The Shaved Head

[Fixed by 35]

I've noticed a lot of people on this blog and others are still encouraging people to shave their heads and get on with life. I used to find this recommendation extremely distressing when I first started losing my hair, and still do. I would like to make a few points about head shaving for the people who still don't get it:

1) People who recommend shaving your head name the same five or six celebrities that suit the look. I can name hundreds of people who don't suit the look. You probably can too.

2) Most people's heads are funny shapes. Therefore, their shaved head looks terrible.

3) The shaved head is the look of choice for neo-Nazis.

4) It involves a lot of work to maintain a shaved head, including an extra 15 minutes shaving every single day.

5) Men who are not fit look terrible with a shaved head, so an extra hour of your life has to be given up to the gym. You also have to cut out all the foods you like for 'the look.'

6) You'll increase your chance of skin cancer with a shaved head. Better to cover up with a HT, hat or wig.

7) You didn't like going bald, so you'll hate being 100% bald.

I think I've made my point!

[Layercake]

true to an extent, but in my opinion a shaved head generally looks waaaaay better than very thin hair, or the ol horseshoe.

It also feels great.....though maybe not so much in the winter.

Getting ready in the morning is also a good 60% faster when I shave my head, so I can make up for the time lost shaving by getting to sleep in a bit more.


That having been said I'd rather just have hair and not have to deal with any of it.

[Fixed by 35]

I'm seriously considering artificial implants. Whilst they are not available in the US, fortunately I live in the free world where they are! I think what I'll do is have a very generous real hair transplant at the front, where things need to look natural, and then when the rest of my head thins out more I'll get implants if I don't have the doner hair to finish the job.

[Winston]

These fibers have had a checkered history. First introduced in 1970s, they soon became the subject of much controversy because of their numerous complications including recurrent infections, rejection, and periodic loss of fibers needing frequent replacement, frequent allergic reactions leading to severe contact dermatitis, irritant effects, fears about carcinogenicity, cicatricial alopecia, granulomatous hypersensitivity, and cyst formation.

In 1983, the US Federal Drug Administration banned the fibers for the following reasons:

1. The fibers presented risks of illness or injury owing to non-biocompatibility of the fibers and non-medical performance of the implant.
2. The fibers presented fraud owing to the following:
a) Deceptive information on the efficacy.
b) Inadequate information on risks from implant.
c) They did not show any benefit for public health.

Though the ban by FDA is yet to be lifted, the manufacturers are now trying to re-establish the credibility of these fibers and have introduced them in Europe and Australia. Presently, there are two manufacturers: (a) Medicap (Italy), which manufactures Biofibre, which has been available since 1996, and (b) Nido Corporation (Japan), whose fibers are available since 1999. Biofibre's reapplication for permission by the US FDA is pending, but the company claims that many of the previous problems associated with the fibers have been sorted out.

[Fixed by 35]

I'm trying to look into these further and the information you've provided has proved extremely useful.

I'd be looking at NIDO, exclusive to the Crown Clinic in Australia. They have passed tests imposed by the Australian equivalent of the FDA, which is meant to be extremely rigorous. I always have more faith in medical procedures when a country with a nannying government is in power!

What I'm keen to find out is whether the Crown Clinic in Sydney is reputable. I'm also interested to know if Advanced Hair Studio's 'Strand by Strand' is artificial fibres.

[geminidb8]

I was at the gym about 4 years ago and this was before I started having corrective surgery. I was wearing a full cap wig which was bonded to my head when this guy who looked like a chemo patient-Shaved head came up to me and said -"Is that a Wig?" I said yes-He then said "You would look better without it" I said no in fact I have scars all over my head and look very disfigured without it. He then said" Don't I look great"- I said " Personally I do not like that look but if you are happy with it then good for you" He then said " You do not think I look great" I wanted to say I thought you had cancer but said again " I do not like that look" He finally left and I thought to myself -Not all people look great with a shaved head. I tried it and was depressed for months. Not for me. I will fight it and am again glad that there are transplants in one respect. One must be super careful about who is performing them though. Also they are not perfect but to me a better answer than looking like a sick person with a shaved head. Not all people look bad either. But I actually thought that the guy at the gym was sick. He just did not look healthy and would have looked much better with hair. Again I.M.O. I do have empathy for those who do the shaved look because some of them tell themselves they look great when in fact they do not. I suppose what are the choices- Again this needs a cure not lies to oneself.

[seatown]

Originally Posted by Layercake

true to an extent, but in my opinion a shaved head generally looks waaaaay better than very thin hair, or the ol horseshoe.

that's what I'm talking about dude..

[geminidb8]

Shaving ones head is no cure and mostly looks awful. I am glad I have had corrective surgery and would have done it all over again before a shaved head. I tried that look and literally wanted to commit suicide. I hated, hated , hated it! Do anything but most people that shave their heads tell themselves that they look good, have freedom etc. Truth is YUK!!! Gross and any other adjectives that go on those lines. Baldness needs a cure not an excuse. Don't Shave your head. Very Very few look ok. The only ones that look ok have chiseled features IE: Vin Disel. He looks ok but would look far better with hair. Now write in and dispute this claim all you want but remember this-- If the shaved head look was so great the hair replacement business would not be around. It is a multi - Billion dollar business. It would be defunct if everyone just loved that shaved look. YADA YADA YADA!! Yeah the shaved head is great! Like the apple in the garden of eve. YUK!

[Gusto]

Yeah, I agree, some bald men suit shaved heads. That's if they're fit and slim. Where I don't think a shaved head looks good is on an overweight man with rolls of fat on his neck.

I am average weight but give me hair any day. I don't care whether it's 100% grey!

[smileyface19]

"Shaving ones head is no cure and mostly looks awful. I am glad I have had corrective surgery and would have done it all over again before a shaved head. I tried that look and literally wanted to commit suicide. I hated, hated , hated it! Do anything but most people that shave their heads tell themselves that they look good, have freedom etc. Truth is YUK!!! Gross and any other adjectives that go on those lines. Baldness needs a cure not an excuse. Don't Shave your head. Very Very few look ok. The only ones that look ok have chiseled features IE: Vin Disel. He looks ok but would look far better with hair. Now write in and dispute this claim all you want but remember this-- If the shaved head look was so great the hair replacement business would not be around. It is a multi - Billion dollar business. It would be defunct if everyone just loved that shaved look. YADA YADA YADA!! Yeah the shaved head is great!"

Must work for a chain clinic!