Not balding, but want to become bald?

[mrzed]

Since you're tempted to try, go smooth! The difference between a #0 and total smooth is a mere few days growth. So you'll experiment smoothness (it IS really a nice sensation) and can see it grow back a little and decide whato to do -- to keep smooth or use the clippers and let a little hair, or even grow it back.
When I started to shave my head I tried the #1 and #0 crops before the first smooth razor shave. I liked very much when I went smooth, then simply repeated the operation over and over...even let it grow back a little just for the pleasure of re-shaving later.

I talked with a Navy buddy this morning who sometimes shaves his head. He agreed that smooth is VERY NICE. In terms of look, it's not much different from #0, but it feels so much better, he says.

[MikeM]

I'm 18, and have ridiculous hair.  By ridiculous I mean extremely curly (thanks grandma), thick, dense, and puffy hair.  Until recently I've found that I liked medium-length hair; however when it gets too long it turns into a massive jewfro- except worse.  The hair expands and builds off of itself to make massive afro-wig-style hair look that is simply atrocious in my book (that only had to happen once for me to learn!).

Your description cracked me up, because this is me too, although I'm more wavy than curly. Medium length on a good day -- Bill Clinton without the gray but throw in some funky waves. Grow it out? Never did it completely, but would probably end up looking like Jack Nance as Eraserhead or Malcolm Gladwell.

So I've worn it buzzed forever, with intermittent ventures into slydom. (I've been sly on-and-off for about 7 years.) Usually I wear it shaved bald for 2 to 6 months each summer. Despite loving the look and feel of sly, I get sick of the time investment. It takes me a full 25-30 minutes to shave my face and head. There's no rushing with my kind of hair.

A good bit of the shaving advice in this forum just doesn't work for me, so I'll offer my tidbits. When I'm sly, I shave every other day, against the grain. So I'm slick and smooth one day then stubble-boy the next. I'm fine with this as it results in the least amount of irritation for me. I really have come to learn the grain of my hair growth. No shaving straight back or forward -- this section shave up, that part shave down. The growth whirl at the back I think of like a clock and always have to shave inwards to the center at 4, 7, and 10 o'clock.

Products -- some of the highly recommended products here just don't work for me. HeadSlick (though it has changed formulations since I last tried it) just massively gunks up the razor. My favorite shaving cream is Trader Joe's Moisturizing Cream Shave.

Put bluntly, I am looking to go bald- just to see how it would look.  I have the feeling that I'd like the look, but I thought I'd consult the forum.  I've lurked for a few hours looking for posts similar to mine, that being of men who aren't balding or having receding hairlines looking to bald for just the heck of it, but I can't find any!  I'm just a normal college kid looking to spice up my look.

For me it's just a haircut, like any other, so I don't have any of the baggage that the MPB crowd has had or shed. Scratch the itch -- just shave it and have some fun.

Also, my eyebrows are quite thick, so should I shave them too?

That's a whole differnt deal. I've toyed with the idea, but never had the nerve. Naturally, I have one eyebrow (think Bert of Ernie and Bert) with some crazy twists and turns. Few would know because I pluck the living daylights out of it to make myself presentable.

[Papa Don]

I know where you are coming from! My hair for lack of better description was-Well-like an explosion in a Brillo pad.  I used to spend 30 to 45 minutes in front of the mirror just to get two hairs to lay next to one another.  I lost a bet with my bald neighbor and had to shave the noggin.  Best bet I ever lost. I have been bald by choice now for over three years.  My advise is to have a barber do it first.  This gives you the opportunity to inspect your head for moles etc. Another word of advise, the barber can't get totally smooth.  As far a what other people may say, it is Your head.  In time they will come around to your way of thinking.  If you decide to be BBC, enjoy.  If not you can go back to you old self.  Good luck!!

[Texan Fred]

GO for it! 

[Sly Red]

OK, this is sort of a non-starter.  The dude posted once in August and hasn't even logged on (as that user) again since then.  It's essentailly a dead thread. 

Red