to be or not to be

[Camp]

As a preface--I have posted here before under a different account...but I had trouble remembering my password so I made a new account.

Anyway, I'm off to the fire academy as of January 7.  I couldn't be more excited for it!  Before I go to the academy I have one thing I feel I need to take care of--my lack of hair.  I'm 22 years old, I believe I am a fairly good looking guy, and I generally have a high self-esteem...except when it comes to my hair.  I have always worn my hair long to cover up my receding hairline (which started receding at probably 16 or so), but my hair is thin and wispy so when the slightest breeze blows by, my hair flies all around my head and exposes my ever-worsening hairline.  My hairline was the butt of plenty of jokes through highschool, and it hasn't gotten any better since college.  I am in one of my friends phones listed as 'five-head' (because the space between my eyebrows and my hairline takes 5 fingers to cover up, vs the normal four).

I have a girlfriend...and I have brought up the idea of taking a clipper to my hair (I have been thinking a 2 or 3--but i am not ruling out the completely sly look  )  but she hates the idea.  I have tried to explain that it would be more practical for the academy, AND bolster my confidence, but she is convinced I am going to look horrible and that I should try 'thickening' shampoos on my hair and whatnot...which I am extremely against.  My mother has had me using some shampoo for hair-loss since I was like 17--I think I actually got it as a birthday gift from her (thanks mom)! My parents also are on the 'don't shave your head, keep your hair til its unbearably thin' bandwagon.  As far as I am concerned though, it is unbearably thin at this point AND I would rather give a righteous finger to MPB than suffer from it til I am 35 (an ideology I have picked up while reading this forum).

So, I am gonna try to upload a pic of me so that you guys can tell me to shave my head... I need a little encouragement before I take the plunge.  For a little background, the pic was taking on possibly the greatest day of my life--the day I learned to surf in Maui.

[Razor X]

 As far as I am concerned though, it is unbearably thin at this point ....

I agree; it's time to turn to the razor.  It's obviously bothering you and it will continue to bother you until you take care of the problem.  You don't see many 22-year-olds going around with thinning hair, but you do see plenty of them with shaved heads.  You'll look a lot less out of place with a shaved head; in fact I think it would really suit you.  It will do wonders for your confidence and allow you to stop obsessing about your hair loss and instead concentrate on things that are important -- like getting started in the fire academy.  You're young and physically fit; you shouldn't be going around with an old man's haircut.  You know what needs to be done -- just find the courage to do it.  If you're brave enough to face running into burning buildings, this should be a piece of cake.  Now go do it.   

[Brkeatr]

Welcome back to the forum !!   

If Razor tells you to turn to the razor, then get a razor and razor your head !!   

[andrew]

I think you should go for it and shave it all off.  Obviously that's what you want to do and the opinions of others are holding you back.  They'll get used to it and they'll notice how much happier you've become.

[marty22]

It's time to take the razor to it.

[DaithiSean]

As others have said, and I agree,  Go For It !

It's just a matter of taste and it's up to you, and you alone, as to wether or not to shave your head.

Give it a go, speaking from personal experience you feel and look a lot better and it works wonders for your self confidence.

[baldy46]

I have tried to explain that it would be more practical for the academy, AND bolster my confidence, but she is convinced I am going to look horrible...

1.  It would be more practical for the academy.
2.  It would bolster your confidence.
3.  You would NOT look horrible.  I have yet to see a single guy who looks horrible with a shaved head.

Go for it, man.  I almost guarantee you won't regret it.  My wife thought I'd look horrible bald too.  She still prefers me with hair, but she's cool with it now and I love it.  Give it 30 days.  If you want to grow it back, you can.  Once the idea of shaving is in your head, you won't be satisfied 'til you at least try it.

[calbito]

Hi, Camp!  First of all, welcome to the forum.  Second, I will be uncharacteristically blunt and say that if your pic and avatar are really you, then anything would be an improvement over your present appearance.  I mean, I don't mean to be mean, but that hair just looks plain nasty.  Several years ago, I ran across a picture of a guy and his two teenage sons who were out surfing, and all three had shaved heads, and they looked fantastic.  I wish I knew where the picture was, so I could show it to you and prove that the bald look can be every bit as cool as "Beach Boy hair".  As for the women in your life, it might take a while, but they will grow to like it as well.  They are simply responding to society's pavlov's-dog conditioning that "bald = ugly", and it will take a bit to overcome that prejudice.  And in the ninth place, do they allow you to dictate their hairstyles?  I think not.  Anyway, you might want to try a buzz (#4 = 1/2", #3 = 3/8", #2 = 1/4", #1 = 1/8") first, as it will allow both you and them to ease into the new look.  Or, you might want to say "screw it! Let's just get it over with now" and take the razor to it all.  Your choice.

[Mikekoz13]

Welcome back to the Forum Camp!

No doubt your hair is to the point that action is needed. Not so much because of the photo but because of the thougghts you have in your head about it. If you were comfortable with it as it is I would say to keep it... but it is obvious that it bothers you.
So take it off.

My wife loves my shaved head and if I say I'm not going to shave ona ny given day she kind of goes "Oh........" and I wind p shaving it.

[LibraryMichael]

Welcome!

Like the other guys say, go ahead and shave it. If you really don't like it, it will grow back.

[imb]

Camp I think pretty much everyone here experienced resistance to the idea of shaving their head, unfortunately bringing up the idea beforehand doesn't seem to work, the only way to get family on side is to go ahead and do it. Everyone I brought up the idea with before doing the deed was negative about it, until I got it done and they could see it for themselves. Then of course, the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. I can't recommend it enough, as it's evident you're not happy with your hair at the moment. But as a member of this forum in the past I'm sure you've heard this before. It's surprising how little other people care, and it grows back really quickly, so I say go ahead and go for it! Alls you have to do is get that courage up for those few moments in the barbers chair, to say 'f it' and just do it.

[PowerOfCheese]

It looks like you're a fan of water. You MUST buzz it down to nothing or take a razor to it. You'll absolutely love it. You have to ditch the thin wispy hair dude. Don't worry bro, you'll be a stud. Just do it.

[BALDANDRE]

Dont' EVER listen to others when it comes to YOUR hair...

do it if you want bro..

fire dude and surfer..both need a carefree dude running the show..

pls one of the coolest surfers in the world is SLY...Kelly Slater..

now ask your girl...is HE ugly?

[SlySurfer]

Dont' EVER listen to others when it comes to YOUR hair...

do it if you want bro..

fire dude and surfer..both need a carefree dude running the show..

pls one of the coolest surfers in the world is SLY...Kelly Slater..

now ask your girl...is HE ugly?

"one" of the coolest surfers! 
BA, that must be a typo. You meant to say TWO of the coolest surfers in the world...
Kelly Slater and The Mighty A

You're right about carefree dudes not having to deal with hair.
Hair-free is the way to go. Life's a breeze being hair-free. 

[BALDANDRE]

Dont' EVER listen to others when it comes to YOUR hair...

do it if you want bro..

fire dude and surfer..both need a carefree dude running the show..

pls one of the coolest surfers in the world is SLY...Kelly Slater..

now ask your girl...is HE ugly?

"one" of the coolest surfers! 
BA, that must be a typo. You meant to say TWO of the coolest surfers in the world...
Kelly Slater and The Mighty A

You're right about carefree dudes not having to deal with hair.
Hair-free is the way to go. Life's a breeze being hair-free. 

Sorry bro...my bad!