Cynthia Nixon wears a hat when she goes out now as her bald head "attracts attention".
The actress has shaved her signature red tresses for a new play, in which her character is being treated for cancer.
Cynthia has got used to her new look but it still causes a stir when she is out in public.
"My reaction when I first saw myself bald was pretty strong. It's suddenly staring at the shape of just your naked empty head," she told New York Post.
"In real life, it's a bit odd. I attract attention. We live on the Upper West Side [in New York City] so going to work, when I take the subway or walk the streets, I wear a hat.
"I sort of like it. It's not a fashion choice, but it's freeing and, anyway, I'm not one who can do anything with my hair."
It took Cynthia several attempts to go completely bald. She cut her hair short and then shaved it, but was left with short stubble at first. A few goes later and she finally sheared off all her locks.
The star considered simply covering her hair for the part, but realised that wouldn't fit in with her busy schedule.
"I first thought about a prosthesis but realised it would take an hour every night to get ready, which meant extra time in the dressing room. I have children, and I didn't want to take more time away from them. My partner and I have a baby sitter but no nanny," she explained.
Cynthia is engaged to Christine Marinoni, who she has a son with. She also has children from a previous relationship.
The star recently caused outrage by claiming she "chose" to be gay, comments she has sought to clarify in a new interview.
When The Daily Beast asked if she was "fudging" the issue of her sexuality, Cynthia was quick to reply. "It's so not fudging. It's so not. I think for gay people who feel 100 per cent gay, it doesn't make any sense. And for straight people who feel 100 per cent straight, it doesn't make any sense. I don't pull out the bisexual' word because nobody likes the bisexuals. Everybody likes to dump on the bisexuals," she said.
"We get no respect. I just don't like to pull out that word [meaning bisexual]. But I do completely feel that when I was in relationships with men, I was in love and in lust with those men. And then I met Christine and I fell in love and lust with her. I am completely the same person and I was not walking around in some kind of fog. I just responded to the people in front of me the way I truly felt."