New sly guy 30 day log

[armiller17]

Zero Day 3/20

After years of a receding hairline as a 20something guy I took it shorter and shorter.  Finally took the plunge and went for a razor shave.  The idea had been in the back of my head for a while, then decided that evening to just go for it.  Spent about an hour reading online (hit this site a lot while searching!), and went for it.

I had a fresh Harrys razor so I went with that.  Took the hair as short as I could with my clippers (no guard), and then the razor.  It was a strange sensation.  I found that I didnt have the level of confidence or dexterity that years of neck shaving had given me.

Still, it didnt go too poorly, no cuts or nicks, and I only missed one spot that my wife found.

Day 1

Surprisingly only a few people at work noticed.  The complete shave let me really see the different speeds that sections of my hair grow at.  I could probably have shaved this day but I decided to hold off.  Im very prone to razor burn on my neck if I shave every day so Im worried about my head.  I think I will try an every other day rotation and see how that looks.

Bought some sunscreen/lotion combos after work.  What is the consensus on those- is there a best one(s) that you can buy in larger quantities?  $6 for 1.7oz seems like a lot.

[Laser Man]

Good log!  If your hair was very short, it isn't surprising that people at work didn't notice.  Many people just aren't all that observant when it comes right down to it. 

Take your first shaves slow and easy.  You'll eventually (and fairly quickly) develop dexterity and speed with your shaving.  Be sure not to put too much pressure on the razor as that will cause razor burn.  And be sure to prepare your scalp well - wash it to get the hair very moist, use an exfoliant every couple of days to clear the skin and lift the hair.  Use a good shaving cream / soap. After shaving rinse your scalp with cold water and use a moisturizer to keep the skin in good shape.

As to sunscreens, I use Coppertone Sport.  You only need a small amount, so a tube lasts for a while.

[armiller17]

Thanks for the advice.  Right now my process is Hot Shower - Shave - Wash Head - Stick head in cold shower for a while - Apply lotion/aftershave.

I have some neutrogena aftershave/lotion/spf combo. Only used it for a few days obviously so Ill see how it goes.

Day 2

Shaved for the second time last night.  I was worried about possible razor burn but it went fine.  I did get a little burn on the back of my neck, but I think that was due to my trying to take the shave too close there.  For now Im doing a single pass with the grain.

[Laser Man]

Sounds like a good routine.  After the cold rinse, some guys use witch hazel to treat any irritation.  Going slowly with the grain is also good at first.  Your scalp will toughen up over time as it gets used to being shaved so you will be able to shave against the grain to get smoother results.

[armiller17]

Sounds like a good routine.  After the cold rinse, some guys use witch hazel to treat any irritation.  Going slowly with the grain is also good at first.  Your scalp will toughen up over time as it gets used to being shaved so you will be able to shave against the grain to get smoother results.

Makes sense about toughening up the scalp over time- hadn't thought of that.  Thanks!

[armiller17]

Its been a while since I took the time to update here.  Haven't given up on the 30 days yet, only 1 more week to go!

Still shaving every other day.  Nicked myself once about a week ago, but it wasn't too bad.  I think the skin on my head is toughening up; the first few weeks I hated touching my head after shaving, it felt too weird.  Now its no problem though.  I've also noticed that if I miss putting lotion on after a shower my scalp does dry out pretty quickly.

[Laser Man]

Congrats with sticking to the 30 day rule!  Glad to hear your scalp is toughening up.  What you experienced with your scalp feeling odd is normal since it's been covered with hair for a long time. It will continue to toughen and after a while, you will notice no difference in feel between you scalp and the rest of your head.  Moisturizer is a must to keep this freshly-exposed skin from drying out, especially during cold weather when the humidity is low.

[armiller17]

Good to know, thanks.  It was definitely a shock the first few times I went to wash my head just after shaving.  Not too noticeable now and I expect I wont notice it at all over the next several weeks.

As an added bonus my two year old daughter loves to watch and thinks daddy shaving his head is the funniest thing ever.