Mickey Rourke Hides Baldness

Once a Hollywood heartthrob, Mickey Rourke has more recently been associated with action movies. Now 61, the former 9½ Weeks star has been spotted out and about in New York promoting his new film, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

Despite looking tremendously fit for a man of his age, people have been surprised by the apparent resurgence in his hairline. It would seem Rourke, who has been losing his hair for some years now and was rumoured to have had a hair transplant between 2005 - 2008, is suddenly sporting a thick mop of silver-grey hair.

Rourke's new hairstyle does not, however, conceal his receding hairline one of the classic signs of male pattern balding.

Around two-thirds of men will have experienced significant hair loss by the time they are the same age as Mickey Rourke, so it is no surprise to see his hairline echoing that of the majority. Whilst some men opt for a hair loss treatment programme to regrow lost hair, or shave their heads and accept their balding, Rourke appears to have taken the route of wearing a hair piece.

Hairpiece or extensions?

Rourke has been pictured wearing what looks like a hairpiece, but there is always a chance that he has a weave or extensions fitted. Although these techniques can mask the effects of hair loss, they can also look unnatural and, additionally, are also known to place remaining hair at risk of further shedding.

Extensions and weaves are bonded to the wearer’s existing hair, as close as possible to the scalp. The weight of these new additions places the hair follicles under constant strain, which can eventually stretch them out of shape. This deformation, known as Traction Alopecia, may eventually cause the attached hair to fall out and can prevent future regrowth.

A former boxer, Rourke had to wear long, heavy hair extensions for his award-winning performance in The Wrestler, which may have contributed to his existing hair loss problems.

Traction Alopecia is common in men and women who regularly wear hair extensions, weaves or tight hairstyles such as braids, for long periods of time. Naomi Campbell and Katie Price are both high profile celebrities affected by this particular form of hair loss.

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