Donald Trump vs. Marco Rubio - Who's Hair is Better?

"Combover," "rug," "fake," etc. - these are just a few of the things people have said about Donald Trump's notorious hair-do over the years. But is his hair actually better than Sen. Marco Rubio's?

At Trump's press conference announcing his candidacy for US President, he called out another presidential rival directly: "I have much better hair than he (Rubio) does." 

But does he?

You be the judge:

Photo by PR Photos

 

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rubio is clearly suffering from frontal hairline recession, but his hair-do has yet to become an Internet meme. 

Call it a tie?

Would America Elect a Bald President?

 

US Senator Marco Rubio

Recently, the Washington Post, International Business Times and Newsmax had a go at an increasingly common debate in US politics - does a presidential contender's hairline affect his chances of winning? (Read the full stories here: WP, IBT, NM.) This time the focus is on US Senator Marco Rubio, from my home state of Florida.

On the surface, let's admit it - this notion sounds pretty silly. Would anyone really not vote for a candidate just because he or she is balding? Hopefully not.

However, it would be wrong for us to overlook the importance that appearance does have on the US voting public. Since the classic - and often cited - 1960 TV debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, it's been clear that Americans prefer a 'mediagenic' president. That means someone who is not unattractive, not too old and charismatic. Since 1960, Americans have only elected two presidents over the age of 60 (Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush). And let's not forget how ruthlessly the press often analyzes the fashion and style sensibilities of female candidates. 

So, does a healthy hair line matter? It's silly to say there's any direct link between a candidate's hair line and his or her chances of winning. But it probably does play a subtle role in how they're perceived by the voting public. To that end, it certainly makes sense for candidates to do what they can to keep their hair lines full and healthy.

In the case of Rubio, he would likely benefit from a multi-therapy treatment approach, including Propecia, Formula 82M and Viviscal Pro. A NeoGraft FUE hair transplant might also be needed, especially if he doesn't take action soon, to help restore the crown area and the frontal hair line.

Marco Rubio's Hair Woes?

A new story in Esquire magazine claims Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) - a presumed 2016 presidential hopeful - is "not far off from combover city." Even the Washington Post chimed in, wondering if baldness would hold back this rising GOP star.

The political implications of hair loss is a question that has come up before, with other politicians: Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain, to name a few.

It's interesting to note here that hair loss is one of the only areas where male candidates face personal style or beauty critiques from the political pundits. For women, it's obviously much worse - female candidates are often heavily/unfairly scrutinized for their clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup and hair style. But, for men, it is typically reserved to the combover. 

As the Washington Post noted: 

"We haven't had a bald-ish president since Eisenhower, and balding men in uniform get a free pass. Before that there were Martin Van Buren, John Quincy Adams, and - well, Gerald R. Ford's hair was making a pretty stealthy getaway, if you stopped to notice it." 

So, will Rubio's hair loss affect his political aspirations? It would be foolish to draw a direct connection between a candidate's hair loss and his (or her) electoral chances. However, in our media-saturated culture, appearance is clearly important - and having a full head of hair could help at some (perhaps subconscious) level with voters. 

Politicians shouldn't rule out any advantage - or disadvantage. With four years until the 2016 election, Rubio would have plenty of time to reverse his thinning hair. A NeoGraft FUE hair transplant would do wonders for restoring his natural hair line and filling in those bald spots. That, along with a comprehensive treatment regimen (potentially Propecia, Rogaine, Low Level Laser Therapy), would give him a full head of hair that would certainly quiet the critics.