It’s easy to spot BYU men on the BYU campus who are experiencing early onset hair loss.
Many of these men are in their early- to mid-twenties and don’t know how to deal with the unexpected issue. The hair stylists on campus have answers for them.
“First I usually recommend them buying a professional product that will help them,” said Alena Lopez, a stylist at the BYU on-campus salon, Studio 1030. “We have in store a product called (nioxin) that can help with their regrowth. But for the most part it just preserves what they have left.”
Fellow stylist Julia Barrow suggested that those who are serious about trying to grow their hair back talk to their physician. Dermatologists can recommend perspiration strength options that cater to each individual case. But, according to Web MD, even these products are more successful when used to preserve existing hair growth rather than to grow hair back.
Professional and medical products can be expensive, so for many men styling options are an attainable solution.
“It depends on where they’re balding, and it depends on how much their balding. That determines what haircut I would recommend,” Lopez said.
Here are four cuts that provide style when hair is lacking.
1. Thinning on top
This type of hair loss is limited to the top of the head in the center. The hair is thinning, but there is still enough to style.
“Depending on their hair type you do some kind of messy thing,” Barrow said. “You can bring it forward or push it to the side or doing some kind of a messy thing to make it look like you have hair.”
2. M-shaped hair line
When hair lines begin to recede on the sides but the center of the hair still comes forward it is called an M-shaped hairline.
Barrow said in this case it is possible to grow the side pieces longer and pull them forward in the styling.
3. Balding spot
Bald spots generally occur at the back of the head. They begin by thinning but will eventually have no hair growth.
If the hair is beginning to thin, Lopez says, as long as her client is comfortable, she will keep giving them a stylized haircut in the front. Once the spot is more pronounced, however, the best option is a short, buzzed look.
4. Extreme hair loss
All hair-loss roads lead to extreme hair loss. Barrow and Lopez agreed that there comes a point when a man should accept the fact that he has substantial hair loss and opt for a “close buzzed style.”
“When it gets to that point where it’s just a couple pieces of hair, then it’s time to just buzz it,” Lopez said. “That looks more flattering and sharp.”
For men, deciding to shave their head can be scary. “I think they feel like they are going to look older if they shave their hair,” Barrow said. “But really they look older because they look like they’re balding. Depending on how they’re balding I can hide it with a style.”
BYU students agree with the sentiments of these stylists. Sophomore Tyler Holle said students should rock the President Eyring-look when they start experiencing major hair loss.
“You gotta own it, and if that’s what God blessed you with on your head, then you’ve got to be grateful for it,” said Tanner Apeland, a sophomore.
Being confident in any style decision is the most important part of the choice. “They have to be comfortable,” Lopez said. “But they need to trust their hairstylist.” Lopez recommended going to several salons and asking for multiple opinions to find a stylist that is the right fit.
“Do you want me to make you look hot or not?” Lopez said. “Do you want to get phone numbers? Because we know what looks good.”
