Does going bald hurt your dating life?

The peer-reviewed evidence (Mannes 2013, Social Psychological and Personality Science) shows hair status affects attractiveness in a non-linear, ordered way. A full head of hair scores highest on raw attractiveness and youthfulness. A confidently shaved-bald head trades some attractiveness for gains in perceived dominance, masculinity, height (~1 inch taller), strength (~13% stronger / bench-press) and leadership potential, and looks somewhat older (~4 years), so it remains a respectable option. The clear loser is visible thinning/receding hair (the "balding-with-denial" state), which rated lowest on dominance and worse than both full-haired and cleanly shaved men. Magnitudes are modest single-digit-to-low-double-digit percentage shifts. (Removed: the unsupported claim that older women weight bald/shaved more favorably than younger women — no verified source reports rater-age moderation.)

Evidence & sources

• Mannes 2013, Shorn Scalps and Perceptions of Male Dominance, Social Psychological and Personality Science (SAGE); DOI verified via 302 redirect and web search (

  Across three studies, shaved-head men rated more dominant, taller (~1 inch) and stronger than full-haired counterparts; men with natural hair loss may improve standing by shaving.

• Knowledge at Wharton (UPenn) summary of Mannes study

  Shaved-head men seen as more masculine, dominant, higher leadership, ~1 inch taller, ~13% stronger, but less attractive and older; thinning-hair men rated notably lower on dominance.

• Psychology Today (Ryan Anderson), Do Women Find Bald Men More Attractive?

  Men with thinning hair fared far worse than either bald or full-haired men; bald men rated ~13% more dominant, more masculine/stronger but ~4 years older — 'all or nothing.'