Close to shaving my head

[kanyon]

I'm 2 months shy of turning 30 and have been battling hairloss for 9 years. Regaine worked a treat for me for 7 years but it no longer works and I'm now using Proscar to try and keep what little hair I have left. I've been sporting a combover over the last 2 years which is semi-convincing to the untrained eye (eg. strangers).

Since Regaine stopped working, I've considered (but always been too scared) shaving my head. I think it would look horrible and would be a shock to everyone who's come to know my combover, especially work colleagues.

I feel now might be the time to shave it. I'm about to go on a 5 week holiday and escaping Winter to enjoy lots of time in the sun overseas. I'm going away by myself so I'm thinking maybe I should shave it just before I board the plane. I'll get a killer tan, could grow a solid beard and come back with a completely new (bald) look.

I feel like a change from my everyday life, like a long holiday presents a good opportunity to change things up and would be easier than going into work any normal day with no hair. It seems the holiday gives me a good excuse. Unfortunately if my shaved head looks as bad as I feel it will, 5 weeks isn't long enough for it to grow as long as I have it now and as long as I need it to hide my scalp. So there's no going back.

The other option is to keep holding out until a revolutionary treatment is out there maybe in a few years.

Has anyone out there exposed themselves and shaved their head, and what was the response? How did it make you feel? What did you tell your friends when they first saw you with a shaved head?

[ThinningB420]

I shaved my head with no guard before. Some of my friends really liked it. Others told me I looked like a neo nazi. I have a good shaped head to pull it off though. My problem is I'm whiter than a ghost. I suggest maybe shaving it with a #2 all over to try it out. That way you'll get a better idea of what you look like with short hair and it will give you enough time to grow some back.

I'm seriously considering shaving my head again if Rogaine, been on for 1 month, doesn't work. I won't take fin unless blood tests show my dht levels are way above the normal range.

[DAVE52]

, I've considered (but always been too scared) shaving my head. I think it would look horrible and would be a shock to everyone who's come to know my combover, especially work colleagues.

You know you have a combover
Pretty sure everyone else knows it too
Like the previous poster mentioned
Gradually start cutting it shorter ..maybe # 3, then # 2 then 1 1/2
etc
You'll most probbaly be surprised that the buzz cut looks alot better than the combover and your co workers will probably say it too .
Initially you might get some comments , I know I did, but who the f*ck cares , it's your head .
Do what YOU think is right and what makes YOU feel better

Good luck

[clandestine]

Fuсk combovers, so hard. Most always looks pathetic. I'm sure a buzz would look great on you; try it out. Trust. Now is the perfect opportunity, given your OP.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

At some point you are going to have to try it out and see what you look like with very short hair. I agree that you probably should cut it down in stages during the haircut. That way you can get an idea of what it is going to look like. The five week break you have coming up is as good a time as any.

[bd0418]

Hey brother... I can show you what you'd look like blad from the front and side. I'm working on a program that will help guys like you see what they'd look like before shaving it off. I shaved mine years ago after a year of worry and feeling terrible. I'm telling you....the bald look is in style and people love it. It is going to be a little uncomfortable when you show up at work and such one day with no hair. But you can ease people into it by cutting it shorter and shorter until the day you take it off. Start with the 3 clipper guard. Each week have it cut shorter until you're just left to shave it with a razor.

This is a tough step to take because there is so much uncertainty. I think once you shave it, you'll find that it's the balding that's bothering you....not being bald. Once you take control of the situation and shave it off, it's not going to matter to you as much about what people think. Because now it's a choice you've made. And people won't really know your balding anymore. The other thing is....this in not really about how you look as much as how you feel about how you look. And once the weight has been lifted, and the balding is no longer noticeable, you'll probably feel better, get on with your life and not give it a second thought.

I'm happy to walk you through the process. Just let me know.

[FlightTL]

Hey brother... I can show you what you'd look like blad from the front and side. I'm working on a program that will help guys like you see what they'd look like before shaving it off. I shaved mine years ago after a year of worry and feeling terrible. I'm telling you....the bald look is in style and people love it. It is going to be a little uncomfortable when you show up at work and such one day with no hair. But you can ease people into it by cutting it shorter and shorter until the day you take it off. Start with the 3 clipper guard. Each week have it cut shorter until you're just left to shave it with a razor.

Excellent advice given above. Once in a while, massaging some olive oil into your scalp(may not grow new hair back), but can give your scalp skin a nice glow, and a healthy look. I do that about once a month or so,and my hair is real short. It gives a nice glow, and aloe vera gel is good too. Leaves a cool feeling.

Best of luck on your hair decisions. I'm thinking about getting a transplant, because I do not look good like the models without hair.