Losing our hair and coming to terms with a new appearance can have a big impact on our confidence. We might feel less like ourselves and not feel as attractive as we did. It can be tough getting used to looking different. The following tips may perhaps be things to consider for getting some confidence back..

1. Consider a new style/expand your wardrobe

Some men use their alopecia as an opportunity for switching up their style or focusing more on the clothes they wear than they’ve ever done before. New clothes can lift us, give us that much-needed boost, and make us feel good about ourselves. If money is tight, consider looking at second-hand clothes apps such as Vinted – whilst they may not be brand new, they’ll be new to you!

2. Hats, hats, hats!

Until you start exploring hats, you may not even know of the MANY styles of hats that are available; baseball caps, beanies, bucket hats, Fedoras, flat caps, Panama hats, to name a few! Hats are much more fashionable now than they were 10 years ago. Hats can help to cover your hair loss if your alopecia is not something you’re comfortable with. But more than that, hats can also offer warmth in cold weather, protect scalps from sunburn in hot weather or just finish of an outfit and add some style. If you are not a regular hat wearer, you may need to experiment and try on different styles to find the perfect one for you. If cost is no object, you could go to a specialist hat shop where you will be able to try on different options and find the perfect one for you. However, there are also plenty of more affordable options available in high street stores and online.

3. Framing features

Men who lose their eyebrows to alopecia tell us that they feel like their face has been ‘wiped out’. The loss of facial hair can make a huge difference to our appearance. One way to give your face some definition back without going for the more permanent brow options, is to use spectacles/glasses. Over the years, many men with alopecia who wear glasses have told us that they have switched their glasses style to a bolder, darker frame as this can make the lack of eyebrows less obvious. Not a spectacles wearer? Don’t worry! Did you know that you can buy non-prescription clear lens glasses? Some people have always worn glasses for fashion reasons rather than necessity. Some men in the alopecia community wear clear lens glasses to help to frame their face. As with hats, it’s about finding the right style for you.

Another option for framing the face are piercings (or fake ones). Nose rings and an earring/s can help frame the face as well and add something extra that can take the emphasis from the hair loss. Of course, piercings aren’t for everyone but it’s something some men with alopecia have chosen to do in order to improve their confidence.

4. Looking good starts with feeling good

Before we can start to think about looking good, it can really help to firstly focus on the things that can help us to feel good! The following are things that other men have told us have helped them to feel good at points when they’ve felt low:

• Exercise – going for a run, walk, swim, cycle or joining a gym can all help to release the endorphins
• Team activities – whether it be joining a sports team or a pub quiz team, getting together with others can help to keep improve our mood
• Taking time for yourself – life can be BUSY and full on. It is important to take some time for yourself to relax, whether that be participating in some mindfulness/meditation, or simply making some time to enjoy something you really love
• Talk to your guy friends about confidence – everyone has hang-ups about their appearance, even those who don’t have alopecia and it can help to normalise some of your concerns. If you would rather speak to other men with alopecia you can join our Facebook group for men and ask how others manage their confidence.