Balding isn’t always a fun chapter in a guy’s life, but I like to see it as an opportunity to embrace a new look. For bald Black men, hair care (or should I say, hairless care) can help your smooth head look stylish.
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What Causes Baldness For Black Men?
Black men go bald for all the same reasons that many men go bald: hormonal changes.
As you age, a byproduct of testosterone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes graying and hair loss. You’ll notice a receding hairline first, which may turn into a bald spot and eventually complete baldness. How early and how fast you bald is often related to genetics.
It’s a MYTH that abrasive hair products or durags can cause baldness. They can cause hair breakage, and you might accidentally tear out some hair if you use your scarf or durag wrong.
But if you tear, break, or shave your hair, it should grow back – unless you’re truly going bald.
Issues Bald Black Men Have To Face
Social dynamics and learning how to keep a bald head happy are often the two biggest challenges that Black balding men face. Let’s break those down:
- You may not feel “macho.”
Especially if you start balding young. Your friends will probably rib you, and you might feel like you’re losing a big part of your identity. None of that is comfortable, and it certainly doesn’t feel manly.
Luckily, on the flip side, there are lots of bald Black men who look great without hair. Michael Jordan, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Foxx, Flo Rida – they’ve all sported a bald head, and they all put their own stamp on it.
That’s one way you can help yourself get past any insecurity or shame. Think of how you’re going to make your bald head part of your personal style. (And if your friends still tease you, remind them that they’ll probably go bald soon too.)
- Learning to care for your bald head is new territory
Once you’re over the initial surprise of going bald, you’ll have to learn how to care for your bald head. The skin on your scalp has some unique challenges – it has more pores than any other part of your body, and it’s some of the thickest skin on your body. But it’s also sensitive and picky.
Just like learning to care for hair, you’ll have to figure out the right combination of habits to care for your scalp.
How To Care For Your Bald Head
When you’re Black and bald, you can follow the same rules that most guys use to care for their bald heads, but consider a few extra steps:
- Don’t throw out your durags.
Not only is it a fashion statement, but a durag can protect your head from the sun and keep your scalp from getting dry at night. They’re just as functional for bald heads as they are for hair.
- Be generous with sunscreen.
Trust me, scalp sunburns hurt worse than regular sunburns. If you’re not wearing a hat, scarf, durag, or other head covering when you go out, be extra generous with some sunscreen. It’ll even put the shine on your bald head.
- Don’t buy into “hair regrowth” schemes.
There are lots of “Regrow Your Hair!” marketing schemes that target Black men. You’ll waste time and money if you buy into that false advertising. Once you begin to lose hair and develop bald spots, there’s no proven methods for stopping it or regrowing your hair.
If you’re not ready to let go of your hair, consider choosing a buzz cut instead of a fully shaved head at first.
Should You Go To The Barber?
Lots of guys like to go to the barber to make their bald head shiny. Your barber can get a better angle on your head and give you a cleaner shave.
But you really don’t need to go to the barber if you don’t want to. Learning to shave your own head at home isn’t too bad, and if you suffer from razor burn, you can try another hair removal method to get a bald head without shaving.
The only reason you should really go to the barber is if you want to wax your head. They’re the professionals on that. Otherwise, it’s up to you.
Are Black Men More Likely To Become Bald?
White men are more likely to go bald than other races, and they’re closely followed by Afro-Caribbean men. Scientists have observed that the closer an ethnic group is to the Mediterranean Sea, the higher the chances will be that men in that enthinc group experience baldness (with some exceptions of course).
Because baldness is tied to genetics, your race does play a role in how fast you’ll go bald. But for a better picture of how long your hair will last, look at the men in your biological family. You share a lot of DNA with them, so you’ll most likely follow their hair loss patterns.
Remember, going bald is nothing to be scared or ashamed of. Prepare yourself ahead of time with this bald black men head care tips so that you can embrace your new style.
Frank Edwards
Frank Edwards is a men's grooming & style expert who is "internet famous" for being able to simplify complicated grooming routines into easy, yet effective rituals any man can do. As a professional analyst, he has spent years researching the biggest brands, products, experts, best practices, and breaking news in the space. He takes this analysis, tests it out on himself, and then documents everything in his writing. As a result, his experience-based articles are considered by some to be the gold standard in men's grooming and men's style.