Bald Dudes Perceived As More Macho, Study Claims

Going bald may not be as bad as men think. Men with male pattern baldness who just go ahead and shave off all their hair are perceived as more “manly and dominant” according to a University of Pennsylvania study.

Some 60 participants looked at a series of photos of men, some of whom had shaved domes while others had a full head of hair. The men with shaved heads received higher ratings for attributes such as as being powerful, influential, authoritative, masculine, and so on.

Study author Albert Mannes told Time that “I was surprised that perceptions of dominance and masculinity extended to concrete, physical characteristics such as height and strength.” He also said that instead of trying toupees or hair transplants, “These men might better improve their well-being by finishing what Mother Nature has started.”

Some men in the process of losing their hair try that comb over technique. Mannes suggested that men with thinning hair are better off shaving their heads instead: “The shaved look is more attractive than the visibly balding look. So men suffering natural hair loss may enhance both their dominance and attractiveness by shaving.”

The study was not a complete victory for baldness. Men with a full head of hair were perceived as more attractive and younger than those with a clean scalp according to the findings, however, even though the latter were considered more dominant.

The study was published in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal.

Many pro athletes and actors have successfully adopted the shaved head look so perhaps the study has merit.

Have you ever seen someone wearing a hairpiece that looked real? If you have thinning hair, would you consider shaving it all off and going for the natural look rather than spending a lot of money on other alternatives?

[Image credit: Smobserver]