First time potential shaver , need some advice before i take the dive please!

[YorkshireLad86]

Hey , 21yr old male...just recently noticed hair thinning across my entire head and wish to take care of it before its really noticable. Was just wondering as to how the process is best done i mean...is the buzz shave close enough (as i would prefer not to actually shave with a blade my whole head). The tan line is a major issue also , given that i live in the north of England its near impossible for me to get a tan. Any methods tried and tested by yourselves for ridding the pale dome upon the first shave?. One more issue ridding me of a good nights sleep is the oils on my scalp. I have a pretty oily scalp, and with no hair to absorb it how bad will it look? Can it be curbed?

Many thanks

Danny

[Marz]

Welcome Yorkshirelad!

Shaving your head is different for all people. Some just jump in and do it, some buzz down to a 1/2", then 1/4" and so on and eventually use a razor. It is a personal decision but I would suggest taking a deep breath and letting it rip with clippers and no gaurd. Its hair, it will grow back and why turn a 20min. process into a 2-3 week process? Give it a shot, see how you like it and decide from there if it is right for you (give it 30 days).

Anyway I imagine that the oily hair / scalp thing is caused by your hair retaining the oils produced by your scalp and once the hair is gone your scalp will be great. Without hair most scalp conditions are far more manageable (take it from me, I had a scalp condition when I had hair and shaving my head left turned that into a memory)

The first step is the toughest, but most that take it dont go back.

[Paul]

Welcome Yorkshire to the forum.  If you are not comfortable with a razor shave then yes, slip it on down first.   Start at a 2 and work your way down from there.  That should allow you to gradually expose your scalp and build up a tan.  Tanning lotions are only going to be effective on bare skin, so trying those on a buzz or burr cut is not going to do much.   But I have to warn you as many guys have found, once you start clipping the urge to go shorter develops and next thing you know, you have the best cut of all.....the sly look.

[Razor X]

I wouldn't worry too much about the pale scalp.  If you can't get very tan in Yorkshire, then there probably isn't going to be a huge contrast between your face and scalp anyway.

Good luck.

[Tyler]

Danny, welcome to Sly Bald Guys!  These guys have given you some good advice.  I'd also recommend doing some clippers with no guard.  Then as you get used to that, give the razor shave a try.

[YorkshireLad86]

Hey,

       Thanks for the advice thus far however i was wondering how long it would take to rid the scalp of dandruff and how easily this is achieved?. Does it for instance take a day or two with a face wash (ones with grains for ex foliation), how sever can i expect it to initially be?

Thanks

Danny

[Tyler]

You may have to shave all the way to get the dandruff to go away if you already have dandruff.  If you don't have dandruff, you shouldn't get it by shaving if that's a concern. 

You can use a loofah or some exfoliating scrub like St. Ives Apricot Scrub.

[Scott]

Danny, welcome to SBG!  I think you'll find that if you were to shave your dome SLY, then you wouldn't have to deal with dandruff anymore.  My hair was always kinda oily also, but once I started shaving I really don't have that issue anymore and the oils I do have add to the shine, which has become my trademark among friends, co-workers, family.  Buzz it down first, it will always grow back out within a few weeks.  If you try SLY, you'll be surprised at how much you like it.  Don't worry about the paleness - you'll get color soon enough.  Good luck and keep us posted!

[YorkshireLad86]

I do not have that much dandruff since using head and shoulders, just thought there would be a possibility that large amounts of dandruff that normal washing wouldn't get rid of would remain. I use the apricot scrub on my face with very fruitful results! wasn't sure if i could use it on my scalp (may try that one when i finally shave it all off). I hope i look good with a shaved head as i don't hold much admiration for my currently thin head of hair. Being able to pull of the shaved look would be so much easier, just slightly apprehensive as i am  only 21 and cant think of any bald people my age that i know. You guys have been really helpful thus far, i feel a great deal more confident about going ahead with this as a result of joining this forum. Thank You

Danny

[Timmay]

Hey York....once you shave the dandruff problem will cease.  You might have to make sure you add some type of lotion to your freshly shaved noggin just in case.  I know here being it is winter time and the air is often warm and dry ..my scalp seems to dry out.  I just use,  once a day,  a clear aloe vera gel on mine.  It gives it a nice shine and stays smooth all day.  Good Luck...

[JohnnyBawlz]

Dandruff... One of the main reasons I went sly, amongst a few other things. Any lingering dandruff was gone as soon as I went sly. Depending on how severe yours is, your mileage, er... kilometers may very. Still, if this is the only thing keeping you from going sly, it's really a non-issue. Hope that helps.

[Rob]

Hi, Yorks: I don't get much sun either, livin' in Birmingham, but after 18 months of shavin the dome i can't say the lack of a tan worries me any more.  Its like the scalp gradually darkens over time anyway, with the exposure to the air.  I don't have a pale scalp line at all any more. 

As for the dandruff, I'd have thought it would go when you have no hair, but stubble might still keep it coming back.   Enjoy the forum

[YorkshireLad86]

Thanks for your advice so far guys, got another question for you....

         If i run my finger tips over my scalp i can feel them going up and down in areas, i am not sure as to how bad this will look and was just curious to know if anyone else can feel bumps such as these on their scalp and how they appear on a bald/shaved head. The back/top of my skull feels a bit flat as it goes towards the back of the neck, at the top i can feel 2 bumps. Any stories of acne scars either would be appreciated.

Danny

[SLYinKC]

Danny, You've probably heard this before from others on the forum.  But the real truth is that we all are the worst critics of ourselves and each of us are all too aware of each imperfection that we have.  But the thing that you will find out after you shave is that "NO ONE ELSE REALLY CARES".  They really don't.  So my advice is that you just need to try it (by trying it I mean for at least 30 days) and after that you'll forget about all the excuses that you had before.

[warhawk]

danny....welcome 2 the sly fraternity.  glad that ya found us.  i'm not really going 2 add anything because the sly brahs have said it best.  however...i will say that since u r having thoughts of shaving your dome (i.e.  joining the SBG forum).  u will never satisfy those thoughts until u "do the deed",  "take the plunge", in other words shaving your head.  i say get a buzz cut from a barber & shave that dome smooooth with a quality razor like the fusion, mach3, or headblade.   

WARHAWK