Baldness and height: do taller men lose their hair sooner?

Do taller men go bald sooner? Data from a spontaneous thread

The link between height and baldness is one of those bar-room theories that never quite gets confirmed or debunked. A recent thread with a dozen anonymous accounts offers a small but striking sample: the average age at which participants shaved their heads or accepted their hair loss is around 27, and the average height exceeds 1.85 metres. From the user who shaved at 23 measuring 1.91 to the one who did so at 34 at 1.81, it seems the taller the man, the sooner came the decision to shave. The hypothesis raised at the start — the taller you are, the easier you go bald — finds some support here, though the sample doesn't allow for generalisation.

The striking figure: everyone is over 1.79

What stands out most isn't the age but the height. Of the five who gave their height, none is below 1.79, and the average is 1.87. One ironic comment sums it up: "Suddenly all the forum members are 190". The statistical coincidence is striking: if the average Spanish male is 1.76 tall, this sample is clearly above that. Coincidence or clue? There isn't enough data, but it invites thoughts of self-selection bias: tall men who go bald talk about it; shorter men perhaps don't link it to height.

Workplace discrimination: when looks matter more than talent

Beyond the correlation, one account adds an uncomfortable social layer: "A friend of mine didn't get a job because he shaved his head... he got a hairpiece and found work". The anecdote suggests that, at least in certain customer-facing sectors, baldness remains a stigma that can close doors. The comment goes further, proposing that alopecia should be recognised as a 33% disability. It's an extreme stance, but it reflects the frustration of those who have seen a physical trait shape their career.

From the quiff to reality: the bald man's rite of passage

The thread also captures that moment of surrender: "Once you shave it all off, you accept what's coming". Some drag it out for years with long hair to disguise it, but eventually give in. The age of the first shave varies, but the emotional pattern is similar: acceptance. And a final jab: "When you lose the quiff you lose 10 cm of height", a joke that hides another uncomfortable truth.

---

With this data, the question remains open. The sample is small, but suggestive. What is beyond doubt is that baldness, combined with height, can create windows of opportunity or absurd barriers in the job market. Draw your own conclusions.