Any fellow baldies with advice?

[StayPuft]

(NOTE: Yeah, I tend to make very long posts. LOL! For anybody nice enough to want to offer their advice, but not patient enough to read my novel below, LOL, I will post a little note where the actual question starts. ;-) You won't hurt my feelings if you skip right to that.)

I can't remember if I ever posted something like this here before, but I didn't think I ever did. I looked through the threads I started and didn't seem to see anything.

Anyways, not too long ago (September of last year) I decided to make a big change. I had long hair for about 11 years. I suddenly decided it was time to go for a new look, and decided to go the complete opposite direction. I got it shaved completely bald, and have been loving it ever since.

In high school, I decide to start growing it out. I wanted to have a kind of rocker look with my hair. Unfortunately, there were two problems. One, I never really knew how to take care of it, and two, it frankly didn't look that great. (Partially because I didn't know how to take care of it, and partially because my hair decided to give up on me.) But, the fact of the matter is, I never cared. I liked it, and that was all that mattered.

But, I started to think about going bald, and started to think it would be a really good look for me. Plus, if I decided I wanted to go for it, it would certainly make it easier to go on job interviews if and when I wanted to search for new jobs. People had been telling me I should do it, but it had to be my decision.

(NOTE: My actual question begins here. LOL)

Anyway, long story short (yeah, too late, I know LOL) I finally had it done. I had a barber do it initially, but wanted to maintain it myself so I didn't always have to run to the barber. I did some research online, and a lot of people who shave their own heads themselves suggested the Mach 3 by Gillette.

...

...Yeah.... I nick myself EVERY SINGLE TIME. There may have been one time I didn't nick myself. Usually it isn't THAT bad, but I'd really like to be able to do it myself without having to always wind up looking like a survivor from a horror movie. LOL!

I mean, I don't think I am overly harsh in doing it. I do want to be sure to get all the hair so it is completely bald, but I don't think I apply too much pressure.

I have also heard of this thing called Head Blade that is specifically designed for people who shave their heads, so I may try that. Plus, apparently Gillette has a new Mach 3 specifically for sensitive skin, so hopefully that could help. So, I will probably try one of those next. I'd like to keep it always completely bald, but as it is I wind up shaving it once a week (after using a trimmer to make it as short as possible first, of course) because otherwise my head would look like a freaking pin cushion.

Anybody else here shave their head? Can any of you offer any advice on how to possibly do it without getting nicks? Maybe a specific brand of razor you use

[friskers96]

I don't go fully shaven except for special occasions. Shaving my planet sized head is a hassle. I went out and got a decent set of clippers from the beauty supply shop, I got the Osters Classic 76. It came with a #1 and a #000 blades. I do most my work with that. I even use it for a pure trim on my face if I let it get shaggy. I have used the head blade before and I had trouble getting used to it. I believe that is the one that goes on you finger. It is nice, just an adjustment to get used to. I know a lot of guys out here that use an electric, the norelco with the self cleaning and the 3 floating heads (I think it norelco). They get their head done at the barber and then maintain it daily with the electric. You pay more for it but you will get a lot of use out of it and it cheaper in the long run after you pay like 20 bills for a 4 pack of blades. Consider how much over a year that will be if you need to go daily on it. Head hair dulls a razor fast I find. Also there is a ladies razor out there with the wire guards on the blades to help prevent knicking. Maybe look for those. Hope this helps.

Also maintains a nice full head of long hair will mean you need to Marsha Brady it every night... 100 strokes a night...

[alderdust]

I have been shaving bald for going on 3 years I got some tips and advice through my own trial and error I will be in my office tomorrow at work so ill give you a better run down tomorrow.

[mqstout]

friskers, it's only a planetoid by the IAU's definitions. Don't exaggerate!

[MoonSylver]

I did mine the natural way; I let it fall out. :lol:

[StayPuft]

Thanks all.

Friskers, thanks for your input.

I do have a trimmer that I use. I also have barber style clippers, but I find that I haven't been letting my hair get long enough for them to do anything at all. So, honestly they are completely useless to me. Granted, if I had hair and then shaved it, they would be awesome for getting it down short first, and then I can go from there. But, I haven't been letting it get long enough to even need them.

However, the trimmer I use does help to get it down as short as is possible before using an actual razor.

And, as a matter of fact, I also happen to have an old electric razor. It is even a Norelco. It isn't so old that it no longer works. A few days ago, for the first time, I actually tried it on my head.

It actually did a really good job. It looked and felt pretty good. It still wasn't perfect. I can definitely tell the difference when I fully shave it with a regular razor. But, it would definitely be a good alternative so I can maybe use the actual razor less often.

Also, who knows? Maybe if I get a newer Norelco it may work just as well as an actual razor. It could just be that my existing one has already seen many years of service in shaving my facial hair. ;-) I do have a birthday coming up. I may have to put a new Norelco on my list.

Alderdust,

Looking forward to your advice as well. I am really loving my new completely bald look. It suits me very well, and I still feel like me, so to speak. That was one of the reasons I resisted it for a while. I felt the long hair was me, and was worried I wouldn't like the bald look. But, it really suits me, and I also get excited about all the other benefits.

The fact of the matter is, we don't live in a very open-minded world. If I wanted to go on a job interview, some places will ignore things like that and actually give the job to the person who seems best qualified. Some places would look at a person's resume who seems AMAZINGLY perfect for the position they are trying to fill, then take one look at a guy with long hair, or something like that, and pass on them instantly. Nobody is going to look at a bald guy and do that. Bald is in style. Especially these days.

I mean, not that that is the most important aspect, but I must say I do really like my improved ability to sort of "blend in" when I have to. It is certainly helpful in the corporate world.

[fitzgrimm]

StayPuft, I had a mohawk for years and always Bic’d the sides. I would just use the super cheap disposable razors. At first you well get a knick every now and then but after some time you get better at it and it stops happening. Much like everything else in life I suggest practice, but remember as my Dad you to tell me practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.

[alderdust]

Alright StayPuft I got some time so I am gonna give you some tips and advice I learned through trial and error and some advice from others.

1) Buy these razors...yes they are womens razors...but who cares (plus you can get other colors like yellow or green etc.) I have found that they dont give me the closest shave as say the gillette fusion (5 blades) but they last alot longer normally a week or sometimes two where the fusion razors clog up after 1 or 2 uses since the blades are so close its almost impossible to wash the hair outand the most "bang for my buck." And with the fusion blades being $20 for like 4 blade cartridges that's a lot of dough these are about $5-6 bucks for 3 razors.


2) EVERY OTHER DAY! I repeat EVERY OTHER DAY! I have found that you get a huge increase in nicks and cuts if you save everyday. I shave about every 36-48 hours to keep it slick and smooth. Yes you do get a 5 oclock shadow on your head by the second day but it doesnt clog your razor and its a smooth shave.

3) Shaving cream and/or conditioner always! I have dry shaved for a long time and now I use shaving cream I do not see a difference as far as the closeness of the shave but it keeps your razors free of hair and cleans them out better when you rinse. I use



4) Always move from the front to back until you get to the crown of your head. Then shave from the neck to the crown in that direction for the closest shave. You shouldnt need to apply alot of pressure just enough to keep the blades touching your head obviously.

5) Run your fingers on the opposite hand in front of the blade and follow with the razor. This will let you know where you have been and where you need to shave without having to use a mirror.

6) Sunscreen always! I have experienced a burned head and let me tell you what it hurts like a bitch! Also you wont be able to shave your head for a week or so cause the pain and pressure of the razor on your head will hurt too much!

All in all I hope these help I started to thin out a bit when I was 18 or 19 years old and decided I wasnt fooling anyone. I actually look younger with the bald head then the thinning hair. Once you are bald for a good while people wont even be able to picture you with hair again. Alot of the reduction in nicks and cuts comes with technique and learning really how to handle the razor and which ways you should go and which you should not. I havent had a nick or cut in probably over a year now and when I do its cause I am trying to speed rush shave it and do something careless. Anyways, Good Luck let me know if you got anymore questions.

[friskers96]

My wife did my head with those one and it was awesome, I need to look into the aveeno though I've always went straight barbersol (ugk).

[alderdust]

(04-12-2013 03:28 PM)friskers96 Wrote:  My wife did my head with those one and it was awesome, I need to look into the aveeno though I've always went straight barbersol (ugk).

Yeah the aveeno is for sensitive skin and it has little to no fragrance so not to mess with your skin. I got it at CVS and its available at Walmart and other drug stores too.