Sly Bald Guys Forum
Discussions About Being Bald => To be or not be...Bald => Topic started by: SlowlyShedding on July 19, 2014, 12:26:59 AM
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Hey guys, my name is Alex, and as you've probably guessed - I'm balding. First, I'd like to say that it's not as some teens who've posted on this forum. I'm about a Norwood 2, but with all of this shedding in the shower, etc. I'm really not sure how much longer that'll last. This has been an issue which has plagued me a LOT lately and when talking to my ex she recommended I at least try for a buzzed look if not an all out shave. My fear is that maybe I've got a weird head shape, some unsightly bumps, etc. that will make me incapable of pulling off the look. We all know that not everyone can pull of sly seamlessly, but by god I'd much rather know I'd be OK as sly rather than getting on Propecia or anything. Unfortunately, I'm worried enough that Propecia becomes more attractive by the day.
While I'm sorry that I don't have a picture of my hairline (or face for that matter) to post and give you guys an idea what you're working with I will definitely get around to doing so in the next day or so as I'm actually just about to head off on a hiking trip. What I'd really appreciate from you guys for now is just some general things that I should take a look at regarding head shape and such and if you have any suggestions for a guy in my situation in general.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I also feel like I have a gigantic forehead and that definitely doesn't help.
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First don't worry about the big forehead as it is an illusion caused by hair above it. When the hair is buzzed or shaved the forehead just becomes the head. Just feel all around your head when its wet for unusual bumps, check out your profile in a mirror. Very few have heads that cant be shaved. Try a no. 2 buzz which is 1/4 quarter inch of hair length or no. 1 which is 1/8 inch length. So many guys have this look I'm sure it will be fine. Just be confident in your choice and never feel you are missing something of value because you are not. I swear 30% or 40% of the guys I see anywhere are buzzed or shaved these days. Its almost becoming odd to see a guy who has longer hair.
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wet your hair and plaster it against your head with a brush.. then you'll see your head shape
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Summer is a great time to experiment with a buzz cut or shaving it entirely. The only requirement is that you give the "new style" 30 days to adjust to it and decide whether it's for you. I'd guess you will look just fine and you will feel a huge sense of relief.
A lot of the guys here are shaved because they prefer the look, the ease of maintenance, less cost/time involved with barbers/hair stylists. As chgobuzzbald wrote above, it really has become a mainstream look. Having a buzz/shaved head is no longer a marker for balding.
Try it. I think you'll like it. Keep us posted.
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I agree. Summer is a great time to try it. A short buzz is a great place to start.
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Even if you do find that you have a slightly odd shaped head, in my experience a weird shaped bald head still looks better on most than a weird shaped balding head.
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Slowlyshedding..... You came to the right place.... I was pretty young when I started losing my hair also.... I tried the propecia for a year or so. For me it just slowed it down a little. AND, it was costly for me... Lucky for me I had no side affects. Hopefully nothing long term. AND YES, my forehead was extremely huge when I first shaved. The 30 day rule helps with that.. I don't enough notice anymore.. Good luck with your decision..
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Some guys think their head is an odd shape everyone's head is different. It will look fine if each side is symmetrical. If you don't like it hair grows fast and will be back before you know it. Either way shaving it will help you get over fear of losing it and you'll see its just hair.
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Thank you guys so much for taking the time to respond to this. You guys have been really helpful and I've appreciated the support. However, I figured I would give you guys a picture to work with and with my hair back and wet to give you some idea and to ask about how bad the balding is. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I have a forehead akin to a solar panel. My face is also just really long in general. Sorry about how tired I look - long night at work. Sorry that I didn't comb it all the way down so you all could see my head shape.
http://s1275.photobucket.com/user/Bolt15/media/IMG_20140720_135408_278_zps35dc8ee2.jpg.html (http://s1275.photobucket.com/user/Bolt15/media/IMG_20140720_135408_278_zps35dc8ee2.jpg.html)
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Nothing about you is out of proportion. Nice wide set blue eyes, strong chin and you still have plenty of hair up there. You would look fine without hair but I would keep it and just enjoy being 18 as long as you can.
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Slowly, you got nothin' to worry about.
Keep the hair if you like. If the shedding is a slow torture then buzz it or shave it. You're gonna look just fine.
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Thanks for the quick replies Invaray and Frontier Guy! I really hope you guys are correct in that it wouldn't be too much of a catastrophe if I went bald. Honestly, I do still have enough hair to conceal the recession, but eventually I know that is going to go as well. When the time comes I just want to be able to feel comfortable with my head and know that it isn't going to make me less attractive towards women or anything. A lack of hair itself doesn't scare me, but what a lack of hair will look like on me!
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Slowly ... continue to participate in the forum. Great bunch of folks here and some non-hair topics as well.
Then, when you are ready to "try Sly" you'll know your support group is on hand.
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Slowly,
You have nothing to worry about. I could totally see you with a buzzed or sly look. Maybe with a little goetee...
That knee jerk reaction we all get to loosing our hair does suck, but you came to the right place. Wish I had found these guys when I was your age.
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Welcome, SS...I think that you can pull off a shorter haircut for now if you aren't ready for sly just yet. Good luck
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Hey Slowly;
I agree with everything the other guys have said. You have a great face and once the hair is gone, people will zero in on your eyes - that is just how it works.
You have plenty of hair for now and can afford to "experiment" with it. Summer is a great time to a good men's barbershop for a p[rofessional crew cut or buzz cut. This will allow you to experiment with shorter hair and get used to your "huge" (LOL) forehead. )And you will love the low maintainence!)
Test fly this look for at least 30 days and after that - just enjoy being 18! Your a good looking guy and you have a girlfriend - don't waste one minute of all of that worrying about something as insignificant as a bunch of dead keratin that obscures the top of your head!
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I agree with Chgobuzzbald....... You should buzz your hair with either a #2 or #1 guard clipper & then you will get an idea of your head shape & I'm pretty sure that it will be quite normal & a good shape for becoming a cool baldy.
I also see a lot of young guys who either have short crew-cuts or are shaved bald by choice.
Just go for it, buddy.
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Thank you guys so much for the support! Honestly, for now I've decided to at least keep my hair for a couple years longer. I might as well enjoy the little time I have left with it before I finally need to cast it all to the wind. But honestly, you guys have made it a lot easier to make that step when the time finally does come. I promise that when I do finally join the sly team that I'll upload my pictures immediately to show you guys. I'll still be on here though - I really like the community here!
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Even though you are only 18 years old and balding, I don't think you should take baby steps and wait two more years to shave your head. It is better to be bald than to have people watch you go bald. I'm 18 and balding rapidly in front and the top. I shaved my head. It felt great. I have a lot of confidence. I look like many other guys with my shaved heads. You should shave your head now, instead of looking in every mirror to hide your thinning hair. It's also no fun watching falling hair in the shower.
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@classfood:
I definitely know that pain of frontal recession and while I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing it as well I am thankful to know I'm at least not alone - 18 is friggin' YOUNG to begin losing it like we have. Do you think women still notice you all the same? I'm a pretty confident guy, but just like everyone else I've always had hair and the idea of not having it really does freak me out. On some levels I REALLY want to just buzz this chit off now so I won't have to worry about it in the future (especially cause there are days - like you said: where I check every passing window and such) but on another I'm terrified of looking like some mongoloid child.
Here's another picture for you guys to gauge. I pulled my hair back for the photo in order to make it easier to assess. I feel like my forehead is absolutely massive and that I might have a bulbous head (not really sure how to conclude that or not, however). The red on my face is from playing outside all day.
http://s1275.photobucket.com/user/Bolt15/media/Bading_zpsb9659105.jpg.html (http://s1275.photobucket.com/user/Bolt15/media/Bading_zpsb9659105.jpg.html)
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Your forehead is not massive. It looks normal to me. A lot of women like guys with bald heads. My girl friend loves it. It looks cool! It's no fun seeing falling hair in the shower. Are you still shedding in the shower?
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Maybe it's just me then cause to me this thing looks like a gigantic solar panel! Really? Honestly, the closer I get to college the more self conscious I get about women not liking me because I no longer have hair! Haha, bald heads do feel pretty cool - my dad is proof of that. Off and on. Some days I get like one strand and some it seems like twenty. It's always hit or miss... today was a small shed and I'd like to think it'll continue that way.
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First, your forehead is perfectly normal.
Second, the idea that you should enjoy these last years with hair sort of implies that it's harder to enjoy life without hair. You may find that the exact opposite is true. My own personal story: I started losing hair at 19, tried to treat it, had sexual side effects with propecia and saw palmetto, stopped trying to treat and then just tried to hide it, and I did that until pretty much everyone could see that I was balding anyway. If I could go back in time, I would have buzzed it off much sooner.
I think Classfood makes a good point. Being preemptive prevents that denial/hiding from it stage during which I was anxious and self-conscious all the time. Skip that stage and own up to it early on, because trust me, once you go down that road of trying to hide your hair loss, it can be difficult to get back on the right track.
All the best,
Phil