What is baldmaxxing? Alex Albring, explains why men are embracing hair loss: “It was the most liberating feeling”
As “baldmaxxing” spreads online, one man explains how shaving his head transformed his life.
From the creators of “mansplaining” and “manspreading,” we presume, comes “baldmaxxing,” a concept every man who fears losing his hair prematurely needs to learn about, if they are not already familiar with it.
“Baldmaxxing” is all about embracing baldness rather than fearing it. But for every guy who could not care less about going bald in their 20s, you suspect there are just as many who are petrified by the thought. Alex Albring fell firmly into the latter category.
Losing hair, losing confidence
“When you see all your friends in your 20s with a full head of hair, and then you start to lose that, you feel like maybe you lack something that they have,” Albring, who began losing his hair at 22, explained to Yahoo.
So what can you do about it? A wig or toupee is among the more extreme options balding men can turn to, although there are other, more subtle alternatives. None, however, are guaranteed to work.
Alex tried to hide his perceived problem with over-the-counter drugs, anti-hair loss shampoo and root spray, and he wore some “creative” hairstyles in an effort to limit the damage. Deep down, though, he knew he was merely kicking the can down the road.
A psychological turning point
For Albring, the process of losing his hair became an intense psychological trauma that completely took over his thoughts and his life. “When you lose that, you kind of start to feel like you’re losing a part of your youth and a part of your identity.”
That changed when he took drastic action at 29. Alex described his first buzz cut as “the most liberating feeling, not having to spend so much mental energy everywhere I went, wondering how I looked or how it was being perceived.” He did not realize it at the time, but he had become a “baldmaxxing” convert.
Baldmaxxing: From insecurity to self confidence
Albring, like many others jumping on board with the trend, has turned his hair loss insecurity into mental growth, achieving a level of self confidence he never previously imagined possible. And he has saved a few dollars on shampoo, styling products and haircuts along the way, too.
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