A Case for Shaving It Off: Why I Decided to Go Bald

One writer discusses his decision to go bald in his 20s.

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Complex Original

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It took a minute for me to get use to the idea of being bald—especially in my early 20s. I’d literally just started to envision my future grown out ‘fro, maybe even getting a nice Caesar fade. Then all that went out the window when I started to notice I was crowning at the end of my sophomore year of college. It wasn't easy to cope with. I got to the point where I was embarrassed to go to my barber because I was afraid of the reaction I might get from other people waiting for their turn to get a cut. I started going to the shop either really early or really late, just so I could get a fresh cut in peace. Over time, doing the light Caesar fade (à la Kobe Bryant) stopped working, as more and more hair began to fall out. I knew where it was headed, but something about it felt a bit unfair. I can laugh about this now, but I actually considered joining the Hair Club. Yeah, I was that desperate to get my hair back.

Though once I finally decided to go completely bald on New Years Day of 2013, I really liked the way it looked! I pulled out my camera and started taking pictures to get used to seeing myself as a bald man, and I loved what I saw, 100 percent. I was almost mad at myself for waiting so long to go all the way. Not only did “going bald” allow me to get my hair cut wherever I wanted—which helps out a lot when I’m vacationing or traveling for work—but it also introduced a new level of grooming into my life. Products that I had never even considered in the past suddenly became things I was craving to try. Jokes about going bald became even funnier, mostly because people were so impressed at how candidly (and proudly) I spoke about my balding story. I could actually take a joke, and come up with a few of my own. I’d say that the biggest obstacle to overcome when going bald is simply finding the confidence to be bald. 

It wasn’t until I did a focus group on shaving (ironic, right?) while still in college that I was introduced to the wonders of a razor shave. After six weeks of trying, and was asked to report back about how I felt and whether or not I’d ever use one again. Since this was my first go at it, I was pretty apprehensive about how to work the razor without essentially scalping my dome. Thankfully, it worked smoother than expected, and definitely made daily touch-ups—which are really important, since my hair still grows like wildfire, even if not in the places that I’d prefer it to sprout out of—in between barber visits ten times easier. 

As with any aspect of one's personal style, upkeep is essential for maintaining a consistent look. And cleanliness is key, which is why my favorite place to shave my head is in the shower—you don't have to worry about the cleanup afterwards. That fresh feeling after giving yourself a smooth shave, especially if you get a good lather going, is the perfect start for any guy who’s currently on his Mr. Clean steez.

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