The Benefits of Being Bald

Text by Alex van der Hoven; Images provided by Alex

Have you ever wondered if there is a simple way to improve your diving experience? The good news is that there is: being bald! My name is Alex, and I'm bald. So, let me tell you why this is a good thing!

Then, while diving, hair can also cause many frustrations. Hair can often get in the way of putting on your face mask before and after getting wet. Whether you just did a mask removal and replacement, and now your mask is tangled in your hair, or you've got that leak that won't go away because of one strand of hair stuck in the mask seal – hair can be a real nuisance.
 Maybe you're tired of having to tie up your hair or squeeze and pull your hair through that tight hoodie for a cold dive. What about after an ocean dive? The saltwater causes your hair to get tangled, and without a shower and conditioner, it might just stay that way. Then there is the business of shaving that moustache off, or your mask won't seal properly. These are just some of the issues you can say goodbye to once you start living the bald life.

Once you say goodbye to hair, every mask strap is comfortable. Your hair never gets in the way during a mask clearing. The post-dive shower and dry-off take 5 minutes or less. If a bald person ever showers for over 5 minutes, they are just wasting water.

Let's not start with how easy it is to put on the tightest hoodie; it just glides over your scalp. When I did my scuba instructor certification, I had to remind myself that others might not have my huge advantage. I had to remind myself on numerous occasions to include hair issues and how to deal with them while diving, something which, for years, I had completely forgotten about.

Seeing students' reactions underwater when I pretend to pull my 'hair' back when I put my mask back on after a removal and replacement demonstration never gets old. Not to mention the confused faces of those who weren't paying attention during the briefing, seeing their bald instructor stroking his scalp underwater.

I wasn't always as bald and beautiful as I am today. I was born in 1996, and for 15 years, I had a full head of constantly messy and curly hair. I had a small bald patch on the back of my head when I was younger, which we presumed was a birthmark or something similar. It was only when the bald patch got larger and was joined by another bald patch on the top of my head that I realised something was askew. After a quick visit to the dermatologist, alopecia was diagnosed without any other symptoms.

Alopecia is an immuno-disorder whereby your immune system mistakenly attacks your hair follicles, causing them to become inflamed, resulting in ultimate hair loss. Each person has a different overall response, and hair loss can come and go throughout your life, but there is no known cure. There are various treatment options and ways to manage hair loss with varying amounts of success for different treatments and people. I did try just about everything, and, no, there is no magic wand guaranteed to bring your hair back.

Depending on the amount and type of hair loss, you may have a different diagnosis. This was a daunting diagnosis, and at the age of 16, I had progressively lost every hair on my body, including my eyebrows and eyelashes.  I had gone from Alopecia Areata to Alopecia Universalis. At that time, it was not a source of pleasure. It was more like needing to climb through a hole -- nothing severe or life-threatening, but definitely a hole! I will never forget walking back to class after Mr Warwick Taylor, a teacher I will never forget (since he was my game changer), proceeded to shave off all my hair after pulling me out of class because we had to do something about the…situation. I had been covering massive bald patches with hair that was busy falling out—dreading the avalanche of hair on my pillow every morning and the constantly blocked drain in the shower. Holding on was worse than letting go, and the time had come for me to do the latter.

The beginning of losing hair can be slightly stressful. Things do tend to change quite quickly. People may start treating you somewhat differently because you have no hair. I mean, NO hair. I still remember meeting a Reach for the Dream member on a flight back home from Port Elizabeth who thought I had cancer and insisted I contact them as soon as possible. I am not going to lie to you; it was tempting. I had been in dire straits – holding onto whatever I had left. Then, after I was bald as a coot, I stopped worrying about it.

In later years, I had the pleasure of many joyous discoveries, some of which I mentioned earlier. Little did I know that my 'loss' would become my superpower. After I had just let it go, my life improved, but that took a while. At 17, I realised my baldness had many advantages. It was not a disability. It can be for good or evil; it's up to you. With that realisation my attitude changed, and if you can relate to my story, I encourage yours to do the same.
What changes in diving, you may ask? Very little. Your life is way easier in many ways, but there are one or two things to remember. For instance, if you are prescribed medication, you'll need to ensure it's conducive to diving by mentioning it to your dive doctor or contacting DAN to check.
Be careful of the sun. A cap and buff will become your best friend. Use sunscreen. Beware the cap tan. When your eyelashes are gone or short, a pair of close-fitting sunglasses can make all the difference in keeping sand out of your eyes on a windy beach. Always wear a hoodie to protect you against the sun and prevent you from getting cold since you have no more insulation on your head. A buff works well underwater and in water too warm for a hoodie.
Your nails might become a bit weird because, well, nails are basically hair as well. This does not affect everyone, but you may need to be aware of it.

In the long run, the main side effect of having little or no hair will remove many more problems than it gives. I haven't bought shampoo or conditioner in over ten years. Slightly more moisturiser, though, which brings me to my last tip. Keep that scalp moisturised!

It is important to note the positive effect diving had at that time and to this day. It allows you to experience the world uniquely with guaranteed company since you never dive alone. A safe space where it does not matter what you look like; if you dive, you are always part of a team. We all look the same underwater, anyway. The inclusiveness of diving may ultimately be better than the best medication (and not just for those who lost all their hair). It's always important to stay active and involved in an inclusive and caring dive community. It allowed me to rediscover myself and become who I am today. I discovered my passion for diving and, ultimately, teaching others to dive. Something I have completely fallen in love with and have enjoyed for the past three years as an instructor and ten years as a recreational diver.

My diving journey began with a search for adventure. Diving restored and rebuilt my confidence: a gift from the diving community gave me for which I will always be grateful. Anyone with a rare medical condition, which may or may not have a social impact on their life, should consider diving as a sport. It has the surprising and unexpected ability to free you to be who you were always meant to be. Just remember to take it slow at first and always see a diving doctor before you begin your adventures into the underwater world to ensure there are no complications for you to be aware of as a diver. Then take it step by step as you learn to dive, including an environment/centre that will allow you to do so. Small things may apply to you and you alone, which you may only learn about once you start diving. The importance of always wearing a hoodie, even in pool sessions, to avoid intense sunburns on my scalp was one of the lessons I had to learn very quickly.

The last piece of advice is to have as much fun as possible. Diving and interacting with an accepting diving community is one of the best places to simply be yourself, whether it's a place to escape from reality for a while, or a chance to regain your confidence; diving tends to offer you precisely what you need.

To those living with alopecia who may be having a tough time, be bald, be beautiful, and be yourself. Don't let baldness disable you; let it empower you! No one in this world is like you, and it's about time you realise it.

About the author
Alex van der Hoven is a full-time Scuba Instructor based at
7th Heaven Scuba in Gauteng, South Africa.
Connect with him on:
On Facebook: @alex.vdhoven
Instagram: @alexvdhoven