Sly Bald Guys Forum

Discussions About Being Bald => Reactions to being Bald => Topic started by: DavidA2571 on November 25, 2015, 05:53:59 AM

Title: Reactions
Post by: DavidA2571 on November 25, 2015, 05:53:59 AM
I shaved last Tuesday and here ar some reactions since then. Some of these may be my new perceptions and some are real statements. 
"Oh my gosh you're bald, I love it."
Cute girl gives me a thumbs up in my jeep.
I accidently backed into a guy who drove behind me in the parking lot.  He kept on driving.
"You look like Dr. Xavier from X-Men"
"Oh wow, did you join a fraternity."
"Did you lose a bet?"
" I love bald men!"
"Looking good!"
"You look like Dr Evil. Not sure about this one, and I don't think you were losing your hair...."
"Yay!"

Shaving one's head takes some thought and I didn't enter it lightly. It is only hair after all but once I shaved it I felt empowered.  I surely am not looking for validation from everyone since some aren't going to like it.  That's where we can all just lovingly not give a f**k what others think. 



Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: jbrit25 on November 25, 2015, 06:38:37 AM
I've gotten did you lose a bet a few times. I also get called Gru from the Despicable Me movies by the kids in my youth group. That's the one I'm not sure about.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: DavidA2571 on November 25, 2015, 06:45:45 AM
Haha Gru!  It's as if people reach for straws trying to relate with our baldness.  Telly Savalas is no longer in vogue.  Kelly Slater did us a great favor though. 
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: reddog on November 25, 2015, 07:19:07 AM
I didn't get very many negative comments, and I,shaved off a full head of hair. Maybe because I was 58yo, I think younger people are more likely to comment. The worst I got was that I looked like a biker, or "at least you have a nice shaped head".
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: Cave Dweller on November 25, 2015, 07:34:24 AM
Shaving one's head takes some thought and I didn't enter it lightly. It is only hair after all but once I shaved it I felt empowered.  I surely am not looking for validation from everyone since some aren't going to like it.  That's where we can all just lovingly not give a f**k what others think.

Great statement! I applaud your outlook.

I am really glad the "You look like that guy from Breaking Bad" comments have stopped since I grew the full beard. The Walter White comparisons usually were made by people who seemed to think I would take being equated with a drug dealer and murderer as a compliment.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: slybeard on November 25, 2015, 07:37:16 AM
That is a good attitude.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: BaldBassMan on November 25, 2015, 07:53:00 AM
I've been buzzing my head down for years, so haven't had many reactions from people at work unless I make a comment about it. The only reactions I've really had is from my wife and kids. My wife was uncertain at first, but seems to love it now and the kids have loved it from the beginning. The only opinion that really matters is your own, its your head and you can do as you please. Glad to see that most your reactions have been positive at least!
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: stn87 on November 25, 2015, 11:00:12 AM
That you have received good comments.
You could upload a picture to see your look
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: mrzed on November 25, 2015, 01:46:43 PM
I want to go home and shave my head again after reading this thread.

Nice.

Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: Calvo1029 on November 25, 2015, 09:14:57 PM
lol I also got lost a bet and that I look like Pitbull
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: Semi-Sly on November 25, 2015, 10:25:41 PM
wow, you got a lot of great postive feedback.  Post some photos so that we can see what people have been raving about!

I got almost universally negative comments when I was fully shaved.  And while I agree that it is not my best "look", I love the way it feels and the "empowered" feeling that it gives me.  So, I am pretty sure that I will do it again in the future.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: 4fit on November 26, 2015, 08:02:12 AM
I got good and bad comments. Oddly enough worst ones were from site members. Oh well everyone's entitled to their opinion.😀
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: slybaldguy on January 27, 2016, 08:59:32 PM
One thing I notice is that a lot more people notice me in general. I catch people eyeing me quite a bit since I donned the chrome dome. Maybe it's just me feeling more confident and looking around instead of always keeping my head down in shame, and that's why I perceive "more" attention.. But yeah, in traffic, in the workplace, walking about.. I get noticed. The way I look at it, I stand out from the crowd, because I don't conform to the norm, but I didn't go to some extreme to "stand out".. so people aren't really caught off guard, just.. curious. I've had at least 3 people ask to rub my head in the past week, "just to see what it feels like". I just go along with it and jokingly ask, "why, are you thinking about shaving yours?" Nobody has fessed up to it, but deep down, I think they admire us.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: Jordan1991 on January 28, 2016, 04:41:11 AM
I once got told I look like the musician "Moby" LOL!
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: Laser Man on January 28, 2016, 12:37:04 PM
One thing I notice is that a lot more people notice me in general. I catch people eyeing me quite a bit since I donned the chrome dome. Maybe it's just me feeling more confident and looking around instead of always keeping my head down in shame, and that's why I perceive "more" attention.. But yeah, in traffic, in the workplace, walking about.. I get noticed. The way I look at it, I stand out from the crowd, because I don't conform to the norm, but I didn't go to some extreme to "stand out".. so people aren't really caught off guard, just.. curious. I've had at least 3 people ask to rub my head in the past week, "just to see what it feels like". I just go along with it and jokingly ask, "why, are you thinking about shaving yours?" Nobody has fessed up to it, but deep down, I think they admire us.

I had several people I work tell me they admired me for having the courage to shave my head.  A few have also said they have thought about going sly but can't work up the nerve.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: socknoggle on January 28, 2016, 12:47:32 PM
When I first shaved my the overall reaction was positive.  I had one lady at work say, "Todd, no!".  Everyone else thought it looked pretty good.  I haven't noticed if I get noticed more.  I should be on the lookout for that.   ;)   Truthfully, though, that's not why I started shaving my head.  I did it because I had wanted to for years and was finally free of a wife who hated the look.  I love what some of you are saying about feeling empowered.  I feel that way as well.  Shaving my head was one of the best things I've ever done for myself.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: Professor Rorschack on January 29, 2016, 11:43:01 AM
My own personal experience hasn't had any significant reactions. Most of the people I see on a day-to-day basis already knew I was considering going sly because my Alopecia I have was so noticeable. So, there wasn't quite the "shock" value that most guys experience.

However, my sister also has Alopecia, but she lost EVERYTHING (hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.). We were at a water park one day, so my sister went without her wig and didn't bother stenciling on her eyebrows. As we were walking, a random lady walked up, obviously thinking my sister had cancer, gave my sister a big hug and whispered, "You are so brave. Keep fighting that damned disease!" (or something to that effect). We were all sort of caught off guard (my sister especially), so she just thanked the woman and we walked away in silence! On the one hand, my sister felt awful for allowing this woman to continue thinking she had cancer when she didn't, but on the other hand my sister wanted to spare the woman the awkwardness of finding out her assumption (and awkward hug) was wrong. To this day, we still laugh about that!
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: Lew on May 20, 2016, 01:53:37 PM
I'm new to the bald look as well.  I think reactions from others is in part a result of how you present yourself out in the wild.  I have projected a positive attitude toward others which in turn has yielded positive feedback.  This may not necessarily always be the case over time but as a general rule it should apply.  This appears to be your experience as well.  Good luck!
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: amatlock2778 on May 20, 2016, 09:54:07 PM
Im almost 6 months in to being bbc. Many of the reactions i got were positive, or neutral, eveolving to positive. The only real negative reaction is from one of my close friends ( one and the same with who helped me shave at first, he supported it, but thought it was something i was doing as an means to an end, tempoary, as it were, which at the time was my plan).  Now each time he sees me, he says i should grow it back. Hell no, i like how i look bald much better. My usual reply to him is, well you should shave bald (actually i really do think he should at least give it a try, as he has a bald spot on the back of his head that seems to be growing a little each time i see him) . 
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: clint902 on September 23, 2020, 08:34:14 AM
I've gotten quite a few compliments and the ones that don't compliment me, just stand there and marvel at the shape of my head.  Funny, nobody gave me a compliment when I had a full head of hair.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: MoonageDaydream on May 02, 2021, 08:56:28 AM
Funniest reaction I got was from an Eastern European coworker who said I looked like a Russian hitman when I shaved my head.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: clint902 on May 02, 2021, 12:56:47 PM
I think the sudden change is what gets the reactions but once they got used to my look, they don't pay much attention.
Title: Re: Reactions
Post by: reddog on May 02, 2021, 04:02:37 PM
After 2 or 3 weeks people get used to it and stop commenting.

I changed my profile pic on Facebook recently, and was surprised to get a couple comments on my look. It's been nearly 8 years! But one gal I've known for many years said " you are one of the few that can pull it off and make it look really good, very handsome Mike!!". She made my day 😁