Should I Go With A Shaved Head?

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"Should I Go With A Shaved Head?"

Scared of taking the plunge and succumbing to the clipper? I'll help you get the confidence to get up and get it done! Whether you're curious about the style, or are losing your hair and are looking for an alternative -- you simply can't pass this guide up!

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Introduction 

Shaved heads have made a huge comeback - are you ready to jump on the bandwagon?

Regardless of if you have a full head of hair and need a change, or you've tormented yourself over hair loss issues, struggled with insecurity or put off doing something about it in fear of change -- I hope this page will serve you well!

Shaved head styles, whether they're done with hair clippers (buzz cut style) or down to the skin, are low maintenance, clean and very easy to get used to. Read on for tips and lifestyle enhancements to getting this great cut.

Why consider getting a shaved head? 

If you have a full head of hair (see: right), it's a great look. If you don't - it's STILL a great look! See, that's the magic of it.

This counts even moreso for guys who are losing their hair...you've read about the alternatives. It's disheartening, and really does make you feel as though there is no alternative - but that's where you're not thinking positively! Shaved heads have never been cooler (yes, even for white dudes!) In the past few years, we've seen tons of actors and athletes sporting the look.

So, why can't you? Are you afraid? Complacent? Putting it off 'till later? If so, it's ok! It's a really difficult step to admit defeat and ask for the buzzer. Just think: what's better? Having no self-esteem, being insecure, fighting with the comb, dryer and hairspray every morning...or biting the bullet and saying "I'm doing this, because change is good!" Just think about those guys in the military. They don't sit around and think about "what it would look like" if they shaved their head. They have no choice, and they turned out looking pretty damn good...right?

How to Shave Your Own Head at Home 

If you want to go it alone, this is an excellent video tutorial, taking you through all of the tribulations involved! This video is not for a blended style, but an all around, one blade-size cut:
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Shaving Your Head - How It's Done 

This is typically the method that any hair stylist or barber will use to shave your head with hair clippers, especially if you are blending (that is, using multiple razor lengths to do a fade):

Shaving your head, step 1

Step 1: It all starts out with the sides and back - use the clipper to shave them up to the line where the top of your sides and back end, and the top of your head begins. This is usually the line where your hairline "curves." The tough part is shaving the back of your head (considering you're doing it yourself). It would be best to hold a hand-held mirror in one hand while standing in front of the bathroom mirror.

Remember, when it comes to shaving your head: it's a lot like mowing the lawn. You don't simply go over one strip and continue on. You go over that strip a second or maybe a third time. You have to mimic this even more so when it comes to using hair clippers. Don't be afraid to go over and over the same area, again and again. In fact, barbers typically "scrub" the clipper back and forth while pressing against your scalp to get the hair clipped evenly (although that sounds scary, don't worry - remember, when a blade is attached, your hair will never get cut lower than the blade's length, ever). If you don't do this, you'll wind up with a lot of split ends sticking up here and there, and it won't look right.

Shaving your head, step 2

Step 2: To give your shaved head a "rounded" appearance that conforms with the shape of your skull, you'll now have to sweep the electric clipper at a 45-degree angle up and toward the center of your head. Be sure to use a longer extension here! You'll want to make sure this part is done right. If the extension is too long, you can keep interchanging clipper extensions to lower sizes until you're happy with the final result.

For example, I get the very baseline of my hair (where it meets the face, behind the ears and bottom toward the neck) done with a #0A blade. The sides and back are done with a #1 blade, and the top is done with a #3.5 blade. The corners, where the sides meet the top, are done with a #2 blade, to blend the #1 and #3.5 areas together.

Shaving your head, step 3

Step 3: Finally, it's time to get the top part done. Be sure that you're still using a longer extension than you had on the sides. Sweep directly up starting at the center of your forehead, and go all the way to the upper-back part of your head. As usual, keep "sweeping" over the area again and again until everything is even, and all of your split ends are trimmed properly.

The final steps here, if any, will include blending the different sized areas together. As previously mentioned - blend blade sizes together by using a blade size in the middle of those two sizes. If you're simply shaving your head with the same blade size, disregard this as it doesn't apply to you!

Hair Clipper Video Tutorials 

For buzz cuts and fades

Maintain your close cut at home with hair clippers. Once you start getting the hang of it, you'll basically never need to go to the barber ever again. It really isn't that hard to do, either! These videos show you how:

Vol. 2 Getting Started (Part 1)

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learn professional haircut

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First time clipper self hair cut

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How to Cut Men's Hair : Using Number 2 Hair Clippers for Men's Haircuts

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How to Cut Men's Hair : Tips for an Even Men's Haircut

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HOW TO SKIN FADE WITH A NORELCO TUTORIAL

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curated content from YouTube

Head Shaving Video Tutorials 

For "down to the scalp" styles

Taking it a step further (with shaving cream and a blade)? These tutorials show you how to take the ultimate plunge. Be sure to use skin conditioner, as your scalp *will* get irritated afterward!

Viewer Request - How to Shave Your Head

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Shaving tips no1. Long dreads to skin head!

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curated content from YouTube

Get Your First Pair of Hair Clippers 

When or if you finally decide to get that great new shaved hairstyle, you'll definitely consider buying your own set of hair clippers. When it comes to shaving your own head - it's a little scary at first, until you actually bite the bullet and try it out...only to see that it's really not bad at all - and VERY hard to screw it up!

Decent Clippers are a Must
Your results depend greatly on the set of hair clippers you're using. The two top brands of hair clippers are Oster and Wahl (I HIGHLY recommend the Oster Classic 76). Today's hair clippers are relatively inexpensive (even the top of the line models) and are extremely efficient. Blades can be pricey, at $20-30 a piece, so make sure you know what you need before you put the money down. Personally, I only use 3 different blade sizes. As for blades, always get the metallic blades, never get the cheap plastic ones, or you'll regret it!

It saves money!
The best part about using hair clippers and maintaining your own shaved head at home is that it really pays off after time. If you get your head shaved at a hair salon, you will have to go every 2 weeks (3 is really stretching it). Factor in that each visit costs $15 - that's $15 x 26 visits = $390/year, not including the tip. If you do it at home, consider that the cost of good hair clippers is about $115, with three blades costing $25 each... that's $190 for the complete one-time purchase, and you can clip your own hair once a week to look great all the time, instead of waiting for a haircut appointment! (Further down the page is a quick tutorial on shaving your head).

Today's Top Hair Clippers 

They're vital for home maintenance! Sweep over your new style once every one to two weeks and keep it looking new (this varies on how fast it grows). Trust the following brands: most barber shops go with Oster. Remember, you'll have to get the blades re-sharpened after a long period of use, which usually costs about $5 per blade.

Oster Classic 76: The Only Clipper You'll Ever Need! 

This one rises above the rest! Find it in nearly any barber shop or salon. Affordable, super quiet, durable, reliable and made rock-solid, it has a great line of metallic blade attachments and easy to find parts, if you should ever need them.

About Hair Clipper Blade Attachments 

When it comes to getting your head shaved, hair clippers are the tool of the trade. In case you didn't know, all hair clippers come with attachments (sometimes called "guide combs" or simply "blades"). They look like little flat combs that snap on to the clipper head itself. Attachments allow hair to enter into the blade only up to its given comb length. These clipper attachment have built-in blades (the blade is not on the clippers, but within the attachment).

Clippers come in sizes #000000 (extremely short!) to #3.75 (for buzz-cut styling). When it comes to getting your head shaved, or getting an overall very short hair style - you'll typically be using extensions #1 to #3. Clippers can also be used with the "zero" sizes (that would be #000000, 0000, 000 and 0A), leaving the scalp nearly identical to a shaving cream & razor job.

More about Clipper Blade Attachments 

Shampoo for your Shaved or Buzzed Head 

(This is strictly for guys who are losing hair and are contemplating buzzing or shaving their head - if you're not losing hair, disregard this!) A highly recommended product to use is Nioxin: it's especially made for thinning hair and works to strengthen and thicken hair shafts and follicles. Nioxin is formulated to remove toxins from your scalp, too. It's highly recommended at hair salons for hair loss treatment.

Nioxin comes in 8 "systems," but you'll only be looking at the following: If you have a thin/fine hair consistency, look for system 1 for fine hair, or system 2 for fine and noticeably thinning hair. If you have a coarse hair consistency, look for system 5 for medium/coarse hair, or system 6 for medium/coarse thinning hair. It has a MSRP of about $20-40, depending on how many bottles you're getting in a kit - but once again, you can do much better than that, online (see below).

Keep in mind that with a shaved or close cut hairstyle, one bottle of shampoo could last you nearly one year! All you need to use is a very tiny amount, spread it across your scalp, and rinse it off. You don't need to do it a 2nd time in each shower.

Find Nioxin for Less on eBay 

As stated before, Nioxin is listed at top price at your local hair salon or drug store - look toward eBay for much better deals! You can also try looking for Nioxin on Amazon.com, although the prices may be slightly higher.

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Celebrity Men's Short Hair Cuts & Shaved Head Photos 

Here's a good mix of shaved and short hair styles from several celebrities - regardless of if they're thinning or have lost a hairline or not. If anything, it will give you an idea of how popular this style has become, and how you could potentially look GREAT with it!

(below) Jason Statham: he lost the battle to hair loss, obviously, but recuperated with this very short style. He countered it off by bodybuilding and growing some facial hair. Below, it looks like a #1.5 or #2 clipper extension was used.

Jason Statham - shaved head

(below) Wentworth Miller: Obviously, he has no hair loss problems, but made the shaved head cool again after starring in Fox's "Prison Break." Here's some trivia: Miller actually has African-American heritage far back in his lineage, which is probably why his hair is thick, even though it's so short. To get Miller's style, first try a #1 extension comb, and then go a size lower if it's still not short enough:

Wentworth Miller - shaved hair style

(below) Bruce Willis: The original tough guy. Bruce shaves down to the skin. It's not a look for most, but if you have no choice, use this one as a reference. This style typically looks good only on stocky or top-built guys. He was man enough to ditch the comb over and get rid of the top, entirely!

Bruce Willis - shaved head

(below) David Beckham: He has no hairline loss issues, but also popularized the completely shaved head. This appears to be a micro-sized cut with a #0 (1/16th of an inch) razor extension all around.

David Beckham - shaved head

(below) Eminem has no hair loss issues, but keeps it really short. To balance it off even more, might consider dying your hair or bleaching your hair platinum (the lighter the better when it comes to hiding hair loss) - however, the bleach might be a bit rough on your loss issues.

Eminem - shaved head

(below) Brad Pitt: It's kind of absurd for anyone to compare themselves to Brad Pitt, but this serves as a great example as to how guys who don't need to shave their heads still do it! He appears to have had one of the longer clipper attachments (Oster clippers only goes up to #3.75, look to other brands for longer sizes such as #4-10).

Brad Pitt - shaved head

(below) Christopher Meloni of Law & Order SVU has taken on a shorter hair style to battle hairline issues. Note his usage of facial hair as an offset, too.

Christopher Meloni - hair style

(below) Dominic Purcell: The other star of Fox's "Prison Break," who has a more dramatically shaved head than co-star Miller. Dominic is a well-built individual, which always compliments a shaved head. Also, note how facial hair attracts more attention to the center/lower area of the face. This appear to be a #1 or lesser clipper extension.

Dominic Purcell - shaved head

(below) Vin Diesel became synonymous with the shaved head. Throughout his career, you can see him with either this ultra-short hair style (try a #0000 blade for this effect), or with a completely bald look done with shaving cream and a razor.

Vin Diesel - shaved head

Why all hair loss solutions SUCK. 

It's about time someone told you the truth:

If you're a guy: nothing, and I mean NOTHING fosters more insecurity than hair loss. It's probably the #1 most unattractive physical trait to most ladies everywhere. It trumps being overweight. It beats personality issues, baggage of past relationships, or any other mental issue you might have about yourself that either "isn't that bad" or otherwise. The proof is in the present-day market: doctors are advocating their hair restoration services, Rogaine is shilling its solution-in-a-bottle, hair clubs convince you of their quick fixes, but one thing is for certain: they are ALL, in their own way, gimmicks. I've researched them for years, and have compiled the following info for you:
  • A note about hair restoration surgery: You've probably researched MHR, Bosley and the rest of the clone army. Here's what the surgery consists of: you'll go in for a consultation, where your hair density (the number of hairs per follicle) is assessed, and a doctor draws a hairline on your forehead estimating what would appear to be the most logical for your face (it's not going to be anywhere near the same level as seen in your senior year of high school, that's for sure). They'll give you an estimate of how many grafts are needed. Grafts are taken from the back/center area of your head, where hair is basically immune from "hair loss" (1 graft = 1 single hair). Hairs are taken out individually with their roots, and are planted one by one into the top and front of your head. These hairs fall out in the short term, and take many months to grow back in. The procedure is never a single operation, but typically two or more, spanning a year or more.

    After surgery, your head will look like it was used as a pin cushion - it will be pockmarked with hundreds of red scabs that will take up to two weeks to go away entirely. Make sure you have two weeks of vacation time at work - I highly doubt you'll be allowed to wear a baseball cap (for you Fortune 500 employees) or will want to walk around looking like the office conversation piece. In the meantime, you won't be able to touch or comb your hair - the transplants are very sensitive to being pulled out. You'll have to wash your hair with a bowl of water.

    One thing that never seems to get mentioned is how the "before" and "after" pictures that you'll see of past patients barely look different at all. Maybe it's just me, but that's my observation. That's a pretty big $10,000+ mistake, if you ask me.

    Another thing the TV commercials will not mention: you'll need to be at least in your upper 40s (or completely bald on top) or they won't even consider you, because your hair loss needs to be at a "maturity level" that is acceptable for surgery. Otherwise, your current hairs will be affected and most likely will be lost. If you're in your 20s... sorry! Also, if you have a full head of whispy, see-through hair - you're also out of luck, as you will not be accepted for the surgery. The surgery is also not for those who have only lost their hairline.
  • Don't even think about the hair club: Hair Club for Men and its competitors are by far the worst route of all. I've read a horror story about what they actually do. They shave the entire scalp and glue (yes, I said glue) a toupee to the bare scalp. The glue eventually weakens and has to be re-applied by their own staff. However, the itching is unbearable to the point of complete insanity. Just Google "hair club for men itching" and I'm sure you'll find hundreds of stories about it. One guy even said something to the effect of "I had to be constantly afraid of coming up out of the pool...grabbing my head, because the thing kept feeling like it was going to come off at any minute."

The Shaved Head + Rogaine Combo 

A note about Rogaine & Propecia and your shaved or buzzed head: Doctors seem to love to push one or the other on you (mostly Propecia). Both are self-proclaimed "solutions for hair loss" that "clinically help re-grow hair," which is a complete farce. They help you keep what you've got - and they do NOT, and I repeat, NOT, re-grow hair you've lost. (Remember: if you've lost hair, the only way to to get back is to go for transplant surgery...and I'd recommend against it!)

Propecia is a pill that you have to take. It has the same precursor to Rogaine, except it has "sexual side effects." I don't know about you, but I think I'll do without that. Propecia is usually heralded for helping the front of your head in regard to hair loss, rather than the back. This is why many doctors recommend taking a combo of both Propecia and Rogaine at the same time - yet, they fail to realize that most if not all of us don't make doctor's salaries.

Rogaine comes in two forms: liquid or the new Foam. The old Rogaine liquid had the consistency of thin cooking oil, leaving a big, noticeable oily stain on your head. It came with an eyedropper and with a spray top. Rogaine Foam, however, is exactly like commonplace mousse - it's not greasy at all. If you have a shaved head or a close buzz cut - it's completely invisible after you put it on. You're supposed to put it on twice a day, for the rest of your life. Rogaine only works on the spot in the back of your head - not on your hairline. If you stop, hair loss will accelerate from that point on. If you do get a short crew cut, Rogaine Foam is an ideal product to use! It takes care of two things you'll want: 1) to find mousse that's non pore-clogging and healthy for your scalp so that you can smooth down your buzzed hair, and 2) to "keep what you've got." Another bonus is that it has a great scent - almost like a very mild, light cologne.

When it comes to using Rogaine Foam, all you need to use is a little bit - just a dollop that's enough to fill a beer bottle cap will do. One bottle can last you months. Each package comes with 3 mousse bottles and has an MSRP of about $40 - although you can find better deals (see below).

Rogaine Foam on eBay 

There's no better place to find deals on Rogaine Foam than on eBay - don't even bother with the inflated prices at your local drug store. You can also try Rogaine Foam on Amazon.com, although the price may be higher than on eBay. Occasionally, large quantity supplies of Rogaine Foam can be found for great bargains, here:

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Yet even more shaved head pictures! 

Old men by misscrabette

Old men

The Winners by misscrabette

The Winners

The Heavyweights by misscrabette

The Heavyweights

Stephen Colbert in Iraq by The U.S. Army

Stephen Colbert in I...

Stephen Colbert in Iraq by The U.S. Army

Stephen Colbert in I...

Stephen Colbert in Iraq by The U.S. Army

Stephen Colbert in I...

Stephen Colbert in Iraq by The U.S. Army

Stephen Colbert in I...

The Winners 2 by misscrabette

The Winners 2

IMG_1169.jpg by Hello Turkey Toe

IMG_1169.jpg

THROW ME IN THE CAGE by the_moog

THROW ME IN THE CAGE

automatically generated by Flickr

Miscellaneous Tips about Shaved Head Styles: 

  • The best compliment to a shaved head is facial hair, since it draws attention away from the hair or hairline, and toward the face and eyes.
  • Shaved hair styles typically look better on guys who still have their hairline, regardless of how "thin" it's gotten, overall. If you're not in this crowd, your barber might continue on with an even shorter clipper extension until all of the hair on your head is completely even, and at the same length.
  • If you shave your head, get ready to have it "maintained" once every one, one and a half or two weeks, at a minimum. It depends on how quickly it grows (unevenly, or otherwise). It might be a good idea to consider buying hair clippers for home maintenance of your new do.
  • The best place to get your head shaved, if you don't want it done at home? Try SuperCuts. It's a popular franchise chain of unisex hair style studios. While they may have mixed reviews amongst women, they are typically pros when it comes to using hair clippers!
  • Your barber might recommend a shorter shave on the sides and back to counterbalance what's on top, if you're losing a lot of hair on the top of your head. This is a good move.
  • Overweight or bodybuilder types usually look better with shaved heads or shaved hair styles. Don't let it discourage you if you're slender, thin or average - a short cut combined with a 5 o'clock shadow can be a great look!
  • African-American men usually have nothing to worry about with shaved heads. The reason why is that people of other races have a different skin tone on their scalp, that is typically lighter than the rest of the face and neck. If you're in this category, why not get your head shaved before your trip to the beach? Get a sun tan and make your skin tone look uniform from the scalp downward.
  • ...On that previous note, be sure to put sun screen on your scalp if you shave your head. The skin is extremely sensitive and prone to getting sun burn!
  • The biggest hurdle is wondering how you'll look after the first time you get a shaved head. Here's one simple tip. Regardless of what you might think (such as, "I'm afraid of looking completely bald on top, but having darker stubble on the sides and back"), you should always have the barber start off with a longer clipper extension for the top, a shorter extension for the sides and back, and then adjust accordingly! When there's "something to work with," things can be fixed after the deed is done.
  • It helps compliment the effect if you have light colored eyes (hazel, green or blue).
  • It's a complete myth that shaving your head with hair clippers will stunt or affect your hair growth in any way. If you're losing your hair, it's going to happen, regardless of if you use hair clippers or even wear baseball caps! Don't believe this old wife's tale.

Conclusion 

Well, hopefully this has given you something to think about...or at least, allowed you to see things in a different light. Embrace the possibility of shortening that hairstyle, and ditching that old lifestyle you hated so much. It just might be the confidence boost you've been looking for!

Think about it: when you have a shaved head - that means no more hairspray, gel or mousse. No more hair dryers. No more shampoo. 20-30 more minutes in the morning between the shower and the handheld mirror fiasco you probably go through each day. That's a pretty damn good perk, don't you think?

When your hair is all at equal length, you'll wonder why you never had done this before. You won't have to worry about how you look at different angles (in person and in pictures), or under fluorescent lights or outdoors! Good luck and happy clipping :)

Comments & Feedback 

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  • Reply
    JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Mar 21, 2009 @ 11:25 am
    Wow! This is a very interesting lens in that a picture is worth a thousand words!!! Year and years ago, I had sprayed my hair green for Halloween -- not all the product had washed out of my hair -- soon after that I got a perm. The perm didn't take well in that it was too curly. SOOOO, I tried a hair straightening product at home. My hair turned mushy and started falling out in clumps. Long story short, I should have shaved my head and started from scratch. Bad hair day. ;)
  • Reply
    Chadrew Chadrew Dec 7, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
    I don't think I'd ever shave my head, but this is an interesting lens.
  • Reply
    Janet21 Janet21 Oct 29, 2008 @ 12:41 pm
    Fantastic lens. 5*'s and Blessed by a Squid Angel. :)
  • Reply
    mysweetjane mysweetjane Oct 7, 2008 @ 1:14 am
    This is a great lens. My boyfriend has a shaved head and he looks HOT! Don't think I would look as good though! Thanks for putting this together.
    Hair Loss Treatment For Women
  • Reply
    homecominghairstyles homecominghairstyles Sep 30, 2008 @ 12:50 am
    I never try this haircut. Really looking handsome. Many Hollywood stars have this celebrity haircuts. Handsome and looking great. I always try to make new hairstyles. Thank you very much for your information.