Oh God, what have I done?!?

[Navigator]

Title just about says it all. So I discovered the forum a couple of days ago, got all psyched up and decided to buzz my hair. I am massively thinning in the front and a weird, irregular shaped bald spot is developing in the crown so I just thought alright, time to bite the bullet and just do it.

Started with a number 2 comb, realized the bald spot still shows up. Went down further - turns out I have all these irregular bumps and ridges all over my skull so it just looked like randomly placed cornrows or something lol. Realized the buzzed look really does not work well for me, I have no choice but to shave it entirely due to the bizarre topography of my skull. Results are below - I really messed it up big time lol. My friend is coming over here stat to do the back for me.

My question is, how am I supposed to be able to shave it with all the ridges and bumps everywhere?? That's gonna be reeeally difficult. I mean, I guess it's nice that my head has character, but this is ridiculous! lol At least my hair grows really fast so it will probably grow back in 2 or 3 months.

Panicking big time here. Any advice or pep talks would be greatly appreciated forevermore. Anybody else with a weird skull?

The smaller, thinner patches of hair are where hairs have grown in the grooves in the head - these are the parts that are gonna be really, really hard to shave.

[Bluebriz]

Pretty much every newcomer on here stresses over their belief they have a strangely shaped skull, so I'm sure you're just imagining things.  It'd be good to see a pic though :0)

Welcome to SBG

[Slyfive]

What Bluebriz said

[Navigator]

Pics are up now guys.

[Lynchy]

Welcome mate,

As the other guys said, everyone unfoundedly worries about their head shape at the start.

Looking at the pics I don't see any ridges or bumps?

It takes a bit of time to figure out which direction to shave/buzz to ensure you get all the hairs.

Advice for shaving is to go slow for the first little bit and plenty of lather.

I'm sure you'll do fine.

[Lynchy]

And I forgot to say that the bald looks great with the beard and glasses IMO.

[Navigator]

Thanks, Lynchy. Obviously the big chucks of hair are the parts I totally messed up lol. It sure is harder than it looks to do this first time by yourself. If you can see, there's smaller, thinner lines of hair as well - those are the parts where hair is growing in I guess it's like a ditch in the skull. Kinda hard to tell in the pics I guess. In the mirror it looks like you can see my brain through my skull or something - that's the kind of look it has closer up, all wrinkly and brain-like. Feels like wrinkly and weird too lol.

I'm sure I'll feel a bit better once my friend turns up and fixes up the back bits, but I'm still not convinced yet that I've done the right thing. Just gotta keep picturing the bald spot and remember why I did this lol.

[stasiu]

EXCELLENT !  Best Christmas present you ever gave yourself !  Keep it sly, bro, cuz you adorn it awesome !

[Lynchy]

No worries mate.

Get the razor out on those ridges should fix it right up. If the skin does have a little ridge you can pull it tight with one hand whilst shaving it with the other, if that makes sense?

I'm sure you will grow to love the look.

[Andrei]

Welcome to the forum.
Indeed, for some unknown reasons, sometimes the scalp develops that way and it's not much you can do about it. This article was posted here on SBG before.
Regarding shaving, patience is the key, especially now, when you're still "learning" your skull and scalp.

If you finish what you've started: the areas behind your ears and back of the head, I would say that it's a great look.

[Navigator]

My friend's come over now and fixed up the back so I can actually, like, leave the house now lol.

Yep, that is definitely what I have! Just not as extreme as the guy in that article. It's not obvious when I have a full head of hair but I could always feel these weird grooves down the side of my head and wondered if that was normal. I just kinda figured maybe it was just a place where the hair made a part or something and that's why it seemed weird.

I'll try to take a better picture but it's definitely obvious in real life from the back and the top. Even my friend immediately noticed and said that it didn't look normal.

It feels very weird and soft and brain-like too, just kinda squishy and icky lol.

[Frontier Guy]

Welcome Navigator.

Now you've done it!  And it really is a good look for your face.

I think it just may take extra time/effort to get the hang of shaving  your unique terrain up there. Since you are already there (and I think it really does look good on you), why not commit to the 30-day challenge?

This is referenced elsewhere on this site, which I’ve accumulated over time and modified just a bit. Pick and choose which ones apply to you, but basically my “expanded” 30-day challenge is:

• Take your time shaving initially – go easy on the pressure and the speed. There is no prize for fastest and bloodiest shave!
• Figure out what your answer is when someone asks “Why?” – you don’t have to go into detail about hair loss, but it’s good to have a comeback at the ready. Can be as simple as “I needed a change.”
• Maintain the Sly look for 30 consecutive days - whether you shave daily (my recommendation) or every other day.
• Allows you to get used to the New & Improved you.
• Allows others to get used to the New, Improved and more Confident you.
• Allows your scalp to adjust from being hidden from the world to toughening up to face the world.
• Allows you to develop the skills for head shaving (they're a bit different from face shaving).
• Gives you time to integrate shaving into your daily routine so it becomes “natural” and not something you have to think about or try to remember.
• Post here at SlyGuys with your questions, concerns, and (most assuredly) your SUCCESSES!

Things I think you will find:

• Huge relief (part 1) from hair worries – whether it’s thinning or graying or moving hairlines.
• Huge relief (part 2) from hat worries – where is it?
• Huge relief (part 3) from weather worries – wind which may blow a combover the wrong way, rain which causes thin hair to become stringy.
• Ease of maintaining - you'll always have the same great look.
• Surge of self-confidence (part 1) – which I thought was most surprising.
• Surge of self-confidence (part 2) – freedom to do things which “hair terror” prevented – like swimming or standing in a room underneath a bright light with your scalp glowing through the remaining hairs.
• Reallocation of time previously spent obsessing over hair to more fun endeavors (you can figure out this list on your own).

Also, you may want to experiment with other brands of razors; I found each one works a bit differently; for me some are more prone to nicks than others.

Welcome to the brotherhood.

[Navigator]

Now tell me that looks normal.  

[Lynchy]

Seems like you have some dimples in your dome!

It's not 100% smooth but doesn't look that bad IMO

How do you feel about it?

[Navigator]

Hmm, I really don't know at this point. It's a lot to take in. Will be interesting to see people's reactions when I go back to work! lol It's obviously not normal, just as I suspected. The good news is, I can't see the back of my head anyway (but I know everyone else can) and at least it will grow back if I can't handle it, though it will still look weird until it's at least a number 3 length, which is what I usually get and I couldn't see anything then. Very, very tempted to grow it back now. Only problem is, that's not really gonna solve the problem because I'm still gonna keep on balding no matter what (and probably very quickly, I've gone from a basic V-shape-just-at-the-temples to Norwood 3 in just 3 years). In fact, according to what I'm reading on my newly discovered condition, it can be sometimes be linked to hair loss. And once my crown goes, the weird skull is gonna become obvious again anyways lol. I just don't know what to do.  Aside from get myself to a doctor and see what this brain-skull means for me.