How to hide baldness

Dec, 04 2019 | By Dr. Sangay Bhutia (Hair Transplant Specialist in Delhi)

Hair loss affects people in a variety of ways; first, there is the stress about looking older, unattractive, or becoming the butt of bald jokes, and secondly, there is the psychological impact of it all. There are also different ways individuals react to losing hair, or growing bald; while some find it mentally strenuous and may even feel depressed, others take it in their stride and not let it demoralise them, or hurt their self-confidence.

However, dealing with losing hair is harder in today’s day and age, especially with social media, and sometimes in our jobs, where looking fit and healthy is often important. And hair loss or bald spots can give a sense that the person is not taking care of themselves or leading a sedentary lifestyle. But the good news is there are various ways people can hide their baldness, if they don’t want to get a hair transplant or cannot make up their mind about it.



Here’s how you can hide your baldness:

Hair Microfibers
Coloured microfibers made of keratin, which come in a powdered or spray form, attach themselves to your hair and make it look fuller. These stay on the hair until the next shampoo and can withstand some amount of sweat. They are an easy, instant solution, which is very helpful in hiding bald spots or just making hair look thick. However, it is not a permanent solution to baldness and may not be effective in covering large bald patches.

SMP
A non invasive treatment, scalp micropigmentation or hair tattoo involves creating thousands of micro impressions on the scalp using pigment or ink to give the illusion of hair, or a more fuller appearance. It is a highly specialised technique which places colour pigments in the dermal layer of the skin. It can give the appearance of a buzz cut, and can be used to restore receding hairlines or even scarring from hair transplant procedures.

Hair pieces or Toupée
This age old method of hiding baldness may not be that popular today, but a lot of men who are not completely bald are comfortable with it. The good thing is that you can get a personalised hairpiece which matches your natural hair colour and suits the shape of your face. There are also hairpieces made of real human hair, which look very authentic.

Shaving your head, or growing facial hair
Some men prefer shaving their whole head instead of having hair only on the back and sides of the head, while others will grow a beard. Both of these can take the attention away from the bald or balding spots on the scalp. However, grooming is important in both the cases. Those who are not used to keeping a beard have to remember to keep it properly so as to look well-groomed at work. While those who prefer to shave their head will have to maintain it well and avoid a stubble as a balding scalp is easily discernible even with really short stubble.

Hair Polish, hats, or bandanas
Hair polish works almost like mascara coating the hair to make the scalp look fuller. Hair polish is available in different colours and is very effective for people who have thinning hair. It can make the scalp look fuller instantly.

Some people also prefer wearing hats, scarves or bandanas. These can, however, be a little impractical because you may not be able to wear them at work.

Hair Transplant
Hair transplant is the only permanent solution to baldness, especially when the reason behind it is androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. Hair transplant involves extracting hair follicles from the back and sides of the scalp which are resistant to hair fall, and placing them onto the bald or balding spots. Surgeons commonly use FUE or follicular unit extraction, or FUT or follicular unit transplantation, methods of transplant. While FUE involves extracting single grafts or follicles and transplanting them, FUT involves extracting a strip of grafts, dissecting it into individual follicles and then transplanting them. It is a safe, minimally invasive way of overcoming baldness and delivers natural-looking and aesthetically-pleasing results.

For any hair loss patient, the important thing is that they consult an expert before they opt for procedures like SMP or a transplant. Even those who are not keen on getting a procedure must seek expert advice, so they at least know of the options available to them.