Sly Bald Guys Forum

Discussions About Being Bald => To be or not be...Bald => Topic started by: BaldOrNot on May 16, 2009, 03:55:10 PM

Title: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 16, 2009, 03:55:10 PM
Hi all,

I've been following this site for a while now, but haven't joined until today. I am only 19, a very early age to start balding, especially in Asia. I am not very tall, and I just don't know how I will look after I shave. Actually I did buzz it really short, but at the time I felt like my head is a bit too small and my ears kinda stick out and the back of my head is rather flat.


In my country I rarely see people my age with a bald head :-\
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3659/picture013n.jpg
http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7941/picture016r.jpg

Ever since baldness hit me, life has been tough for me. I wasn't particularly confident, but at least I was proud of my look. But now, everything has been in reverse.

So help a fellow out and let me know what you think.
Thanks all!
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Paul on May 16, 2009, 04:51:22 PM
Welcome BoN, if you check further into some of the posts you will see that a great many of us have had concerns about shaving and going sly.  You will also see that those concerns are always unfounded and that the sense of relief and confidence that comes from shaving can't be beat.   Dare to be different and go for it.
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: SBG Math Guy on May 16, 2009, 05:50:52 PM
Hello, welcome to slybaldguys!
As Paul pointed out this is nothing new.  It's natural to be afraid of such
a big change.   Learn about all the best products for head shaving on this site
and one day just shave it off and don't look back.   As you may have read on this
site most people who shave their heads don't regret the decision.  In fact, the
most common thing that is said afterwards is why didn't I do it sooner?
I hope you stick around and post often because as you know there are lots of great
guys here. 
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Razor X on May 16, 2009, 06:18:13 PM
The answer to this question is always "yes".   I really don't see any hair loss in the photos you posted, though.
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 16, 2009, 07:51:24 PM
Thanks for all the answers.

The picture is kinda dark so you can't see it.

My hair has thinned quite a lot for the last 2 years. I can just feel it by running my hands thru my hair.

I will do it this summer, and will post pics up. Hopefully it won't be too bad!

In fact, I bought a bunch of headblades last summer, but when I informed Mom about it, she didn't like it. So I decided to keep it until it gets worse.

I mean, I've read a fair amount of post on here from time to time when my confidence is low, but I just still want to post and to hear encouragement from great people like you guys.
It's tough now for me, but it will save me some trouble in the future, i.e; won't have to go thru this ordeal again when I hit 40s... lol. Positive thinking :P
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: GaryT on May 16, 2009, 08:20:37 PM
You got it brother!! "Why wait until you're 40?"   There's really only one way  to know how you will look other than to shave it off. If that really scares you try trimming it shorter every week or so until your hair is pretty short any way. That way it's not quite so much of a change!

My advice is always, try it and follow the 30 day rule. Go for it!! What have you got to lose? If you really don't like it, it only takes 2 or 3 weeks and you'll be back to where you were before.

Summary: GO FOR IT!!
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 16, 2009, 08:38:18 PM
I buzzed it really short, and found out my head shape isn't perfect as I thought it would be.  :Xo!

It's a big change alright, considering I will have to shave at least 3 times per week. My hair grows extremely fast :/O.

Any advice for a balding 19?
Thanks again
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Razor X on May 16, 2009, 09:31:31 PM
I buzzed it really short, and found out my head shape isn't perfect as I thought it would be.  :Xo!

That's what everybody thinks.  We're our own worst critics.  Unless your head is shaped like this, don't worry about it:

(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi318.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fmm407%2Frhorgan68%2Fjoshua_perper.jpg&hash=1d5b299efb7100fc65960da230d06324e30efab5)


It's a big change alright, considering I will have to shave at least 3 times per week. My hair grows extremely fast :/O.

Most of us shave every day.


Any advice for a balding 19?

Get a short buzzcut and gradually go shorter, and then when you're ready, shave it off.   Be glad that you're living in a day and age when it's perfectly acceptable to do this. 

I wish I'd started shaving my head when I was in my 20s. It would have saved me years of needless worry.
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Mikekoz13 on May 17, 2009, 07:07:37 AM
Welcome to the Forum BoN!

I think your hair is fine for now with a minimal of balding but..... if it's bothering you be done with it!
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: whiskerbiscuit on May 17, 2009, 09:01:26 PM
I think Asian people look good sly.  You're dark complexion looks way better than most of us pasty white dudes O0
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 18, 2009, 12:09:39 AM
Thanks all for your kind replies,

I just happen to think that by shaving it will save me a lot of troubles worrying about my look all the time. I just want to put it aside and move on.Being dependent on some drugs is not really my thing. 
I think I will just shave it off even if it will chase away the girls.

It's hard being in college, far away from home and lack of family support and going thru this.
I appreciate this website a lot, b/c I know I will be very lonely going thru this by myself.

My immediate family really doesn't care much about appearance, but some how I was conditioned to give more weight to it than I should. That's not good at all and I am working on it.

I love my buzz cut, but my hair grows fast and it gets messy really quickly.

College is stressful...Okay, I am gonna quite whining now.
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 18, 2009, 07:46:05 AM
I'm from Vietnam but now am studying in the States.
What about you yourself? I have a very close friend that kinda look like you. He also shaves his head (by choice!)
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: barcafan on May 18, 2009, 03:45:23 PM
Mate, alot of people go through what you are.

The best option here is to do what YOU want.  Take some time and forget about worrying about what others will say/think/do.  Its your life, not theirs.
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 18, 2009, 05:56:35 PM
Mate, alot of people go through what you are.

The best option here is to do what YOU want.  Take some time and forget about worrying about what others will say/think/do.  Its your life, not theirs.

You are right, it's my life. It's funny that I always wanted to shave my head if I ever go bald

I talked to my Mom about this and she doesn't think bald is unattractive at all. I lam okay with the bald look, but I am not sure what all the girls in Vietnam would think about me though. People there often associate baldies with gangsters( which is a fairly accurate association) b/c well, gangster in Vn do shave their heads, and a bald head ( or a balding one) isn't common among young people in Vn. I don;t know, may be it's a genetic thing, I can't explain!

To Billy : haha that's funny that you keep getting "bad girls" there  O0 Are you sure it's just b/c of the "hair style" but something else ;D. But yeah, I understand, even in America if you walk around with a bald head, especially among youngsters like us, people would automatically make judgments about you. Also my friend is Viet, but he does look like you, at least from that angle, even with the same ear piercing. I am in Appleton Wisconsin. A very cold and far away place from California. I do have a few relatives in California though.

So gentlemen, what your experience with ladies after you shave? Coming back to Billy's point, do you necessarily attract "bad" girls? :D
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: penmouse192 on May 18, 2009, 06:21:32 PM
(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi633.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fuu59%2Fpenmouse192%2Fpicture016r-1.jpg&hash=2c0f1b43ebecbbf4624e5b746ac54be95975d42f)
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: marty22 on May 18, 2009, 08:44:39 PM
Too Penmouse and Lavado: great job!
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 18, 2009, 09:05:41 PM
haha nice  O0

But my headshape isn't like that :D.

It's more pointed and flat in the back! :*))
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: penmouse192 on May 19, 2009, 10:07:49 AM
It's hard to see the contour of the back from your pics. However, I don't think this is too far off.
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Tyler on May 19, 2009, 10:08:49 PM
Hey BaldorNot, don't worry about the Vietnamese girls, they love the look!  So do the Filipina women!  I should know, I'm married to a Filipina.

(https://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/gallery/1_25_01_07_2_03_34.jpg)
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 20, 2009, 07:25:20 PM
Nice man :D :@`

Even though bald head is not a common thing among teenagers in Vn, but I guess it's fine. I am too tired to care .

Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Ricktus on May 21, 2009, 03:27:49 AM
Hey Baldornot!

I just wanted to give you my take on things, which is this. It doesn't matter too much what you look like regarding things you can't change. It's the stuff you control that tells others about you. If you have a shaved head, take care of your appearance, wear decent clothes, smile, treat others with respect etc, people will respond positively to you. From your posts you sound like a cool guy, so I think you will have no problems rocking the sly look.

Speaking personally, I have a pretty peculiar headshape in real life. (not sure if it's so apparent in my sig pic). I have a massive forehead (fivehead? more like a sixhead!) and had a very high hairline when I had hair. Shaving my head was great, cause the lack of hair meant there was nothing there to guage the size of my forehead. Also, shaving sends a message to the world, 'I'm above this'. I like to think that when people deal with me now, it's my personalty that makes the impression, not my head or my lack of hair.

I guarentee you that you will love it if you shave your head!

Rick
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 23, 2009, 09:21:24 AM
Hey Rick,

I see that you think : character is 100 more important than looks. I do agree that it's important. But what do you think when it comes to dating?
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Ricktus on May 24, 2009, 12:39:05 AM
Hey Rick,

I see that you think : character is 100 more important than looks. I do agree that it's important. But what do you think when it comes to dating?

When it comes to dating, I'd say character is 1,000,000 times more important than looks!

Women like confident men.

I have known quite a few guys who had faces like bags of spanners, but had awesome confident personalities. They always got the best looking girls!

I have also known some very good looking guys who had no confidence at all. Girls would sometimes show an interest in them based on their looks, but as soon as the guys started talking, the girls picked up that they weren't that confident and would lose interest pretty quickly.

The top priority for any guy who wants to get dates is for him to feel comfortable and confident in himself. Get that right and the rest is easy...

Rick

Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 30, 2009, 12:10:56 PM
Hey guys,


I buzzed it really short today and want some opinion. My head is kinda pointed
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7572/picture001b.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7913/picture002fme.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1430/picture003nbi.jpg
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: Rev Sly on May 30, 2009, 12:44:44 PM
Looks good - I don't think you have any worries about going all the way. Take the 30 day challenge - shave your head and try it for 30 days and if you don't like it grow it back.
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: BaldOrNot on May 30, 2009, 10:47:10 PM
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7572/picture001b.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/7913/picture002fme.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1430/picture003nbi.jpg


Somehow I still think it's kinda pointed at the back. But what do you guys think?
Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: sq on May 31, 2009, 12:23:36 PM
Looks like a normal dome to me - from a fellow newbie (2 weeks in) there is a transition period - maybe the concern about head shape is just part of your getting used to having a head shape to look at - I think I see another reason for the 30 day rule 

Title: Re: Should I?
Post by: DavidTX on May 31, 2009, 01:50:55 PM
From another who's only been shaving my head for a couple of weeks.   you're looking good buzzed, take the next step and shave it smooth.   I'd been buzzing/getting my head buzzed at a 1 for years, prior to that a 1 1/2 for years.  Just before the middle of May, I decided I'd had enough and it was time to try shaving the head. 

The guys on here are great and supportive, and there's plenty of information to keep you out of the trial and error which leads to nicking/cutting your head.

My vote is go for it, shave it bald and smooth. O0