A new matchmaking site ‘Bald Dating’ was launched in November. It aims to help the path of love run smoother for those of us who suffer from hair loss.
The UK-based (but globally available) dating app was created by entrepreneur David Minns, 47, who is himself bald. Minns was inspired to launch the app because of the rise in ‘hatfishing’, he told Fox News. This is where men with hair loss wear hats in their profile pictures to avoid putting off potential matches.
Not just for bald men
While ‘hatfishing’ might be primarily a male thing, Minns insists the app is just as dedicated to female hair loss sufferers. “Bald Dating was created to give men and women the confidence to focus on dating and not hairlines”, he explained.
However, you don’t even have to suffer from hair loss yourself to join the site. You just have to be open to dating someone who does. And research shows that a lot of women do find bald men attractive. After all, there are many perceived traits associated with baldness, including masculinity, strength and confidence.
How does the app work?
Like many dating apps today, Bald Dating uses a ‘like’ function that allows you to indicate interest in a potential match from their profile picture. If they ‘like’ you back, you can begin to communicate via messaging.
Bald Dating is currently free to use, although its creator has indicated that there will eventually be a fee to use it of around US$8 per month. This will come into effect over the coming months.
Is there really a market for a bald dating app?
The response so far would suggest yes, there is. In the first five days after its launch, Bald Dating amassed over 1,000 users.
Anyone over the age of 18 can join, but Minns says that so far the main interest has come from people in their thirties and forties.
With approximately 40% of men experiencing hair loss by the age of 35 and the same percentage of women by age 40, there is potential for this app to become huge.
Why do bald people need their own dating site?
The truth is that they shouldn’t. In an ideal world, no one would be judged based on the number of hairs on their head, just as they wouldn’t be judged for carrying a few extra pounds.
But this isn’t an ideal world. And while studies have shown that women are attracted to bald men, many of us who are follicly challenged have a hard time applying that to ourselves.
A dating app that is set up purely for people with hair loss might just give us the confidence we need to finally make a connection that lasts.
