trying to get the courage

[Kevin G]

Definitely stay away from the drugs and transplants.  Propecia will make you impotent and a hair transplant will leave you with a scar.  Your hair will probably eventually fall out again and then you will be left with the transplant scar.  You are on the right track thinking about getting a buzz cut.  I would start with a #2 guard.  It will be a big change but will get you more used to the idea of going sly.  Thats what I did but the very same day I went down to a #1 and liked it.  Anything from a #1 guard down will give you a really good idea of what you will look like sly.  Give yourself some time to get used to the look because while you will probably like it, it will still be a shock to you.

Thats how I was, I instantly liked it but was not used to seeing myself like that.  I wore the #1 buzz for about 2 months, then did a #.5 guard and then two weeks later I went sly.  I love it and I am sure you will too once you get to that point.  Just take it slow and progress forward at what ever pace you feel most comfortable with.  

In the meantime use the time that you have once you buzz your hair to learn all about shaving your head from this forum.  I learned a wealth of knowledge from all the great people on SlyBaldGuys.  Take care and keep us posted.

[Frontier Guy]

Welcome, Like Kevin wrote above, cut it down to a #2 or so to get yourself started ... but don't be surprised if almost immediately you become so intrigued that you decided to cut it further and then shave it all off. Once you do that ... Oh, what a feeling of relief. No more hair worries.

In case you haven't seen it elsewhere, there is the recommended 30-day challenge which I am posting here. I suggest you commit to the 30-day challenge 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:

• If convenient, take some “before” pictures to always remind you of your hairy situation.
• Take your time shaving initially – your scalp is new terrain and everyone has some odd spots to figure out. 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).

Welcome to the brotherhood.

[Kevin G]

Awesome list by Frontier Guy.  I wanted to point one thing out that he said which is very important-

"Take your time shaving initially – your scalp is new terrain and everyone has some odd spots to figure out. Go easy on the pressure and the speed. There is no prize for fastest and bloodiest shave!"

When I first shaved my scalp it felt very sensitive.  Not in the razor burn/bumps kind of way.  I did not have any irritation.  But it just felt sensitive in general.  When/if you do shave your head, do not let this discourage you and make you think "maybe this is just not for me".  The sensitivity felt much better the second shave and was totally gone after a couple more.  Your scalp will adjust fast.

I know that this is a big step for you.  Believe me it was for me.  I used to really like my hair and it was hard to imagine myself without it at the time.  I used a hair concealer for several years to make my hair look totally full, but I am glad I took the step to slyness.  It will only continue to weigh heavily on your mind the more time goes by.  I used  to think about it constantly and it made me avoid fun things like the pool.

Just buzzing it will get the ball rolling to a new more confident, worry free you.  Then like Frontier Guy said once you shave it, it will be a total feeling of relief.

[nosvx136]

I just want to say for about the past month I have really been thinking about what to do with my hair thinning out. It has been tough I have been looking at other websites about possible meds/ transplants. It really freaked me out more than anything because everyone was freaking out about the thought of going bald and it really gave me anxiety. I always said Id shave my head if I ever got to the point where it needed to be done. I then came across this website and man it helped my anxiety BIG TIME! I still have a good amount of hair, but I hate seeing my hair recede back some and thinning. Now the only thing holding my back from get it all buzzed off right now is that my ears are kind of big and have always used my sideburns or shaggy heard to kinda cover them. Anyone else have this problem when trying to find the courage to cut it all off? Thanks

Hey man, I'm new here, too (well, I've been lurking a fair while), and in a very similar situation. Asking the Internet for hair advise when "thinning", "diffuse" and/or "bald/ing" have to be in the query is not the most positive experience in the world. It took about a day to realize that the sites where meds and surgery were the primary answers to questions were good for, at best, ideas about how to style whatever we happen to have left, which is, like you, still a good amount but not quite enough to really be hiding the fact. So I'm also in the position of trying to drum up the courage to do the deed, which is also going to be a case of going from pretty long hair to, you know, none or very nearly none (in my case, since the thinning is diffuse, I expect a short buzzcut is going to just end up highlighting where I'm thinner up top, so I'll probably end up going direct to sly when I go for it).

So yeah, you're most definitely not alone, even down to hitting the terrible and anxiety-inducing med/surgery-themed forums. Those places kind of just snowball the already considerable anxiety we're feeling at losing hair and turn into something downright pathological.

[Switchy]

come on here !  Lets all get along  I  don't understand the situation    Give the ole man a break !

[Switchy]

By the way way nosvx136 welcome ! 

[tx6686]

Once again thanks everyone for all the helpful replys. Nosvx I think you can still go with a short buzz cut, but im guessing at a 2 not too sure I havent cut my hair that short since I was in middle school. Just to give an update I do plan on getting it cut either tomorrow or the next day with a buzz prob. around a 2. Pretty nervous, but excited at the same time.