Male Pattern Baldness: How are you dealing with it?

[BenJepthah]

I began having thinning hair as a teenager. So I clipped it progressively shorter so as to habituate the friends and family and eventually got it down to 1/4 inch all over. Then one of the Elders in my congregation discretely mentioned to me that it was okay to just shave my head as it wouldn’t be considered outrageous. Ever since I’ve been generally a q Ball. I imagine their would be situations when it wouldn’t be appropriate for me however. As sometimes total baldness is associated with violent people.

Edited April 14, 2019 by BenJepthah

[Qapla]

Back in the late 1960's we had a black Sister with 3 children and no husband - he left her when she became a JW. He left her with a 4th in the works. She had two daughters and a little boy. They were in the same Book Study Group as our family. We used to have a really good time working in service with them. My brother and I spent many hours pushing her babies in strollers to the doors and holding her son's hand while going to the door.

 

The boy, when he was still about 6 or so was bald as could be. We jokingly/lovingly called him "eight ball" for a nickname. He used to grin from ear-to-ear when he heard his nickname.

 

Not long after we formed a new Congregation I found myself in a different Congregation from that family. Later, they moved away.

 

About 5 or 6 years ago the mother and one daughter moved back to the area. She told us that her son still went by "eight ball" ... he never did grow any hair to speak of.

[Cushi]

7 hours ago, Qapla said:

Back in the late 1960's we had a black Sister with 3 children and no husband - he left her when she became a JW. He left her with a 4th in the works. She had two daughters and a little boy. They were in the same Book Study Group as our family. We used to have a really good time working in service with them. My brother and I spent many hours pushing her babies in strollers to the doors and holding her son's hand while going to the door.

 

The boy, when he was still about 6 or so was bald as could be. We jokingly/lovingly called him "eight ball" for a nickname. He used to grin from ear-to-ear when he heard his nickname.

 

Not long after we formed a new Congregation I found myself in a different Congregation from that family. Later, they moved away.

 

About 5 or 6 years ago the mother and one daughter moved back to the area. She told us that her son still went by "eight ball" ... he never did grow any hair to speak of.

Calling a black kid 8 ball? Uh, you could have kept that to yourself...

[Lewis]

I don’t mind being bald, less maintenance to be honest. Lost my hair in my early 20s.

[Cushi]

2 minutes ago, Lewis said:

I don’t mind being bald, less maintenance to be honest. Lost my hair in my early 20s.

I feel the same way. It looks good on you 🙂

[Tortuga]

It hard sitting behind a bald brother at the meeting....

[Lewis]

1 minute ago, Tortuga said:

It hard sitting behind a bald brother at the meeting....

You almost need sunglasses to deal with that shine. 😁

[Cushi]

2 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

It hard sitting behind a bald brother at the meeting....

The glare blinds you? 😂

[Cushi]

I used to put coconut oil on my head and it would really shine but then I realized how stupid that looked so I stopped. For about 6 years I rocked the matte look  Recently I started putting 2 or 3 drops of grapeseed oil on my head from a contact lense solution bottle because I didn’t like how my shaving cream left my skin feeling. It’s a very subtle shine and I like it. I shave every 3 or 4 days (Saturday and Tuesday) and only apply it the day I shave.

[Tortuga]

From gloss to flat to semi-gloss. 

Cool...

[Lewis]

22 minutes ago, Brother Jack said:

I used to put coconut oil on my head and it would really shine but then I realized how stupid that looked so I stopped. For about 6 years I rocked the matte look  Recently I started putting 2 or 3 drops of grapeseed oil on my head from a contact lense solution bottle because I didn’t like how my shaving cream left my skin feeling. It’s a very subtle shine and I like it. I shave every 3 or 4 days (Saturday and Tuesday) and only apply it the day I shave.

3 or 4 days that’s pretty good, What type of razor and shaving cream do you use?

[Qapla]

11 hours ago, Brother Jack said:

Calling a black kid 8 ball? Uh, you could have kept that to yourself...

 

Well, since he and his mother liked it - we saw no harm ... and evidently, neither did they

 

I might mention, the black Brothers also called him eight ball - he would even tell people, "You can call me eight ball"

 

Please accept my apologies for any bad feelings relating the account may have caused ... none were intended. Had he been white and we called him Q-Ball, I would still have related the account and hoped that it would not have offended anyone.

 

Again, please, accept my apologies.

[Cushi]

55 minutes ago, Qapla said:

 

Well, since he and his mother liked it - we saw no harm ... and evidently, neither did they

 

I might mention, the black Brothers also called him eight ball - he would even tell people, "You can call me eight ball"

 

Please accept my apologies for any bad feelings relating the account may have caused ... none were intended. Had he been white and we called him Q-Ball, I would still have related the account and hoped that it would not have offended anyone.

 

Again, please, accept my apologies.

It’s ok. I accept your apology. I know you didn’t mean anything by it 

[Cushi]

12 hours ago, Lewis said:

3 or 4 days that’s pretty good, What type of razor and shaving cream do you use?

I use the Bic flex 4 razor. I have been using it for about 8 or 9 years. Before, I was using Gillette and when I ran out I decided to try these since they no longer made the Gillette razors I used to buy. Before, I was a little skeptical about using Bic since they are known to be a cheap brand. But the ones I buy aren’t like their cheap 2 blade razors and they cut just as good as Gillette if not better. They have 4 blades. 1 pack comes with 4 razors and I use each razor 8 times on my head before throwing it away. I probably can get more shaves out of it though. 1 pack lasts me 4 months and when I used to shave once a week it would last 8 months. 

They cost less than $6.00 at Walmart where I live. They now have a new flex 4 razor for sensitive skin but I haven’t used it.

 

I also use Edge shaving gel for sensitive skin. I guess I forgot that it was a gel and have never used a cream. 1 bottle lasts a very long time. I’ve been using it since day 1.

what do you use?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2019 by Brother Jack

[Qapla]

I do not shave my head ... but I do shave

 

I used to use the Edge gel you have listed and will agree, it helps give a very nice, gentle, close shave. (I also used the one for sensitive skin)

 

My skin seems a little tougher now and I no longer use the Edge.

[Cushi]

6 hours ago, Qapla said:

I do not shave my head ... but I do shave

 

I used to use the Edge gel you have listed and will agree, it helps give a very nice, gentle, close shave. (I also used the one for sensitive skin)

 

My skin seems a little tougher now and I no longer use the Edge.

Hopefully my skin will toughen up. I can’t shave my face with a razor because I’ll wind up looking like a star crunch. I used to not be able to shave the back of my neck and would have to do it with a Andis T outliner/trimmer but it’s ok now. My dad use to get razor bumps real bad and didn’t have to shave when he was in the Air Force. It was so bad that they put him in the medical journal. He also didn’t have to shave when he came into the truth. He can shave with a razor now and has done so for about 15 years now. Hopefully that will be me someday.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Brother Jack

[pnutts]

19 hours ago, Lewis said:

I don’t mind being bald, less maintenance to be honest. Lost my hair in my early 20s

Elisha look.

[Cushi]

2 hours ago, pnutts said:

Elisha look.

No, the Elisha look is when you have hair on the sides... the George Costanza look 😐 having a clean shaven head is totally different and is cool, the Elisha look - Not cool.

[pnutts]

The kids told him to go up bald head 🙊2 Kings 2:23

Edited April 16, 2019 by pnutts
add scripture

[tekmantwo]

9 hours ago, Qapla said:

I do not shave my head ... but I do shave

 

I used to use the Edge gel you have listed and will agree, it helps give a very nice, gentle, close shave. (I also used the one for sensitive skin)

 

My skin seems a little tougher now and I no longer use the Edge.

The tough skin aspect went the other direction for me.. I used to ride motorcycles a lot, and mostly worked outside. I used to shave dry using the Bic two blade disposable razors. 

If I tried that now I would pay a heavy price....

 

I usually shave in the shower, just using whatever bar soap is in there. That was okay for years but I started getting a rash/burn around the edges of my mustache and my jaw so I started looking for alternatives.

 

I just recently started using the Defender razors, its a new design and I like how it works. The blades are set farther apart than other multi-blade razors and they don't get all clogged up like the others do. They also offer a sensitive skin option and I'm going to try that next time I order.

 

They also offer a 'ring' type handle that you head shavers might be interested in...

 

https://defenderrazor.com

 

As for male pattern baldness, my hairline is a lot like my dads was, I think its called a 'widows peak'...  I have shaved my head a couple of times, I liked the zero maintenance aspect but just let it grow out again.

At the other extreme, I used to have about a 6 inch pony tail. Did it just to see what it was like...didnt much like it. I much prefer my 'Sunday go to Meeting cut', which is what my barber calls it.... 

 

[Qapla]

4 minutes ago, tekmantwo said:

I usually shave in the shower, just using whatever bar soap is in there

 

That is what I do. I use the same bar soap to shave, wash my hair and clean my body. I also use a cheap disposable razor from WM - not even a brand name.

 

When I first started shaving this way I did what I called "shaving from across the room" - since I would crack the shower door open and use the mirror above the sink across from my shower. The problem with that was, not only did I have to be careful not to get the floor all wet, the mirror would fog up about halfway through shaving.

 

I later got a mirror I could hand on the shower wall (i use suction cups to hold it there) and no longer have to look across the room to shave.

 

I have been shaving in the shower for many. many years now - so, when I use a shower other than mine (like a friends house or a motel/hotel room) I can save without a mirror. I can get a pretty good shave without looking a anything ... but, I may miss a couple spots.

[Cushi]

1 hour ago, pnutts said:

The kids told him to go up bald head 🙊2 Kings 2:23

Most likely he had hair on the sides since it wasn’t in Jewish culture for men to shave their heads. Also, the mosaic law forbade shaving the head for false religious purposes - Deuteronomy 14:1. I would think faithful Jewish men wouldn’t shave their heads to avoid giving off the wrong idea. 

 

Besides, who cares what people think of a bald head. Do you think a bald head looks better than walking around with a thinning/receding hairline? If the answer is yes, then do it for yourself, not for other people. 

[Cushi]

1 hour ago, Qapla said:

 

That is what I do. I use the same bar soap to shave, wash my hair and clean my body. I also use a cheap disposable razor from WM - not even a brand name.

 

When I first started shaving this way I did what I called "shaving from across the room" - since I would crack the shower door open and use the mirror above the sink across from my shower. The problem with that was, not only did I have to be careful not to get the floor all wet, the mirror would fog up about halfway through shaving.

 

I later got a mirror I could hand on the shower wall (i use suction cups to hold it there) and no longer have to look across the room to shave.

 

I have been shaving in the shower for many. many years now - so, when I use a shower other than mine (like a friends house or a motel/hotel room) I can save without a mirror. I can get a pretty good shave without looking a anything ... but, I may miss a couple spots.

I don’t use soap when I shave my head. Every time I do I cut my head like crazy. The first time I shaved my head I used soap and it didn’t go to well.

[Cushi]

At the 2:40 this guy talks about using conditioner instead of shaving cream. I’ve heard quite a few guys suggest it. Has anyone tried this?

 

 

[Lewis]

I agree with the guy in the video, I don’t use shaving cream in a can. I use Proraso Shaving Soap with a shaving brush and for razor I use Gillette Fusion (has 5 blades) and its pretty smooth, the Proraso really does a good job relaxing your scalp so you can have a nice clean shave without cutting yourself all over.

1 hour ago, Brother Jack said:

I don’t use soap when I shave my head. Every time I do I cut my head like crazy. The first time I shaved my head I used soap and it didn’t go to well.

Soap as in regular bar soap? That’s going to cut you like crazy.