Introduction!

[Oracle]

Hello to all!  I've lurked here for a year or so now and feel like I know many of you and the advise that you are going to give me in advance.  I'm 51 years old and I knew since my sophomore year of high school that I was destined to be bald.  My family genetics  had stacked the cards against me.  I first noticed a general thinning while in college but fortunately the thinning was slow and I was able to disguise it for several years with various short haircuts.  When the thinning became too noticable, I started wearing ballcaps!  I never leave the house now without a cap in place and only a very few of my closest friends have seens me without a cap on my head.  I have become a slave to wearing ballcaps just as many members here started out wearing hairpieces.  I am tired of this addiction.  Currently my "horse-shoe is clipped to a little less than 1/8 of an inch.  I leave for vacation this friday and I would love to work up the courage to shave it to the skin before leaving.  Only my wife, daughter, and three of our closest friends and their childre will be with us for the unveiling. 

This scares me to the point of almost being sick!  I've battled a chronic illness for the last 5 years and thanksw cto my doctors, I've been able to continue my work as an underwriter of mortgage loans,  I've already been asked at what stage my cancer is in or do they think they can find a liver donar in time! lol!  Everybody is terminal at some point, but I'm not dying!  I may hurt all the time and have some other issues, but I plan on hanging around for a few more years - I just don't want to look like a cancer patient if at all possible.

Any suggestions!                                           

[Arnie]

Welcome to SBGs!!!

[Jason66]

I kinda know what you're feeling... I'm a "cap king" as well. I've been using them 20 yrs or so. And rarely go out without one. Unless church, vacation or a dress up occasion, some sort of cap or beanie. I've gotten a lot better and in the last couple of years. Then times I've had gone without, I've notice no one even notices the difference.
So, I guess it's just something "we" just have to overcome. There's nothing that can be done about it, so make the best of it. I did grow out a long goatee, that helps me out a bit...  I'm not into the Uncle Fester look.. lol...

[Ming the Merciless]

Ballcapism?  What's that?  The irrational fear that folks will notice a person's MPB, stare, point, whisper and begin to giggle.

Irrational, because the world is full of men with MPB and many do without headgear, and they are just part of the landscape of humanity.  Thinking that every eye is focused on your MPB alone is like thinking everyone is noticing what kind of pants you are wearing or what kind of car you are driving.  People are oblivious to these things.  Unless, maybe, you have dyed your remaining hair purple, are in a Borat mankini, and are tooling along on a glitter-encrusted Harley. 

Point?  Drop the caps (a hat as needed for UV exposure only, and get sunscreen), buzz what's left real short or shave it all off, and stop worrying.*  Ditch the mankini, however.

*about MPB.  Feel free to worry about other things.  Things that matter, e.g., the economy.

[tomgallagher]

I agree with Ming (does anybody have a fone number for Buck Rogers). There are plenty of guys out there with MPB and no ball caps.

[Yakangler]

Welcome to the site!  I think you'll find plenty of guys with lots of confidence that may help you take the plunge.  Nothing wrong with a gradual move... Clip it down short, let the folks at church and work get used to that, then just surprise them someday!  IMO

[xnewyawka]

Welcome to SBG's forum. I'm with Ming and Tom on this, ditch the caps and get out there and be yourself and be proud. Sorry, I just don't get the hiding behind a ballcap thing.   

[wpruitt]

Welcome Oracle

[ronthejazzcat]

Welcome Oracle!

I too was just like you, and knew that I was destined for baldness after I was told that all the men on my mom's side were bald by the time they were 30. I too started thinning in college, though probably a lot more than you, because I couldn't even hide it with a short(ish) hair cut. One night, I was thinking about how much attention I was drawing TO myself by wearing a hat everywhere (even indoors) or by trying new haircuts.

One night I just decided to take it all off. With the help of a friend in the dorm bathroom, I went sly one November night. Guess what- people reacted very positively to the look! I was not expecting such a good reaction but everyone seemed to like it. Women would constantly ask to feel my head, and men would ask me about the advantages of being bald in the hopes of possibly trying it themselves (I'm pretty sure the constant attention from women drove their curiosity ).

Did I get a couple of snide comments about having cancer, being a neo-nazi, or hiding my baldness? You betcha. But those comments were far outweighed by the number of positive reactions to the new look. Plus, once you learn to live boldly bald, you get an extra sense of confidence that people definitely pick up on (check out Neil Strauss's book, The Game- he had a similar experience when going sly for the first time).

Bottom line in my opinion is to go for it, and never look back! Endure for a couple of weeks until you get an even skin tone on your scalp and you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner!

[marty22]

good work Jazzcat@!

[mangosink12572]

Go for it and welcome to SBG  - -there is nothing like a smooth BALD head  - -looks great  - -feels great and is real sexy  - -the gals love it  -and everyone loves to rub it