Sly Bald Guys Forum

Discussions About Being Bald => Reactions to being Bald => Topic started by: pdxtodd on December 08, 2009, 06:30:34 PM

Title: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: pdxtodd on December 08, 2009, 06:30:34 PM
I still shock myself when I walk by a mirror.   Its only been 4 days.   How long does the "shock" last before it turns into awe? 
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: D.A.L.U.I. on December 08, 2009, 06:34:59 PM
Three to four weeks, at least in my case.  By that time you will have seen yourself in all types of clothes, work, casual, dressy, etc., in mirrors at home, car windows.  It's kind of tricky, it morphs into a "damn I look good" sort of thing--that seeks up on you.  Then, when you  notice younger women looking at you--hold on, you're in for a ride.  And that lasts for a long time, a really long time.  Sly is nice, very nice indeed. O:O
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Mikekoz13 on December 08, 2009, 06:53:09 PM
I still shock myself when I walk by a mirror.   Its only been 4 days.   How long does the "shock" last before it turns into awe? 

SHOCK!!???? That's not shock my Friend...... that's the new confidence and realization that your life is better than ever!!!
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: GASlick on December 08, 2009, 08:24:07 PM
It took me a couple of weeks I think before I got used to seeing myself.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: daran on December 08, 2009, 09:20:51 PM
For me it took about a week. The first few days were ruff but now I can't imagine life with hair and all the crap I did to make it look like I had a full head of hair.  I also discovered all sorts of outdoor activities I love that I would never have tried with my thinning hair.  Just got back from scuba diving in Cozumel for a week.  I would never have done that before.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Rusty Shackleford on December 08, 2009, 09:40:19 PM
When I was 24 I had spent most of my years with a buzzcut, but on occasion I let it grow out to a couple inches.  In my early 20s I spent most of my time with a beard, short hair on the sides, and long 2" hair parted to the side on the top.  I eventually buzzed it back down and shaved the beard down to a goatee. 

I had that look for about 8 months when I started a new job.  On my first day a few of the guys kept telling me that I looked like another employee's twin.  I was looking forward to meeting my "twin" and when I did he looked nothing like me.  I was expecting to see a guy with my old haircut and a beard, but the guy I was introduced to had a buzzcut and goatee.  This was strange because even though I was going around with a buzzcut and goatee for a long time, I still visualized myself as the guy with the medium length hair and a beard!   
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: DuffRyder17 on December 08, 2009, 09:56:41 PM
I file that under the one month program
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: marty22 on December 09, 2009, 06:04:33 AM
took me upwards of 2 years.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Rob on December 09, 2009, 07:05:12 AM
a couple of days maybe, though I had had a really short clipper cut (no 1 and then no 0) before going SLY so it didnt really make a difference! 8)
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Tom McGarry. on December 09, 2009, 07:14:47 AM
First off pdxtodd,
                           Welcome to the SBG Family there are a lot of great people here and we are always glad to add another to the family.

Seccond I'm sorry to break it to you but the SHOCK factor will NEVER wear off!!! I have been BBC for over 10 years and everytime I walk by a mirror and catch a glimps of myself, I am still SHOCKED at how devistatingly handsome I am!!!! At least that is how it is for me.  :*))  ;D  :/O
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: pdxtodd on December 09, 2009, 08:18:38 AM
Thanks guys for the feedback.   I guess you're right -- the shock is "dang who's that sly handsome guy?  Was he hiding under that rug all those years?"   

Today is my first sales call as sly.  I fully expect to close the deal on the spot due to my new found confidence that the client isn't judging me for my hair piece.   I'm the VP of Government Services for a consulting company.   My focus is on high end websites for government agencies.   The GREAT thing is that the percentage of sly guys in the creative design/graphical design/web design industry is high.   
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: schro on December 09, 2009, 08:27:41 AM
^^^^^^
Good luck, Todd!
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: D.A.L.U.I. on December 09, 2009, 08:43:38 AM
Good luck, and one additional thing--they remember you and that's a plus in sales.  If you have to call back and there's any question of who you are, "Oh you remember, I'm the bald guy w/ the goatee."  They remember, and get a chuckle.  When they're laughing, you get to the sweet spot for the sale. 
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Dome of Steele on December 09, 2009, 10:12:31 AM
I think it took me two or three weeks to fully identify as that sly man in the mirror.  Once you've seen most of your workmates and acquaintances and the "hey you got a new do!" comments taper-off then a sense of normalcy sets in. 
You look like a natural Todd, now go close some deals!
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: KentBaldGuy on December 09, 2009, 10:32:57 AM
The real shock wore off after about a week, but even after being intermittently sly since 1991 I still love seeing it in the mirror and probably check my appearance far more than when I was non-sly.

Hope your first sly sales call goes well. It should do - no unwanted thatch to distract anyone... :)

Tony
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: DavidTX on December 09, 2009, 05:39:24 PM
Took me a couple of weeks to be really comfortable with it..  funny thing is I still like rubbing my own bald head.  Definitely like how it feels, and enjoy when others are rubbing it too.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: pixtaker on December 09, 2009, 07:41:18 PM
The initial shock took a few days.  Getting used to that bald guy in the mirror took a couple weeks.

I'm 6 months SLY now and I STILL catch myself trying to pull my ponytail out of my t-shirt when I put it on in the morning...
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: sq on December 09, 2009, 08:04:07 PM
Sly for about 8 months

Approximately 1 month to not be surprised when I saw myself

About a week ago let hair grow back for approximately 2 weeks then lI ooked strange to me with hair

Still come across situations where I don't recognize myself sly- there was a picture of me in our local rag a couple of weeks ago and I didn't recognize myself at first
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: pdxtodd on December 09, 2009, 09:09:31 PM
The sales call went great today.  Thanks for all the comments.   For the first time in a decade I felt that people were paying attention to what I was saying and not trying to figure out if that is really my hair or a rug.   I don't know how to explain it other than I felt the "sly power" and took control of the meeting (there were 5 client executives in the room).   When I left the client said that they were down to 5 companies but I was the only one that demonstrated a detailed understanding of their business issues and described a solution that they believed in and understood.    For me it was incredible to not sit there and wonder if they were judging me for covering up my MPB with a hair piece.   The confidence boost of being sly was incredible.   

The only other explanation that I have is that it was sunny all day in Portland today and solar power took over and the juice from my dome took me to new levels.  My second theory is that hair drains all the testosterone from your body.   Shaving it off blocks the "leeching of testosterone" so your body retains it.   Regardless of theory -- today was a new chapter and it was awesome.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: schro on December 09, 2009, 09:32:32 PM
BAM!!!

ROCK ON TODD!

 !B@ !B@ !B@

 P@^
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Tyler on December 09, 2009, 11:40:57 PM
That's awesome Todd!! Being in sales myself, I know how great of feeling that is.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: kenrh on December 10, 2009, 02:08:56 PM
For me it was probably a couple of weeks.  BUT,,, I think that is part of the fun of becoming sly.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: mangosink12572 on December 13, 2009, 01:26:39 PM
 It took me about a day - - -I have three good friends who are bald and all three have been working on me to "shave it off" It took several months for me to get BALD - - -I love being BALD and love feeling my smooth dome after shaving - should have done it right away
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: pdxtodd on December 13, 2009, 01:33:21 PM
I agree Ken -- it feels awesome.   You also hit on a key point -- doing it sooner rather than later.   I spent nearly $72,000 over the years on hair club and hair direct.   Plus the 15 years prior to that on lotions, potions, and drugs.   The end result -- lotions, potions, and drugs didn't work at all form me (and I tried them all) -- and a hair piece just made me all the more self conscious about my hair loss.   I can't tell you how many times I woke up in the morning with my hair piece in a ball of sticky tape residue -- panicked over how I was going to fix it.    All that anxiety over all those years over something as stupid as hair.     We as a society spend billions of dollars a year on hair.   If we spent that money towards health care or solving the energy crisis or solving world hunger - the world would be a better place.   Instead we fret over whether we're having a good or bad hair day.    I'm just thankful that every day is a good hair day for me now! 
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Kevin from OZ on December 13, 2009, 01:59:33 PM
Wow Todd $72,000  :o I'm sure glad I found this place before I went down that road. I was looking into all the drugs and plugs when I found Sly Bald Guys. I hope all the guys out there on the fence read your post, and don't waste there time or money.
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: marty22 on December 13, 2009, 02:13:02 PM
welcome Sq!
Title: Re: How long before the shock wears off?
Post by: Alexander215 on December 14, 2009, 07:32:01 PM
About six weeks before my head really desensitized to the environment (feeling the wind and rain on my dome for the first time was awesome!)

I still occasionally dream about having hair, but not often.