Sly Bald Guys Forum
Discussions About Being Bald => To be or not be...Bald => Topic started by: Kevin Mac on July 20, 2008, 10:45:02 AM
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I have many reasons for finally shaving my head or at least what is left of my hair after 21 years of wearing hair systems. Yes I read what Tampa Drew has said and my biggest problem is I guess I don't have alot of self confidence. I will be 47 years old in August and just always have felt scared about doing this. I have worn a system so long that all of the hair is gone from the top of my head, I'm very concerned about the shadow that I will have on the sides of my head. I just hate the fact that everyone will really know how bald I was and was trying to hide it. I really don't even know why I kept wearing these systems and don't even want to get into the money that I have spent over the years ( thousands). I'm going through a rough time in my life now financially and just cant see spending another dollar on these systems. I went to Hair Club for 10+ years and have now gone to another place that charges monthly ($200) it makes me sick to my stomach thinking about it. I have a wife and three children ages 15, 14 and 6, I love them all very much. Well there is no sense about getting to much into my personal life so I guess I'm just looking for some encouragement about taking the plunge, as I said I have only haiir on the sides of my head below my temple, so many years of having the top of my head shaved and then having the system glued on it. My first few years I had my system tied down at Hairclub, as I said I started this back in 1986. What that did was remove my hair that was well below my receded hair line and then when I switched to the other systems they shaved my head down to that area and then had the system glued on. I know I sound pathetic but I will definitely be doing this on Friday evening because I will be going to the beach for two weeks and can get used to it. I will be with my family and friends and have not told anyone yet about my decision. I told a friend from work that I need to talk to him at work this week because he does shave his head and he looks great. My biggest concern is about the shadow on the sides of my head and the back of my head is somewhat flat. I have seen people post that they use Matte for Men shaving lotion and then the spf25 cream to moisturize. I only have a few spots of hair above the hairline that I do have so should I still shave my entire head so it all loooks the same. Again I apoligize for this long post and I should have taken this plunge a long time ago.
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Hey Kevin,
Glad to hear you're finally going to go for it.
Don't worry about a flat spot on the back of your head, that's natural. (or at least I have one too! O0) Look around the site at avatars, you won't find a bad looking sly guy. The beauty of the sly look is that it suites anyone willing to give it a chance.
In regards to your family event, if you don't want to shock them too much maybe tell them beforehand that you're thinking about shaving your head. This way they can get used to the idea before they see you. If they don't know about HCM then you can say it's for a charity, or that your friend recently shaved and looked good so you're thinking of trying it, or hell even tell them you lost a bet haha.
Two weeks at the beach should give you enough color (but don't neglect the SPF) on the head to blend it together. Again look at the avatars on here, most of them are taken just after a close shave but you can't really see a shadow. It will come around after a day or so of growth, but that's why most of us shave daily!
Even if someone were to notice a difference in shadow, who cares? That person, first of all, probably wouldn't comment. And if they did, you would have taken control of your situation and solved your hair loss problem.
Post up some pics when you get a chance. I'll be excited to see the transformation. Good luck!!
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Welcome Kevin. Its a tough decision to make but you will not regret it. Some pieces look better than others but they all dont feel good thats for sure.
Sounds like you have a good family and friends so what do you have to lose ? Nothing. A lot of us would love to have all our own natural hair but consider the sly option a FAR superior choice to any hairpiece, drugs or plugs. I just went sly 2 weeks ago and out of laziness let my hair grow in for 4 days....
ugh. Hated it...couldnt wait to shave it down again. Now I feel better :)
Shaving your head is pretty common these days so you picked a good time to shave...and yes definitely shave it all down.
You will be glad to be free from the hair and you will no longer have to worry about if anyoen knows, if your hair blows too much in the wind, the sun, the pool and any physical activity messing up your "hair"
Free your mind. 8)
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These guys have given some great advice. Again it's a tough decision, but I would bet that you feel like a thousand pounds is lifted off of your head when you are done.
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Personally i have never felt tempted to try a system, by the time i contemplated drugs i think it was too late anyway. However there is one thing from having been a member of this site for a couple of years now that i can say with some authority. There has not been one single person on here who looks worse sly than balding. That should alone be enough motivation.
You should just do it, although not everyone is completely comfortable sly, me included at times, it shows a confidence an approach that tackels things head on and deals with it! Good luck!
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ok if u have enuff $$$ to shave that mug of yours u have enuff $$$ to shave that noggin.....stop pussyfooting around and just scrape it off !!!!
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Hey Kevin,
I think what you are doing is awesome! We are going to both be removing these wigs the same weekend......and finally releasing ourselves to be free from the Hair Club trap! I am proud of you and look forward to calling you a fellow Sly Bald Guy soon!
Way to go! I look forward to seeing your pics soon too!
Andrew
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Hey Kevin,
I think what you are doing is awesome! We are going to both be removing these wigs the same weekend......and finally releasing ourselves to be free from the Hair Club trap! I am proud of you and look forward to calling you a fellow Sly Bald Guy soon!
Way to go! I look forward to seeing your pics soon too!
Andrew
Guys, am proud of both of you!! O0
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As an option, you could go really short on the sides where you have hair...I have seen some business men who look very nice like that. Think captain Picard (spelling) from Start Trek Next Generation.
Anyway, you'll see that you are the one making the big deal out of your hair, not everyone else. I have a feeling you will be very happy with the natural look you have, once you take control of the situation and shave it off.
Also, don't worry so much about the shadow...it won't make you any less of a man. Depending on how dark your hair is and how close of a shave you get, you may have a shadow...but again...I have yet to see anyone laugh on or pick on a guy who chose to shave off all of his hair when it's clear he lost some of it. Cause deep down, we all look at him and say something like "Man, I would do that too..." or "He has more courage than I do..."
So build up that courage and show yourself you really are a man of courage and action!
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Kevin, congrats on your decision to free yourself of those "systems." While I never seriously considered going that route, I am very glad I went the sly route over a year ago. I concur with Tyler that it will probably feel like a huge weight has been lifted off the dome. If you're apprehensive about it around your family, sit 'em down and explain to them how you feel about the system and you're ready to be free. They're your fam bro - they'll support your newfound look! Good luck & keep us posted!
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Good luck brother, I hope all goes well. You will not regret it. Fret not about noggin shape, etc. We all have our own unique shape. Going sly really makes one an individual. Hairstyles can be copied.... your skull... not so much! You will look great!
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lol That made me chuckle, Michael. I like that perspective!
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Well I finally shaved it off on vacation on July 28th. I seen alot of my friends and family while I was at the beach and everything was positive. My mother thought I was crazy but she's told me that since I could probably walk. My fifteen year old son and his friends think its cool and my fourteen year old daughter is great with it and some of her friends said that there fathers should do it. My youngest daughter is six and she is having a blast with it. So far I don't know about my wife because still having some problems there but I do believe that I'm going to have a hell of alot more self confidence with dealing with any problems. I returned from vacation six days ago and have now been at work for five days and everyone has been positive, only heard one stupid comment, only black guys look good shaved. I told him next week I will come in like Michael Jordan. I work at the Post Office and I'm a mailman so just in the last three days I had at least fifty people from my route come out of there homes saying they thought they had a new mailman and they couldn't believe it was me at first, they all thought I looked good. People that didn't know I wore a hair system came back with did you lose a bet or did you donate your hair to cancer or is this your summer look. I just told everyone that I think this will be the new Kevin look for a while, I'm very happy and I'm surprised that with glasses I look fine. I did the glasses on and off test to a few friends and they all said to keep the glasses and to forget contacts. I want to Thank everyone who has responded to my post and to all members of this forum. I will put a picture up once I download the pictures from the beach. A funny thing is one day when I was walking down the beach I seen a friend of mine I grew up with that I hadn't seen in a couple of years and I called out his name and when he looked at me the first thing he said was Its About Damn Time What Took You So Long. It made me feel great, nothing but positives from people that knew I had a system for twenty two years. I should have shaved fifteen years ago and saved thousands. I will post again soon and again THANK YOU SLY BALD GUYS :)
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Congratulations Kevin. It's great to hear that being sly has proved such a positive experience for you. Enjoy your new found freedom.
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youll feel better over time and save a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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Welcome Kevin, sure you made the right decision !!
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Congrats Kevin!
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Congratulation, Kevin!
Enjoy your new sly you. O0
J
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Kevin, by this time I'm sure you have gone through with the whole thing and I hope you are happy! I am new to the site, but have been on here for the last whole day it feels like. I find it hard not to get choked up reading some of these posts, I wish the reason I shaved my head clean was MPB, I could deal with that more than my reason I think. (Alopecia) I have crazy patterns (shadowing) all over the back of my head from Alopecia spots, but I guess it could be worse. I hope you feel as liberated as I do, now that I have talked with other guys that have made a choice to go sly I feel great. I guess I have been on here for so many hours, to discover that there are a lot of different and personal reasons for breaking out the razor. I hope your trip was good and friends and family support you in your choice, good luck! ;)
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Kevin, I would just be bold about it. Just come clean. You'll find its such a relief! When I first went sly I got a few comments that were negative. So what! I have a full head of hair; a few months ago I grew it back to about an inch. That lasted a month or so. I was really missin the sly so I went slick again. What a relief! I love it and I'll never go back. When I shaved again my wife says, "You know a lot of people think you look a lot better bald"! So not everybody is going to give you a comment one way or another. For me, people had gotten so used to me being sly they thought it was weird when I grew it back.
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Kevin, I would just be bold about it. Just come clean. You'll find its such a relief! When I first went sly I got a few comments that were negative. So what! I have a full head of hair; a few months ago I grew it back to about an inch. That lasted a month or so. I was really missin the sly so I went slick again. What a relief! I love it and I'll never go back. When I shaved again my wife says, "You know a lot of people think you look a lot better bald"! So not everybody is going to give you a comment one way or another. For me, people had gotten so used to me being sly they thought it was weird when I grew it back.
Good move goin' back to the bald sly look brutha..
nice fit on your mug! O0