Maybe you’ve looked into the mirror one time too many, remembering days long since the past, during which your hair used to flow majestically, and come to realize your current mane is doing you no justice. Maybe you still have thick, luxurious hair, but you’ve always been curious so as to how you’d look bald, or maybe you just want to switch things up.
No matter the reason, it’s definitely a bold move that’s leaving you a bit hesitant. Fret no longer, we’ll give you some great reasons to bid your mane goodbye.
The Hidden Benefits of Shaving Your Head Bald
Your Baldness Can be Hidden
This one might sound a little bit contradictory, but hear me out. Often, the clearest indicator of balding isn’t necessarily the absence of hair, but the growing lack of it. Naturally, in modern society, balding is a problem with which millions of dollars are spent in attempting to alleviate its appearance.
A full head of hair is often associated with ideas of manliness and youthfulness, and likewise, a head of thinning hair is not looked upon fondly.
However, it is the intermediate stages of hair loss that tend to look worse: in other words, if it’s no longer possible to hide your balding by growing out your hair, the next best solution is to completely shave it all. This is far easier, much less costly, and less effort-intensive compared to alternative methods, such as hair transplants.
You Can Recapture Your Youth
If you’re balding but haven’t taken the plunge to completely shave it all, you’ve probably noticed by now that you might look older than your more follicle blessed peers. This is a fairly straightforward phenomenon: after all, it’s fairly rare for young men to show signs of balding, and it’s fairly common for middle-aged men to exhibit balding, and therefore, thinning hair and the like tend to make people look older than they might otherwise be.
Many people have found by leaving their hair in the past and shaving it all made them look considerably younger, and is one of the most prominent effects of shaving one’s head. Don’t believe us? Take a look at some famous celebrities, like Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame, and you’ll be convinced to join his ranks.
You Can Save Time
Even if you never had a long flowing mane caring for hair can be something of a hassle, especially if you have thick or curly hair. On top of daily maintenance, which includes styling and shampooing, you also have to visit a barber for periodic clips here and there to make your cut is fresh. Besides, you’ve never heard of a bald person complaining about a bad hair day, or a bad haircut from the barber?
You Can Cut the Hassle out Of Your Day
Some of us skimp out on proper hair care, but for those of us that are sticking to a regiment, you know how labor-intensive it can be. Not only do you have to find the appropriate shampoo for your hair type, but you also have to get an appropriate conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and any other supplemental hair care products.
Some of us may suffer from conditions such as persistently occurring dandruff, or other fairly unsightly hair conditions. By making the switch to going fully bald, you get to bypass all of these issues, and you never have to deal with fixing up your hair every morning. Besides, it’s a good way to set yourself apart.
You’ll Join a Powerful Group
It’s easy to feel that balding means you have to consign yourself to the past, but that’s not at all true. While celebrities with a full head of hair are certainly more common, there’s no dearth of bald sportsmen, actors, and businessmen.
Successful men from Garth Brooks to Jeff Bezos have all made the decision to sport a bald head, and by making the decision yourself, you’ll be in good company. Eight times Mr.Olympia winner, Ronny Coleman, also shaves his head, and the vast majority keep very short hair.
You might even experience a bit of a confidence boost too, not just from joining the ranks of these powerful and successful men, but also simply by changing up your look, which is often helpful for one’s confidence.
You can Save your Hard-earned Cash
Not only is hair care labor-intensive, but it’s also pretty costly. High-quality shampoos and conditioners can cost a fortune, not to mention the variety of hair care products like gel, leave-in conditioner, and hair oils that also rack up hefty bills. Even simply maintaining your style costs a pretty penny, like trips to the barber, aren’t exactly cheap. By going bald, you skip all that, which can then be put into your savings.
Making the decision to shave one’s head is full of advantages, but there are some downsides that should certainly be considered before committing one way or another.
Shaving Your Head Can Take Some Time
Depending on how advanced your hair thinning is, shaving your head could certainly be a time-consuming process. While it’s not as long as a proper haircut, you’d have to do it fairly quickly, especially if you’re not far along in the hair-loss process.
You’ll also have to invest in a different set of tools, like shaving cream and a razor specifically for your head. Of course, with time, you’ll be able to refine the process, and most pros can finish the job start to finish in less than fifteen minutes.
Naturally, this means that it’ll take a little longer for beginners, which serves a decent excuse to visit a barber more frequently, which can also burn a hole in your wallet since the average person has to shave their head about 3 times a week.
If the time commitment sounds too offputting, you might want to at least try it out. Shaving can be a fairly smooth process, and beginners shouldn’t be shaving more than twice a week anyway to prevent skin irritation.
You could also consider using an electric razor, which is a lot faster and also reduces the risk of acquiring nasty cuts on your head while maintaining a fairly close shave.
Your scalp might be a Bit Sensitive
The last thing you’ll want to see after becoming an expert in shaving your head is unsightly bumps, which is, unfortunately, a common problem with shaving one’s head. To alleviate this problem, you could try a few different razors.
If a close shave isn’t of the highest priority to you, you could try an electric razor, which is known to be a bit gentler on the skin at the cost of a close shave.
Naturally, oily skin might also pose a problem, as they are usually more sensitive, and may present more irritation and bumps after shaving. That’s why it’s typically recommended you see a dermatologist if you start to experience any problems like this.
Your Head Shape is… Not quite Round
Imagine this: you’ve just made the plunge to shave your head, it went by without a hitch, but then you’re staring at the mirror, shocked at the uneven shape of your head. Of course, everyone’s head comes in different sizes and shapes, with some more round or even, which isn’t usually very noticeable when the scalp is full of hair.
While this isn’t the biggest problem, some people are likely to feel self-conscious about the shape of their head, more self-conscious than even thinning hair is. If that’s you, you’ll want to think twice before you decide on shaving your head.
The Weather’s Raining on Your Parade
Like when you’ve got hair, having a bald head also has its own relationship with the weather. In the summer, you’ll have to be a little bit more careful, as the sun’s rays may end up burning your scalp, which can be very painful and take a long time to heal.
In rare cases, but no less important, are the risks of suffering a sunstroke due to excessive sun exposure. It’s not just the summer season that you’ll want to consider investing in caps. Winter can also be a bit problematic for bald people, due to the lack of insulation provided by the hair.
This means that it’s more imperative that you invest in caps and hats, which could be a new expense for you if you don’t already have some hats.
As you can see, making the decision to shave your head is a big and exciting decision, but it is also one that requires a little bit of thought. The advantages of shaving one’s head are multifold, by saving you both time and money every month by dropping shampoos and other hair care products.
On the other hand, it’s not a 100 percent sunshine, as there can be some problems with shaving one’s head, such as the daily commitment and the risks that come with having an exposed scalp. No matter what decision you decided to take, we know you’ll make the right one for you.