First Laser Session Tuesday - Really scared!

• First Laser Session Tuesday - Really scared! by Josh-Mtl on 07 Apr, 2024 11:36
• The title says it all. I'm booked to do my first session of laser hair removal this Tuesday. This is the third time I've booked to start and the first time I chickened out and cancelled by phone. The second time I did a patch test but didn't do the session. And this time I'm bringing a friend to support me.
  
  I like the bald look and am 100% sure I will be bald forever. And I want to be more bald than what I am and avoid shaving time. Whenever I book it the desire to do it outweighs the fear but but when the appointment comes up I get so scared because it's a huge visible body modification. It's some mixture of
  
  - fear of being overly shiny, bizarre or freakish afterward.
  - fear of being patchy for months
  - fear of being left with a stubborn patch they can't remove
  
  Finally I have my partner on board with it, so it's just my own fear at this point. Am I really ready for it?
  
  I really could use some supportive comments.  Thanks so much guys.
  
• #1 by BaldOrchidgrower on 07 Apr, 2024 19:58
• Go ahead!!!let be a happy bald man forefer. I'll do that too
• #2 by Bencito on 07 Apr, 2024 22:21
• If you are 100% sure that you want to be bald forever, then you should go for the laser hair removal on your head. From what I have seen on YouTube, when it is done right, it is a completely smooth, clean, shadowless, bald head. I think it is quite a clean, masculine, and bold look.
  
  That said, if you are even slightly hesitant, I think it is better to err on the side of caution and just keep shaving your head.
  
  May I ask what other reasons (besides reducing shaving time and liking the bald look) that you want to go for the laser hair removal, given the questions and points you listed? When you see the successful results online, do you like the completely smooth shadowless bald look?
  
  What else does your partner say?
  
  All the best.
  
• #3 by Josh-Mtl on 08 Apr, 2024 06:33
• I am completely 100% sure I want to be bald forever. I like this because being bald is part of my identity and I want to be more bald than what I am. I have a thick, dark shadow on the sides and a thin outline of a hairline on top. I have diffuse thinning but I'm not a NW7. When I first shaved I was disappointed at having such a shadow because I want the clean look. But the laser look seemed really radical but then I came around to it.
  My partner at first said if I did laser it would look "like I have cancer" and he really hated the idea. Eventually after a couple years he said "I don't care, do whatever you want" but I knew he still didn't like it. Now that I have the appointment he says "it's really not a big deal, it's not a big change" and seems to accept it.
  Personally I like the shadow-free look. It's just that 99.99% of bald guys have some sort of shadow so it's also kind of scary to be visibly so different with no going back.  But when I see other guys with no shadow I usually like it. I'm making a decision for myself 10 years down the road and more (I'm 43 now). But maybe that future me will thank myself for doing this before it went gray.
  
  
• #4 by reddog on 08 Apr, 2024 06:48
• Yes, it's a big commitment. Headshaving seems to still be on the rise, and I think it will continue. Hairstyles come and go, but shaved heads will probably always be in style. After all, it's been discussed here how addicting it is to wear a bald hairstyle!
  
  I think the no shadow look is awesome. With totally white hair, I have absolutely no shadow. And associating shaved heads with cancer is absolutely ridiculous these days.
• #5 by Semi-Sly on 08 Apr, 2024 08:15
• I think that this is a no-brainer
  
  If I were MPB on top and had a dark shadow on the sides, I would definitely do one of two things: 
  
  I would do as I have chosen to do, and that is to fill in all of the bald areas with SMP so I very much look like a guy who chooses a shaved head is my haircut of choice; or;
  
  If my hair were still dark, and I could have chosen laser, I would?ve lasered off all of it!!
  
  
  Either that, or you could go both ways:  you could first go for SMP and see if you like that because if you don?t like it, it?s a easily taken off with the laser at the same time as you got the rest of your hair lasered off
  
  In any event, stop worrying it?s gonna be great and you?re gonna be glad you took charge and took control of your situation
  
• #6 by Bencito on 08 Apr, 2024 21:38
• All the best to your treatment. If you go for it, keep in mind of the final results that you want, and it will be worth the effort! Kudos to you. Please keep us informed of your progress.
  
• #7 by Josh-Mtl on 09 Apr, 2024 00:21
• Well it's happening. Tomorrow I'm going with my partner and my friend to the appointment. No backing out. Thanks for your support! (Gulp)
• #8 by reddog on 09 Apr, 2024 05:25
• Good luck! I hope it works out well for you.
• #9 by Josh-Mtl on 09 Apr, 2024 13:03
• I did it! Painful but bearable. And I feel very happy about it.
  I'll make a post in a couple weeks when you can see the before-after difference.
  Thank you so much for your support, all of you, it made a difference for me.
• #10 by Semi-Sly on 10 Apr, 2024 09:38
• See?  It?s is not unbearable.  I had my back, shoulders etc. lasered years ago and each session was easier and easier.
• #11 by ANASFIL on 22 Apr, 2024 00:35
• as someone who has done it, I would say that of you want to be bald forever go ahead!!
• #12 by Laser Man on 04 May, 2024 12:51
• Quote from: Josh-Mtl on 09 Apr, 2024 13:03

  I did it! Painful but bearable. And I feel very happy about it.
  I'll make a post in a couple weeks when you can see the before-after difference.
  Thank you so much for your support, all of you, it made a difference for me.
  

  
  Glad you took the chance! Did you use a numbing cream before the treatment?  I did for the first few, then found I didn't need to as the amount of dark hair diminished.
  
  Hope you are happy with the results.
• #13 by Josh-Mtl on 05 May, 2024 21:31
• I used numbing cream and so glad I did. Nothing happened for 2 weeks except growth slowed to a crawl. Then I started losing lots of hair right at the 2 week mark -- virtually all the top and the front part of the sides. Strangely enough even though after it fell I could still see a faint gray shadow of where the hair had been,  in the fallen patches. Maybe future sessions will even it out. There's still a lot of dark hair at the back and the back half of the sides. I shave MUCH less and have much less irritation even after one session.
  Unlike my conflicted feelings before, as soon as I'd done it I was so glad. Happy I had the guts to go through with it. I didn't have any regrets when I saw it falling out, I was just excited to watch the process. It's already simplified my morning routine and feeling and looking smoother. I hope the laser can catch the fine hairs left though and take care of the traces of shadow. I'll make a post when my treatment is further advanced. Thanks again for your support everybody.