What do The Rock, RuPaul, and Mr. Clean all have in common?
No, this isn’t one of those ‘so-and-so walked into a bar’ jokes. The three men each share one major gleaming trait: they all rock being bald.
As easy as these famous faces – er, domes – make it seem, being bald isn’t exactly as simple for the everyday, average guy. Oftentimes, men feel insecure about hair loss or the idea of shaving their heads completely, with many worried that it will affect their perceived attractiveness when dating or meeting new people.
So, a few of these concerned men have turned to the internet’s biggest source of comfort: Reddit. The Subreddit for bald men, r/bald, reassures men that they can “lose your hair, not your head” with the help of tips and tricks for embracing hair loss as well as photos and grooming advice.
When it comes to how going bald has affected their relationships and romantic lives, the bald men of Reddit didn’t hold back after one concerned user inquired about how his dating habits would change. And in the end, their answers were surprisingly sweet.
Confidence-Booster
“Nope, it’s actually really helped it because it’s boosted my confidence and it looks better than balding.
Famous saying; some girls don’t like bald men, most girls don’t like balding men.
You don’t even need to go fully clean-shaved. Shaving your hair down to a low grade buzzcut will work wonders.” —tbarks91
Stand Out in a Crowd
“You will definitely stand out but that can be an advantage, trust me. If you’re confident about your baldness I think you can profit from it more than with other ‘haircuts,’ since most people are ‘silently’ scared of becoming bald themselves and are impressed if other people embrace that.
So while some women may be more openly against your baldness, there are just as many who REALLY dig it, seriously.” —e-dude
“Be Proud!”
“I’ve only been shaving my head for a couple of months now, but I honestly believe that girls dig it! I’ve had more comments on my buzzed head and how good it looks then I ever got when I had hair. Buzz it and be proud!” —Srocka
Total Improvement
“It’s improved vastly. I date more often, made more friends that I have in years and met one woman and hooked up with another while traveling this summer. None of that would have happened a few years ago.
My hair was a mess before and so was my confidence. I’m the best I’ve ever been as a human since shaving.” —mutually_awkward
Better Than Ever
“Always did ok, but since shaving almost seven years ago I’ve actually probably done better… I think the stress and anxiety around balding weighs far more heavily on your confidence than owning not having hair. Honestly, I wish I would have started 5-10 years earlier. I think the trick is to embrace it and just keep on working on yourself every day.” —ZimGotTheBug
Embrace It
“Here’s what you need to remember. First, girls like confidence. It doesn’t matter that I am bald. Many girls will still like me because I embrace it. Next, everyone wants what they can’t have. We all aspire to things we can’t have, so focus on the things you can have… Lastly, personal experience. Since I starting shaving my head in November I have been with two girls who at first didn’t know how they felt about being with a bald guy, and then quickly realized they really like it.” —HikerTom
*Eyes Emoji*
“Bro, that shit works like a charm. Looks and attention all over the place.” —Joseph2750
Take It Off
If you’re thinking of going for the big chop, these tools might just be your new best friends. That said, no matter what you shave with or how you do it, the most important grooming tool of all is confidence. Cheesy? Sure. Correct? Absolutely.
This article originally appeared on Men’s Health
