Seriously thinking about joining the club - page 1 -

• Seriously thinking about joining the club by Hairtorm on 12 Jun, 2014 11:28
• Hello fellas, I'm a 24 years old male guy from Spain. I have never had that much of hair, but I maintained  the thickness pretty decently because I never suffered a big shedding. Well, things changed 3 o 4 months ago when I got a bad DS. Since then I am losing hair at a tremendous fast rate. Even though I still look good, I know this thing has come to stay (father and grandfather suffer baldness).
  
  I knew this was going to happen sooner or latter but I didn't expected it at my twenties. Anyhow I have now to face it somehow. I have been thinking about buying some time by using Minoxidil (only this, because most of the other drugs' side effects are scary as hell). Another possibility is to go for the nuclear solution, buzz my hear with nº 0 clipper (I am not ready for full shave, and I still have a fair amount of hair except for the crown).
  
  I know most people will go for the "buy some time" option, even more now that I am young and I am in my primes. But still I don't see it clear... I will have to face this at some point of my life, maybe the sooner the better.
  
  So I would like to hear your opinions, I have seen many other forums (most of them are again-balding by any measure) but this feels really "real" and people are mature enough to ask these questions.
  
  My original idea is to"try out" the nuclear solution this summer (hey , I can even get a tan!) and then re-evaluate, if my head shape is fairly good I'll definitely keep it,  otherwise I still have time to regrowth it and try minoxidil to prolong the hair look for maybe a few years.
  
  Just to finish this endless post (sry for it, jaja ) I would like to comment that what I am really suffering more is the feeling of the hair falling out continuously, noticing this is giving me chillings every time. Also frighten me out the picking up possibilities in the future, I have been fairly successful so far but this can be a huge drawback. Nevertheless I also see the positive side of the coin, being shaved keeps you in the same age forever (now would make me older but later it will make me younger, so it´s good), you don't have to mess with your hair anymore, and you looks clean always.
  
  Please, share your thought, forgive my English, and peace!
• #1 by Cave Dweller on 12 Jun, 2014 11:57
• Welcome, sir!
  
  I also lost a majority of my hair in my twenties, so I can empathize with how you feel. The good thing is that you are not letting it get the better of you. Your attitude has a lot to do with how others see you.
  
  I seriously doubt you will find many guys here who will encourage you to do the chemical therapy to try to reverse your hairloss. As the name of the board suggests, we dealt with our hairloss by taking it all off.
  
  As members often tell guys who are wondering how it will be to go down to zero or smooth, the only real way to know is just to do it. As you already stated, you can grow it back if you decide it is not for you, but give yourself thirty days at zero to make that decision.
• #2 by Frontier Guy on 12 Jun, 2014 14:21
• Although it there will be some nervousness initially when you shave your head, I think you will be amazed how much better you feel when you no longer have to worry about hair.
  
  It's important to live with it a full 30-days before you decide to do anything differently. 30 days will give you and others around you time to adjust to the "new you."
  
  Living with a shaved head makes each day much easier. Heck, some of us (like meand Mr Zed) shave our heads even though we still (would) have a full head of hair. It really is that much better!
• #3 by Mike E. P. on 12 Jun, 2014 14:30
• I'm not a fan of the buying time option. It is going to happen, so why try to delay it. If Minoxidil promised to restore a full head of hair, I'd be all for it, but that's not going to happen. In my opinion, drug manufacturers try to take advantage of men' s vulnerability to make a buck. I haven't heard that these drugs perform any miracles, but the side effects can be horrible.
  
  I think you are right. The sooner you address it the better. And summer is a great time to do it. If you do, you won't have all the worry and stress of experiencing the continued hair loss and you'll never have to fuss with trying to make your hair look like more than it is. When I started using the clippers and buzzing my hair, I felt a great sense of freedom and I bet you will, too!
• #4 by Asturiano on 12 Jun, 2014 15:14
• I too am a Spaniard myself and suffer from hairloss since I was in my tweenties. Funny thing is my father and paternal grandfather never had this issue. It does run a bit more on my mothers side, but nothing crazy. I am in my early forties and still have not made the full move to a shaved head. The best advise I can give is MAKE THE MOVE! The sooner you do it the better. You can still use hair growth products on a buzzed or shaved head. The reality is that you will most likely keep on loosing your hair as time goes on. I have. I am thinking of buying the Whal hair clippers the balding model. This is supposed to be the next best thing to a shaved head, but still leaving a slight shadow. I truly need to go for it. I am tired of using hair concealers and just want to get it over with. My biggest problem is going from some hair to a shaved head that you will be able to see bald patches of where I don't have hair, from a short hair cut that just looks like I am thinning, so shaving it down as close as possible
  will be best. Then I will get a Little bit of sun here & there so my white scalp does not draw so much attention.
  I already have a nice beard which I will keep.
• #5 by mrzed on 12 Jun, 2014 15:39
• Please note how frequently the following phrase appears on SBG ... "why did I wait so long?"
  
  Even I said that, and I"m not balding, just Baldy By Choice. 
  
  The hardest part is taking the first swath across your head with a razor.  After that, it's easy.  there are lots of guys on here and once they gave it a try, they never looked back. 
• #6 by Sir Harry on 12 Jun, 2014 22:48
• Welcome! I say go for the headshave myself....If you don't like it, the hair will grow back in roughly two weeks. Good luck!
• #7 by Hairtorm on 13 Jun, 2014 01:00
• Wow guys, I knew you would support the nuclear solution. I'm definitely trying it out as soon as sun really comes here (for the tan issues).
  
  Reply to Asturiano: Hello, thanks for your answer, given your situation I wouldn't even think twice, most of men in their forties looks cleaner, younger and more secure with shaved head than with the "patches". Good luck with it, and let us know when you give the step.
• #8 by warhawk on 13 Jun, 2014 04:38
• Welcome to the sly fraternity.  Glad that you joined us.  Keep us posted to your road to slyness.
  
  WARHAWK
• #9 by K5mow on 13 Jun, 2014 04:45
• Welcome to the forum. I think you should try it. Like sir Henry said if you don't like it it will grow back.
  
  Roger
  
• #10 by Blitzed on 13 Jun, 2014 07:17
• 
  
  España inventó el machismo .... la perdida del cabello no es nada, sólo permite que otros admiran más. Usted tomó la espada de debajo de su capa y mató al toro. Usted obtiene las dos orejas y el rabo. Cuando otros hombres admiran su coraje en ser un hombre y hacer lo que hace un hombre, los compadezco. Por supuesto que se unan al club, ¿cómo no vas? Saca tu espada y hacer el corte. Bravo. Ahora, admira a sí mismo. Siente tu oleaje masculinidad en un desafío aceptado y hecho. Va!
  
  Perdóname, mi español no es bueno.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• #11 by slymyke on 13 Jun, 2014 10:25
• Welcome, Hairtorm! 
  
  I don't think you can go wrong by buzzing down to a zero first.  This is what I did, and many  other guys on  here too. 
  
  
• #12 by Curly on 13 Jun, 2014 10:49
• I've tried monoxidil. It might have slowed it down a little bit...then I added propecia. slowed it down a little bit.... Wish I would have just shaved it down for couple weeks and tried that.... Noooooooo, instead I bought a toupee at age 25. Then I was going to get a hair transplant. They told me that it might take 2 procedures with black eyes and take propecia for rest of my life...Ugh...  Took me 10 years to take the toupee off....I was always looking for remedies. Now that I have shaved I feel like I should have just shaved in the first place. It wasn't easy from the start of shaving but the 30 day rule helps..
• #13 by fencer on 13 Jun, 2014 12:56
• Welcome aboard!
  I agree with the others: do it now. You won't regret it. Speaking from experience, please follow the 30 day rule as well. I didn't the first time (ok, several times) I shaved, and struggled with it. This time, however, the 30 days did it for me! I truly enjoy shaving and can't stand the Velcro feeling !
  Good luck!
• #14 by FearandLoathing on 13 Jun, 2014 13:12
• Hello and welcome! I started balding early as well, it can be really tough. Being newly sly(Saturday will be one week) all I can say is that I wish I had done it earlier! It has really helped my attitude and confidence. I am no longer reminded everytime I look in the mirror of my thinning and missing hair. Give the 30 days a try, If you don't like it grow it back out and look at other options. Good luck and I hope it helps you as much as it has me!