Why does everyone else think it's so damn funny?

[dietolive]

I mean, why do people feel it's okay to make fun of a man loosing his hair and it's not okay to make fun of a woman whose lost a breast to breast cancer? I'm tired of the snickers and the stares.

 

My heart goes out to this guy to: http://www.baldingbrotherhood....hen-its-real_31.html

 

I hope that the bald guy they got to wear a toupee and have it blown off got paid a lot of money from Wendy's for humiliating himself and all of us suffering from hair loss. I hate that commercial.

[Judge Holden]

Well I used to think it was funny until it happened to me. Alot of people don't realize how much it affects people. I remember one incident where an overweight girl in my class said "you're going bald!" I really had to bite my tongue not to say something rude, but the double standard is annoying because bald men are just supposed to shrug off the insults, and we have absolutly no control over it, as opposed to an overweight person. On the positive side, it has made me much more sensitive to other peoples feelings and I make a point of never joking about someones appearance because I don't know how much it might bother them

[Bill - Seemiller]

I personally find it amazing that most people think it's acceptable to poke fun at a man for going bald, even if it is said in attempt to be funny. On the other hand, most would agree that going up to an overweight guy or gal and saying "you're fat" followed by laughter would be completely inappropriate.

 

I usually try not to sweat the small stuff and laugh at myself when appropriate. But when we're insecure about something, as many men really are about hair loss, I also wish that some people would administer just a bit more sensitivity.

 

I used to worry about my hair all the time. And even though my hair is still a little thin in the crown and from a top point of view, most people I meet just think I have a full head of hair now. While there's so much more important things to life, restoring my hair did give me back a great deal of confidence.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[why oh why]

it's things like that which annoy me... i hate that commercial as well.

 

holden you have much more decency than i do. I wouldn't have thought twice of retorting with "well, you're going fat!", but that's just me, i'm kind of a jerk to people with no sense of personal decency or respect.

 

we all have to deal with the quips. i just wish the non balding knew the feeling.

[Christine]

It's not funny! It also ticks me off when I see the media poking fun at characters with hair loss. You each bring up good points. People do need to understand that hair loss is a serious issue and nothing to joke about. I know I haven't personally dealt with my own balding but I'm certainly sensitive to others experiencing hair loss, especially after watching some of my friends and family members go through it.

[youngsuccess]

I think it's important to recognize the distinction between the public's perception of openly bald men vs. individuals who wear hairpieces. The commercial is obnoxious for sure, but pretty much every facet of the entertainment/advertising industry has used the toupee as a metaphor for artificiality or phoniness by now. It's not fair, but it's definitely not surprising.

 

The whole "guy's wig blowing off" angle has become a basic slapstick comedy cliche that should probably be retired already. And while I don't agree with the commercial, I also don't think that otherwise confident balding men who have never worn synthetic hair should be offended by it.

[mattj]

Excellent point, youngsuccess. In fact I don't think it would be strange for a balding man to laugh at this old comedy clich?©, or in fact to laugh at wigs in general.

[Raphael84]

I must totally wholeheartedly disagree with this. As a 26 year old that experienced extensive hair loss as young as 17, and have cried myself to sleep many a nights. I feel that I have experienced rather intense feelings and hurt due to hairloss. It is an excrutiating pain. But to compare this to breast cancer and the loss of a breast is completely insensitive and totally unnacceptable. Whilst I dont think that this was the intention, I would welcome you to give more thought and more sensitive and sensible comparisons next time!!!!!

[auggie]

Its quite the double edged sword. If u want to do something about it (ht/ toup, etc) your mocked even more because of your "vanity, or insercurity", etc).

however it is shoved down our throughts on every tv show, movie, commercial, etc bald gys are dopey losers.

remember "Cable Guy movie"... God I could have died.. sitting there watching it while my "plugs" were growing in. like a thousand knives.

intersting note.. the only media outlet I ever recall having a 'cool bald uy' was the sitcom "just shoot me" where the photographer was an otherwise normal looking bald guy who always scored with the models. i fund this quite interesting.

this was before the vin disel/travolta- in the new movie- the 'hitman guy", etc where bald has become somewhat cool... but that is totally shaved, not the natural balding "Friar Tuck" look.

sad thing. once you have the rear scars and cornrows.. can't even pull off the shaved head.

my 2 cents!

[TakingThePlunge]

A few years ago my cousin came to town. I hadn't seen him in at least 15 years. He was with his wife and two daughters whom I'd never met. I walked into my dad's house and greeted him with a big smile and my hand extended and the first words out of his mouth were, "looks like you're getting a little thin up there." I could have died. I was really F'n pissed man!

 

Another incident that sticks in my mind was a comment someone made at work. I'm a teacher and my ex and I used to work together at the same school. I used to playfully tease her about her hairdo because it was really big. One day this other teacher is walking by. This woman was extremely homely and overweight. Anyway, she overhears me teasing my ex and goes, "he's just jealous because he's going bald." I was floored since this was not even a friend. I had to bite my tongue to keep from telling her what I thought she looked like.

 

Guys, although hair is our main focus or we wouldn't be here, I think we need to realize that it's not only we balding men who are being targeted. We live in an age when it is ok to bash and belittle a man for anything simply because we are men. The prevailing attitude is that we are stupid cavemen and women are superior, more evolved and flat out don't need us anymore. How many times have you heard people on TV laughing about a guy getting his penis cut off either accidentally or by a vengeful woman? She is hailed as a hero.

 

You guys should read a book called, 'Talking Cock' by British comedian Richard Herring. It is the man's answer to the Vagina Monologues and it's hysterical and eye-opening at the same time. It was given to me by a female friend and I couldn't put it down.

TTP

[auggie]

Odd Story,,, but true.. and along this topic.

 

Was at a playoff party this weekend. Burger king has a commercial out where a guy with 'tiny hands" gets caled on it, when a woman pulls off his foam fingers. funny enough, i guess. (i have long lost my sence of humor at physical issues) one of the women at the party has teledactily(? dont know if i am spelling it right)- its a birth defect where here hands are shrivled and the fingers fused ( I think Jim lampley's wife had it.. and that Lobster boy side show guy).

 

anyway.. a lot of people laughed at the commercial and then the room went deathly silent.. she burst into tears and ran out.. has not been in the office yesterday, or today.

I don't think anyone there was laughing at her.. i think it took a few moments for the connection to sink in.

but once again, madison ave, freak shows an issue for their own $$ gain at someone's emotional loss. doesn't anyone paying for these commercials think twice about the people they might be offending?

It's not F@%&ing funny!

[TheEmperor]

Originally posted by auggie:

Its quite the double edged sword. If u want to do something about it (ht/ toup, etc) your mocked even more because of your "vanity, or insercurity", etc).

 

I actually believe the opposite is true. Getting a HT is an expression of self-esteem.

 

Men learn that if they want good outcomes in any area of life, that they need to be in control of the situation. This is true in business, sports, even relationships. Hair loss is particularly vexing because it is largely out of our control. I dont think it is painful because of vanity, but because its something that is not under our control.

 

I seriously suspect anyone who says HT is "vain", is being hypocritical. Most people are so heavily invested in the rat race where striving to gain control is the foundation of accomplishment.

[Davis]

 

Men learn that if they want good outcomes in any area of life, that they need to be in control of the situation. This is true in business, sports, even relationships. Hair loss is particularly vexing because it is largely out of our control. I dont think it is painful because of vanity, but because its something that is not under our control.

 

 

Very true, I knew I would be in the marketing realm while I was in college, and since I started losing it around the age of 17... I needed every advantage I could just to keep up "appearances"

I am in my late 20's now and have had 3 ht's... Probably one more next year for touching up.

 

A big part of me wishes I never got the first one, as I had to keep getting them to continue to pull it off.

 

Being so young and losing hair really sux, as you will do almost anything to not be an outcast.

 

Even though I have become a concealer whore, I know that the alternative (though much easier to deal with in everyday life) would keep me back as I have to deal with a lot of people from a work stand point.

 

Now that I am almost 30, I feel that with the proper maintenance, even a thinner look can be pulled off well since I am starting to notice my peers have begun to thin...

 

If could go back to 2005 when I took the plunge, I would have definitely held off a few years.

 

I would have done better research on styling and concealers...

 

Gone to Dr Feller first instead of being screwed by karamikian

 

I would have saved more money and gotten fue instead of strip.

 

It's bad enough having to hide HL, however having to also hide a strip scar from ear to ear is just a cruel joke.

 

I am also pretty sure the trauma from getting strip done accelerated my HL.

 

My only question to some of you is, what are some additional tips/ tricks you recommend in hiding/ reducing a scar?

 

If I could buzz down to a #2 on the sides as opposed to a #3 and keep the top around a #4 or #5 gelled, I think I could make it work really well.

 

Thanks

 

 

on a side note, one of the worst parts about a HT is the recovery. Not only the first 2 weeks, however the growth period.

You can literally go through 3-5 years of staying on top of HL through surgery, without even blinking.

If scientists could come up with a way to reduce the over all recovery and growth period it would truly revolutionize the HT industry

[ukbloke]

Re; the humour aspect. It's a male sense of humour thing I think, pick on the weak aspect of one of your team mates looks and take the p*ss out of him for it. Big ears = oy wing nut etc. The thing is to take it for what it is and not take it to heart, wherever we work or play thre will always be some wag who passes a funny comment. Though I appreciate the occasional person takes things too far and gets a bit nasty or personal. One of my childhood memories is the Benny Hill Show and that little bloke who always used to get slapped on the head with a slapping sound effect added.

[xlevelorx]

Honestly, I try to make a joke of it. I laugh at myself and point it out and make a joke of it because it takes the charm away from someone else doing it.

 

I know a lot of women who think men without hair are sexy. It gives you character.

[kathie47]

I just don't think people realize how it impacts you psychologically. Especially for men--lots of guys have shaved heads and it's an acceptable hair cut, so people don't think men going bald is a big deal (even though it is). As a woman I might get more sympathy because long hair is generally seen as a feminine quality and people feel bad for you when you lose that. But it's just as traumatizing for men to experience it.

[aseda1979]

The reality is that you can never make people happy. If you're going bald and you do nothing about it people notice and give their remarks about it.

 

If you are balding and do something about, like an HT for example, people tell you you're vain and blablabla.

[wb280]

Yes, whenever i see bald men together with those with a full head of hair, i just feel the baldies behave and look less confident. Its a disease that people underestimate the impacts on a person's well being. Now if u r talking about ladies with HL problems, its even worse. I dun think the impact is the same, its much more terrible if it happens to the females. sigh.....