Long time lurker finally saying hello

• Long time lurker finally saying hello by Themightyjuice on 19 Jan, 2017 04:38
• Hi guys,
  
  Been a long time lurker on the forum for a while now. Been a member for a few months but never posted. This will be my first.
  
  Quick intro... My name is Lee, 35 years old and been thinning for a couple of years now. I had my first buzz cut when I was about 16 after a terrible haircut. I remember being told that it actually looked not too bad. Fast forward a few years and I used to rock it on and off. Maybe in my mid to late 20's did I start noticing my hairline receding... initially it never bothered me. I just figured as my dad was bald I'd be going the same way. I guess I accepted it very early on. It was inevitable.
  
  I remember one time shaving my head down to a number 2 and this is when I really noticed the balding. I had pretty thick hair round the sides and back but the top was noticeably lighter... this kind of freaked me a little as it was the first time I really saw what damage had been done to my head. I've always looked much better with hair but as said before, people have always been reasonably complimentary when I had it buzzed. I went through a phase of buzzing it down to a number 2 then a 1.5 then followed the number 1. I'd then regrow it till it p*seed me off and buzz it again. Each time I grow it back I can see more scalp.
  
  I bit the bullet one day and bought myself some Wahl balding clippers and took it right down. To my surprise I actually really liked it but those closer to me took a while to get used to it. I should add here that I've been wearing a beard on and off for about the last 3 years. I've noticed that when I shave both head and face it just doesn't go so I started wearing stubble with the shaved head. That got me more attention than I'd like from the ladies (I'm married).
  
  Then came the first time I tried sly.  My dad is sly and i always said that when the time came to accept the baldness I'd go sly too. I just dont see the point of clinging on to what little hair is left.  One night I clippered it down to a 0 on the balding clippers and took my newly purchased ATX to the scalp. I didn't tell anyone I was doing it. My initial reaction was one of regret. I didn't like it. I didn't like the feel, my head felt like rubber. I went to bed that night and on waking up my wife touched my head without realising I'd gone sly and got the fright of her life. She hated it. I get it back straight away and didn't go down that road again... till October last year. That's when I think I finally accepted it was time. Out came the clippers and off came the hair. I had a 0 buzz for a bit then tried sly again. This time I gave it the 30 day rule (almost) I'd shave every other day then maybe try stubble on the head. Over the course of a few weeks people just got used to it. I was in a new job where appearance is very important (I'm a nursing assistant) and pretty worried what my colleagues would say. To be honest they where all fine about it. Didn't really say much and when.1 or 2 asked what had happened, I just said I was going bald and decided to shave it all off. That was it. Now I've been sly on and off ever since. I love the feeling of being sly now and I do love having a big shining dome haha. I grew out my beard a little and most definitely think that adds to the look. Although i like the look and the feel I'm wondering whether I should grow it back a little to see how it looks. If it's not great then it all comes off for good. Everyone has seen and accepted me sly and I've had comments saying that I really suit the look. My wife has accepted it as has my little boy. I think both preferred me with hair but my wife understands where I'm at and that I do it for me, no one else. I did trim my beard right down and immediately regretted that. I think I was born to be bearded
  .
   Thanks for reading my story and I'm sorry for rambling on so much. I'll stick up some before and after pics when I can find them.
  
• #1 by Mikekoz13 on 19 Jan, 2017 05:21
• Welcome, Lee!
  
  Nice story..... and the beard is you.
  
  I hope to see you posting more in the future!
• #2 by Themightyjuice on 19 Jan, 2017 06:00
• So I found a before and after pic. I let my beard go a little longer before it all got trimmed off. I'll post that pic when I come across it
  
  
• #3 by dshupe on 19 Jan, 2017 06:32
• Welcome and thanks for sharing your story!   I think the beard looks great and your head looks amazing too!
• #4 by Dragon on 19 Jan, 2017 07:15
• Welcome, from another Brit
• #5 by Sir Harry on 19 Jan, 2017 08:21
• Welcome to the forum, Lee! Everyone has their preferences for their head and face and what tools they use for them. Nice to see the variety of routines, and it's always good to see a lurker post. Enjoy!
• #6 by nuts on 19 Jan, 2017 11:40
• Looks good. Prefer the fuller beard.
• #7 by Conservator on 19 Jan, 2017 12:42
• Welcome.
• #8 by Themightyjuice on 19 Jan, 2017 12:50
• Thanks for all the kind replies gents. I think the beard is definitely the way to go. I'm in the process of bringing it back to what it was or maybe even letting it go longer, never gone past 3 months before. To be honest I'm not even convinced it'll be any good, I personally don't think my growth is that great but that's another story. This is a picture of just before I trimmed it down
  
  
• #9 by nuts on 19 Jan, 2017 13:10
• Many men would pay a lot of money for a beard that good.
• #10 by mrzed on 19 Jan, 2017 15:45
• Sly looks really good on you, accented by the beard. Enjoy it.
• #11 by wpruitt on 19 Jan, 2017 16:26
• Welcome!  Good Intro !
  
• #12 by -Doug- on 20 Jan, 2017 07:14
• Welcome aboard. Thanks for coming out of the shadows and posting a great intro.
• #13 by Adamski1972 on 21 Jan, 2017 15:48
• Great intro! Welcome! Nice to see yet another Brit on the forum!
• #14 by tobler1 on 21 Jan, 2017 18:25
• Welcome!  Very nice dome you've got!