First few days at work

[Red]

I went back to work Monday for the first time after shaving my head on a number 0.

The moment I stepped into the building my heart was racing!

First comment - "Oh my god, what have you done."

Followed by the next person - "Didn't realise you had cancer!"

Next - "That looks absolutely awful!"

Those 3 comments came within the first 20 seconds, I immediately thought i couldn't last the day here and wanted to disappear, but then I thought it can't get any worse!?

I was then told "it suits me", "it looks good", "wish I had the balls to do that, I'm jealous", "you look smart".

My spirits were lifted, I was ready to take whatever comments came my way. The good comments were flowing nicely with the odd negative but I found the negative easy to handle after all the positives and was actually greeting people waiting for their response. Every colleague I saw had to have their say on it!

The second day the people who had commented on it already never mentioned it again. Only the new people commented so that was quite easy and same the third day with only the people I hadn't already seen commenting.

People have already said they've adjusted to me with no hair after a few days.

The shaved head still feels weird to me in a way and I feel a little uncomfortable sometimes, but I'm going to continue 100%. I'm not going back to silly hair styled to cover my receding hairline. A few people have stated it shows off how much I am actually balding so I'm thinking about razor shaving to clear away the stubble left by the 0 buzz or buying a better clipper to take the stubble down further.

I'm rambling now so I'll stop..

[Hingatao]

Yeah, there's always gotta be somebody ready with a negative comment but the good ones always win out. Sounds like you've got it under control.

[gadgetwizard]

Hi Red

I went the full bald. Haven't looked back and now a week and half into my 30 days.

I relate to your first day at work. I didn't get any negative comments only positive. My heart too was racing that morning but It was a strange emotion not nerves almost excitement filled with expectations.

Most people have now got over the initial reactions but I have a few friends that still make a comment, one said today she could not stop looking at me and that my new look is just so cool.

I have a couple of office colleagues that have just started making a sort of jokey kind of comment. They didn't do this initially and I don't really mind it in fact I think it builds my confidence further.

I think these comments might be my friends way of probing me to see if they can provoke me into admitting regret, when they see I just join in the scene changes and we all relax and just enjoy the humour

Moving into my second week of bald I still have no regrets and I'm loving the look and feel just as I did I on day one. I can't stop touching my head and I love to catch a quick look in the mirror woah looking gooood

[nuts]

Even after nine years I still catch myself sometimes  looking at my reflectionin  passing windows and mirrors and think 'really feels good'.  Hope it's not vanity.

[Cave Dweller]

Geez, please tell me the negative ones were said in jest. If not, those people have serious socialization problems.

Isn't it amazing, though, how quickly people acclimate to the new look?

[geeman]

its usually the insecure ones that comment...if anyone says anything negative. ..just reply with a throw away line...like....yeah...it takes balls to do it...some guys are just pussies

[Red]

Yeah it was a horrible start but seems all okay now, I'm just hitting the odd negative comment straight back at them, they soon look the opposite way and carry on with their own perfect lives.

I think the negative comments are jokingly said however they don't realise just how bad it makes you feel inside.

Thanks for the support all, I can make it through!

[Sir Harry]

Congrats! After a few days, when they get used to it, it'll be a total non-issue.

[bennett11]

people need to say something.  As you discovered after a few days you with shaved head (or nearly so) is normal.  I first went sly in 1980 and it was more unusual then - got kidded but actually enjoyed that.

[Mikekoz13]

I'm not sure why people feel that it's OK to make rude comments to someone that has shaved their head. Would they make the same types of comments to someone that was obese, disfigured from an accident, or something else?? I think not.
It just shows the level of ignorance of many in society today.

Some of these morons could learn a lot from my kids. They have been taught to respect the person for who they are and not what they look like.... no matter what the case.

[Red]

Quick update.

I've been back at work a week and a half now. Only colleagues and customers who I haven't seen are mentioning my hair now, the people who have seen it already no longer care. Someone even said 'I couldn't imagine you with hair now, I can't even remember what it looked like!' That's how easily people move on!

When someone sees it for the first time, they're still shocked and have to give a comment or two but it's easy to handle now as I've been 0 shaving for almost 3 weeks unlike at the start where it was really getting me down. You just have to stick with it, it gets easier.

My confidence has shot up, I feel better about myself and I now feel I can actually live my life - I've been swimming, I hadn't done that for years incase my hair fell out of place. If its windy or raining, who cares? Not me I've got no hairline to protect etc...

I love it. Thanks for helping me do it, I should've done it years ago.

[TheSlyBear]

Great going, Red!

I still need to design a "I should've done it years ago" t-shirt!

[g_bald]

I've had mine pretty short for a long time. Still I wondered if people were going to say something or react negatively. So far, everyone has been cool with it.

I'll see some of my family next week so it will be interesting to "see" the reactions.

People who comment about you "having cancer" need their heads examined, methinks...

[Vogi_the_bald]

Congrats on the change. I am one week in and my girlfriend said she HATED it at first. The people at work gave me a slightly lighter reaction, but I also go the WHAT THE F DID YOU DO. They get used to it. And the biggest thing is that you are happy with it. Take me for instance. I get guff all the time because I have about 35-40 tattoos. I honestly lost count. They are all business locations... Meaning they are covered by selves and collars.  (i know this is not the tattoo section) But the point is, they make me happy, and that's all that matters. My coworkers have fully accepted the bald. But no matter how long you have been shaving your head, the ones that are close may throw the occasional Q-ball, or blow on your head and shine it to "see their reflection". But it will all get better. Plus even my girlfriend loves the fresh skin now, and kisses the shiny Dome every day. Just stick with it. (and sorry for the late reply) 

[Michael]

First time going bald involved alcohol and a wedding party! First real time, I was most nervous about my 7th graders and their reaction.  I thought long and hard about it, made a competition between them and myself (knowing they where going to win) that if they raised their test scores they could shave me... And surprise surprise they did!  They all took a turn with the balding clippers! I have been sly ever since!