What made you go bald?

[Papa Don]

I would like to introduce myself.  I am known as Papa Don.  I am new to the Sly Bald Guy Forum.  I have only been
Sly for about a month now.  It is the only way to go.  For as long as I can remember, I have fought the worst hair on the planet.  Course and wavy and thick.  Whatever I woke up with I had to wear all day.  Shampooing rarely helped. My neigbor who is naturally Sly and I were talking about my problem and he suggested shaving.  It took a while to build up my courage.  One day I said, "What the heck, if I don't like it, it will grow back.  Well--Fat Chance!.  I am now SLY FOREVER!!  I would like to thank the guys in the formum for all the advise and tips.-

[Riverrstone]

I'm very proud to be bald, after years of dealing with a hair-loss
phobia. Now, I can look in the mirror and smile at the bald guy there,
and not cringe in terror.
I used to go 6 months or more at a time in between haircuts, so stylist
would cut my hair so short that my high forehead would show.
You do think about the fear. At least I did.Eventually my desire to
overcome my phobia led me to have my hair cut into a GI in 2001.I was
afraid I'd chicken out then.
I backslid into long hair a few times.Then in 2004, I experimented with
cutting my own hair with no guards on clippers. To see my own bald head
was both scary and exciting.Then I lathered my head up and shaved it
smooth for the first time.
Can you imagine?There I was after years of hair loss phobia looking at
my totally bald head.I was shocked and delighted at the same time. I
realized then, I was happier being bald.
I shave my head regularly now,and I don't want to ever be a slave to
hair again.This is feeedom.

[marty22]

welcome to freedom!

[cargoguy]

I always had very short hair since the army at 17 and I am now 44. I buzzed it all that time. Then when I was a correctional officer 10 or so years ago I decided to shave it. I never liked my hair and always found it to be a pain to take care of and suffered from many scalp problems. I buzzed it not only because it was cleaner in that environment and less of a security risk when in physical confrontations but also because I had a very bad scalp condition with scabs and flakes that only goes away when I shave. The good thing is I like the bald look, so does my Wife and all my family and friends. If I grow it more than a few days, they all say, "looking shabby there, time for a shave". I do have a collection of ball caps for the summer when I am out for a long time and toques (wool caps) for the cold months for obvious reasons. I can't immagine having hair again.

[Riverrstone]

Looking at this first picture made me want to go bald, as I am in the second picture:)

[SLYinKC]

That is a great improvement, Riverrstone!!!

[JohnC]

Talked about doing it for about a year.  Was sick of paying for a buzz cut. So I bought the Headbalde and gave it try. Been a Sly guy for about 6 months now and .The wife loves it. I enjoy the new look as well.  
Will have to post a PIC soon

[shavedGabe]

It was monday night around 1:30 in the morning, I was typing my homework and something kindled inside and I asked my friend if I could borrow his clippers (with my regular hair cut, I look like a lawyer or a professional of some sort of business) and I said well here goes nothing. and well first the clippers and then the blade, I looked at it, and got used to it. The only way I'll go back is if my wife tells me that she wants it there.

[The Scottish Ambassador]

Why did I go bald?-
because I wanted to. I did it for ME and no-one else. Its a feeling of taking control. I used to be embarassed when someone commented on my thinning hair. Now when someone comments I say "yes its great and I love it". My boss saw it for first time this morning and said "cool haircut Stevie" How chuffed was I.

I would recommend it to anyone.

[ChefMartin812]

I was in the Military and kept my hair short anyways.
In the Coast Guard one of my side jobs was Fire Fighter and I found that it was easier putting on the mask being Sly and not pulling any hair when I cinched down the straps !
Not to mention I would look terrible with a Comb Over.

[ChefBaldie]

Well....Lets see, Ive been losing it since I was around 13...hairline getting farther and farther back.. Then it just got thinner and thinner. So Ive always buzzed it. During wrestling season I would BIC it. But after a while I tried to grow it out.

I spent two years growing it, and it never even made it to my shoulders. Thats when I knew there was no hope, and just cut it the way I like, Smooth and Sly. It was simply to hot in the kitchen for me to deal with it, much to unprofesional looking, and it just didnt fit me realy.

My wifes still getting used to it, but hey, its for me, and since it dont grow anyway, it wont be back. 

[RATyson]

I had been thinking about shaving my head for some time now... not due to MPB or thinning hair.. but because I like the bald look.
Then, in October my Mom and Sister were both diagnosed with breast cancer.  My Mom started chemo almost immediately, and after her first treatment, she started loosing her hair.
I decided that I was not going to let my Mom go bald along, so I shaved my head.

I like it.  My wife is getting to like it.  We'll see how long I keep it this way.

It is funny, I used to think that shaving my head would save me so much time in the morning... Actually, it has added about 20 minutes to my morning routine.  I have to shave every day to stay smooth.  In fact, if I shave at 5:30 am, I have noticable stubble by lunch time... it's crazy!

Mom is doing relatively well with her chemo treatments.  Her tumors have shrunk a bit.  She is more than half way through the treatments.  She should be ready for her surgery in February.  Her cancer was pretty far advanced, and her tumors were the size of baseballs, so she has a long hike to recovery.
My Sister had a double mastectomy 3 weeks ago, and found out that she will not need chemo!  Which is awesome news.  She is already on her road to recovery.

[nomad]

RAT I'm glad to hear that your mom and sister are on their way to recovery

[bubbadave3]

I was going bald in my 20's.  About 12 years ago now, (back when I was 38 or 39), I got tired of having the barber cut my hair shorter and shorter so that it wouldn't look stupid.  One day, I just said to the barber, shave it all down, because it's not coming back.  Then, I talked to a friend of mine, who was on AOL at the time, and he talked me through the process of shaving my head for the 1st time. 

[MLNHD]

1) Genes (a very bald grandfather),  2) a suggestion by a Sly cousin (same grandfather) to take a blade to my very short buzz, 3) SBG and the incredible advice, suggestions, and encouragement here.  That was a year and a half ago, and I've only missed two days of daily shaving since.  I'm completely hooked.

MLNHD