One of the biggest worries that straight men have when they start to lose their hair is whether women will find them less attractive.
Whether we’re knee-deep in Tinder dates or already struggling to get a date, it’s natural to worry how baldness will affect our love lives.
This article takes a deep dive into whether women like bald men, as well as looking at ways you can make yourself more attractive to the opposite sex as a bald man.
Do women find bald men attractive?
Unfortunately, the reality is that women don’t like bald men. Women like men who take care of themselves, who dress well, who are friendly and funny and easy to talk to, and so on. This is true of bald men and those with hair.
Let’s face facts, if you lose your hair, you’ll also lose points on the attractiveness scale. For some women, this will be a big deal, for others not so much. It’s subjective, but on average you’re likely to become less attractive.
There are a select few women who have a thing for bald guys, so for them you may even be more attractive. But we’re talking in general terms here, and a full head of hair usually makes a guy more attractive than a bald head.
Either way, bald is better than balding, so it’s important to take action and not delay while you worry about whether women have noticed your receding hairline and thinning hair (spoiler: they have!).
Can bald guys be attractive?
Only a small minority of women find baldness a complete turn-off. General attractiveness is about more than just hair vs. no hair, and bald men can focus on things like skin tone, physique and dressing well to be more physically attractive.
The trick is to be so much more than just a bald man. If you lose points on the attractiveness scale for not having hair, move past that by gaining them elsewhere.
Facial hair
When it comes to improving your looks, the beard seems to be the bald man’s best friend. Plenty of bald celebrities are rocking the beard, and facial hair came out as the top physical trait that makes bald men more attractive to the women surveyed.
If you want to know more, here’s a writeup of the best beard styles for bald men.
Physique
Hitting the gym also helps. Something about a bald head combined with a skinny frame makes a man look really unhealthy, while being overweight only adds to the impression you don’t take care of yourself.
Rocking a bald head with a strong chest and arms combo just looks better.
Outfit choice
Starting to pay more attention to what you wear will score more points. There are ways to dress well as a bald man, but in very general terms, women admire a snappy dresser. If your hair has previously made up for the fact that you don’t pay much attention to your outfits, that needs to change.
Tanning
If you have pale skin, getting a tan is another great way to become more attractive as a bald man. A more bronzed dome makes you look much healthier, but it’s important to tan your bald head safely to avoid sun damage and reduce the risk of skin cancer.
The self-improvement mindset
This is all aimed at improving the overall package. Nobody has the automatic right to ‘get women’ without having anything to offer.
On the other hand, self-improvement will overcome hair loss any day. Hit the gym, get a tan, start dressing well, and above all else work on your character.
Refreshingly, the number one way for a bald man to be more attractive doesn’t relate to physical features at all. A 2022 survey by Skull Shaver found that 46% of women advised men to be more confident in themselves in order to appear more attractive:
The truth is that personality goes a long way. If your confidence is based on your hair, you have a problem. The best thing to do is use hair loss as a reason to work on your character. Don’t rely on something as superficial as your hair to make up for the fact that you’ve got little else to offer.
How else do women perceive bald men?
Interestingly, the majority of women seem to think bald guys are also more masculine than those with hair. This doesn’t necessarily make them attractive, but it’s certainly one positive aspect of hair loss.
This may be due to a misconception about why men go bald. One common theory is that baldness is caused by higher levels of testosterone, which leads to them building muscle easier and even being better in bed.
In fact, Male Pattern Baldness is caused by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase which converts 10% of the body’s testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, an androgen that causes damage to hair follicles. Testosterone, which is involved in muscle growth, is involved in the early stages of the process but isn’t actually responsible for hair loss.
Is being bald more attractive for some women?
The evidence shows that, for some women, baldness is not only more physically attractive but it also makes men more masculine, trustworthy, and confident. Not every woman has the same taste in men, but there are plenty who claim to prefer a baldie.
Again, while it’s only a minority of women who have a thing for bald men, there are other ways to overcome the loss of a minor physical feature like a full head of hair.
Many women say confidence is the most attractive quality in a man, and Skull Shaver’s research mentions confidence as a specific advantage for bald men. Having the confidence to shave off your hair is sexy, clinging onto the final strands for too long absolutely is not.
Not all women have a thing for bald guys, of course. Some have no preference at all. Again, hitting the gym is a good way to get an advantage here. All else being equal, most women will go for the bald guy with the big shoulders to lean on over the skinny guy with the flowing locks.
Does baldness affect dating?
Baldness can affect dating, but in most cases, it won’t be a dealbreaker. There are plenty of ways bald men can make themselves more physically attractive, and most of the time, bald men have no trouble at all with dating or their sex lives.
Of course, there are some women who do find baldness inherently unattractive. Dancer Ola Jordan once said:
“According to science, bald men are more attractive because being hairless makes them look more masculine. But for me, a full mop of hair is what makes a real man.”
But don’t worry guys. For every Ola who finds a lack of hair to be a dealbreaker, there are plenty more who will date bald men if they are attractive in other ways, and there are even some who are specifically (and sometimes exclusively) drawn to bald men.
At 6:15 this morning I realized I have a thing for bald guys
— liz (@lizntaylor) April 5, 2019
One survey found that 97% of women claimed that minor hair loss had no effect on their willingness to date a man, while over three-quarters would be more than happy to date a man with ‘severe’ hair loss.
Again, it’s about relying on more than just your hair to get a date. If you’re worried that baldness will make you unattractive, do what you can to make up for your lack of hair in other areas.
Personally, I’ve met women who found baldness unattractive, but thankfully there was one in particular who quite liked it.
Can bald guys be models?
While there are bald models out there, the fashion industry generally likes to stick to a generic look so as not to distract from the clothes. This makes it harder for bald men to break through, but it’s not impossible and there are some successful bald models.
Tyson Beckford is possibly the best known, famous for being the face of Ralph Lauren and the host of Make Me A Supermodel. Beckford shaved his hair rather than being naturally bald, but his lack of hair certainly never held him back.
What does Reddit say?
“My partner lost his hair so shaved it, combined with his lovely beard honest to god he’s the hottest thing in the world! Embrace it!” (u/galactic_kidd)
“Hair or no hair, it is demeanor and smile and eyes that I usually find attractive :)” (u/rosesnrubies)
“I LOVE bald men, especially if they have big bushy beards. Don’t do anything differently – bald men are sexy in and of themselves.” (u/searedscallops)
“Bald is a good look on lots of men. Awkward comb-overs aren’t a good look on anyone. Embrace what you’ve got (or haven’t) and make it work for you.” (u/GingerLaJoie)
Conclusion
Asking the question “do women like bald men?” is a generalization in itself. There are women who wouldn’t go near a man without a full head of hair, and there are others who find it a massive turn-on.
If you’re worried about baldness affecting your dating or sex life, the first thing to know is that some women find bald men unattractive. However, most women find balding men unattractive. If you’re trying to cling on to your hair when it’s clearly thinning, reach for the shaver right away.
Finally, if you see hair as the only reason you’re attractive to women, this is a massive red flag.
Hit the gym, make sure you get some sun on your newly bald dome, and dress well, and you’ll stand a better chance of finding a date.
After that, it’s all about attitude. Having the confidence to face the world just as bald and sexy as you are is something the majority of women find attractive.
Work on other aspects of your character. Be more confident in who you are and have the self-awareness to understand and overcome any negative elements of your character that you think might be holding you back.
The aim should be to improve so many other things about yourself that it outweighs your hair loss ten times over.
If you can do this, the dates will roll in.
