomenon to accept is losing it early on. Andrew, a University of Guelph student in his third year, provided some insight on how it felt to lose hair in his early 20s. Similar to last week’s interviewee, Andrew was brave enough to share stories, but not his last name.

“I’d say [I was] probably around 19 when I really noticed it,” he said. “It seemed like my hairline was getting higher, although I liked to think it wasn’t.”

As is the case with greying, most males do not consider their potential to go bald until it starts happening, making the experience all the more traumatic. The truth is, baldness can, and does begin rather commonly in the late teens and early 20s.

The condition affecting Andrew, and most of the world’s bald men, is referred to as male pattern baldness. This is the most common form of hair loss in males and takes the shape of a receding hairline at the front sides, often coupled with a bald spot on the top. It’s thought to be mostly determined by genetics, but stress can increase the rate at which hair falls out.

While male pattern baldness is natural, and does not imply ill health, it can have a negative impact on one’s self-esteem.

“I felt pretty embarrassed when it first started happening,” Andrew said. “I did what I could to hide it from people, like wearing hats a lot. I was worried about girls more than anything.”

This is a common concern for balding men. But while the average woman may find a full head of hair more attractive than none, or hair that is thinning, it’s more often the self-consciousness that comes with hair loss that women are put off by. Studies show that women are commonly attracted to confidence in a man, and a good sense of humour, rather than appearance alone.

Still, many seek remedies for their hair loss, hoping to fight the natural course of events, and science does offer treatments to help. Rogaine is easy to obtain and is shown to decrease hair loss, and sometimes, even encourage new growth. Andrew experimented with this method, but has recently begun to seek other options.

“I tried using Rogaine and it seems to work,” he said. “But, I’m looking into surgeries to fix the problem for good.”

Hair transplants or ‘plugs’ are the option he was referring to. These can have impressive results, like they did for comedian Robin Williams, but can be rather costly, ranging from $6,000 to $20,000 per surgery.

Of course, there is the method of acceptance, and while easier said than done for most, this is definitely a possibility. Famous actor Patrick Stewart didn’t let male pattern baldness slow him down. As captain of the Enterprise in the popular TV show Star Trek, he led a fleet of explorers through space, captivating the attention of millions, being bald since 19.

Clearly it’s not over for you if you’re losing your hair. It’s normal, natural, and you’re not alone. The best thing you can do in the event of losing your hair, is keep your confidence.