How to Get Men's Haircuts for Balding Men

For millions of men, losing their hair is a harsh reality. Many times men are tempted to compensate for their hair loss by growing what hair they have as long as they can or, even worse, resorting to the dreaded “comb over.” However, going bald doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of bad hairstyles.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Men's Haircuts for a Receding Hairline

1. Accept that going bald is a hereditary condition you will most likely have to live with for the rest of your life. Though there are some treatments on the market, such as hair transplants or prescription medications, most men have to accept the hair they have and learn to adjust their hairstyle accordingly.

2. Grow the front bang section of your hair slightly longer in order to cover up the hair loss, such as actor Charlie Sheen does, for an early stage receding hairline. To achieve this let your stylist know that you want more hair left in the front to cover up the receding portion. Your stylist will be sure to leave the hair at the temples longer in order to compensate for the hair loss.

3. Consider longer hair. Wearing your hair at medium length all over, such as Owen Wilson’s shag hairstyle, is also a great option for masking a receding hairline. The longer bangs are worn over the forehead, and the sides and back blend with similar lengths.

4. Consider short. If longer hair isn’t your style, opt for a shorter men's haircut. Having hair shorter in the front and on top will allow you to blend the thinner hair with the rest. George Clooney or Hugh Laurie both have slight recession at the temples so not much is required to blend the balding spots. Your best bet for receding temples is to keep the hair short so there’s not such a contrast between your hair and the balding temples.

5. Consider a change in hairstyle as the hair begins to recede more. If your hair is still relatively thick everywhere besides the temples you can opt for a haircut similar to Nicholas Cage. Wearing your hair in a medium-short fashion and back off your forehead is great for those who aren’t as self conscious about their receding hair and just want a great look. Sometimes a great haircut is all that is necessary and the receding temples are less noticed.

6. Consider the buzz. Another option for those who can’t be bothered to fight the battle of the bald is to go super short and shave the hair in a “buzz cut” fashion. Think Bruce Willis or Lance Armstrong for great examples of men going super short and still looking sexy. There is a time when covering up your balding head just becomes a practice in futility. Instead of having a bad hairstyle in an attempt to cover up your hairline just go with it and set yourself free. A buzz cut is super low maintenance and looks great on the right shaped head.

7. Opt for a short cut with the top being left only slightly longer if you can’t bear to bare it all. Use some gel to spike the front or top like Kiefer Sutherland. This hairstyle takes the focus away from where the hair isn’t and places it on where the hair is. If you style the hair you have well, the thinner areas fade into the background.

Men's Haircut for a Thinning Crown Area

8. Think short. If your hair is also thinning from the crown of your head you may have to do double camouflage duty. For a bald spot that begins at the crown of your head your best bet is to keep your hair short. Shorter hair always appears thicker, so keeping your hair short on top will help hide the thinning spot.

9. Avoid the "comb-over." As the bald spot grows many men are tempted to resort to the comb over. No matter what you think, a comb over—-growing your hair long on top, parting it to the side and combing it over the balding area—-fools no one and never looks good.

10. Think shorter. Once there isn’t enough hair to cover up the bald spot on top, or the entire top of the head loses its hair, the best look is real short. Again, take a cue from Bruce Willis and take it all off. Shaving the hair super short greatly lessens the obvious contrast between where there is and isn’t hair and actually makes the large bald spots much less noticeable.

Tips & Warnings

• Adding the right styling products can help thin hair appear thicker. Try a volume boosting product and blow dry your hair into place to give your hair more body and camouflage any balding areas.
• Growing your hair very long only makes it look thinner and shows off your scalp more. Growing hair long in the back to make up for a receding hairline will only draw more attention to your hair loss—-remember Michael Bolton’s hairstyle?

[gigi70056]

on 11/30/2008 i am married to a bald head hubby... he has been bald since we met 31 years ago... he has never let it stop him... bother him.. and has never had a comb over... it is just like any other iperfection we may have.. you and you friends or even people you meet will know
that you have that iperfection... but if you are
comfortable with who you are ... so will they be...
why do only some men...and some women have bald heads?
its genes...i do know this...but it is the same as..why some people have green eyes.??? but it is something that makes you.. you!!!

ps.. men... the comb over only makes you look older and dumb... and it can be distracting to a woman... women love men who is happy with them self...cos they know you will be happy with them too..if they have an iperfection..
pss.... you know all women can't be as perfect as me!!!! lol.....

[econ476]

on 10/13/2008 Great tips. I hope a lot of men read this!

[KC68]

on 9/13/2008 My hair receded and then thinned evenly all over the top. No real bald spot yet. If I get it too short on top the scalp really glows. So far the best cut I got is one that gets it short on the sides and back, longer in front but even over the top. Then I gel it and "tussle" it in place rather than comb or brush it. Then just go out and don't think about it.

[patches53]

on 7/10/2007 I have found your article very interesting. However my problem is that I have a slight receding hairline and an ever increasing bald spot. (Double whammy!!!!) but I also wear glasses and find it inconvenient & expensive to wear contact lenses.

I have seen some men who have obviously gone for the recomended really short hair (buzz cut) wearing glasses and they look truly horrendous. What hair style would you recomend for me to avoid this?

Many thanks

Robin PATCHES Ellwood

"Life is a horizontal fall and there is no rehearsal, you have to live it in one take"