Hi, I'm Bob Gearing or, as my buddies like to call me, "Beauty Bob." By day, I'm a well-SPF’d tech sales bro; by night, I'm a red-light mask guy who definitely didn’t think he’d care this much about skincare. Every month, I'll be coming at ya with a real-guy perspective on beauty and grooming because, uh, nobody really taught us about this stuff. Questions? Hit me up @beautybob.
WHEN MY LONGTIME hairstylist Massimo first mentioned Rogaine during a routine cut back in 2019, it hit different. I was probably a few whiskeys deep—always a Sidecar with the service—when I heard: “Ciao bella, when are we going to start Rogaine?” It’s not like I didn’t know my hair was thinning (trust me, I’ve been concerned about this hairline longer than my Lions' playoff drought at the time), but hearing that question out loud suuucked.
More than two-thirds of men will experience male pattern baldness before they turn 50. Despite the rumors, stress isn’t what causes the majority of hair loss guys deal with. It’s genetics—something called androgenetic alopecia—and it can hit the hairline, temples, and crown. Stress can trigger a temporary hair loss called telogen effluvium after big emotional or physical events (like illness, injury, work pressure, or becoming a dad) that shock your system and send more hair follicles into the shed phase. But if it is stress, eventually those hairs come back in less than a year. While I do think stress has played a role in speeding up my hair loss, I’ve learned I definitely have genetic male pattern baldness.
A lot of my boys still won't touch the hair loss conversation with a 10-foot pole. They're either doing their best Jason Statham impression or quietly building their vintage hat collection, and I don’t blame them. I don’t think it’s just out of shame or denial...the world of hair loss solutions is confusing and even dicey. Until I started going down that rabbit hole after my conversation with Massimo, I really didn’t expect to be this overwhelmed. From supplements promising miracle growth to prescription pills with side effects that sound like a scary Netflix pharma documentary, it feels like you need a medical degree just to figure out where to start.
Back in 2019, pre-Massimo intervention. What a time to be alive.
A few months after the Massimo intervention, I decided to try some treatments. I started with the Rogaine, a.k.a. Minoxidil, but after six months of daily use, my scalp was bright red, bumpy, and sensitive to the touch. Maybe I hadn’t done it long enough to see results, but I just couldn’t go on with the redness and sores I was getting. Next, I tried Leonor Greyl Energisant shampoo and serum ($94 and $122, respectively) which have been around since 1968, but I didn’t notice enough change. Then I tried Revela, a start-up bio-tech hair growth serum, which is much gentler than Rogaine, but the brand was acquired and I never could find it again. After that, Divi Scalp Serum ($48 for a one-month supply), but once again I didn’t see enough change. I even tried a weird scalp massage tool my wife told me to use to stimulate hair growth. The costs were beginning to stack up higher than my monthly golf budget. And, more significantly, my wife and I welcomed our first kid into the world, so the time I could spend on the hair regrowth search disappeared faster than the Lions’ playoff run last season.
I finally found something that hit when my son Bo was about six months old, and I got my hands on the HigherDOSE Red Light Hat ($449). According to the brand, it's made to “revitalize your scalp and support healthy hair growth”—ideal for people experiencing mild hair loss, looking to prevent further thinning, or aiming to maintain scalp health. It looks like a regular baseball cap (minus the power switch on the back) and has removable, flexible LED panels on the inside. You can even swap the panels out and put them into your own hat. Plus, the red glow isn’t visible around the edges, so it’s super discrete.
I know how it sounds—a light-up hat? At that price tag? But there’s some very real science here. A 2020 study showed that people using a 655nm red light helmet (that’s the same technology in HigherDOSE) saw more hair per square centimeter and thicker strands compared to those using a placebo device. “Think of it as a recharge for your scalp and hair,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in NYC. “This helps hair follicles enter a more active state by boosting cellular regeneration and strengthening hair follicles to enhance overall scalp health.”
It’s like those recovery light treatments everyone's dropping hundreds of dollars a session on at fancy gyms, except I’m getting it done on my head while sipping my second cold brew on my couch. Same science, zero scheduling required. But here’s the kicker: Consistency is absolutely critical. Red-light therapy doesn’t cure hair loss; it stimulates and strengthens follicles while you’re using it. If you stop, hair loss can gradually return because the underlying causes (genetics, hormones) are still there. Using it daily for four to six months should lead to noticeable improvements in scalp and hair health, then switch to two to three sessions a week to maintain the gains long-term.
Keep in mind you won’t be getting full-on thick hair overnight. Dr. Engelman says early signs of new hair growth can include small dark spots on the scalp, which are new hairs sprouting from the follicles. If you really want to go for the gold, though, Dr. Engelman also recommends pairing red-light therapy with another proven treatment like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, if you can swing it. They can cost $500-$2,500 per session, depending on where you live and who’s administering it. Think of PRP as a more intense, in-office jumpstart by stimulating hair follicles and improving blood supply to the scalp and red-light therapy as steady maintenance you can do at home.
Me wearing the HigherDOSE hat while taking a walk withmy son, Bo.
He’s into it too.
One year in, I'm not here claiming I'm suddenly rocking Jon Snow's flow. But my wife, now my patio barber, has noticed thicker patches during my weekly DIY buzz. (Yes, I’ve dropped Massimo for now, but you can find him at 179 Orchard Street in the Lower East Side of NYC. Miss you, buddy!). More importantly, I've found something that fits into my actual life. I don’t have to worry about any weird side effects, I can wear the hat while I’m going about my regular day, and it doesn’t involve me tracking any creams or foams like I'm managing a fantasy lineup.
Look, hair loss hits different for everyone. Most guys I know either ignore it, hide it, or roast themselves before anyone else can. I get it. But there are real options out there if you want to hang onto what you’ve got—and there’s zero shame in trying them. (Just make sure you choose brands with strong clinical studies to support their claims and if a device looks too good to be true, it probably is.) It's your head. Take care of it how you want. For now, catch me under the LED lights.
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Bob Gearing
Bob Gearing is a New York-based writer covering men’s grooming from the perspective of a very real (and very sweaty) dude. By day, he’s a well-SPF’d tech sales bro; by night, he’s a red-light mask guy who definitely didn’t think he’d care this much about skincare. When he’s not testing the latest face serum, you’ll find him sweating through a round of golf or holding out hope that the Lions will make the Super Bowl before he dies.
