Ok this may sound weird, well very weird

[Razor X]

You know, I've looked back at old photos of myself that were taken not long before I shaved.  I was thinning, too but did not realize how bald I was at the time, either.  It wasn't until I looked back at the photos a few years later that I realized how little was left on top.  I think we really tend not to see ourselves as others see us.  It kind of gives you an understanding -- to a point -- of the guys who do the combover and think they're disguising their hair loss (though enough has been written and enough jokes have been told about that, there really isn't any excuse for it anymore).

Sometimes you just need someone to hit you with a big dose of the truth.  I can be hard to take at first, but in the end "You shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall set you free"...  or is it the Truth shall just make you mad....

I don't know if you saw my post from a few days ago about the guy I used to work with?  I ran into him and wondered why he was still sporting the fringe and not yet sly.  Back when we were working together, something came up about baldness.  I forget what it was, exactly.  I wasn't initially involved in the conversation, but he said something about him and me being the two bald guys in the office.  And I remember thinking to myself, WTF are you talking about?  I had some recession and some thinning going on, but I wasn't BALD like he was.  It was the first time anybody had referred to me as bald.  I was a lot closer to it than I realized at the time.  Like you said, reality check.

[JohnMont]

RazorX ; you called me "BALD" ! !  --- THANKS!   Yeah your words were 'harsh' but in a good way; just giving me a reality check that I have subconsciously given to myself ; but coming from another person, it is ... liberating.  There are some photos of me from about 4 years back taken looking down on me from a balcony; and it the top ever thin ! !    I knew then I was pretty much in the ranks of the bald, and I guess that may have been when I realized that buzzcuts and flattops really didn't work for me.  It's still gonna take me a while; but you have given me one more really good push in the right direction.  Thanks, Man ,

John

[Sgt. Pate]

There was a point where I wished my hair would stop growing so I wouldn't have to shave but the truth is, I actually like shaving it.  Shaving reinforces my choosing to be bald and affirms that decision!  

how did you know what i was gonna say?

Oh it's easy bro... great minds think alike!   

[Razor X]

RazorX ; you called me "BALD" ! !  --- THANKS!   Yeah your words were 'harsh' but in a good way; just giving me a reality check that I have subconsciously given to myself ; but coming from another person, it is ... liberating.  There are some photos of me from about 4 years back taken looking down on me from a balcony; and it the top ever thin ! !    I knew then I was pretty much in the ranks of the bald, and I guess that may have been when I realized that buzzcuts and flattops really didn't work for me.  It's still gonna take me a while; but you have given me one more really good push in the right direction.  Thanks, Man ,

John

Anytime.  I think it is really hard to see ourselves as others do, and if you have any hair at all growing on top, even if it's not a lot, it's hard to see yourself as bald.  As recently as a few months ago (6, maybe?) I tried growing my hair out.  I hadn't shaved in two or three days and stubble was sprouting out all over the place -- even at the hairline, which surprised me.  I really thought it might be growing back.  But it kind of stopped at the 2 or 3 day mark, while the sides continued to grow.  I still felt like I had some hair, and it wasn't until I was working out at the gym and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror from a distance, with the whole horseshoe thing going on.    I could feel stubble on top of my head, but I sure couldn't see it unless I practically pressed my nose against the mirror.  And for the first time, I really realized that I was no longer balding, I was bald.     Big revelation to me, but not to anybody else!

I really can't tell from your picture how much hair you have left on top, but you are pretty bald -- which is good news, because shaving off what's left is not going to be a big deal at all.  You don't have dark hair so you probably won't have much shadow.  I think you'll be pleased with the result once you've made up your mind to do it.

[Slickdome]

To be honest I wish I all my hair would totally fall out so I wouldn't have to shave it anymore and get that stubble effect.  I actually envy guys I see that I can tell have actually went bald for real. 

And I thought I was the only one who had that wish...

[Itsonlyinmyhead]

Phew at least its not just me
Thought I was losing it 

[Razor X]

Phew at least its not just me
Thought I was losing it 

Nope, we've all been there.  Listen to the wisdom of those who've gone before you.  There's only one way to end the torture.  You know what you have to do; when are you going to do it?

[Itsonlyinmyhead]

Nope, we've all been there.  Listen to the wisdom of those who've gone before you.  There's only one way to end the torture.  You know what you have to do; when are you going to do it?

I really dont know, Im going to keep it buzzed down though. Ive got alot more hair than I realised, I thought it would be very thin if I buzzed it but it isnt.  My train of thought is I wont have hair much longer in my life the way Im going(as Im only 23) so  I might as well keep it.

   Though I might of found a shaving buddy, his hair has started to go as his dad is completely bald(has a horseshoe) so I might point him here soon.  Thought I havent seen him for almost 3 years since we were at uni and he has talked to me about shaving it after he saw my pic on facebook but clicked that it was photoshopped.

[Razor X]

I really dont know, Im going to keep it buzzed down though. Ive got alot more hair than I realised, I thought it would be very thin if I buzzed it but it isnt.  My train of thought is I wont have hair much longer in my life the way Im going(as Im only 23) so  I might as well keep it.

I can understand that.  But have you considered that now might be a good time for a trial run?  You're buzzed anyway so it will grow back quickly.  At least then you'll know what it looks like and that will make it much less traumatic for you when the time comes to go sly permanently.  You're only 23 but believe me, it isn't any easier at 33.

[Paul]

I really dont know, Im going to keep it buzzed down though. Ive got alot more hair than I realised, I thought it would be very thin if I buzzed it but it isnt.  My train of thought is I wont have hair much longer in my life the way Im going(as Im only 23) so  I might as well keep it.

I can understand that.  But have you considered that now might be a good time for a trial run?  You're buzzed anyway so it will grow back quickly.  At least then you'll know what it looks like and that will make it much less traumatic for you when the time comes to go sly permanently.  You're only 23 but believe me, it isn't any easier at 33.

Plus, and its hard to tell without a pic, but by going a trial run and shaving now you can look your 23 years rather than thinning and older.

[Razor X]

Plus, and its hard to tell without a pic, but by going a trial run and shaving now you can look your 23 years rather than thinning and older.

And of course, the best possible outcome would be that you really like the new look and decide to keep it, and then you don't have to worry about any of this crap anymore.  Who knows?  You might have a fantastic looking dome hiding underneath those thinning locks.  All it takes is a few strokes of the razor to find out for sure.

[Itsonlyinmyhead]

You're only 23 but believe me, it isn't any easier at 33.

To be quite honest I think Ive done quite well to have accepted my hairloss at such a young age whereas most people seem to be in denial or just plain angry. So Ill deal with the shaving when the day comes. But like Ive said at least Ive got a friend now to help me through the shaving as he seems dead set on shaving soon.

this is me about 2 years ago



this is me for the photoshop edit



this is me bald by photoshop edit



this is me buzzed



So there are your photos to work out. I know I look quite ill on the before and after photoshop pictures thats because I was very run down due to work

[PBurke]

bald works for you. but buzzed ain't bad either. you kinda resemble lance armstrong.

[Razor X]

bald works for you. but buzzed ain't bad either. you kinda resemble lance armstrong.

He does look like Lance, doesn't he?

[Itsonlyinmyhead]

you kinda resemble lance armstrong

Ill take that as a compliment since Ive always thought Sheryl Crow was kinda hot


I used to get-you look like Owen Wilson alot when I had longer hair, apparently due to my cheesey grin mainly, and probably the fact that I smashed my nose(playing football, sorry soccer) so its got a bump on it