Study: Bald Men Viewed As More Powerful

BOSTON (CBS) – For many men "bald" is a curse word. A new study says a clean shave can be a clean slate to a better and more confident life.

Boston has historically important domes and follicle-challenged domes. Along with weathered domes, are men with "don't know whether to shave it off domes."   The simplicity that makes great architecture can also work for a man's head.

"It's the power of the shaved head look," says Professor Al Mannes of the Wharton School, who did a massive study on shaved heads.

Mannes showed pictures of men with hair next to the same guy losing a battle with Photoshop. "Men when pictured with shaved heads are viewed as more dominant, more masculine, and in some cases, taller and stronger than men with hair."

A lot of guys are completely consumed with the idea of going bald and even joining the comb over club. While they can picture the life-altering changes, this new study says it can actually improve your life.

An unscientific poll of women on the street agree that "shaved" beats "thinning."

"I think it's sexy, I think it says you are confident. You don't need hair on your head. And you're not straggling on to those last few hairs trying to make it work," says a woman we polled.

Steve Levitt, a Newton dentist, says you only have two options.

"Grow it and comb it over, or shave it off. That's what I decided to do. I can't tell you how many times you go out to dinner and people say, 'We go to the same barber!'"

Rich Firicano of Firicano's Barber Shop in the North End agrees the thinning "do" is a don't. "They're not trusting the comb over to do the job it's supposed to do."

But there may be a downside.

"They may be viewed as more dominant and masculine, but may make you less attractive. So hair is a symbol of beauty in this culture," says Professor Mannes.

There's no downside in the eyes of the confident and successful Dr. Levitt, who says, "if I had George Clooney's hair or Tom Cruise's hair, I'd keep it. But I don't."