Being Bald

[Principessa]

Listen to Indy and others and just shave it, at least you have a nice face and can carry it off. :smile: When I lost my hair in annoying patches and clumps to radiation treatment for Graves disease it was winter so I opted for wigs. I soon tired of that though, and on a blustery, el nino day in Portland, OR I sought out a barber to shave my hair down to about a 1/2 inch. It was so freeing to not have to worry about combing over thin spots, or wondering if I had properly secured my wig.

*SNIP* In all honesty here, the hair was the least of my concerns and most likely at some point along the way, it will drop to a lower matter of importance on your list. The main thing is to beat the damned cancer, everything else is secondary. A healthy body with no cancer is what matters most. Just get better and we'll tend to the hair later.

I'm with Northland on this one. Once you have lost your hair to chemo or to radiation as I did years ago 'bad hair day' takes on a whole new meaning. :yup: I will never forget the morning I woke up to hair on my pillow and screamed like a banshee in the night as that's not supposed to happen with radiation. :irked: Lucky me to be in that 2% to have such an extreme reaction.

Oh and when my hair did grow back, the texture was fucked up! It was like wiry and weird; but not coarse and kinky as it had been before. I also had a swath of salt and pepper down the middle of my head and a large round white spot at the back of my head. :irked:

 

[Bottlebrush]

Wow, Northland - I was going to talk about my own adventures in head shaving and then you had to come along and lend proof to the old adage that one should refrain from voicing opinions until you've walked in that person's shoes. Good luck, Jason, I'm sure that everyone's thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[2322]

Thanks for the assistance everyone!

Today I washed my hair with my best shampoo and conditioner and now have the trimmer charging in its base. I'm really nervous about this and part of me is very afraid I'm never going to have use shampoo or conditioner again. I like having hair and I'll miss it. I think it's going to look terrible but then I already look terrible with flyaway hair so thin you can see my scalp through it in patches. Ah well. We do what we must.

 

[MarkLondon]

Hey, don't forget to wrap your wet hair in a towel-turban one more time!

I lost mine to genetics and hormones, you'll get yours back when the chemo's over.

I've still got shampoo in my bathroom, but that's only because it came in a beautiful dark blue glass bottle which matches my colour scheme in there!

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Thanks for the assistance everyone!

Today I washed my hair with my best shampoo and conditioner and now have the trimmer charging in its base. I'm really nervous about this and part of me is very afraid I'm never going to have use shampoo or conditioner again. I like having hair and I'll miss it. I think it's going to look terrible but then I already look terrible with flyaway hair so thin you can see my scalp through it in patches. Ah well. We do what we must.

I'm betting that you're going to like the new look, Jason.

 

[Lex]

...

I've never been bald before, never shaved my head for any reason. What do you think I should do? Should I just go for a complete shave or leave what little is left for a kinda tennis ball fuzz look? For those of you who are bald, whether by nature or choice, what kind of maintenance is involved? Do I need to use sunscreen or head wax or some other kind of thing? Does growback itch and should I expect ingrown hairs? What should I expect that I don't know about? Is wearing hats necessary to protect against sunburn even if I don't spend much time outdoors? Do you still wash your scalp with shampoo or do you use soap? How often do I need to clip or shave it?

Shave it. I had to make this choice once the thinning was to a point where no barber could make it look even

Buy a Headblade and use Edge unscented shaving gel for sensitive skin. Headblades use an older double-blade razor which can be found at Target.

HeadBlade® | Ultimate Head Shaving Razor & Head Care Products. Shave starting from the crown down towards the chin and neck. Shaving against the grain of hair growth causes hair bumps in most people and the more blades on the razor, the more likely you are to get ingrown hairs as the multiple blades (3 or more) make the end of the cut hair into a spear which can easily penetrate the skin (learned all this the hard way).

Yes, you will need to wear sunscreen on your head. Hats don't really help as much as people like to believe as the radiation from the sun still penetrates cotton fabric.

I shave my head twice per week. For me, doing it more regularly causes irritation, but I know guys who shave their heads every day. I use clippers first and then follow that with shaving (all in the sink and not the shower). Takes about 20 minutes.

 

[2322]

Thanks Lex. This is very helpful. I'll see if they have this available near me. I think it's just what I could use.

This place has UV blocking clothing that includes hats.

 

[OCMuscleJock]

I shave my head twice a week ...by choice. Yes ...Hats are your friend!!! I think once you get used to shaving your head...you'll probably never wanna go back. hahaha It's makes your daily routine soo much easier...and you spend TONS less on hair products and haircuts I do, however, recommend using the Schick Quattro razor over everything else. The blad mechanism is soo much better to avoid cuts and nics. Believe me...I've tried them all! Nothing like going to school with Disney band aids on your head. (I got the tatoo bandaids) hehehe Gives new meaning to..ummm You got Pooh on your head


OH!! and I use King of Shaves Sensative skin with tea tree its awesome and not foamy.

Sorry you're going thru this with the kemo...my mother did with her Leukemia treatments. *which she has been in Remission now since I was like 5 yrs old*

and I think bald heads on guys is sexxy make sure to post the shaved pics handsome!

 

[2322]

Thanks for the vote of confidence OC. I have to use a Mach 3 for now as I can't afford a new razor. I only shave with the grain anyway. I don't think I'm going to look all that sexy as the chemo affects all your body hair including your facial hair. I'm hoping it will stay around but it already seems sparser. This is a downer for me. I will post pics though! Promise!

 

[Penis Aficionado]

Jason,

I bought hair clippers at Target for about $30 -- they come with guards ranging from size 0 to size 8 ... 0 is a complete skinhead shave, and 8 does nothing as my hair is shorter than that already.

The point is, you can practice with gradually decreasing sizes until you are really comfortable with the idea of shaving your head.

 

[2322]

I have a conair clipper that works OK. I don't know if it's the best; it's not a Wahl. It has an adjustable guard too. I have to use what I've got for now as I have no money to do anything else.

 

[B_Nick8]

I'd look ridiculous without eyebrows. Nick8 suggested that if I do, I just pencil them in like Joan Crawford!

I don't believe I suggested you look quite like Joan Crawford. There's no need to appear perpetually surprised. :wink:

 

[houtx48]

paper grocery bag......just cut out eye holes

 

[2322]

It's done.

I ran the clippers over my head a few times trying to get it even. I didn't have a way to see the back of my head so I had to go by feel. It was really strange watching my hair disappear; it was like the start of Full Metal Jacket.

I then wet my head with a hot wash cloth and ran some of my good soap over it as I realized I was out of shave cream. It's a hand-made soap designed for shaving from a local savonnier so I figured it wouldn't be a problem. I carefully shaved with the grain, feeling the back of my head for any spots I had missed. Then I tried to carefully just go down in rows. I won't know if it's good until tomorrow when I see my therapist; I can ask him if I did it right. At some point I have to find a hand mirror.

My head's a lot pointier than I thought it was; also a lot sweatier. It feels really strange dragging a towel over my baldness. My face looks fatter too.

I don't know if it looks good or not. It definitely looks better than the fly-away and patchy gray hair I had. I'll ask Nick8 to take some pics and post them when I see him tomorrow.

I'm definitely going to get that special razor. I don't think a face razor does the best job as it's easy to miss places and the blade doesn't flex to contour to my head.

It feels good to not look like a cancer patient but I'm also sad. I really liked having hair and worked to maintain it by taking Propecia and taking good care of it. Vanitas, Vanitas, Omnia Vanitas!

 

[HellsKitchenmanNYC]

Your hair didn't look bad and you didn't look like a chemo patient.

 

[mitchymo]

A young woman i used to work with several years ago had chemo and she simply shaved her hair to a few milimetres but it still looked a little strange with bald patches here and there but she wore a bandanna to go out places, it looked good. One of the shoppers where i work (a cute czech guy) was also wearing a bandanna and they look really good. If i ever lose my hair i'm going to wear one too.

 

[Lex]

...

I'm definitely going to get that special razor. I don't think a face razor does the best job as it's easy to miss places and the blade doesn't flex to contour to my head.

...!

PM me your address so I can send you a headblade.

ASAP.

 

[2322]

PM me your address so I can send you a headblade.

ASAP.

Thanks for that Lex. I'm very grateful, but can't accept. I should be able to afford one soon when I go back to work. I appreciate the offer though. Most kind of you. :smile:

 

[D_Kay_Sarah_Sarah]

A shaven head is sexy

 

[jonnyjinx]

I shave my head every morning in the shower. As I would shave my beard everyday, I just keep going with my Gillette Fusion blade. (I would never go back to anything else!) The other good thing about shaving it all off completely is that I am no longer grey!