If you’ve got a baby face, it doesn’t mean a beard isn’t in your future. Just get a beard transplantDoes the power of beards know no bounds? We knew they were wildly popular as of late because, you know, we have eyes, but The New York Times today reports that beard transplants are on the rise (and, yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like). Hair surgeon Dr. Jeffrey S. Epstein informed the paper that about ten years ago, he used to perform five or so transplants a year. Now, he says he does about three a week. While we can blame part of that on grooming trends, it’s also thanks to technology that makes the transplants way less obvious. Previously, hair plugs would be made of several hair follicles in one, creating a patchy appearance. But now, they can be done one by one to make something more real. Science!

During the procedure, single hair follicles are taken from the back of the head, where hair is thickest, and find new homes in the beard region. What comes next is a natural, functioning, growing beard. It’s certainly not cheap, though. For the men surveyed by the Times, costs ranged anywhere from $4,000 (for filling in some patches) to $22,000 for the full monty. Though we should note that the guy who dropped $22,000 had three procedures done—the first for a general transplant, the second to make it denser, and then one more touch-up.
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While you may be scratching your own god-given beard at all this, the motivations behind it are not that suspect, or even purely cosmetic. Though Jose Armos concedes that he “wanted that stronger, manlier look,” he also mentions that his natural appearance interfered with his work as a paramedic. “It was hard for people to trust me because I had that baby face.” We can’t blame the dude for wanting to be treated like a man and for wanting people to trust in his care. No shame in that. Nor is there shame for Ray, who preferred not to give his last name but summed it all up quite eloquently: “A lot of guys go through a midlife crisis and they buy a sports car. I just got a beard.”

These days men of all ages and ethnicities are embracing their bald heads. And guess what? The men who do it with stylish confidence are a hundred times sexier than the men who try to fight time and hide it. Handsome men like Jason Statham, Stanley Tucci, and The Rock all make a bald head look cool. That means you can stop wearing a hat all the time. Instead follow Tim McGraw's lead and show off your thinning hair. To help with this often painful process, we asked celebrity stylist Nick Stenson how to ace the transition from thinning-hair guy to totally bald guy.

What should you do if you just noticed that your hair is thinning?
In the very first stages of thinning hair, the first thing you're gonna want to do is to try and camouflage it. There are products now that can make your hair look thicker than it actually is. So you can keep the same style but start using different products. Instead of a gel, mousse, or pomade, now you should use a texturing spray or a volumizing powder that will create more grip and texture, giving the illusion of thicker hair. A lot of products work to separate the hair, making it look more see-through, but these actually work to make the hair look less see-through. Try Matrix Texture Builder, a dry shampoo with a little grip. Or Matrix Height Riser which adds texture and thickness. Put it on at the roots and rub into dry hair.
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Should you shampoo your hair less?
There are a lot of studies out there that say that over-shampooing can clog the follicle so that the hair won't grow. To avoid this you should switch from a regular shampooing schedule to using a cleansing conditioner, which removes dirt and crud but leaves your natural oils. Biolage makes one specifically for fine hair.

Does wearing a hat make things worse?
Yes, that's the worst problem. Guys that are wearing a hat all the time are creating their own male pattern baldness. They're not allowing the sweat glands to breathe, and they're clogging the follicles, which prevents hair growth. You need oxygen in order to produce the oils that help your hair grow.

What's the next step?
Go as short as possible. Because when your hair is shorter, it looks thicker. People are afraid to change the look that they have had for so many years. They worry that others will notice that their hair is thinning. But people will notice either way, so it's better to change your hairstyle. Then they'll notice your new haircut more than the fact that your hair is thinning.

How do you know if it's time to shave your head?
When you have one spot that is completely missing hair. Whether it's the back donut-hole area or the temples are now so far back that you're all forehead, it's time to get rid of the hair. There's nothing worse than when guys have just a few pieces of hair on top that they try to style. That looks worse.

What about medication?
Start early on by talking to your doctor. There are a lot of medications for male pattern baldness. They tend to work best if the follicles aren't already destroyed.
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What about hair plugs?
If you go to somebody very reputable and get them done, they can look amazing. But if you're dealing with hair that is so far gone and trying to re-create a whole head of hair, it's going to look very unnatural. Plugs have come a long way. But there's no cheap way to do them, and they'll take two to three different transplants. It's a pretty invasive process with a substantial recovery time.