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heres the link.
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article/0,2823,s1-7-180-0-630-1-2-2,00.html
some good links to other articles about the topic
here is the article.
Into Thin Hair
Going bald isn't every man's nightmare. Just yours. Read this and your next haircut will make you feel a whole lot better
Why do we say "losing hair" and not "gaining head"? Probably for the same reason we say "losing virginity" and not "finding sex." When it comes to these two sticky topics, looks and performance, men can be so inherently pessimistic.
But if you--yeah, you, the guy with the failing follicles--want to continue to project the same confidence and virility you did when you had a full head of hair (and steam), you need to accept that you haven't changed. Only your looks have. And our looks are supposed to evolve.
To that end, think of your head as a country, with you as president. Your thinning hair is a hot-button political topic. You, as president, can either tell the truth--while putting a positive spin on it, of course--or get caught in a visual web of lies. Positive spin, in this case, is a damn fine haircut. With the right style, you can look smarter and more powerful, even presidential--whether your problem is a receding hairline, a bald spot, or a full-blown "horseshoe." We can't make you president, of course, but we have spoken with a man who can make you look like one: Jeff Sacino, head hairstylist for NBC's The West Wing. Take his advice, then smile for the camera.
Pick the right scissor hands.
Barber or stylist? It's like choosing between Best Buy and Bang & Olufsen. No wrong answer; just different levels of right. Bottom line: "Find the person that does the best scissor work for you," says Sacino.
The barber: Barbershops are assembly lines for haircuts, says Sacino. The less hair you have, the more logical this choice, especially if you just want it simple and short (or if the thought of going to a hair salon makes your testosterone boil). But if you're not sure what you want--or if you want something specific--a barber's likely to disappoint.
The stylist: "Stylists will always choose a hairstyle that fits your face," says Sacino. "They'll take the time to justify the cut and tell you why it'll work for you." Why? They're trained to, and you're paying them a lot more than you would a barber. (Ah, if only balding men could pay by the strand.)
Recast your hairline fractures.
Men usually try to combat a receding hairline in one of two ways, says Sacino. They grow their hair a little longer and slick it back, or they try to structure their 'do to look like it used to. Both are mistakes. Instead, strive for volume. "If you want that ?important' aura, with your hair thick in front and strong throughout, use a light gel in your hair and blow it dry while fluffing with a round brush," Sacino says. Your haircutter can teach you how.
If blow-drying goes against everything you stand for, "cutting your hair shorter and leaving it more natural can be best," says Sacino. He points to the cooler style of Wing's Bradley Whitford. "His character is not going to look in the mirror and blow-dry his hair.
So we keep his hair looking as if he got out of the shower and let it dry on its own." The more conditioned you keep it, the shinier it looks and the more natural it stays. Leave-in conditioners (see "Hair Today, Here to Stay," above right) keep your hair fluffy and textured, which makes you look as if you have more of it.
Guys who do it right: Nicolas Cage, Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Willis in the Die Hard films
Lengthen your hair by cutting it.
Men often believe that the longer their hair is, the more it covers up their bald spot. "That's absolutely not true," Sacino says. "When you grow your hair long, it separates," creating a valley that goes all the way down to the shiny scalp. Keeping the hair shorter--but not too short--gives it a feathering effect, in which one group of hairs covers the next. "The men with power on our show have short, very clean-looking hair. We're talking about the president's staff. Their look is power."
Also, when your hair gets this thin, avoid styling gels. "They're the worst because they grab too much hair and show more baldness. Stay with creams and texturizing lotions and you'll get a much more natural look."
Guys who do it right: David Letterman, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins
Put on a good face.
It's long-held dogma that facial hair can look good on a balding man. The key is not overdoing it--think Connery, not Kubrick. "You want to wear a beard that shows your face," says Sacino. "The less you cover a man's facial expressions, the better he looks." Unkempt facial hair is jarring, especially if the hair around your head is clean-cut. A mustache and goatee need to be trimmed to the same length and touched up every couple of days. If you go with a full beard, Sacino points to the way actor Richard Schiff is groomed for the show: "A structured beard with stiff lines does not look good. Use thinning shears to tailor it so there are no hard lines, so it looks natural."
Guys who do it right: Sean Connery in any role without a rug
Banish the bald man's bad boob job.
That would be the comb-over. If you're left with a horseshoe--little or no hair on top and a lot on the sides--keep it as neat and natural as possible. To be taken seriously, show your extra skin and tailor what hair you have left. With a shorter cut, you take attention away from the hair and put it where it belongs, on your face. "Ed Harris can play any role because it's about his face," Sacino says. "When you see him, you never think about his head. It's about his dialogue, his eyes."
Guys who do it right: Harris, Patrick Stewart, James Gandolfini
Spit-shine your chrome.
Lots of balding badasses--from Willis to Michael Chiklis to Samuel L. Jackson--have shaved their heads clean to great effect. But the question for us not-so-badasses is, Can we carry the role? "A shaved head is a tough look," says Sacino. "Vin Diesel shaves to look stronger and have a more dominant presence onscreen. Frankly, I don't think the average guy who wears a suit to work should do it." But you'll never know until you try. Buzz your hair to stubble, then shave with cream and a razor, as you would your face. Don't like it? Don't worry--it'll grow back.
Well, whatever's left will, anyway.
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article/0,2823,s1-7-180-0-630-1-2-2,00.html
some good links to other articles about the topic
here is the article.
Into Thin Hair
Going bald isn't every man's nightmare. Just yours. Read this and your next haircut will make you feel a whole lot better
Why do we say "losing hair" and not "gaining head"? Probably for the same reason we say "losing virginity" and not "finding sex." When it comes to these two sticky topics, looks and performance, men can be so inherently pessimistic.
But if you--yeah, you, the guy with the failing follicles--want to continue to project the same confidence and virility you did when you had a full head of hair (and steam), you need to accept that you haven't changed. Only your looks have. And our looks are supposed to evolve.
To that end, think of your head as a country, with you as president. Your thinning hair is a hot-button political topic. You, as president, can either tell the truth--while putting a positive spin on it, of course--or get caught in a visual web of lies. Positive spin, in this case, is a damn fine haircut. With the right style, you can look smarter and more powerful, even presidential--whether your problem is a receding hairline, a bald spot, or a full-blown "horseshoe." We can't make you president, of course, but we have spoken with a man who can make you look like one: Jeff Sacino, head hairstylist for NBC's The West Wing. Take his advice, then smile for the camera.
Pick the right scissor hands.
Barber or stylist? It's like choosing between Best Buy and Bang & Olufsen. No wrong answer; just different levels of right. Bottom line: "Find the person that does the best scissor work for you," says Sacino.
The barber: Barbershops are assembly lines for haircuts, says Sacino. The less hair you have, the more logical this choice, especially if you just want it simple and short (or if the thought of going to a hair salon makes your testosterone boil). But if you're not sure what you want--or if you want something specific--a barber's likely to disappoint.
The stylist: "Stylists will always choose a hairstyle that fits your face," says Sacino. "They'll take the time to justify the cut and tell you why it'll work for you." Why? They're trained to, and you're paying them a lot more than you would a barber. (Ah, if only balding men could pay by the strand.)
Recast your hairline fractures.
Men usually try to combat a receding hairline in one of two ways, says Sacino. They grow their hair a little longer and slick it back, or they try to structure their 'do to look like it used to. Both are mistakes. Instead, strive for volume. "If you want that ?important' aura, with your hair thick in front and strong throughout, use a light gel in your hair and blow it dry while fluffing with a round brush," Sacino says. Your haircutter can teach you how.
If blow-drying goes against everything you stand for, "cutting your hair shorter and leaving it more natural can be best," says Sacino. He points to the cooler style of Wing's Bradley Whitford. "His character is not going to look in the mirror and blow-dry his hair.
So we keep his hair looking as if he got out of the shower and let it dry on its own." The more conditioned you keep it, the shinier it looks and the more natural it stays. Leave-in conditioners (see "Hair Today, Here to Stay," above right) keep your hair fluffy and textured, which makes you look as if you have more of it.
Guys who do it right: Nicolas Cage, Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Willis in the Die Hard films
Lengthen your hair by cutting it.
Men often believe that the longer their hair is, the more it covers up their bald spot. "That's absolutely not true," Sacino says. "When you grow your hair long, it separates," creating a valley that goes all the way down to the shiny scalp. Keeping the hair shorter--but not too short--gives it a feathering effect, in which one group of hairs covers the next. "The men with power on our show have short, very clean-looking hair. We're talking about the president's staff. Their look is power."
Also, when your hair gets this thin, avoid styling gels. "They're the worst because they grab too much hair and show more baldness. Stay with creams and texturizing lotions and you'll get a much more natural look."
Guys who do it right: David Letterman, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins
Put on a good face.
It's long-held dogma that facial hair can look good on a balding man. The key is not overdoing it--think Connery, not Kubrick. "You want to wear a beard that shows your face," says Sacino. "The less you cover a man's facial expressions, the better he looks." Unkempt facial hair is jarring, especially if the hair around your head is clean-cut. A mustache and goatee need to be trimmed to the same length and touched up every couple of days. If you go with a full beard, Sacino points to the way actor Richard Schiff is groomed for the show: "A structured beard with stiff lines does not look good. Use thinning shears to tailor it so there are no hard lines, so it looks natural."
Guys who do it right: Sean Connery in any role without a rug
Banish the bald man's bad boob job.
That would be the comb-over. If you're left with a horseshoe--little or no hair on top and a lot on the sides--keep it as neat and natural as possible. To be taken seriously, show your extra skin and tailor what hair you have left. With a shorter cut, you take attention away from the hair and put it where it belongs, on your face. "Ed Harris can play any role because it's about his face," Sacino says. "When you see him, you never think about his head. It's about his dialogue, his eyes."
Guys who do it right: Harris, Patrick Stewart, James Gandolfini
Spit-shine your chrome.
Lots of balding badasses--from Willis to Michael Chiklis to Samuel L. Jackson--have shaved their heads clean to great effect. But the question for us not-so-badasses is, Can we carry the role? "A shaved head is a tough look," says Sacino. "Vin Diesel shaves to look stronger and have a more dominant presence onscreen. Frankly, I don't think the average guy who wears a suit to work should do it." But you'll never know until you try. Buzz your hair to stubble, then shave with cream and a razor, as you would your face. Don't like it? Don't worry--it'll grow back.
Well, whatever's left will, anyway.
