Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

Inspired by the obvious on Sunday night.

My personal story:
Im 26. I started losing my hair around 20. It hurt to see small clumps come out in the shower, while washing my hair. I remember a girl telling me NEVER to shave my head in college. More or less saying that bald men were completely unattractive.

I've been shaving my head regularly for the past 2 years. In the beginning, I was using an electric razor once every two weeks or so. Now, I'm using a straight razor once/week. My hair is normal on the sides, but thin in the front and the top/part (typical male pattern baldness areas). It isn't all that noticeable until around 7-10 days, in which case I feel it becomes a must to shave it again.

I think I'm still a fairly attractive guy in terms of physical appearance. I do however get FAR less women now than I did with a full head of hair. Truth-be-told, I never had a problem with women in high school. Some reasons for this could include (beyond the hair):
-in high school/college, you still had the world ahead of you: so money wasn't as big of an issue.
-grinding out micro stakes in one's apartment isn't the most social environment
-I'm in good shape (far, far above the average male), but nowhere near the amazing shape I was in HS/college
-My game never really improved. In HS, just flat-out asking a girl for a date would fly. As you get older? Not so much.


I'm curious to what people think regarding baldness in the outside world. Personally, I do think most bald men look a-like. So in terms of unique appearance, that is a clear disadvantage. Also, I should regretfully admit that I'm referring to "non-black bald men" here, as I think in the African community, it is somewhat of a fashion statement to have shaved/short hair.

Does bald discrimination exist far beyond a sexual attraction scope? Most of our Presidents were/are proud owners of a nice, full head of hair. Could baldness have any effect on potential employment?

Thoughts?

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

Always have a lollipop with you.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

I don't think so. I started going bald around 20 as well. I love it, and I don't think it has interfered with my attraction to the opposite sex, but I think it also has more to do with confidence than actual appearance. If you're comfortable with your aerodynamic advantage, women won't mind.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

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Always have a lollipop with you.

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Im not following


Another reason girls may no longer be attracted to me:
-Fading wit

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

For 26 year olds, it does...


You pool of chicks got quartered at best.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

I think it can be both an advantage and disadvantage, it all depends on your personality. I have a good friend that is 25 and straight up bald, not balding. He does very well for himself as far as females go, much better than some of the people I know with classic good looks. I also don't think you should put much stock into not getting as much play as when you were in HS/College having that much to do with your lack of hair. You have so many options in school that it's really not even fair to graduate. Unless you want your main focus in life to be getting the ladies in the sack, I don't think it's possible to have as much success with women in the real world as you would in school. I guess the moral of my story is that you can be a baldy and still pull quality women, you just need to make up for the potential lack of physical attraction with your personality. Obviously some women won't want anything to do with you, but the same can be said for being short, overweight, poor, toothless, mean, gay (well not really, chicks love the gays), or humorless. I like to think there's a lot of hot girl's with good personalities out there that will like a guy despite their appearance and financial status, but I might just be delusional.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

[ QUOTE ]
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Always have a lollipop with you.

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Im not following


Another reason girls may no longer be attracted to me:
-Fading wit

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Just a reference to Kojak... before your time.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

pics of your head plz. I have a hard time believing you look better with male pattern baldness than a straight shaved head. Unless you're pretty wiry or have a truly oddly shaped head, I feel most dudes, white or black, would do better completely bald. Just my two cents, though.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

Im no woman and Im not bald so take this fwiw.

I have regulary cut my hair short during the summer (1-3mm). I do not get less girls. One of my best friends is going bald so he has 1-3mm all year long. He gets as many girls as the next one.

Maybe this is a Swedish thing though.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

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pics of your head plz. I have a hard time believing you look better with male pattern baldness than a straight shaved head. Unless you're pretty wiry or have a truly oddly shaped head, I feel most dudes, white or black, would do better completely bald. Just my two cents, though.

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Agreed. I think that a shaved head is usually much better than trying to hold onto the hair you have or, heaven forbid, a comb-over.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

why does it have to be seen as "trying to hold onto the hair you have"? why can't that just be what your hair is like. you really have to be shaved or full head of hair? i'm not talking about ridiculous combovers by the way, just a guy who has a bald patch in the back and thin in the front, but he keeps his hair tight and clean.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

It's a function of the size of the bald spot.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

My brother started losing his hair when he was 18 and has had absolutely zero problems getting girls. He shaves it mostly but allows it to grow to stubble occasionally. It's still all about your personality. Unless you have a really [censored] up head shape.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

It exists. It affects first impressions of you, based on the environment. If girls meet you at a club, at night, doing something fun, it's negative. If it's at work, during the day, doing something serious, it's a positive. It makes it harder/easier to fit into these stereotypes. If you wear ripped jeans and are practicing kickflips outside your house, you might get "whats that old guy doing??" but if you switch it up with a tie and some loafers it becomes "i bet that guy's rich!".

It also depends what phase the judgemental female is in. Phase A: 18-25yo is usually looking for someone young looking, just wants to have fun with someone that fits into their existing clique. Phase B: 25+ usually looking more for stability, settling down, etc. Sometimes you can find Phase A that is looking for a father figure type, but they're usually psychotic.

I don't think anyone is fooled per se by the shaving technique. You can tell the difference between bruce willis and patrick antonius LDO, yet they both maintain an individual style. When letting it grow out, a lot of people see it as trying to emulate a non-bald haircut, rather than the real intention, just having a normal haircut that isnt fully clipped.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

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Does Bald Discrimination Exist

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Definitely. Many sociological studies show that on average attractive people are treated better then unattractive people, and all things equal most would count baldness as unattractive. It doesn't help either that in America we tend to have less respect for older people then other cultures, being that people associate baldness with being old
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(and if so, to what extent)?

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Would be difficult to quantify. Depends on the person in question.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

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pics of your head plz. I have a hard time believing you look better with male pattern baldness than a straight shaved head. Unless you're pretty wiry or have a truly oddly shaped head, I feel most dudes, white or black, would do better completely bald. Just my two cents, though.

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Are we referring to me (the OP) or someone else in the thread that I can't find?

I shave my whole head once/week. So at most, it gets to stubble phase. Right now I've gone 9 days and it's slightly higher than stubble, and I despise it.

Also, is there an easy way to upload pics from ur phone online? I have no device to attach my phone to and photobucket is F'ing me hard.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

What would you rather first have a bald spot or receeding hairline.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

i can see arguments for either. a smallish bald spot is really no big deal imo. and a little bit receding in the front is nothing really either. the problems arise in the two extreme cases. the humongous bald spot, and that receding hairline that makes you look like humpty dumpty.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

I'm in pretty much on the exact same timeline as you. Shaved my head at 25 out of need.

I do think bald discrimination exist, and particularly by age. That said, I haven't felt like it is much more than an initial speed bump. Yes for most women, it puts you out of the intitial "I'd sleep with him just based on looks" category, but I'd put that at only 5-10% of the male population anyway. I don't think bald is a straight disqualifier for most women. After that, its all about how you make them feel.

Re: Does Bald Discrimination Exist (and if so, to what extent)?
 

Bald comes right before fat for most chicks up to a certain age, I'd say less than 35. But after that most men are bald in some form or another so it becomes standard. Maybe try hitting on older women.