If You’re A Head-Shaver ... Or Still Considering It ... I Want To Hear From You

I stood at the bathroom sink, staring into the mirror, and wondering “Who is that?”

I had been looking in that mirror for … what, half an hour? An hour? I wasn’t sure.

During that time, I never really noticed the ‘person’ in the mirror … only the ‘process’, as clumps of hair, haphazardly clipped, dropped into the stainless bowl I had placed over the sink. (I knew this would be a big enough job, without having to free up a hair-clogged drain, afterward!)

This was followed by an attack with my electric razor’s sideburn trimmer … and finally, an ‘all-over shave’ with that same razor.

Only then did I really look at what was left. And I was shocked!

It looked like one of those rubber ‘skinheads’ you might find in a novelty shop – a really bad one.

And I began to think that maybe all that trepidation and fear that had held me back through the many months (years?) I’d been considering this … was actually my ‘better judgment’ speaking.

I’m sure most guys who try head-shaving go through this period of doubt – even remorse – once it’s all gone … certainly, at least, those of us who have watched our head growing out through the top of our hairdo for a number of years. We tend to place an unreasonably high value on every hair that remains up there.

And the thought of cutting and shaving the last of it away just seems like sacrilege.

But like I said … I’d been considering this for a very long time. I was tired of the “Reverse Mohawk” look – where you have hair everywhere BUT that strip up and over the top. So…

Consoling myself with the knowledge that it would only take a few months to grow back (IF it grew back *gulp*) … I took the plunge. And found myself, at around 11:00 p.m., leaning over the sink, scissors in hand, cutting away chunks of what little hair I had. Sober, even!

And now that it’s done, I have some questions for those of you who have been doing this for a while. (Not just for me - I figure others still in the "considering" stage might be interested in your views, too.)

First of all…

What’s your favorite tool and technique? I used an electric shaver, for that initial shave. But the two guys I’ve heard from since have both said they use a blade. Chris swears by the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo, which I’ve used on my face for quite a while … and Vin showed me this really wild unit called HeadBlade. (It looks like a little yellow car that you drive all over your skull – gotta get me one!)

I can’t help wondering whether anyone has tried one of those products like Neet or Nair. Supposedly, the hair grows back in soft, not stubbly. Or is that stuff too caustic to use on your head? (Hey, I’m just asking…)

Do you use shampoo or facial cleanser? Hey, I’m serious! I eye those shampoo bottles in the tub, and wonder whether to dump ’em or donate ’em. (Oh, and I just remembered what a workmate said, many years ago: “You don’t spend much on shampoo, Al … but it must cost you a fortune in face soap”.)

Do you have any head-shaving stories you can share? I’m sure there are lots of funny or embarrassing (bound to be some overlap between the two) stories out there – whether they help newbies like me avoid certain things you’ve found don’t work … or just help us get through this awkward beginner phase by laughing at a common experience.

Now, being a rank newbie to head-shaving, there’s not much advice I can give. But I will say this…

If you’re planning to shave your head, may I suggest you do it when your face and neck are not already tanned? I live in central British Columbia, so I timed it between the cold weather and tanning season. An alternative to waiting might be to first get a really short “brush cut” so some sun, at least, can get through to your scalp for a bit before you shave it all off.

Part of the initial shock of shaving your head is, obviously, the look. But be prepared for the new feel, too. That might have been less shocking if I had used a blade, for a closer shave.

Granted, my electric shaver is not the best … and I really didn’t want to keep going back-and-forth over my sensitive pate, the first time shaving it. (I know what that can do to my face, if I’ve had a beard for a while.) Still … I didn’t like the way it left me with ‘the stubblies’. The back of my head felt like a pig’s rump! (Okay, yes – I’m only guessing what that would feel like.)

And as strange as I looked (to myself, at least – no one else had seen me at this point) … it was nothing compared to the sensation of my head on my pillow. I don’t know whether the flannel pillowcase made any difference. But the moment the back of my head hit that pillow, it just seemed to stick (the stubble again, maybe?) … and the feeling was one of leather on leather. Yuk!

I’ll give this a few days, or a week, then update you on how things are going, and how well I’m adjusting … or not.

In the meantime, whether you’re already shaving or just considering it … if you have any advice or questions, let me know.

Simply leave a comment below. Thanks!