Until now.

State College photographer Steve Tressler is currently working on an exhibit glorifying the beauty of bald women. Not women with crew cuts. Not women with soft fuzz. Bald women.

"Everyone's complexly smooth," Tressler said. "I find a lot of women look beautiful without hair."

When he completes his exhibit, projected for Spring of 2002, the show will start an American tour, kicking off at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and hitting major cities thereafter.

While some women shear their locks to spite what they see as male-dominated views about female beauty or mom's constant requests to "get those bangs out of your face," many bald women are the victims of disease.

Tressler's exhibit features both, but he is considering creating two separate shows — one for women with shaved heads, and one for women suffering from alopecia areata, the leading cause of hair loss.

"It's an auto immune disease, where your body is attacking your hair follicles," said Vicki Kalabokes, chief executive officer of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. "It can range from patchy to total hair loss."

Inspiration hit Tressler a few years ago when watching a talk show on alopecia. But short of photographing the TV screen, Tressler had no idea where to begin.

"It seemed impossible," he said. "I thought, 'How am I going to get bald women to agree to be photographed?' "

Tressler saddled up to the Internet for information and support groups and established contacts all over America.

So far, more than 30 women have come forth to bare their heads, either by removing their wigs or by taking a Bic to all ready short tresses.

The shoot usually lasts about half a day, with a variety of outfits and locations for each model.

"I talk to them a little beforehand to see what they're interested in," he said. Most photos reflect the personalities of the women, showing them posed with prized pets or, in the case of a swimmer, picturing her poolside.

The prints also reflect Tressler's commercial background: the soft lighting, strong makeup and colorful wardrobe choices strongly suggesting professional portraits — which is the intended effect, he said.

"I didn't want it to look scary," he said. The photographs also have been digitally retouched to ensure a cleaner image and remove any unwanted blemishes or marks.

Though the majority of women who suffer from alopecia prefer not to go unwigged, those who have stepped in front of Tressler's lens responded well.

"A lot of them love that (to be photographed)," he said, adding a support group leader who he photographed said it's going to help women go out without their hair and feel attractive.

Participating in this exhibit helps women cope with undergoing a physical change that they see as negative, said Keith Nelson, Penn State psychology professor, by reinforcing the notion they are attractive and not alone in their illness.

For Kalabokes, the exhibit has important political meaning, adding she hopes many people learn about the disease through the exhibit because public awareness leads to acceptance.

Though Tressler admits he's unsure of the therapeutic value of his work, he hopes to send a message.

"All women are beautiful, with or without hair."