Heading Down the Balding Home Stretch

• Heading Down the Balding Home Stretch by ChrisTurk21 on 13 May, 2010 01:09
• I think my case is sort of unusual.  I began to notice that my hairline was receding around my senior year of high school.  I'm a pretty easy going guy, so it didn't really bother me.  Around the beginning of my second year of college my hairline had receded to the point where I just said "screw it, I'm shaving it".  Sometime soon after that I got the bald spot on the back of my head (one of my friends calls it my "angel kiss", haha).  However, very recently I began to notice that the remaining hair on top of my head is thinning out, which tells me that sometime in the near future I'll be left with that horseshoe around my head and not much else.  For some reason that really bothered me (which is what led me to stumble upon this awesome forum).  I think the reason might be because throughout the whole balding process I could tell myself that, despite balding, I wasn't bald: I still had hair.  Now it's saying it's final goodbye.  Did anyone go through anything similar?  Does anyone have any good suggestions for coping with/accepting this?  Thanks
• #1 by Argyle on 13 May, 2010 02:03
• Hey how are you doing and welcome to this forum.  I suppose I went through something quite similar.  When I first noticed I was losing my hair, I guess I was around 23.  I looked in the mirror and could see the front thinning out.  My suspicion is that it had been happening or at least noticeable for a while and that i just hadnt paid any attention to it.
  
  My hair thinned in a really diffuse way, so there was no recession really of note, it just sort of all got thinner on top to the point that when I was about 27 there was more scalp than hair and i knew it was time to do something about it.  So while on holiday in Budapest I shaved it  down (it was November, snowing and that was  abaptism of fire!!)  I had an initial feeling of relief to have taken control of the situation but then went through a real sort of mourning period recognising the fact that I was in my mid 20's and bald. 
  
  I really think this is all about stigma.  When I look or looked in the mirror, I would focus exclusively on the fact that I had no hair on my head and just a horsehoe shadow.  I ignored completely the fact that I am tall, athletic build and have a warm disposition.  What it is so important to remember is that as far as other people are concerned, you are the sum of your parts and your hair is a tiny one of those.  Whilst you may not be able to grow an afro anymore you can tone up, work on your confidence, continue to be a nice guy and I suspect very little will change. 
  
  HAng around.  This really is a great place to be.
  
  Chris
• #2 by schro on 13 May, 2010 06:34
• Well, since you're not at the horseshoe (yet), why worry?
  But, going sly intervenes in the balding process....POOF!...you're bald, minus the horseshoe.
  
  
  NO worries.
  Good luck.
• #3 by pdxtodd on 13 May, 2010 07:24
• I think we all went through similar patterns.   Some of went for years watching our hair fall out and spent tens of thousands of dollars trying to get it back.   My best advise - go sly sooner rather than later.  You won't regret going sly but you will regret having waited so long to experience the freedom and stress free life of not worrying about looking like a guy who is losing his hair. 
• #4 by MikeInPdx on 13 May, 2010 17:14
• I went through the emotions too....it's tough. Just keep Sly....tell yourself "I am not my hair" repeatedly, and enjoy you for who you are. Life is too short to worry about it too much.
• #5 by Gambrinus on 14 May, 2010 20:48
• I think your lucky.  I wish all of my hair would fall out.  My hair line is in the middle of the top of my head.  So I still have to put some effort into shaving that area.  It's all in how you look at it.
• #6 by BaldnBearded on 15 May, 2010 13:49
• Hey man I know what your going through.I have a very severe horseshoe developed that I can't even hide with a setting 0 on the trimmer.I'm 24 and am a norwood 6.It is really tough to accept that we're bald men whether we like it or not.Ive been on and off with being bald, but this time I really want it to be permanent.I keep thinking of it this way, I'd rather shave it all off then slowly (or in my case rapidly) watch it disapear.Just stick it out.I believe in a few months time of being bald, we'll be able to accept ourselves as bald guys.
• #7 by Mikekoz13 on 15 May, 2010 14:06
• It's not a matter of "accepting"... it's a matter of doing what makes you happy. If you're happy wearing the horseshoe that's great. If yhou're not happy with that idea that do as SCHRO suugests and make a pre-emptive strike.
  
  As a guy that wore a buszzed down horseshoe for about 7-8 years.... and with no problems or insecurities.... I can tell you that being shaved is MUCH better. I wish I had shaved mine 8 years earlier.
  
  
• #8 by Razor X on 16 May, 2010 22:56
• Quote from: Mikekoz13 on 15 May, 2010 14:06

  It's not a matter of "accepting"... it's a matter of doing what makes you happy.
  
  

  
  Actually, I think it's a little of both because whether one opts to buzz the fringe short or shave it off entirely, we all need to come to terms with the fact that we're bald    and nothing is ever going to change that. We all need to let go of the image of ourselves with a full head of hair and forget about futile attempts to try and get our hair to grow back.  Once you face that reality, then you can figure out whether a buzzcut or a shave suits you best.
• #9 by Argyle on 17 May, 2010 03:18
• I think Razor is spot on.  I also think that one of the toughest things is listening to that advice.  I sure as hell wish I had sooner.
• #10 by ynmaker on 17 May, 2010 09:40
• I second what has been said here.  Once you come to terms with the fact that you don't now, and won't in the future, have a full head of hair, the choice of what to do with it becomes your choice.   I've been shaving the last couple of days after a couple of weeks of #1 buzz.  The horseshoe was pretty clear with the buzz on me.  I like the bald look so far.  I'll like it better I think after I get a daily routine down, and the color on my dome evens out.  Right now I clearly look like a newbe.  But I also clearly look like someone who has made a choice.  Take care.