The Horseshoe Dilemma

[Weedwacker]

One of the biggest problems associated with Male Pattern Baldness is the notorious horseshoe. Unfortunately, if male pattern hairloss progresses(and this happens to some of us very young!)we are inevitably left with this. The horseshoe is one of the joke-ridden elements of the bald man's appearance;moreover, it can make him look old and unkept. What are the best ways to groom yourself so as to avoid the damn horseshoe? Well, one can simply shave or buzz it off. Unfortunately, these options aren't good ones for those whose heads have an abnormal shape, or, who simply don't fit the look.

I have found, through years of trial and error, that shaving doesn't quite suit me. Therefore, I buzz my 'remaining' hair to about 1/10 inch. The winter is upon me so I may go to 1/8 inch as the weather cools. That of course is another problem;freezing your ass off in the winter! If the bald man's head is not groomed properly, he will look much older and worse than if he takes steps to reduce the horseshoe damage. Thankfully, there are electric buzzers which are available;they have been a life-saver for me. Some guys think they will look awful with their heads buzzed but some have discovered it to be the best option when the battle of keeping their hair is lost. Some find it to be a liberating experience which takes years off their looks and enables them to face the world.

I have always wondered about the random perplexities of nature, especially baldness. Why is it that we lose our hair only on the top of our heads? Why don't we lose it on the sides? Can you imagine how much easier things would be if we lost only the hair on the sides, but kept the hair on top? We would at least have most of a hair-frame as well as protection from the sun which beats down directly on the top of our heads. Nature makes no sense to me. That's one of the problems with the horseshoe;it just looks weird. I, for the life of me, cannot understand it.

[Fixed by 35]

I don't understand why we keep the horse shoe at all, or why we lose our hair for that matter. Anyone who says you don't need hair clearly hasn't had to lather up their head with creams and lotions to avoid skin cancer (and anyone who says it's painless has never experienced the itch that accompanies the condition).

Actually, if one shaves ones head, there is also a 'disability' aspect to the condition. Shaving your head every day is no different to someone using makeup to cover up a nasty rash or scar, or a diabetic applying insulin, in that these conditions create a daily chore to manage them for the rest of your life. In fact, if you lose your hair at 20 and shave your head thereafter, then live to the average age of 75, you'll spend approximately 140 days of your life shaving off your remaining hair in the next 55 years!

[jooder]

I don't understand why we keep the horse shoe at all, or why we lose our hair for that matter. Anyone who says you don't need hair clearly hasn't had to lather up their head with creams and lotions to avoid skin cancer (and anyone who says it's painless has never experienced the itch that accompanies the condition).

Actually, if one shaves ones head, there is also a 'disability' aspect to the condition. Shaving your head every day is no different to someone using makeup to cover up a nasty rash or scar, or a diabetic applying insulin, in that these conditions create a daily chore to manage them for the rest of your life. In fact, if you lose your hair at 20 and shave your head thereafter, then live to the average age of 75, you'll spend approximately 140 days of your life shaving off your remaining hair in the next 55 years!

If this is true, then most men on earth must have a 'disability' because they shave their face daily. Similarly, women who wear make up daily must be disabled too. Obviously i dont agree.
In my opinion, the horseshoe makes a man look older and makes their baldness more stark. By shaving my head daily, i minimise the horseshoe and this makes me feel more comfortable.
It is often said that bald black men are generally more attractive than white men. To me, it is because the colour of their skin in combination with shaving their heads means the horseshoe is very hard to detect. I think thats why its also advisable for a shaven headed white man to get some colour to their face/head.
Having said this, there are still some men with a horseshoe who women find attractive.....so while i dont think it helps men generally, it is by no means the end of the world.
'Why do we retain the hair on the sides but not the top?'- i think its the bodies response to get rid of the thing we need the least in order to function correctly. Hair is the thing we need least, so as a result of the MPB condition we shed it. Although quite why the hair on the sides is more important i dont know! Its like when hair goes grey. There was a study which said when we have a build up of oxidants the body can sometimes direct them to the hair, causing greyness but preventing dna damage elsewhere.
Lastly, i have often heard about the MPB itch....yet have never suffered from it once. I think those who suffer from the itch must be suffering massive inflammation which is killing their hair. So ...... fixed, you are doing the right things with your regime but until you counter the inflammation you will not succeed.

[Weedwacker]

There is definately a fine line between grooming the shoe enough and leaving it alone. In consideration of the fact that hair on the top of the head frames the face, cutting the hair too short can wipe away your face. I have noticed that if I shave my head, I don't look like myself anymore;however, if I let the horseshoe grow out too long I also don't recognize myself because I look too old for my age. I admit I have been a bit too obsessive in the past about finding that perfect buzz-length in order to look my best. Being as pale(white) as I am, shaving the dome doesn't work for me anyway. I wish it did.