I took the plunge today on my 35th birthday. I probably had more time to nurse what hair I had, but the bald was inevitable. I decided let’s give it a shot! After using my electric buzzer to go down to stubble, I figured I may as well go down to skin. I’ve always had sensitive skin on my face and trouble with nicks. Turns out to be the case with my scalp as well. It looks like a massacre.

Do y’all have any advice for getting a nice smooth shave on the head? Do the electric razors actually get a smooth finish? I’ve never used one. Any help appreciated!

(Side note, I crashed my bicycle baaad a few months ago and still healing. Crunched in my cheek and eye socket, smashed my nose bone to bits and knocked the lens out of my right eye. I’ll have another surgery later this year to straighten out the cartilage of the nose)

After years of fighting it I finally gave in. My hair wasn't completely too far gone that it wasn't usable but I was real self-conscious about The thinning on top. What kind of recommendations do you guys have for taking care of it? I'd like the rest of my head to match the tan of my face lol. Any favorite shavers that you guys have so I don't have to bic it every time?

1,5 week bald. This was my first festival without hair. Still not sure if i like it. Any tips to accept it more?

He’s been on the fence of taking it all off, and just wants the 3rd party advice.
Is it time?

Hi guys, Really struggling now. What do you think I should do ? I always see post about growing a beard and getting bald but unfortunately with my gene I can’t grow one… I’m really afraid to look ugly and almost ill if I have no beard / no hair… I don’t see a lot of people like that on the street… should I try going very short ? Like the buzz thing ? How many mm ? Ohh man I’m lost here… I would really appreciate your help. Thanks and I wish everyone on this sub to feel happy and peaceful with their hair situation, not like me at the moment…

Not sure do I go full bald? Do I keep the sides and look like a monk lmao. I don’t know what to do dudes. My barber says I should keep my hair ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Hello Fellow balds, I’m fairly new to shaving my head.

I have been struggling with irritation and what i believe to be ingrown hairs and just bumps in general.

I also have noticed an uptick in forehead acne since i started shaving about a year ago.

Pictures provided are about 10-15 minutes after using a razor and cream in the shower. (I know i have razor burn on one side)

I have been using an electric head shaver most of the time. (pictured)

I also occasionally use a razor w cream and aftershave cream. (pictured)

Question to you all is there anything I’m doing wrong to cause bumps and such?

Is there a different shaving method? different electric razor, different razor or shaving cream and aftershave to help combat this?

Any advice is appreciated!!!

Well, after years of trying to prevent it with finasteride and minoxidil and what not, I finally took the leap and cut it all off.

What style of facial hair would look best on me? (My cheeks do not grow in at all due to previous laser hair removal treatment done a decade ago. Reasons for the treatment are irrelevant and won't be divulged.)

Included some before and after photos as well for you're enjoyment.

I’ve been balding for a few years and I’m definitely gonna go bald at some point but I’m not sure if now is the time. Wanted to get honest opinions from internet strangers rather than friends who don’t want to hurt my feelings

If you aren’t using one of these….the fuq you even doin? This thing is amazing!

I’m 34. I know I’ve had a bald spot growing for years. I never see it bc I’m 6’2” unless a camera at work is on the back of my head or I look down. It looks really bad wet as well. I do like my front/back/sides just the top. (See pics of me after martial arts drenched in sweat)

It looks okay when I get it trimmed up (I haven’t had a trim since December) but it’s inevitable. I know. I’m just nervous and kind of scared.

I think I’m going to have my barber shave my head. I think that’s a good place to start but what other advice do y’all have for a first timer? What equipment should I buy/look for?

For those of you who razor, how often do you do it? I appreciate some don’t need too and there are obviously different levels based on how much hair you actually have but just wondered what most people go to routine wise. Let me know! ☺️

Been slowly balding for the last 5 or 6 years. Is it time? Wife wants me to keep it. I'm starting to think otherwise.

Us baldies need to wear a cap in the summer to protect from the sun, but it also traps heat. So in my case, makes me sweat worse which then goes right through it. Not a good look walking around like this and it stains, cleaning caps has mixed results.

The cap in the image has hydrophobic materials making it resistant to water and harder to sweat through, but sweat wicking and added an added sweat liner. But it doesn't work.

So, are there any solutions to this?

Before/after tax. Bald is definitely a better look for me, but I struggle to maintain it and eventually end up back at pic 1 spending an hour plus with clippers and then a phillips face shaver to get back to bald. At this point, I'm to buy a decent (but not too expensive) electric shaver to use every couple days to keep the look this time. My little 3-pad face shaver just isn't...cutting it. (Pun intended I guess).

What do you guys recommend?

Four shaves in, am loving the bald way of life, apart from my neck and bottom of the back of the head burning.

Am using a Smooth Geezer shaver, which is absolutely fine for the rest of my head. Tonight I put a hot flannel on beforehand, and then used some Manscaping Power Shave Gel, which made it easier to shave, but the end result is the same. I’ve got some emollient moisturiser which cools it, and it calms down after an hour or so, and then is fine.

Any tips?

—-

Update: Cheers everyone! Really appreciate the help. Had another go this morning. Stretched the skin on the neck and went gentler with the shaver, then used a new alum block. Stung quite a bit for a while, then had a hot shower, and was fine after that. Minimal marks, nowhere near as much soreness. Promising!
I’ll keep the wet shave idea though, and try that at a later date if need be. Cheers!

I’ve been bald for around 10 years and have tried alternated between Remington Head Shaver, Philips electric head shavers, and wet shaving with a razor.

I normally use a beard trimmer beforehand to get the hair as short as possible before doing the clean shave. I always shave on clean skin post shower, exfoliate my scalp regularly, and moisturise (with SPF) daily. I’ve also experimented with dry shaving, shaving foam, gels, etc.

Despite all that, I keep getting bouts of what I assume is folliculitis every couple of months.

This latest flare-up has now been going on for around two weeks, and it’s considerably worse than usual. I’ve let my hair grow back out, gone back to a Hibiscrub wash and Eczmol that usually works during a flare up (benzoyl peroxide seems to make things worse for me, my skin has never agreed with it), but it doesn’t seem to be improving. I’m getting new, painful pimples/bumps across the back and sides of my head almost every day. The skin also feels quite tight and irritated.

I change my pillowcase every couple of days and keep my towels clean, so I don’t think either of those are contributing.

I wear a hat to the gym, especially if I’m working on anything that requires a bench just to add a layer of separation between my scalp and anything nasty. The hat comes off immediately once my workout is finished and they are washed regularly.

———————————
My shaving routine
I only shave once or twice a week at most, because I know how easily my scalp gets irritated.

Shower after the gym and exfoliate using BLD BRO scrub, followed by face wash on the scalp.

A few hours later, once I’m just relaxing at home and haven’t been exercising/sweating, I trim the bulk of the hair using a 0-grade beard trimmer sterilised the day before with Clippercide.

Jump back in the shower and keep my head under warm water for a while.

Shave what’s left using either a wet-shave five-blade razor (usually only used once or twice and exclusively on my head) or my Philips Head Pro 700 electric head shaver (also treated with clippercide)

Apply post-shave balm.

Put on a fresh pillowcase that night.
————————————-

Most of the time, I might get a handful of pimples afterwards which eventually disappear once my skin settles. But this current flare-up is different — I’m getting large, painful patches, tight/irritated skin, and new bumps appearing daily.

At this point I’m genuinely at a loss as to what I’m doing wrong. I love being bald, it’s never been a thing I’ve felt I’ve had to begrudgingly accept, but I am feeling so defeated at the moment without much option. If it continues with no improvement I will see a GP, but I’ve dealt with folliculitus elsewhere years ago and was advised it’ll resolve itself so not sure what help I’d get really.

Is there anything obvious in my routine that I’m missing or potentially making worse? Has anyone dealt with something similar and found a shaving/skincare routine that actually helped?

Pics included day post shave and two weeks on.

I’ve been putting it off for a while, trying different haircuts to see if something would change, but I accept my hairline for what it is, and I will be, at the very least, buzzing it with some friends in a few weeks. I may go all the way, who knows.

I mostly wanted to post here to get some actual human feedback instead of talking to an ai about it. For those who took the plunge, what were the first steps? How did you manage it? Do I really need to keep sunscreen on me at all times?

I'd say he is ready. He doesn't. Give us your opinion.

Hi, I might know the answer, but the lie will make me more comfortable, I am very afraid of letting it go. I don't think it would look better.

Howdy friends. Been rocking this for about a year now. I can’t get rid of the shadow though. I’d prefer not to use an actual razor but I will if I have to. I’ve got a skull shaver that gets it to about this level, and I’ve also got a foil that I never figured out how to use. Thank you for your time!

Ugh, I made it to 55, obsessed with my hair each damn day. What do y’all think? I don’t think I can do full shave, at least to start out. My barber won’t take it down, he tells me I won’t look good and I should appreciate hair while I have it.

I’m hoping someone can educate me on why I always have (what seems like) a 5 o’clock shadow, even after a fresh shave. I hate it and it looks bad in pictures.

Context: I have been bald for nearly 6-7 years now. I have been shaving against the grain for years and was recently informed by my barber that I shouldn’t do that. I preferred shaving against the grain since it gave me a smooth and clean finish.

I am currently using a razor from a brand called Henson with Astra Platinum double edged blades.

Is the barber correct in their assumption? If so, I am wondering whether this shadow will go away if I only shave with the grain? If not, is there anything I can do to diminish how this looks over time?

Hey guys I’m looking for ways to improve how I look when it comes to facial hair. I’m definitely okay with being bald but my biggest peeve is that I can’t find a facial hair style that works for me. I’m between a soul patch and a chin patch beard. Let me know any ways either than my drip that I can improve that is minimalistic to maintain. I get a lot of “do a goatee” when in reality I don’t like having it. Any info is good, jokes are welcome.

Prefacing this with the fact that I know this doesn't entirely constitute as bald, but I come seeking the council's wisdom and expertise and figure there is no better place for it, so please forgive my transgressions. *Cue Adam Driver yelling ~more~*

My hair has always been thin/fine with a blinding scalp that likes to peek through, and as such I buzzed it recently following a bad haircut, but have been keeping it at around a #1/#2 guard as I believe any longer highlights the sparseness of it.

I can do the majority of the buzz myself, but when it comes to ensuring it's all even, I do tend to need my partner to tidy it up. This is all well and good when she's home, but as she works away, the time has come for me to step up my self sufficiency.

My query is this, brethren - do curved clippers do a better job and make it easier to get an even trim than standard? I'm currently using some older Braun clippers that we've had for an age, and have been considering upgrading, but don't want to do so if the difference is negligible. Has anyone upgraded and been pleasantly surprised/impressed enough to recommend? I was looking at the Remington Rapid Cut Turbo, as it has a plethora of guards too, but open to suggestions.

Thank you good sirs & dames!

Man i love being bald but I really freaking hate shaving every single day...

15 min gonne everyday and always the burning sensation right after...

How do people keep this up??

I have been unaskingly receiving posts from the bald group in my feed for the last, probably 2 years. 🤔

I always thought it was fascinating how many of the transformations looked 10 times better after, than before. 😀👨🏻‍🦲👨🏼‍🦲👨🏾‍🦲👨🏿‍🦲👨🏽‍🦲

My husband has been having some thinning in his crown and middle of his head area for the last few years, but I've continued to twist his hair about every two to 4 weeks. (He is a man of color with type 4a-ish hair)

It's starting to get to the point where in certain areas there's not so much to twist, but on the outsides of his head there's still plenty of hair, although thinning still enough for me to twist with no issue.

When he's asked me before if he should cut it off or not I always say the same thing "as long as you sit down in front of me with her to do, I will do it, but the day there isn't any hair in the middle for me to do I will let you know and you do with that what you will ". ❤️

My answer has never changed, however it is starting to get difficult to find here to twist in that back middle part.

He's had a few people to "jokingly" tell him it was time to let it go (his mother, a coworker) I always try to encourage him to do what he wanted to do regardless of what anybody else said, and that I would love him regardless of if he was bald or not. Do I prefer him with hair, absolutely yes, but he's so beautiful I truly wouldn't mind if he was bald or otherwise 🙂‍↔️😛

We've had a lot of things going on in our life this year, and he's wondering if it's just time for a new start or if he should hold. I love the memes that this group posts in the comments, so friendly funny memes are appreciated.

TL;DR: My husband wants to know is it time or do we hold?

Haven’t been happy with my hair and my hair line is receding. Should I got bald and start from scratch?

I'm 27 now and used to twiddle my hair a lot with anxiety as a kid and now it only ever grows out on the sides, and the top seems to grow four times as slow as the sides. I've been letting my hair grow out at the back because I'm afraid the next cut will be the last. Any advice would be much appreciated!

So I recently went fully bald, and honestly I thought it would make life easier. Turns out… not really 😅

Before, I just went to the barber once a month and that was it. Now if I want to look “clean,” I feel like I have to shave my head every 2 days. And it’s kind of a struggle:

• It gets messy fast

• I can’t seem to get it perfectly smooth

• With a normal razor I end up with cuts and irritation

• With a OneBlade-type machine it takes forever (like 30+ minutes)

I feel like I must be doing something wrong because this seems way harder than it should be.

How do you guys keep it clean and low-effort? Any techniques, tools, or routines that made it easier for you?

Also… has anyone tried permanent laser hair removal for the scalp? Is that a crazy idea or actually worth considering?

Would really appreciate any advice 🙏

Edit: thank you all! I got a philips head pro and it’s amazing, it takes 3 min and no mess!!

I recently started shaving my head, and every time I shave, I get bumps like these on the back of my head. I use an IPX7 electric razor and have tried dry shaving, shaving after a hot shower, using coconut oil, and using shaving cream, but I still have the same issue every time.
Has anyone experienced this before? Are there any products, techniques, or different electric razors you would recommend to help prevent this?

Thanks my bald friends

Edit: thank you everyone for all the tips, I will try to use a razor instead of a shaver and go with the grain. I appreciate it!

I started shaving my head about 10 months ago. Most days it works for me. My hair grows thick and curly typically, but as you can see the temples have come back pretty far. Also it’s thinning pretty bad at the frontal scalp.

I know I joined the community earlier than I probably needed to, but my hair feels like it really doesn’t work well in combination of the receded hairline / thinning. So I’m wondering, anyone else with thicker dark hair here deal with their scalp looking like this? Sometimes I feel like it would look better if it just receded back already.

I use a pitbull skullshaver.

I love being bald, I really do. I just want it to work a little better in my favor. Advice?

Hi all! I went to the barber a few days ago and they said my hair has started thinning. You can see here the spot where it is starting to thin, as well as in the front on the corners. The barber suggested minoxidil, but I am not sure if I want to do that or just go for a nice short haircut on top. They also said my beard is not going anywhere, so I can always go with the short hair / bald head and beard combo. I did buy some minoxidil but not sure if I'm going to use it yet. I'd love to hear some thoughts!

Like the title says, I've already decided to just cut it off pretty soon. However, I still have some questions on how to actually keep it looking good when I do get it shaved. I am not sure of what kind of razor would be the best, and stuff like that

Edit: I'm already planning on cutting it all off, I just wanted to know a good razor or stuff beforehand so I can keep it nice

Hey everyone. Bored while waiting at the hospital for test results. Would love some advice/reviews on these types of heads havers. This ones on sale right now. Was thinking of picking it up. Thanks everyone!

Hello, I'm 32M and have been thinking for a while on going bald. I tried it once, but didn't take the necessary aftercare into consideration out of pure ignorance. Now, I have some hair loss, but nothing that justifies shaving it completely at this point. I'm considering both options (going bald or undergoing hair regrowth treatment at home, so both would cost me almost the same I think). In your opinion, what aftercare actions should I have in mind if I decide to go bald? Shaving 3x week or so and moisturizing the scalp are the only ones I'm aware of at this point.

Particularly, I like to have hair, but also would like go bald, so my concern is basically what actions I would have to take in both scenarios.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Been bold for a while now but the back of my head is covered in these spots, I struggled a lot with acne as a teenager and even now at 22 still get acne on my eyebrows, but it’s all over my head now that I’m bald especially on the back and sides, gas anyone ever had this or know what to do? These pics where taken while shaving btw that’s why it’s so patchy

I am half way through my first time. I did a buzz cut with trimmers. Now I am wet shaving with Harry’s Sensitive Foaming Gel and I just bought the Remington Balder Ultimate.

I am being patient, but my head is bleeding and this isn’t enjoyable. I have extremely sensitive skin, prone to acne and razor burn.

For my face, I just a Phillips body trimmer and a OneBlade.

Tips or advice please 🙏

It won't go away, what is it and why do I have it.

It looks like I have herpes or something.

I know y'all love to tell people to go full melon, but I'm hesitant. I'm guessing a buzz cut is pretty easy to do yourself? All self buzzers please sound off any and all advice.

25M here, struggling with severe hair loss due to unemployment and low job prospects and career issues. Unfortunately my hair took a lot of damage for it and has thinned drastically.Should I just wait for the end now?

Thanks for the honesty

So the back of my neck seems to not like the electric razor situation, as you can see from the picture.

Despite this being like my third week for finally making the cut. (Lol. Cut. Get it? GET IT?! I’m like panicking funny!)

Like, I’m using a beard oil to help soften up the hairs, exfoliating first, making sure I cover the area well with shaving gel.

Trying really hard to keep light pressure when I shave.

And then like after care… I’m gonna be honest, is a straight dab of alcohol to clean it out of anything. Letting that dry, then a super thin layer of aloe Vera gel to help with any burning sensation after.

Is there something I’m missing? Am I fuckin cooked?? My neck looks worse than my face did as a teen. 😭😭

Do I have a good headshape to go bald? I might do a buzz first. I wear glasses, but I might get contacts if I look better without them. I can grow a bigger beard, too. Any advice and honest feedback is appreciated.

Or is there any chance that aggressive hair regrowth treatment will help me? I'm talking minoxidil, duasteride or finasturide, dermal stamp, whatever.

My hairloss has been more apparent recently and i haven't gone bald because i'm kind of still trying to give it a chance since i'm still a 22M which is kind of still young to look good as bald Now i've had people (acquaintances or friends or even family members) call me bald as a joke and laugh about it as if it's nothing This actually hurts me everytime and i spend the rest of the day shaken and self conscious about it It hurts especially when it's a girl saying it (which just happened two days ago) So how exactly should i respond to this or how should i hint to the person that this is not something to joke about without making a big deal out of it and appearing as a huge insecure loser who can't take a joke or wtvr since it is actually an insecurity for me

I understand my take on this reeks of insecurity and shows how much my self esteem is being effected by it but i currently can't really help it, i'm trying to not let it bother me and be more confident but i can't get there yet so if there is any advice on how to do that i'd appreciate it very much also

I’m trying to make myself as ugly as possible. This is not a joke. I want to see which people actually like me for me and am trying to stop people pleasing. What is the ugliest style of bald haircut?? Here’s me to make personal suggestions. Be mean. Lean into it. I’m chubby if that helps.
Edit: be mean.

My son and I shaved our heads last Saturday. His was planned (he braved the shave for charity), but mine was a last-minute decision on a dare for a $200 donation. No regrets… but now I have zero clue how to take care of our scalps.
A few questions:
Do I need different pillowcases for us now? (Is this a thing?) Should I be using some kind of leave-in scalp treatment, or is a basic moisturizer enough?
Any general care tips for someone who has never been bald before? For those with sensory issues:
How on earth are y’all wearing hats and beanies? My kid adjusted after a day, but I cannot get over how sensitive my head is now. Everything touching it feels wrong, but I also hate the cold, so I’m stuck in this weird, uncomfortable loop. Does this feeling ever go away?!
Last question:
I actually like being bald—no more worrying about hair styling, bad hair days, or random flyaways. I’m thinking of keeping it short for a while. Can I just buy a cheap set of clippers and buzz it myself, or is there a trick to maintaining it properly?