According to a close relative, I shave my head sly for 'vanity' . Seems reasonable.

In my opinion when you get down to the facts, most of the folks that belong to SBG are pretty vain about their appearances. All you have to do to prove it is take inventory of our arsenal of grooming equipment.

 

Hey Frontier, I'm no different...a big boy with lots of toyz   

I was happy to read this thread.   

As a sly woman, I often feel that I need to justify my choice.  Especially when someone doesn't like it.  Then I whip out the "I shave for medical reasons" and if their curiosity leads them to ask more questions I finally bring out the big guns - "My head itches and the doctors can't help me though they have tried.  I have less itching and rashes when I shave bald.  I'd rather not go insane from itching 24/7 like I did for several years, and if that means going bald, then okay!"  USUALLY that shuts them up, unless they are FAMILY members.......   

But in truth, I want to be even more comfortable with my head.  I think it's much harder to reach that ultimate self-comfort level as a LADY with a sly dome than it is for a man with a sly dome, at least in the USA.  (No, I DO NOT have cancer, No I didn't shave because I have a political agenda, No I am not homosexual, No you may not take my picture to post on your fetishist website about bald women!)

I wish I could just say "I shave my head because I like it that way" but 1) I'm not sure that's entirely true - I mean, if I could have hair without the side effects of itching and rash and dandruff etc then I would and 2) I feel like it puts a little too much "responsibility" on ME for shaving which makes people think ala Brittney Spears and her mental-breakdown-head-shaving fiasco.  And that's certainly NOT an image I want to personify!

So sometimes I'm still not entirely sure how to handle it.  At home with myself (I live alone) I enjoy my smooth head.  Out in public it's so-so.  With family or friends who I know do NOT approve, I keep a hat on. 

I know if someone had a head as itchy as mine, even if that someone was a woman, they would be easily justified in shaving to avoid these problems if that would make life easier.  I suspect a lot of folks think that just because they don't feel they could do life without hair it means everyone should FIGHT to keep their hair regardless of the cost (like my Mom who had cancer and chemo and wouldn't be seen by anyone without her wig or a big hat).  I guess I also feel like I have so many things to fight for constantly (I have to fight to learn to walk again despite CRPS/RSD, I have to fight to control my IBS, Celiac, SIBO, and other diseases, I have to fight exhaustion from the previous etc).  Why should I have to fight for something that isn't at the top of my list?  I guess if I distance myself from myself...hahaha that sounds funny (outta body experience?)...and look at the situation with a little more objectivity, I wouldn't negatively judge someone in my shoes going through all I do every day because she decided to make one part of her life a little easier by shaving her head (especially when she looks as HAWT as me....LOLOL... )

So why do I feel the need to justify myself to anyone?

Sigh.....

That's ok marsh...your typo only hid 1 billionth of your perfection.   
And if it makes you feel any better, the truth is that I didn't even notice your omission of "ing" and therefore I didn't even miss that 1 billionth of perfection! 

As I thought about it, you know, you're right.  Well, of course you know you're right - perfection knows itself.  I came to agree that it IS the fact that people jump to quick conclusions and form opinions before having all the information.  And sometimes even those who have access to all the information (think Family) may have difficulty with ACCEPTANCE of that information/facts (i.e. struggling with denial) so that they are unable to see the situation from more angles. 

Gratefully it seems like I don't get the "Do you have cancer?" too often.  Unfortunately, it's usually the other comments listed.  But then again there are those lovely people who give the most sincere compliments and tell me they LOOOOVE the shape of my head, it makes my eyes stand out, etc. 

Maybe I just need to go without my hats more often.    Expose my very white dome a bit more! 

i decided it will be me - shaved