Caring for Bald Heads

The skin on the scalp of the head is normally protected by a covering of hair. However bald heads and shaven heads are exposed to the elements - pollution, and sun. Indeed the damage from the sun is worse than on the face as the light hits the top of your head before it gets to other parts of your body. Bald heads that are not cared for will develop skin that is dry and flaky, and you stand the chance of developing skin cancer on the top of your head. Here are some of the things you can do to protect yourself:

1. You still need to shampoo even though you have no hair. You need a very mild shampoo or soap that will remove oil and dead cells from the surface of your scalp but will not irritate the skin. If you develop flakiness, start exfoliating to get rid of the dead cells.

2. You then need to moisturise the head every day. Use a moisturiser that has a high SPF factor sunscreen incorporated in it. In the summer, use pure sunscreen and reapply often. The trouble with oily sunscreens is that they look bad and the oil runs into the forehead. Therefore use a non greasy sunscreen and reapply frequently. There are some branded sunscreens and moisturisers that are designed just for bald men, but as with other products, you need to experiment to find out what works best for you. Standard sunscreens and moisturisers may do a better job.

3. When the sun gets really hot, wear a hat even if it is just a baseball cap. It will protect your head better than anything else.

4. Some men like a nice glossy shine on their bald heads. One way to ensure this is to exfoliate the head, using a scrub (choose one that works for delicate womens faces, and you won't go far wrong). The reason scrubs increase shine is that they remove all the dead cells that dull your head. There are some gel moisturisers made specially for bald heads to apply after the bath and make the dome shine.