Smooth as as a baby's bottom EXCEPT the top of the dome.

[BaldJJ]

I've been Sly on and off for a few years now. I've done the electric, tons of different razors, HB, etc... I've done in the shower, at the sink, all of it... Thanks to some great advice on this forum I've pretty much nailed my routine down. It takes about 20-30 minutes which really sucks but I don't know how to cut down that time. I exfoliate with a little clearhead, rinse it out, lather up with some HeadSlick, then grab the HB (which Custom Plus 3 blades) and go straight back over the top of my head, then I do the back, then sides and then my neck real quick. I rinse, re-lather and go over it a second time, all different directions at the crown to make sure I get it all. I then rinse, wash and rinse with cold water. I get out of the shower, rub with a dickinson's witch hazel wipe, rub down with hydrocortizone cream and finally Nivea Extreme aftershave balm. On and btw, I'm daily shaver.

A lot, right!?!? But that's how it goes when you're not going Sly by choice.. lol

Anyways, my head is a bit curved/indented from the sides to the top and I find that no matter how many passes I go over the top of my head, no matter if I use the Fusion Proglide, HB, any of them... I never get the top completely smooth. It appears to be getting worse. I just recently changed my blade so I don't think it's that but I really need help cause this is extremely frustrating. Is there maybe another razor I should try??

Any input is really appreciated, fellow Sly guys!

Also, any tips to SPEED UP the shaving? I'm gonna be late to work daily at this rate... lol

Please help!  

[Frontier Guy]

BaldJJ, nice to see you post again. It's been quite a while.

Timewise I seem to have settled right around 30 minutes for showering and daily shave of head and face, without rushing. I've just had to adjust my morning schedule slightly to accommodate the bit more time. Worth it for sure.

And I have a few areas which I absolutely cannot get shaved to the skin which annoy me - but when I look carefully in the mirror it's not visually detectable. I keep working on different techniques/directions but no breakthroughs. At the moment I'm resigned to co-existing.

So not much help, but I'm in the same boat.

[warhawk]

1st of all.... NEVER EVER speed up a head shave or a face shave for any reason.  Shaving should be your "zen" time.  Me time.  A time to relax and 4get the rest of the world.  It is your time and enjoy it.

With that said... I usually shave at night so I don't have 2 rush or speed up.  I also shave in the afternoon or late in the morning if I do not have to be up early in the morning. 

To help get U a closer shave... I would suggest adding a shaving brush and a good shaving soap or cream to your routine.  The shaving brush will boost up your shaves to another level.  Also... I would go with a safety razor.  There is nothing that gets the face or dome smoother than a safety razor.

However... if the safety razor advice is a little too much for you at this time.  I would definitely add a good shaving brush to your routine and a good shaving soap or cream:  i.e.  www.mikesnaturalsoaps.com,  TOBS (Taylor of Old Bond Street) Shaving Cream,  RazoRock Cream,  KMF (Kiss My Face) Shaving Cream.

Hope this helps and keep us posted.  Take care and I hope more of our sly brothers can chime in.

WARHAWK

[Sir Harry]

JJ, good to see you back! I now use the Headblade in the shower (I was anti Headblade for a long time). If you take long strokes and don't apply the pressure to the blade it should take you 15 minutes max....As far as why the hair on the top of your head isn't smooth, I guess you're one of those people who were blessed to not have MPB...Hang in there and good luck!

[BaldJJ]

BaldJJ, nice to see you post again. It's been quite a while.

Timewise I seem to have settled right around 30 minutes for showering and daily shave of head and face, without rushing. I've just had to adjust my morning schedule slightly to accommodate the bit more time. Worth it for sure.

And I have a few areas which I absolutely cannot get shaved to the skin which annoy me - but when I look carefully in the mirror it's not visually detectable. I keep working on different techniques/directions but no breakthroughs. At the moment I'm resigned to co-existing.

So not much help, but I'm in the same boat.

It's still nice to know that I'm not alone

[BaldJJ]

With that said... I usually shave at night so I don't have 2 rush or speed up.  I also shave in the afternoon or late in the morning if I do not have to be up early in the morning. 

I would love to do that but by the time I get up, I have stubble and then at work it'll drive me crazy.

To help get U a closer shave... I would suggest adding a shaving brush and a good shaving soap or cream to your routine.  The shaving brush will boost up your shaves to another level.

I've actually tried that before and it didn't make a difference. Now, the brush just sits in my bathroom cabinet.

Also... I would go with a safety razor.  There is nothing that gets the face or dome smoother than a safety razor.

I have a pack of Custom Plus 3 razors, think I should just try that? That's considered a safety razor, right?

However... if the safety razor advice is a little too much for you at this time.

I'm scared to open up that can of worms.. which one to use, lol...

Hope this helps and keep us posted.  Take care and I hope more of our sly brothers can chime in.

WARHAWK

Yeah man, I appreciate the feedback! 

[BaldJJ]

JJ, good to see you back! I now use the Headblade in the shower (I was anti Headblade for a long time). If you take long strokes and don't apply the pressure to the blade it should take you 15 minutes max....As far as why the hair on the top of your head isn't smooth, I guess you're one of those people who were blessed to not have MPB...Hang in there and good luck!

Yeah man, it's good to be back! I went back and forth between Sly again...really stressed myself out on that one.

I've tried long passes, short passes, diagonal, straight back, side-to-side, etc.. doesn't seem to make much of a difference and it takes A LOT longer then 15 minutes. lol

And as far as being blessed, hardly... I'm one of those guys whose hair grows faster then most, receding with a widow's peak and dark hair so a perm 5 o clock shadow. lol

Lucky me, eh? 

[kalbo]

Welcome back BaldJJ. It could be that the roots on top of your dome are thicker than the sides and back that is why its hard to keep it BBS. I have the same condition. It is nothing to stress about. Makes shaving more fun.

[BaldJJ]

Welcome back BaldJJ. It could be that the roots on top of your dome are thicker than the sides and back that is why its hard to keep it BBS. I have the same condition. It is nothing to stress about. Makes shaving more fun.

What's your shaving method now? Do you ever get the top of your dome BBS? How do you do it?

[kalbo]

Most of the time I have my dome scraped using a straight razor by my regular barber at the barbershop. If I have to do it myself, I would do it in the shower. Apply conditioner then shave using a double or triple blade disposable razor. Rinse then with scalp still wet, feel for rough spots, stretch the scalp and shave against the grain again. Rise with cold water and rub ice cube. I am using alum crystal as an aftershave. I am smooth for a good 5 to 6 hours. Hope this helps BaldJJ.

[BaldJJ]

JJ, good to see you back! I now use the Headblade in the shower (I was anti Headblade for a long time). If you take long strokes and don't apply the pressure to the blade it should take you 15 minutes max....As far as why the hair on the top of your head isn't smooth, I guess you're one of those people who were blessed to not have MPB...Hang in there and good luck!

What's your method like these days? Are you using the HB TripleBlades that come with the HB Sport or changed it up?

[Sir Harry]

JJ, good to see you back! I now use the Headblade in the shower (I was anti Headblade for a long time). If you take long strokes and don't apply the pressure to the blade it should take you 15 minutes max....As far as why the hair on the top of your head isn't smooth, I guess you're one of those people who were blessed to not have MPB...Hang in there and good luck!

What's your method like these days? Are you using the HB TripleBlades that come with the HB Sport or changed it up?

I use the HB sport with the HB Tripleblade refills.....The caveat to that is I have to reshave with three days or less growth for the HB to be effective....If I have more than four days growth I either use my Schick Quattro or I clipper it down with the Andis clippers first and then use the headblade. For shaving cream  I mix 5 drops of Shave secret, shaving soap and either Bald Guyz Gel, Headslick or Bump patrol to make a nice lather. Then when my head is completely wet in the shower, I take my brush and lather up my head and take long strokes with the HB. This is also effective at the sink, but make sure your head is thoroughly wet first. Hope this helps, hit me if you need more info/suggestions. A shaving brush is a good investment, it helps stand up your hairs for a closer shave.

[waine]

Bald JJ

I am sorry that you are struggling to settle into a shaving routine that does not give you the desired results.

If you have tried “everything” and it is not working then you are perhaps doing something wrong.  Don’t give up hope; however, there is a solution to every challenge.  Do you go against the grain?  Have you observed or felt which direction the hair grows on the section that won’t go BBS?  Try to Google a few head shaving clips and see if you cannot improve from viewing someone else that may be doing it right.

Why do you use hydrocortisone after every shave, do you have a skin condition?  You are aware that long term use of cortisone causes the skin to thin and to lose its elasticity?  Also, it’s not good to exfoliate every day, especially if you have a skin condition.

Consider using a Double Edge Safety razor (AKA: DE”) with a good quality blade such as the Astra Superior Platinum with the old fashioned “Wet Shaving” method.  Although this method is a little time consuming, this gives many men the smoothest head shave possible.  One of the reasons is because you tend to shave so carefully that you end up shaving "thoroughly".

I hope you discover a shaving method that suits you and gives you better results.

[mahaw90]

Try a double edge razor, merkur 34c is a good one, that should do the trick.

[xnewyawka]

Stick with your HeadBlade. I suggest you try the Atra or Wilkinson Sword double blade cartridges.
Be sure to take long, smooth strokes and it will help to go against the grain on top.
Good luck with it, hang in there.