Hey all :D

[Nyoxios]

Hai all!

I figured my first post should be an introduction:

My real name is Melvin, I'm 22 years old and I live in The Netherlands.

Ever since I was 18, people commented on that I had thin spots on the top/back of my head (crown) and as long as I can remember a high hairline. I never thought much about it, as I always buzzed my hair short (shortest with the comb) So it never really stood out.

A lot changed when I saw a picture of myself during an outing with work, my hair was a tad longer and I saw the "thin"spot really good. I asked my co-workers why they never mentioned it. Their response was: "We see you everyday, it doesn't stand out for us". Shortly after that, I went on a trip to London. The day before I wanted to buzz my hair again. All done, but when I entered the shower I saw some missed spots. So I grabbed the clipper and tried to do it myself ---> Comb fell off, and it hit my head. And thus I did my whole head without the comb. Felt really bad about it, but the next time it was time for a buzz, I decided to just do it again. A lot of people reacted positive on the even more short style.

I kept that up for a few months, clipping it every 2 weeks. And I noticed the sides and back grew faster than on top. People around me started telling me: "from a distance, it looks like your bald on top". And there the doubting began: Should I shave it, or just keep clipping it?" First decided I would start shaving when I turned 23 (14th of September) But on a fridaynight when I had to shave my face anyway I just thought: "What the hell, if it looks bald it better can be bald". It wasn't much different as the shortest clipping, but it felt really different. I felt way more confident.

At work people would comment on it, of course. But in the days of clipping I would get very annoyed and insecure when they mentioned the thin area or saying that I look bald. Now that I am shaven bald I just go: "That I am!" I feel good about it, I've accepted that's just the way it is. It runs in my family. My uncle started shaving at 18 and so did a cousin (not the son of said uncle). In fact the only male older than me with all his hair is my dad. I think I made the decision on that too, my cousin felt bad for being bald so young and I always told him that he looked good. So I had the examples in my family.

I think I'm shaving it for like a month or so. The only dislike I have is that the stubble is already there in the morning when I shaved the evening before. And the "shadow" on the places where my hair grows as normal. I've done some research, and the only option is to laser it. On one side the shadow is annoying, on the other side it's visible I choose to shave off whatever is growing still. As annoyed as I get sometimes, it'll always beat the dreaded comb-over haircuts, IMO.


I kinda view the whole situation as followed: before shaving, time would make my haircut look worse and worse due to bald/thin spots. And now time is my friend: It'll only get more bald and the hairs that do stay will turn lighter in time. Less shaving and less "shadow". win-win in my book 

[tobler1]

Melvin, looks good!

[Sir Harry]

Welcome, Melvin! Impressive story, nice way to handle your hair loss.

[Nyoxios]

Thanks for the welcome, guys

[AJ Q-Ball]

Welcome Melvin!

[Nyoxios]

I notice a lot of guys that are bald, have a beard. I want to to keep one too, like a stubble beard. Since somehow, my neck area is very sensitive to shaving: I can like shave it once a week without irritation. (Thank god my head is less sensitive).

I've been keeping it unshaven for like 2 weeks, but at that point it becomes a mess. How can I keep it neat. I have a clipper with a special guard for beards, about what length would be a neat stubble beard? 2mm? I also wonder how long it'll take before I have to tidy it up again.

Also, how do you determine the border from sideburns to headhair? I now hold on to the top of my jaw/ top point of the tragus. my jaw sticks out a bit. I saw some examples where they keep the border at the bottom of the earlobe.

[wpruitt]

Welcome, Melvin

[clipped]

Welcome aboard.  On your original question about stubble & shadow, I am probably one of the minority who actually likes having a little stubble. My hair is mostly white, so shadow is not an issue for me, except that if my hair were still dark brown, I'd be happy with shadow. Shadow on a shaved head sort of says, "yes, I shave my head and I like it that way". I am mostly a clipper shaver but am razor shaving (every 2 or 3 days) for the summer.  2 days after a razor shave I have about the same stubble as immediately after a #000000 clipper shave.   Most people consider that I have a shaved head either way.  The smooth feel is great, but I like the stubble feel that I have by evening as a morning shaver. Maybe it would be better for you to shave in the morning so you are awake to enjoy the smooth feel? 

[Semi-Sly]

Welcome Melvyn!  Good to have a fellow "woodenshoe" on the board.  (Here in US the slang term for people of Dutch ancestry is "cheesehead" or "woodenshoe".  We don't mind - it is all in good fun!  My Grandfather came from Friesland and my Grandmother from Gronigen!

[-Doug-]

Glad to have you with us Melvin.

[K5mow]

Welcome to the forum.

Roger

[warhawk]

Hi Melvin:  Welcome to the sly fraternity.  Glad that you joined us.

WARHAWK

[Nyoxios]

Welcome aboard.  On your original question about stubble & shadow, I am probably one of the minority who actually likes having a little stubble. My hair is mostly white, so shadow is not an issue for me, except that if my hair were still dark brown, I'd be happy with shadow. Shadow on a shaved head sort of says, "yes, I shave my head and I like it that way". I am mostly a clipper shaver but am razor shaving (every 2 or 3 days) for the summer.  2 days after a razor shave I have about the same stubble as immediately after a #000000 clipper shave.   Most people consider that I have a shaved head either way.  The smooth feel is great, but I like the stubble feel that I have by evening as a morning shaver. Maybe it would be better for you to shave in the morning so you are awake to enjoy the smooth feel? 

The shadow is mostly an annoyance because it isn't everywhere. It's only on the sides and the back. Kinda like horseshoe thing. if it would be everywhere, I wouldn't give a damn really. Then again, that would mean my hair would also grow fully everywhere.

The stubble is well, I spend a lot of time to shave it totally smooth, it feels like a waste of time when I can feel hairs being back after sleeping or like 7-8 hours. I shave once every 2 days. So, I shave in the evening. The morning after I get rid of all the stubble from overnight (because it only has grown on some spots) the next day, the stubble is everywhere, so I don't min shave it all off again late in the evening.

I've been thinking about shaving before going to work, but then I have to wake earlier: It takes about an hour/1.5 hour to get it totally smooth.

I've wondered to start shaving every morning, but that would mean I

[SlyMike]

Welcome Melvin

[baldjoeg]

Looks great Melvin.