How often should I shave in the beginning?

[TheBreeze]

Hey guys.  I am taking off my rug and going sly in 3 weeks!  I know that I will eventually figure out what works best for me, but I would like to hear people's opinion on how often I should shave in the very beginning to both look my best and avoid irritation. 

I don't have much hair at all on top and it is fairly thin on the back and sides.  For this reason I thought it would be OK to shave both with the grain and against it on my first shaves.  I also want to hide any shadow that might be there so it won't be obvious that I was sporting a dead squirrel.  I am going on a short vacation immediately after I shave for the first time and the rest of my body tans very easily, so the same should be true for my head (I’m bringing sunscreen, don’t worry).  Also, thanks to all of you guys I have a very good shower-shave routine in place that includes washing and exfoliating for prep; good quality shaving cream, razor and brush; and a cold water rinse, clearhead and headlube for after.

I was thinking this:
Wednesday night - shave for first time!
Thursday - nothing
Friday or Saturday afternoon - shave again on one of these days
Sunday - nothing
Monday - shave in the morning for work and take it from there

How do you guys think this will work for me? Are there advantages to shaving more frequently in the beginning?  Any suggestions?

Thanks! 

[ozzie]

Sounds like you have a good plan there, Breeze. Since you have done your research here, you've got a good idea of what you need (and why you need it). The rest is up to personal choice. Personally, I think giving your scalp a rest for a day in between shaves on the first few go-arounds is a good idea. But see how you feel. You might dig the feel of a freshly shorn dome so much that you just can't wait to do it again. 

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

Ozzie's right, you seem to understand the issues.  I think you'll find your own pace and what works for you in particular.  If you're pretty much profoundly bald on the top with no "sparse grass" remaining, you'll probably get away w/ just cleaning up the horseshoe most of the time.  You may also find like many of us that stubble is just too aggravating to tolerate--for example even after a day the stubble on the back of your head can "grab" a t-shirt when you're pulling it off, or the feeling of stubble rather than a baby butt smooth dome doesn't feel good when you rub it during the day--yeah most of us do that too .  But, I have to say, based on something I saw on a flight recently that even though it's not bothersome stubble for guys with profound baldness on top, it looks a little funny in the right light because those really fine little hairs can "glow" in certain light and there you are everything shaved and neat on the sides and this crop of "angel hair" on top that you couldn't see except for the light coming in the side windows of the plane .  But, it probably wasn't noticed by anyone else but the other sly guys on the flight anyway. 

[Arnie]

You will figure out your SLY routine...it varies for everyone, but once you got it...you got it!!!

[Jack21]

Best of luck. Welcome to the world of being able to take a real shower again.

[Troy]

Like the other guys have said, you'll find your own routine that works for you.  I know when I first started shaving my head, I enjoyed the totally slick feeling so much I wanted to shave more often than I really needed to. 

[BaldBradley]

Congrats on deciding to go sly!

I would say start shaving every 3 days or so, your head will probably get a little irritated after your first couple shaved, so give your head a day or two to heal up. If your head's irritation is well irritating, try putting on aloe vera or Bald Guys moisturizer, they both will help healing your scalp and cooling/soothing the irritation.

After you shave 2 or 3 times, start shaving every other day. Believe me after shaving 3 or 4 times your head will get used to being shaved and you won't get many knicks or cuts. At first shaving will seem awkward and will take up some time. If you get a chance to, go buy a Headblade, I just got one the other day and its really nice.

Like the other guys have said, you'll find your own routine that works for you.  I know when I first started shaving my head, I enjoyed the totally slick feeling so much I wanted to shave more often than I really needed to. 

Same here the bald feeling is good, the only issue that I don't like about being bald is how oily your head gets sometimes.

[TheBreeze]

Thanks guys! 

I will give the dome a good breather in between shaves in the beginning and then transition into a more regular routine.  The countdown is on. . . .

[xnewyawka]

Thumbs up on making the decision to shave, and you'll find out it really is a non-issue.
The frequency of shaving depends entirely on how comfortable you feel with it. Enjoy your first shave!   

[tomgallagher]

Every other day should work for openers.

[BaldBradley]

Also try shaving against the grain the first time. The result won't be as good as when you go against the grain, but it'll give you a general idea of what a shaved head is like. Don't put a lot of pressure on the blades, if you put to much on you might cut yourself.

Good luck shaving tomorrow night, you should post before and after pictures.

[Bilko1]

It's a personal choice really, but for me I have been shaving every day. All the best with your decision, buddy.

[Noodles]

I agree - being new at this as you are - I'd say the BEST routine for you would be to SHAVE EVERY OTHER DAY!!
This will reduce the possibility of irriation and "train" your melon to obey your razor's every command.

Then once your scalp gets accustomed to being shaved, you can then refine your routine to something that gives you ultimate shaving experience. The KEY is to GO SLOW when you shave.
Fast shaves usually mean nicks, cuts, scrapes, and irritation.

 - Cap'n Noodles -