Is Burnley FC Midfielder George Boyd’s Hair Thinning on Top?

The unforgiving gaze of the TV cameras has shown another British footballer to be sporting a hairstyle that looks somewhat sparser than it was just a few years ago.

This time under the spotlight is Burnley’s George Boyd who, at 31, would be in prime Male Pattern Baldness age range territory; this genetic condition causes hair loss in vast numbers of men, with a large percentage of these first noticing thinning when they are in their 30s.

George Boyd pictured in late 2016

Thinning on top?

Boyd’s famously long locks have become something of a trademark look for the midfielder, but TV images of Burnley’s recent game against Chelsea appeared to show that the player’s hair was thinning on top.

He certainly wasn’t helped by some drizzly weather conditions, and sweat can also make thinning hair look more pronounced. Even so, the centre parting he habitually sports certainly seemed to be letting more scalp through than it used to.

There’s no need for the player to panic, however. Male Pattern Baldness treatment, as overseen by a specialist hair loss clinic, can work wonders and indeed has done so for many thousands of men. Clinically-proven hair loss products attack the baldness on two fronts; one medication stops the body creating a problematic testosterone by-product in men who are genetically-predisposed to be sensitive to it, the other helps new hair to grow.

Boyd’s hair is certainly not “too far gone” for a tailor-made treatment course to be effective. It is also highly unlikely that he would be the only player in the Premier League to be using treatment products designed to combat Male Pattern Baldness if he did indeed seek out specialist help.

Dealing with hair loss

Whether or not this thinning bothers Boyd, or how he plans to deal with it is unknown. However, in the short-term, whether he decides to pursue treatment or not, Boyd could reduce the amount of scalp on show during games by sweeping it backwards before tying it, rather than wearing it in a centre parting, like Gareth Bale. This style should be secured well enough to stay firmly in place for each half but should not be so tight as to cause headaches or pull on the hairline.

One of many tweets about Gareth Bale's hair loss from the Euro 2016 tournament

We would not advise following in Bale's 'man bun' hairstyle footsteps. The Real Madrid forward has been in the news several times over the past year for what appears to be some rather pronounced thinning, and it has been suggested that as well as Male Pattern Baldness, a condition called Traction Alopecia could be at play. If the man-bun the Real Madrid player so famously sports is especially tight and worn regularly, this can cause severe stress on the follicles, which can lead to breakage and hair loss. This is often seen around the hairline, which bears the brunt of the tension, as well as at the site where the hairstyle is affixed.

Fortunately, Traction Alopecia treatment is often very effective, although there’s no reason that this condition would be an issue for Boyd if he made sure that his hair was not held back too tightly on a regular basis.

What’s obvious here is that any fit young man can easily find himself looking in the mirror and being alarmed by the person staring back. Male Pattern Baldness is not a sign of ageing, as it can actually begin when men are still in their teens. Oftentimes a diagnosis and a quick explaination about the various treatment options available, and which are most suitable, are just the comfort a man needs.