Author Topic: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"  (Read 22267 times)

Offline skeeball

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When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« on: June 16, 2017, 05:21:02 PM »
I shaved my head a few years ago and did the 30 day rule, but grew it back... for three years, not cutting it at all. I liked the longer hair, but I also like variety and decided to shave it again in late March. I stuck with the shaving routine for about a week before letting it grow back again for about a month and a half.

What shocked me, though, is that as my hair was growing back for that month and a half, I found that my hair had thinned ridiculously in the three years since I'd last shaved my head. When I shaved my head and did the 30 day rule in 2014, everything grew back nicely and I had a full head of hair, but it seems that in the three years of having longer hair, my hair thinned out ridiculously. I knew that I had been losing a lot of hair when it was longer, but I assumed that it wasn't out of the ordinary, but that I was just noticing it because I had much longer hair. Here's a picture that I took of myself in mid-May (after a month of letting my hair grow back):



To be honest, if I hadn't done the 30 day rule several years ago, this would have devastated me. I spent about a month and a half looking at myself with this lack of density in my hair and was sort of in shock. Family and friends were even pointing out (fortunately, not making fun of) the fact that I was losing my hair. I even asked them if they noticed before and the answer was no. Having the longer hair did a decent job of concealing the hair loss, but without it, it's pretty obvious that I'm losing hair. So I've gone back to shaving my head since the end of May, and I've been doing it at least every other day. I've gotten to a point where it's just part of my daily routine. It's kind of a good feeling to be more stressed about losing my hair than it is about shaving my head, because when I shave my head, it makes the hair loss problem go away.

I don't know what I'll do with my hair next, but I'm definitely keeping it shaved through the summer. I feel like I've hit the point where it's got to be all or nothing with me. It probably isn't particularly popular around here but I like the look of longer hair on me, so that's a positive, but I don't think I can pull off shorter hairstyles without my balding being obvious... and that's fine too, because I know that I look fine bald. I don't fear losing hair, and it's also sort of nice to get to a point where I'm starting to feel more confident being bald. Even when I did the 30 day rule, I would often wear hats and when I woke up every morning, I would always second guess whether or not I should shave my head or just give up and let it start growing back, which I ultimately did on the 30th day. Now, it's more like "well, I'm going bald, embrace it," and I don't wear hats as often (but I definitely use sunscreen) and when I get up in the morning, shaving my head is just like brushing my teeth in the morning, something I do without thinking much about it. It's a good feeling, and even if I'm not "bald for life" yet, I'm definitely prepared for a day where that may be my only good option and to be honest, it'll sort of be a relief to not have to worry about deciding what to do.

Here's a photo from about a week ago... I definitely need more beard though.


« Last Edit: June 16, 2017, 05:29:37 PM by skeeball »



Offline reddog

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2017, 06:37:10 PM »
Yes, my friend, you're going bald, so your options are limited.

I've been BBC for 4 years now, and last winter I grew my hair out for about 6 weeks. I noticed a little receding in the front. I also dislike how I look with a buzzcut and seeing the white hair makes me feel like I look older.

So, I shave my head every morning, and I still like sporting a bald head. Most of the people I hang out with at car shows now, have never seen me with hair. Sometimes someone with ask about my shaved head, and ask how bald I was before shaving. I usually just say mother nature started it, so I finished it. I get alot of "it must be cooler in the summer" comments.
Bald by choice, and loving it!

Offline skeeball

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2017, 06:57:05 PM »
It really doesn't bother me that much, although I'll admit, having options is nice. I think the only sort of frustrating part is that while I can still get away with longer hair (as in, six inches or more), I know that the process of getting to long hair will involve several months of showing off my balding head. Bald is pretty awesome, but balding, not so much. I'll probably still make a go at growing long hair at least once more before it's totally impossible, because I like it but honestly it's also kind of fun to just show up out of nowhere having gone from long hair to none, but for now, I'm sticking with bald until at least September or October.

Offline J_Scott

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2017, 07:27:05 PM »
As another balding dude with a shaved head, I think you look good shaved. From your pic it looks like diffuse thinning, you could probably still pull off a all over zero buzz or an zero on the sides one on top. Still looks good though.

Offline skeeball

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2017, 10:04:11 PM »
As another balding dude with a shaved head, I think you look good shaved. From your pic it looks like diffuse thinning, you could probably still pull off a all over zero buzz or an zero on the sides one on top. Still looks good though.

I don't know, I've never really liked the zero buzz, or any buzzcuts for that matter. Not sure why, but I've never liked short hair. It probably sounds crazy, but I like having either really long hair or nothing at all. I might give it a try though. I mean, it would take a week to grow it to about a 1 and if I don't like it, it'll take seconds to shave it all off. I think more than anything, I want a hairstyle that screams individuality. I dress sort of plainly because honestly dressing plain is most comfortable, I don't have (or really want, although I haven't completely ruled it out) tattoos or piercings to make me stand out. Shaved heads are different, as is long hair. The beard helps too, and barring any further accidents or such, I'm letting my beard grow for as long as it can.

Obviously I'm probably not going to get any "grow it back to manbun" cheerleaders here, in fact I bet a lot of people would mock it around here, but hey, I liked it! That's mostly what matters, because if you feel comfortable with how you look, then what other people think is irrelevant. I think people around here probably understand that pretty well, because like most people, the first reaction that I got after I shaved my head from some (not many) was "grow it back." But I liked it, so I just ignored those people. Maybe the manbun was weird, maybe it was too trendy, but it made me stand out and feel like I was doing something with my hair. But to be perfectly honest, I love shaving my head too, because it too can be trendy, it too makes me stand out, and it makes me feel like I'm doing something with my hair. I think more than anything, I'm just happy that I'm satisfied with how I look with a shaved head, because no matter what, it's a look that I can always go with.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2017, 01:00:08 AM by skeeball »

Offline slybeard

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2017, 08:48:45 AM »
I did a similar thing, without the long hair.  I went BBC when I still had plenty of hair (although I knew it was thinner that it was when I was younger).  After a few year, I let it grow back for a month or so and it was then very thin and obvious.

SO keep the smooth head, and I agree you need more beard.  I like the length of your previous beard.
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Offline Semi-Sly

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2017, 10:53:47 AM »
 I am in the same boat that you are I tried growing my hair back and people pointed out that it was the ending and looked very old man like . 

 But you look so good clean shaven why would you want to hide that head or face with hair anyway ?

Offline skeeball

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2017, 01:16:56 PM »
A clean shaven face and no beard is just too much for me. I see it on others and it works for them, but personally, I kind of feel like I give off an image of being ill or frail when I see myself with no hair on my head other than my eyebrows. It probably doesn't help that I run a lot (30-40 miles per week) but do almost no other exercise, so I have sort of a skinny look. The running has made a huge difference in my life, I've lost about 80 pounds over the past two years (I was in the obese category, and I had sort of an alarm going off in my head when I hit this point where bending over to tie my shoes started to become a struggle; now I'm in what is considered "normal" weight for my height, not even "overweight," though I'm still on the upper end of the "normal" category) and before I started running, I wasn't physically active at all... but I probably need to start trying other things (specifically weightlifting) to make my body a little more proportional. What's even more crazy is that despite all of that running I do in weather that is currently sunny and around 90 degrees every day here, I seem to not tan at all (luckily I don't burn either, but I keep worrying my head will... I douse it in sunscreen before I head out every time though). Plus, I like having a beard. A big one, especially. It takes me a while to get to one, and what I have in that picture with the beard is not even close to what I have had in the past. But once I get one, it's a good look that works for me and others like it. It's a long path to getting there, though

I will say that one thing I definitely need to work on is better beard grooming habits, I'm thinking that once I've got enough growth to really groom something, I'll go to a barber to have it taken care of (there are several good "bald and beard friendly" shops in my area) and maybe at least then I can get something shaped up properly and maintain it for a while on my own.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2017, 01:21:05 PM by skeeball »

Offline DeanJones

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2017, 11:58:43 AM »
I had been shaving my head for a long time and my new wife had asked me to grow my hair out for a bit. Lo and behold, after growing it out, i had hair regrowth on top that was like yours. I don't feel bad about it though, it did make me decide to go back to shaved, and I talked to my wife and said "Look, I'm going to be bald for life, it's not growing back" and I even have a larger resolution to get laser on my head now that I know that it's now going to be full ever again.
I'm bald, and I love it! Bald is the best! Bald for life!

Offline Zooman

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2017, 09:29:46 PM »
I just had a similar experience myself.  I stopped shaving a couple weeks back when I was out camping and had no good way to shave.  When I came home, my wife and daughter encouraged me to start growing my hair back.  After two weeks, I still just had pretty sparse coverage on top, and was not at all pleased with how this whole thing was going.  So today I made an appointment with the barber to get my head shaved.  I have to say I am so much happier being sly once again.  I know it's dangerous to say never, but honestly I never want to grow my hair back again!  :)

Offline chrisphilly123

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2017, 01:47:06 PM »
I just had a similar experience myself.  I stopped shaving a couple weeks back when I was out camping and had no good way to shave.  When I came home, my wife and daughter encouraged me to start growing my hair back.  After two weeks, I still just had pretty sparse coverage on top, and was not at all pleased with how this whole thing was going.  So today I made an appointment with the barber to get my head shaved.  I have to say I am so much happier being sly once again.  I know it's dangerous to say never, but honestly I never want to grow my hair back again!  :)
welcome back. no hair is 1000% better than a head of thinning hair.

Offline skeeball

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2017, 11:55:17 PM »
I've been shaving my head every day for almost two months now and I've gotten really comfortable with the look, to the point that I really feel like I "own" the look now. It's weird how when you first do it, you feel "nude" and "exposed" and are sort of in shock at how you look, but it just feels like me now. It's also nice when you get used to a routine and instead of it taking 20 minutes where you end up with a head that is irritated and leaving blood behind (as I was when I first shaved my head), it now takes less than 5 minutes everyday (less time than I spent washing and styling my hair before) and I haven't nicked myself at all. Even though I planned to just keep it shaved through the summer, I can't say that I have any plans to pick some arbitrary date as the date where I say "OK, time to start growing hair again." I'll probably keep the look through the end of the year and beyond, because I'm at the point now where it just doesn't feel natural to wake up and NOT get rid of the stubble that has grown in the past 24 hours (and I really don't like the look of the stubble popping out). I'd still be willing to bet that at some point I'll give growing it back (and I don't mean for a few days or weeks, but something like a few months) a chance and see where I can go, but I'm really in no rush and have no interest in doing that at the moment.
« Last Edit: July 21, 2017, 12:00:00 AM by skeeball »

Offline Sir Harry

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2017, 04:09:57 AM »
Everyone has their own time and their own methods. That said, if you do grow it back, you still can pull off a serviceable short hairstyle until the MPB really kicks in. But it's good to see you're comfortable with the sly look, and the beard is starting to develop nicely again!
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Offline amatlock2778

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2017, 08:36:30 AM »
I actually secretly wish for my bbc style to become bbn. I have made the commitment yo myself that i want to be sly bald until my dying day, so if i were to start balding naturally, well that much less to have to shave. I have thought about laser hairvremoval, but too expensive, painful, and too many sessions required, so thats not an option for me. As for your beard, well i personally prefer either smooth shaved or short, neatly trimmed facial hair, but if thats what you like,  then  good on you. However, my advice would be, if you want a longer beard, it looks like you have naturally curly facial hair. You should try to find some wsy to straighten it. It would look much better, in my opinion.
Bald by chioce, never going back

Offline skeeball

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Re: When "bald by choice" turns into "bald by nature"
« Reply #14 on: July 21, 2017, 12:35:30 PM »
 I definitely do like having options, but if and when my hair loss accelerates more (I'm assuming it will, but who knows), the choice will be much easier. So that's not a bad trade off. This might sound weird but I think a shaved head actually looks even better on people who are noticeably going bald even when their head is shaved than people who are just bald by choice, where you can see a pattern of where they've lost hair. It kind of gives a unique look of individuality, since every hair loss pattern is unique, and it seems like a way of both owning the look and showing that you proactively did something about it. For me, although I don't get any "mean" comments, I still get the "you have a full head of hair, why would you shave it" questions, and it certainly does appear that I have a full head of hair when I shave it and when I have long enough hair to cover up the thinning. That's not to say that I'm rooting for losing so much hair that there is no way to conceal that I'm losing it even with my head shaved, because as I said, I like having options, but it does give a little more of an individual and independent look.