Help!

[D.A.L.U.I.]

Great job, you're going to like this, but there will be an adjustment.  Sounds like you've got some good support.  Now, forget about your hair, you've taken care of that.  Live, enjoy.  It's really that simple.

[revived]

awesome dude!!!!!!!!!
 

[Polarbear]

That's great HairToday! Glad you took the step!

[-Doug-]

I'm a little late but welcome! I am glad to hear that you addressed your issue head on. Also, that was a very fitting honor to your Mom. Keep riding the Sly high!!!!

[Magoo]

Good for you Hair Today , in afew weeks you won't be self concious and people will stop making surprised remarks. As for some of your other thoughts I have had them also.So don't think your alone.

[marty22]

good work!

[HairToday]

So... here's the pictures as promised.  Try not to spit out your drink, fall out of your chair, or drop your monocle when you see the second one:

Here's me with my mom about three years ago at Yosemite National Park:



And this is me five minutes ago, age 23 and bald as a cueball:



So it's Day 2.5 as a sly guy, and overall I'm still feeling pretty good about it.  I didn't have work today so I've been cleaning up the mess that I let my room and car turn into over the past week while I was moping around about losing my mop.  As I looked at some old pictures of myself today I started to cry, which made me feel like a pussy, but I can't deny that I miss having hair.  But I also know I sure as f**k don't miss losing my hair.  I spent every waking moment of the past two weeks worrying about it, absolutely terrified, believing my life was over, I'd never get laid again let alone have a good job, get married, have kids, be happy, etc.  That's no way to live.  I'm still having moments of feeling awful about it and I'm sure I will for some time, but I know I've got to sink or swim.  I'm okay with who I am.  It's not that I miss my hair that much, I'm not that vain, I liked the way it made me look and feel but it's not that big of a deal to me.  What I DO hate is all the stigma and jokes and ridicule attached to MPB, especially early-onset MPB.  If I could be bald from cancer or some other cause of hair loss I'd much rather have that.  I know that it's the way God made me and not anything I did, I tell myself I have the same genes as Michael Jordan and Patrick Stewart and Gandhi, but I still feel like it's somehow my fault... that I didn't exercise enough as a kid, or I jerked off too much when I was 13, or I put too much stress on myself too young... it's gonna take a while for me to get over that part.  And the fact that it makes me look and feel a lot older at a time when I don't feel like I've accomplished all that much in my life.  So yeah, it's not that I have a problem with how I feel about myself anymore, it's that I'm afraid of how the rest of the world (friends, family, coworkers, kids, strangers) will look at me.  I've never been much of a tough guy type, and I feel like I'm gonna have to re-establish my identity or risk people thinking I'm a freak.  I'm in great shape but skinny, so maybe I need to bulk up, get some tats, and go for the biker/bouncer look?  Or is it possible to be a skinny bald kid without people thinking you look like the dude from Powder?  Did you guys, especially the ones my age, feel like you had to "change" who you were?

[The Noggin]

I wouldn't use that picture. It's a reference to your old life but you're starting a new phase.

Make a similar one with your new look, so that anyone can adjust to it right away.

[HairToday]

I wouldn't use that picture. It's a reference to your old life but you're starting a new phase.

Make a similar one with your new look, so that anyone can adjust to it right away.

Yeah, good point... I should use a new one.  Thanks!

[fencer]

Dude, when I read your first post, I thought " that's a great kid"; and now......you are A MAN !!!! That post was awesome! You are well on your way! Stay strong, stay positive and stay sly!!!!

[revived]

Hey mate, I'm 22 and  I like what you've said about the bouncer/biker look and tats because I have been dabbling with these ideas as well. The only one I've focused on (thus far) is the bulking up part. Been working out for a while with one of my buddies (who grows his hair as long as he can and brushes it forward to TRY cover the thinning.. not good). As for the piercings and tats, im decided !! .. Im still considering it! If you decide to do it let me know..


You're looking good as is anyways. As for what you said on my thread re; the tan: sit out in the sun no sun screen for like 20 min a day. Anything over that you'll burn. Buy the matte for men stuff everyone raves about on here as well, I got something similar(as i couldn't find it locally in Aus) and its pretty cool stuff.

Also I don't think jerking off when you were 13, not exercising enough and putting too much stress on yourself made your hair fall out.. if these were the reasons there would be HEAPS more baldies out there.. try not to dwell on the past!

The fact that people give us young blokes sh*t about MPB is annoying, yes (i think any age guys cop it) The best way to deal with it is make a joke about them.. you'll never hear anything bad from them again. No one is perfect, so just hone in on a negative of theirs. I'm not sure if this is the best way to deal with it but its pretty effective!

had a customer of mine the other day say to me "you look like you're losing your hair, that really sux"
my response "yea, not as much as you having to turn sideways to get thru the door" - he was fat. I've found the people that comment are the people with the deepest issues and feel the need to put me down to feel better for themselves, cliched, but its so true!

Good luck my friend!

[HairToday]

had a customer of mine the other day say to me "you look like you're losing your hair, that really sux"
my response "yea, not as much as you having to turn sideways to get thru the door" - he was fat. I've found the people that comment are the people with the deepest issues and feel the need to put me down to feel better for themselves, cliched, but its so true!

Hahaha... that's awesome!  You totally put that jerk in his place.  Especially because weight and fitness are things people actually have control over... it's his choice to be fat, but there's no way to control whether or not we lose our hair.  I've got no problem responding to people who give me sh*t either... haven't gotten any yet but I'm sure I will.   The tough part is when people just give looks, or are passive aggressive, or whatever.  I guess then the only thing to do is smile, right?

Good tip on the tan... I'm going hiking tomorrow with a friend, I'll wear a hat but leave it off for a while to get some color.

I'm still undecided on the tats... I never considered it before in my life, my hair was sort of my way of expressing myself, but since that isn't really an option anymore tattoos might be the way to go.  I've decided I should put on some muscle for sure though... I've needed to bulk up for a long time.  My friends always give me sh*t about being so skinny and disproportionate (the curse of being a swimmer... a good upper body but scrawny toothpick legs).  I have really fast metabolism though so it's hard for me to gain weight, I can never seem to eat enough.  Some of my buddies use whey but I'm not sure how well it works.  Do you take any protein supplements or stuff like that?

[stasiu]

Congrats on the new life and new look !  

Give SLY the 30 day trial period and if not completely satisfied, just leave your razor on the shelf and grow scalp stubble.    

We all know that you will NEVER want to grow long hair again!

We're all proud of you !

---Stasiu  

[wpruitt]

Welcome HairToday.  Looks like you made a good decision

[revived]

Hey dude,

I haven't tried the whey stuff yet, might be worth doing to get some actual bulk on. At the moment just been focusing on toning up rather than bulking up (as i find it quite hard to gain weight as well), but I do know guys that use it with good results if you do it properly.. think its all about pushing out those extra few reps..

"when you can't do anymore, do three more"