It’s true, you are getting older, and the men around you are getting older. It’s okay; we’re all getting older. With that honesty being at the center of life, however, we have to be sensitive that people’s acceptance of age differs based on personal experiences. Such self-acceptance can be determined by educational attainments, economic status, professional achievements, familial support, and, let’s not forget, one’s health. Regardless of what a person has or not, if they are living, they are aging.
We’re all getting older – The process of aging and its inevitableness
As men age, it’s common to think that aging equates to balding or some part of it! While hereditary hair loss, called male-pattern baldness is a thing, so is alopecia, and hair loss due to other health-related factors. So, what’s the big deal when a man experiences hair loss? Just like women are told and believe “their hair is their glory,” some men feel the same.
Growing up, many have heard the expression, “your hair is your glory,” which stemmed from 1 Corinthians 11:5, “But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”
Our hair, whether male or female, is our “glory” it’s our “crown,” and it sets us apart. For men, the notion applies, though they have been conditioned since their first celebratory haircut around 4-5 that a bi-monthly haircut will always keep them “so fresh and so, clean, clean,” right Outkast.
So, what happens when that crown shifts and you can’t adjust it how you’d like? There’s a fun solution!
RELATED: The Man’s Guide To Protecting His Hairline At Any Age
Is it time to normalize man weaves?
Women have been known for adding hair extensions for a fuller or better look for centuries! Over time, it went from adding some hair here or there to wearing full wigs, sew-ins, and long braids, in almost any creative way you can imagine – oh, and we’re celebrated for that!
On the other hand, men have been known to wear a toupee here or there, and the ridicule is daunting. Where women were celebrated for their ability to disguise, men were scrutinized.
Given the advancement in technology, it’s time everyone joins with an intellectual acceptance that men deserve the same freedoms as women because men’s weaves are in!
According to an NPR article, “Man weaves, more formally referred to as cranial prosthesis, hair replacement units or hair systems, are a non-surgical procedure to help men who’ve lost their hair — be it through just balding or thinning, alopecia or cancer treatments.”
When men begin balding before their time, it can cause extreme sadness, worry, and even depression. Robert Jenkins, who started balding at 21, says he “had a lot of low self-esteem, I started to get depressed…I wouldn’t go to events. I would stay in the house because I was just embarrassed.” Jenkins went on to get his first installation after his wife encouraged him.
“This might seem a little bit or much dramatic, but I was honestly just grateful to God that we were able to find somebody that can bring that confidence back. Because I did not think that this would be possible at all.” Jenkins says. “I thought that my hair was gone forever, that I would never be attractive … This was extremely life-changing for me.” More of Jenkins’ story can be read here.
Honestly, it’s time to normalize man weaves! Men shouldn’t be scrutinized for how they want to appear! Man weaves build confidence. It allows the man who isn’t ready to let go of his hair to keep it and wear it as he wants. It’s freedom of expression and the space needed that allows him to be the man he wants to be!
Aging doesn’t have to mean balding
Jenkins decided balding wasn’t for him – like many other men. He didn’t want the toupee of yesterday, but the man weave that gets heads turning. The ones that take a 50-year-old man and make him look 30. The man weave that makes you go from fine to foine!
The psychological journey of losing parts of your identity can be trauma-inducing. Being a man doesn’t negate these emotions from forming. Though aging is inevitable, having hair doesn’t have to be. Men can create the look they want, the ones that make them, them! It’s a journey to losing hair, getting man weaves, and being their best selves.
RELATED: Rocking A Bald Head? 3 Essentials For A Healthy One
How can men go bald in confidence?
For those who love an excellent bald head, that works too! The key is no matter how you decide to wear your hair, do so with pride. Some benefits to balding? Genuine acceptance of self and confidence – which attracts! Balding saves time and money, facial hair stands out, and wearing hats gets easier.
Walking in Freedom
No matter how you wear your hair as you age, you have options, and those options should be explored and accepted! Man weaves should be normalized no matter the culture or race! The next time you think of a balding man or if you’re that balding man, remember – man weaves are a thing, and being hairless doesn’t have to be your only option as you age! Man weaves, get into them!