Men typically go bald due to their genetics instead of a personal style choice, and as unexpected as it is, the same hormone (DHT) that causes balding on the top of the scalp, also stimulates the growth of facial hair.
It’s almost like nature trying to tell balding men: “Hey, you might be losing some hair on the head, but here’s something better, a thick growth of beard!”
In our humble opinion, bald men with beards simply look better than bald men without beards – no matter what shape your face is.
We think that any beard style from stubble to a wizardly beard is better than being clean-shaven if you are balding.
Want some proof of that?
If by some magic you are not yet convinced that every bald man should be growing a beard, then allow us to present you with some further supporting facts…
Women Dislike Bald But Love a Beard
Although we think you should never grow a beard to please anyone else other than yourself, it’s still true that women appear to dislike hairless scalps…
But also like bearded faces.
There’s a mounting pile of evidence supporting the fact that on average, women tend to prefer bearded faces over clean-shaven faces, and even though it isn’t studied whether being bald would impact this, we like to believe that it does.
So instead of stacking the odds against you by being both bald and beardless, at least you can most likely grow a mean-looking beard to improve your looks.
And the fact is that bald men usually grow better-looking beards than their non-bald peers.
Why you ask?
Because balding is primarily triggered by the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in men who are genetically predisposed to losing their hair.
Yet that same hormone – DHT – also stimulates the linear beard growth, along with testosterone (another male hormone which is also often elevated in balding men).
(If that isn’t the case, then I’m sorry, but at least our guides to growing your mustache faster should be able to help you out).
“So even though you may be shedding up top, it’s likely that you can grow athick and impressive beard as a trade-off.”
Best Beard Styles for a Bald Head
Okay, so are you finally convinced that you should grow a beard to support your bald face? Great. Let’s look at some good beard styles for a bald head
Slightly Shaggy
As seen on Tom Hardy
As far as full beards go, this one is probably the easiest. You have to let the hair grow…and grow. And grow some more. You need considerable length for this, but once it’s there, upkeep is minimal. While there is an obvious shape to this beard (longer on the shin, shorter on the sides), it’s not manicured. Shape it with a trimmer about once a week and in the meantime, let it do its thing. It looks best with a very short buzz on top, but also works well with a completely bald head.
Two-Day Stubble
As seen on Jason Statham
Many famous bald guys have their signature look, and Statham has rocked the two-day stubble look for as long as we can remember. If it ain’t broke, why fix it? This look is easy to get—just literally put down the razor for a few days—and maintain by using a beard trimmer regularly to keep it at the length you want. What’s great about this, though, is that it blends with the stubble on the sides of his head, which gives the whole thing a purposeful, and very cool, look.
Stubble Goatee
As seen on Stanley Tucci
Is this a purposeful bald style or has he just not shaved in a few days? It’s impossible to tell and that’s precisely the point. The stubble provides contrast to the shiny scalp and tempers the look. There’s an ever-so-subtle shape just in the goatee area, suggesting that Tucci left that area with a day or two more growth on purpose, but it’s blended seamlessly for a casual look.
Classic Goatee
As seen on Dwayne Johnson
You can’t get much more traditional than a classic goatee, but that’s where the charm comes from. It’s like the blue jeans of facial hair—simple, iconic, and looks good on pretty much anyone. To get this look, keep hair confined to the chin and mustache with thin-ish lines connecting them. Keep the length the same overall and moderately short.
Full and Rounded
As seen on Common
You might assume that the best way to soften the look of a fully-bald head is to make your beard super angular. However, as shown here on Common, the opposite could be true. When there’s not hair on top to add height, a full beard cut in an oval can help to elongate your face and make it look taller and slimmer. It works best on thick beards, which can really show off the shape, and—heads up, it requires regular trimming.
Full Chin Cover
As seen on Brian Cranston
This style has the same structure as the classic goatee—chin, mustache, lines connecting them —but is super sized. It covers more surface area on the shin and the lines besides the mouth are slightly thicker. It’s also a little bit longer, so offers more coverage. Thanks to the wider shape and the longer length, it looks slightly less shaped than the classic, but still requires the same general upkeep.
Slightly Pointed
As seen on Idris Elba
The beauty of this style is that the shape, while obviously thought through, seems organic. Cool guys like Elba favor a sort of hybrid look and this beard delivers that. There’s obvious length here, which takes a while to grow out, and he’s used a trimmer to keep it shorter on the sides and longer on his chin. But instead of crisp lines, they’re softened on the cheeks and neck to create the illusion that this is just how the beard grows.
The Swashbuckler
As seen on Hugh Jackman
Is this style for everyone? Definitely not. It’s aggressive in the way that it’s old school and unexpected, but that’s also part of it’s charm. A style like this should not be taken lightly. You’ll definitely get attention for it (for the right guy, that’s a plus), but more than that, it takes elbow grease. The handlebar mustache alone takes trimming, shaping, and lots of product to keep it in place. The pointed goatee compounds that. But if you’re going to experiment with facial hair, go big or go home, right?
Manicured Stubble
As seen on John Travolta
For newly bald guys like Travolta, a completely hairless head can be a little jarring. Letting your stubble grow is a way to soften the look and make it look more rugged. It also helps soften the Mr. Clean effect and make it look more like an aesthetic choice (even if it’s not). Use a trimmer to cut the stubble, but not completely remove it, every few days but also make sure to keep your cheeks and neck lines defined.
The Side/Beard Connection
As seen on Sean Connery
One of the patron saints of bald dudes, Connery unapologetically rocked his natural bald look for decades. If you still have hair on the sides of your head, resist the urge to comb it over and channel your inner Bond. Grow your beard long enough to seamlessly connect to the hair on the sides of your head, and keep both trimmed and well-shaped (not too long).
Conclusion
Should balding men go with a clean-shaven face if you shave your head completely?
We think you should not.
And above, we have presented a whole lot of evidence to support our cause that the balding men with a beard is the best choice to go for.
If you’re losing your hair and it has gotten to the point where it just makes sense to let it go, then before you buzz it all off, get a beard going so you don’t look like a bowling ball with a skin coating.