New to being bald...getting rid of the shadow

[Calvo1029]

Hey fellow bald guys-

New to the forum. I have buzzing my hair since the Spring due to thinning hair and an involuntarily shiny spot on the back of my head. I had been mostly doing 1 or .5 on top, zero on the sides. I once did a zero on all around without a beard and hated it.

But then I started growing a beard and seeing fully shaved guys and wanting to try the look. So at the beginning of the month I "bic"ed it (these were the razors I had) got a few small cuts but overall liked it except for the shadow...

I then got the headblade, and really loved the smoothness...but yet I still have a shadow. A friend who's totally slick bald couldn't believe I shaved in the morning when he saw me at night.

I've been super busy this week and not keeping it up like I was the first week, but I got a Mach 3 and I'm planning on trying it.

Is there an easier way to get totally slick, skin bald? That is the look I want and I see it in some avatars and ads here and with celebrities and on some guys I've seen. Or is it just hereditary, and I'll be slick on top in a few years but not on the side? Or a better razor for this?

You can see what I mean in my pic...

[gwsmallwood]

Some of us are just stuck with the shadow.  I can get a BBS shave and still have a shadow.  The  folks you see that don't either don't have dark hair, they have very  thin hair, or they're celebrities and it's makeup.

[Cave Dweller]

Welcome to the board, Calvo!

The shadow is not going to completely vanish as long as your hair follicles are darker than your skin. Over time, however, your skin will tan up and cause the shadow to be less noticeable.

Just like with your beard, the more you shave your scalp, the faster and easier the process will get for you.

Glad you joined us!

[DOC_OSMC]

I have a bit of a shadow, more prominent in the back than in the front.  I know my profile pic makes it appear that I don't but I do.  I wouldn't be too concerned with it.  As you continue to shave your head and spend time outside in the sun, you'll get more color on your head that will help blend it in with your face.

Also, as was mentioned, darker hair, which I have, will make the shadow more prominent that lighter hair.

Keep at it, don't give up.  Also keep growing the beard out, that will match well with the shaved head.

[tobler1]

The only way to escape shadow is to lose hair--naturally or you can epilate or laser.  Neither of those sounds appealing to me, so I just live with the fact that I have a shadow.

[Munkynutz]

It's, as these trained professionals have told you, pretty much impossible to lose the shadow when you have darker hair.  I am sort of a dirty blond/super light brown colour which goes lighter in the sun as the skin goes darker so when I shave any part of my body (don't ask) the shadow remains invisible for the bulk of the day.  Can't let it go much longer than a time period of about 12 hours with a normal shave or about 24 with a twice over shave (but that creates zits on me for days)a

I work with a bunch of guys who shave slick, and a bunch more who should but don't, and the guys with the blonde-lighter brown coloured hair have basically no shadow at all.  If visible it's on a clear day outside and with a  tan kinda disappears.  The guys with darker hair not so mic luck unless they are of black skin colour in which case they are laughing.

To minimize your shadow assuming your skin doesn't react adversely to it shave once in the direction your hair grows then rinse down, regel or foam and do it the other way.

Good luck!!

[Calvo1029]

Thanks all. I will try to get used to it. I'm planning on shaving tonight with the Mach 3 and see if that makes it any better. My hair is dirty brownish (when it grows out you can see some blonde strands) but my skin is light which makes it worse. I will just have to deal.

[DOC_OSMC]

As you continue to shave your head and get color on your head, you'll find that the shadow won't be so bad.  You say you're hair is dirty brown so when you get the color on your head, it'll blend in better.  Stick to it and don't give up!

[kylebcool]

You get used to the shadow man, its not so bad after a while. Its just odd when you shave it down and aren't expecting to see it. Looks good though.

[Sir Harry]

Welcome, Calvo!
As the others before me have said, a shadow is something us bald guys have to live with....but in time the shadow becomes less pronounced. Only another bald guy will really notice your shadow, though.

[Adamski1972]

Welcome Calvo! Having a shadow when you shave your head is like a badge of honour. As I've got balder the shadow has receded but it still looks cool. A tanned head shows less shadow as people have already said on this forum.

[Calvo1029]

So tried the Mach 3...same shadow! I guess it will be my badge of honor. I'm going to a wedding this weekend with lots of college friends so we will we see what they think versus the short buzz. Not many people have noticed the difference so far but I did get a few compliments and one person who thought I lost a bet lol. I like the feel of the smoothness and the fuzz, and I like both shaving all the way and buzzing. So it comes down to me with what looks best. The buzz I had back for a few days was annoying me because it showed how thin I was getting. Obviously, the fully shaved look doesn't. We shall see...I may just keep doing it to see what I look like without the damn shadow lol

[DOC_OSMC]

I would vote with sticking with shaving the head and keep growing the beard.  The look suits you just fine.

[Munkynutz]

I agree that as the sun hits your head with the lighter colours of hair this will become less noticeable.  I know when my Dad shaves his face with grey hair it is almost like nothing grows there at all.

For me if my skin gets used to it (which it should) there is virtually no shadow as well because of the lighter colour of the hair.  With some tan its totally unnoticeable.

[Calvo1029]

I've settled on switching between a short buzz (1 top/0 side) and sly. Gives me some "time" left with my hair before my shaving routine becomes shaving the sides and a small part of the back every day. By then maybe no shadow!