by Gregory P. Mac

Created on: July 27, 2009

I have a good friend named Rachel. She's a very likeable brunette in her twenties, and it is an understatement to say that she is very attractive. A few months ago, another friend set her up on a blind date with a man named Michael. Rachel called me the day after the date, gushing about this Michael fellow. Her side of the conversation went something like this.

"He is sooo nice. It's great to find a guy my age who is actually mature. He's an accountant, but he's not like your typical accountant. We talked about everything. I couldn't pick a topic he didn't know something about. And the best thing of all - he's losing his hair! He only has a little bit left on top, and soon it will all be gone. I think he might be the one."

Okay, you already know I'm lying. That conversation never happened. How did you know that? Because that conversation never happens, at least not in the real world. So how do women really feel about dating bald men? The answer, I think, is quite complex. It is an amalgam made up of the woman's age and experiences, her opinion of herself, the extent of the man's hair loss, and his other physical and social characteristics.

Desirable women in their twenties are unlikely to gravitate toward bald or noticeably balding men. One of the network evening journalism shows put this to the test years ago. Two nice-looking young men were videotaped at a local dance club asking young women to dance, with good results. Most of the women said yes. When the men went to a similar club, this time without hairpieces and with balding scalps exposed, the results weren't so favorable. Most women wouldn't even give them a chance. Two of the women who had danced with them at the first club were introduced to the men without their "pieces" and told about the experiment. Both gasped at the men and admitted they probably would have said "no" also.

Having said all of that, there is plenty of hope for hair-impaired guys. It's not uncommon to see alluring women with bald men. An experiment in a nightclub will naturally focus the emphasis on looks, but most couples meet in other ways. A man who is nice, successful, funny and interesting will still draw the attention of many a woman, especially if he takes care of the things under his control. This becomes even more true in time. As a man ages, so does his dating pool. Older women tend to put much more emphasis on the inner man, realizing that things like quantity of hair pale in comparison to much more important traits. There will always be a small percentage of women who absolutely will not consider a man unless he has a full head of hair. Good riddance. Those women are likely to be shallow and demanding in other areas as well.

The good news doesn't stop yet. Over the last decade or two, it has become totally acceptable for a man to shave his head. Psychologically it is a huge step for a man to take, and it is a very important one. A shaved head tells the world that a man not only accepts his baldness, he embraces and perhaps even chooses it. He will stand out in a crowd. If he combines this with dressing well and taking care of his physique, watch out. True, his lack of hair will turn off some women, but it will intrigue and attract many more. Guys like Vin Diesel and Jason Statham don't seem too worried about their hairlines, but they might be concerned about the prospect of being crushed by adoring female fans.

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