Do Women Find Bald Men Attractive?

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Plus, style and grooming tips to look your best as a bald man

Co-authored by John Keegan and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: July 24, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Do women find bald men attractive?
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• How Women Perceive Bald Men
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• Benefits of Being Bald
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• Should you try to keep your thinning hair?
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• How to Look Great Bald
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• Key Takeaways

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If your hair is thinning or you’re just thinking about shaving it all off, you’re probably wondering whether going bald will hurt your appearance or dating prospects. Well, we have great news—bald men are quite attractive to most women! The bald look exudes confidence, and studies show that people find bald men more dominant, strong, and masculine looking, as well as more personable. In this article, we’ll show you what surveys and studies say about bald men and attractiveness, plus offer advice on whether you should keep your thinning hair and how to look your best with a bald head.

How are bald men perceived?

Most women find baldness attractive or a non-issue when it comes to looks and dating. Bald men are often perceived as being more confident, dominant, masculine, agreeable, and even taller—all attractive qualities! Men with thinning hair are often seen as less attractive than men with no hair at all.

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Section 1 of 6:

Do women find bald men attractive?

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1. Yes—most women think being bald is a good look on men! If you’re feeling self-conscious about your looks or dating prospects with a bald or shaved head, lay your fears to rest. Several online polls show that the vast majority of women think bald men are attractive and/or that being bald is a non-issue when it comes to looks and dating. For example, one poll surveyed 2,000 British women in 2023 and found that a whopping 90% of them think bald men are appealing!

   • More scientific data backs this up, too. A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science shows that bald men are perceived as more dominant, taller, and stronger than men with full heads of hair or thinning hair.
   • Overall, it seems that going fully bald is associated with masculinity, strength, and confidence, boosting the appeal of a chrome dome to most women.
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Section 2 of 6:

How Women Perceive Bald Men

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1. 1
   Women generally feel that bald men look more agreeable and dominant. In the Social Psychological and Personality Science study, participants were shown images of completely bald men and men with full, luscious locks of hair. On average, the results show that the bald men were perceived to be 1 year older, slightly more agreeable (pleasant or friendly), and significantly more dominant than their full-headed counterparts.
2. 2
   Some women also think going bald makes an individual more attractive. In another survey in the same study, participants looked at images of men with their natural, full heads of hair and compared them to images with their hair digitally removed. Since the same men were used in both sets of images, the only difference between them was whether they were bald or not. The results show that the “bald” men were perceived to be:

   • 13% more dominant looking
   • 6% more confident
   • 10% more masculine
   • 1 inch (2.5 cm) taller
   • 13% stronger looking
   • Up to 4 years older than their actual age
3. 3
   Women also find bald men more “socially attractive” (friendly or pleasant). In another study, women participants were shown images of men (with and without hair) around their same age. The results show that the bald men were rated as more “socially attractive” (i.e., friendlier, funnier, more pleasant to be around, etc.) than their counterparts with full heads of hair.

   • The higher social attractiveness score was boosted by knowing more information about the person (things like seeing a full-body photo or reading some provided character descriptions).
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Section 3 of 6:

Other Benefits of Being Bald

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1. 1
   Being bald is an attention-grabbing look. When you walk into a crowded party sporting a shiny chrome dome, you’re sure to stand out (in a good way) compared to all the other men with full or thin heads of hair. Since baldness is associated with confidence, you’ll give off a self-assured vibe that’s sure to turn heads.
2. 2
   You’ll spend less time and money taking care of your hair. Tired of lengthy morning routines or constantly looking for the perfect products to style your hair? Going totally bald can shave off some “getting ready” time (pun intended) and save you money on shampoo, conditioner, styling products, and barber shop visits.

   • This doesn’t mean that a bald or shaved head doesn’t require any maintenance (we’ll get to that later). But on the whole, you’ll be worrying about what’s on top of your head a lot less.
3. 3
   You may look more mature and reliable. Since baldness is associated with confidence, dominance, looking a bit older, and general likeability, you’re likely to be perceived as more trustworthy, dependable, and capable of getting things done. Some even go so far as to say bald men are better and more successful in business, but there’s no real evidence to back that up (as of now).
4. 4
   Going bald is a chance to reinvent yourself and try something new. If you’re on the fence about shaving your head, think of it as a fun chance to test out a new look. It’s clear that your dating prospects look good with a bald head, so taking the plunge can be a great way to build up your self-confidence and do something for you.
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Section 4 of 6:

Should you try to keep your thinning hair?

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1. 1
   Most women think thinning hair is less attractive than both bald heads and luscious locks. Basically, it’s an all-or-nothing game. Back to that study in Social Psychological and Personality Science: When researchers read descriptions of men to participants and added a third category of “thinning but not bald,” the men with thinning hair were rated lower than both the bald men and men with full head of hair in terms of perceived dominance, strength, and masculinity.

   • This may be because “cover-up” looks like comb-overs give off an insecure vibe, or because thinning or balding hair is associated with aging.
   • Basically, you don’t have anything to worry about in terms of looking attractive if you’re fully bald or have thick, healthy hair. It’s the in-between where men tend to struggle the most.
2. 2
   The choice to keep your thinning hair or go bald is ultimately up to you. It comes down to your preference and what makes you feel confident. Shaving off your hair is a drastic change and it can take some time to come around to the idea. Plus, with more options, medications, and procedures available than ever to regrow hair, it’s totally valid to want to save what you’ve got and reverse your hair loss.

   • Just know that if and when it comes time to shave it all off, going bald is a sleek, confident, and attractive look!
   • If you’re self-conscious about your thinning hair, know that you’re not alone. About 50% of men experience some hair loss by age 50, and 25% of bald or balding men first experience hair loss before age 21.
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Section 5 of 6:

How to Make the Bald Look Work for You

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1. 1
   Take care of the skin on your scalp. Bare scalps can dry out more easily, so lather it up with a moisturizing cleanser formulated for bald scalps when you shower to protect it (and consider a dandruff product if that becomes an issue for you; it’s less likely with a bald head, but still possible). Consider buying a moisturizing cream or oil, particularly one with SPF protection to counter sunburn, to protect your scalp throughout the day.

   • You may also want to up your facial skin care game too, since your forehead will now blend seamlessly into your scalp. Wash your face twice a day with a gentle cleanser and moisturize afterwards.
2. 2
   Consider growing facial hair. When you lose your head hair, some of the definition and structure of your face can get lost. Facial hair can help; in most cases, a closely-trimmed and shaped beard will match the streamlined look of your bald head and give you some shape back.

   • Licensed cosmetologist Courtney Foster says confidence is key to rocking a beard with a bald head. She adds, “Make sure that the beard is lined up and shaped, combed, and trimmed. When you're bald, the focus is your beard. If your beard is not well kept, then you won't look well kept.”
3. 3
   Wear collars that compliment your face and head shape. Your face and head shape will be more obvious without head hair, so a flattering collar can highlight your best features and maintain a good balance between your head and body size. Here are some general tips:

   • Choose a collar that matches the size of your face. For example, if you have a large or round face and head, a bigger collar will balance you out (and one that’s too small can make you look disproportionate).
   • Choose a distance between collar points that’s opposite to the size of your face. If you have a long and thin face, for example, wider collar points can balance you out. If your face is large or round, narrow collar points can have a slimming effect.
   • As a general tip, collars that are super big or super small stand out because they’re uncommon. A middle-of-the-road collar is standard and goes with pretty much anything!
4. 4
   Wear well-tailored clothes to make your new silhouette look proportionate. When you lose your head hair, your overall silhouette (the shape of the outline of your whole body and its proportions) changes. In general, bald men look better in slightly more form-fitting clothes because it matches the streamlined look of their head. However, dress and tailor your clothes to fit and flatter your specific body shape—there’s no one-size-fits-all rule here!

   • Many men assume that an athletic or ripped physique is the only way to flatter a bald head. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to get in better shape, but don’t do it just because you’re going bald. In reality, how you dress and style yourself makes a much bigger impact than the body underneath.
5. 5
   Wear colors that complement the skin tone on your scalp. The skin on your head can have a different skin tone or undertone from the rest of your body, so take this into account when choosing colors. Of course, you can always wear whatever colors you like, but for an ultra-flattering looks consider these options:

   • For warm undertones (greenish-yellowish or peachy in color), earthy and neutral colors like brown, green, warm red, mustard yellow, beige, and cream will look great. In terms of metal, gold is your best friend.
   • For cool undertones (a bluish color), cool blues, purples, greens, and some pastels will flatter you most. Your go-to metals are silver and platinum.
   • For neutral undertones (no standout color), you can wear just about anything! Instead, think about contrast; if you’re very pale, sticking to neutrals and low contrast colors works. If you have darker skin, brighter colors and strong multi-colored outfits (think black and white or red and yellow) can really pop.
   • If you find that you have patches of discoloration, scars, or birthmarks on your scalp, you might consider scalp micropigmentation. This is also called a “hair tattoo” and uses tiny dots of pigment to resemble a very closely shaved head instead of a purely bald scalp.
6. 6
   Be confident! At the end of the day, carrying yourself with confidence and self-assuredness is the best way to rock a bald head; it’s also one of the qualities that people find most attractive! As Foster puts it, confidence is “how you can always look good. Confidence will make you stand out. If you feel good, then you will definitely look good.”
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Section 6 of 6:

Summing It Up: Bald Is a Good Look!

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1. Being bald is in no way negative for your attractiveness or appearance. In fact, surveys, polls, and psychological studies show being bald can boost your perceived dominance, height, confidence, strength, likeability, and masculinity, making you an all-around more attractive person to many women. If your hair is thinning or you’re just ready for a new look, don’t be afraid of shaving it all off—there are a lot of benefits!

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