Now I'm pissed

[pushing 40]

I'm starting to understand now. When I first really took note of how much hair I'd lost a few months ago, I started my research about it. I was startled by the hundreds of posts by guys who were really, really angry and frustrated about losing their hair. Many were very demonstrative about the profound negative influence it had on their lives, self esteem, etc. At first I thought "good grief, man, its not that damn big a deal". But, I have been practically shaving my head for the last 20 yrs due to being in Air Force special ops and often being deployed to extremely austere environments where a shaved head was a blessing (no bathing for sometimes weeks at a time). Well some of you might remember I retired back in late October. I entered the Air Force with long beautiful hair; I was looking very much forward to growing it out and really civilianizing myself. Now I am pissed. It looks terrible. It will not even come close to looking the way I want it too anymore. Can't grow it long because the front 1/3 is just to narrow and thin. Now I understand much better what some of those guys were saying. I had something; someone took it away without asking and thru no fault of my own; and damn it I want it back. And man am I glad its not 1983!

[pushing 40]

I'm starting to understand now. When I first really took note of how much hair I'd lost a few months ago, I started my research about it. I was startled by the hundreds of posts by guys who were really, really angry and frustrated about losing their hair. Many were very demonstrative about the profound negative influence it had on their lives, self esteem, etc. At first I thought "good grief, man, its not that damn big a deal". But, I have been practically shaving my head for the last 20 yrs due to being in Air Force special ops and often being deployed to extremely austere environments where a shaved head was a blessing (no bathing for sometimes weeks at a time). Well some of you might remember I retired back in late October. I entered the Air Force with long beautiful hair; I was looking very much forward to growing it out and really civilianizing myself. Now I am pissed. It looks terrible. It will not even come close to looking the way I want it too anymore. Can't grow it long because the front 1/3 is just to narrow and thin. Now I understand much better what some of those guys were saying. I had something; someone took it away without asking and thru no fault of my own; and damn it I want it back. And man am I glad its not 1983!

[PCC]

Pushing 40,

 

From someone who was losing his hair back in '83 be very glad you didn't have to go through it then. Not much fun, especially for a teenager and young adult. When all the other guys were parting their gorgeous hair down the middle and feathering it back (we all know that was the style!) I was living in ballcaps and perfecting an elaborate combover. It was the main reason I skipped my senior prom.

 

So I can definately relate to the feelings you are experiecning now.

 

Today I truly envy the guys who can shave their heads and look great doing it. Of course I will never be able to experience that because of my proceedures.

 

By the way, I turn 42 next month.

 

Phil

[pushing 40]

Yes, I was one of those with the long beautiful hair back then. I was actually known for it kind of. Turned 18 and went into the military; I'll still remember that panicked sweat when I sat in the chair in basic training and they shaved my head. Almost freaked out....now 20 years later and thousands of shavings I want some of it back damn it. I remember thinking one time, around 1990, that my hair was thinning and read about the scalp reduction/flap/plugs stuff. Glad I dropped it. Sorry to hear you've been thru the ringer with any of that. How do you not hunt down and "repair" the doctors that did it to you?

[Gorpy]

Ah yes Pushing 40. The basic training haircut (if you can call it that). That's an experience I'll never forget, watching everyone go from long hair of the 70's to no hair in about 2 seconds flat.

 

That brings up a good point. Hair is such an identifying part of our look. When I went into basic training I was in a sqad that arrived on Friday afternoon. It just so happened that it was too late for the barbers so we all went to our baracks and spent the weekend getting to know each other with our long hair. I had made several friends by Monday morning. Now the funny part - after we all got buzzed on Monday, I no longer recognized anyone. Not even the guys I had become friends with. I'm serious. I literally was not able to pick them out of the group any more.

[pushing 40]

Oh my God! That is so funny; I was just explaining the exact same thing to my wife the other day. We also had to go a couple days with the hair before the cut. it was horrible because you have 5 minutes to shower and hit the bunk. So after two days of not combing or brushing it was grotesque. Memories huh?

[Gorpy]

Ha ha. Good times eh? You know how at times when you are in a situation where you are not supposed to laugh, but something is really funny so you can't help it, but you are trying to hold back? It seriously amplifies the hilariousness of the situation. Well, when we were all standing there watching the guys get buzzed, there was one recruit who was a light skinned white guy with a fro. He had a big red fro and was a guy with a long skinny face. This was a moment where you kind of had to be there but was one of the funniest moments of my life. The barber took one look at him in the chair, hesitated just enough and then cut off the top of his fro. He then stood back and looked at him for a while. The guy looked just like Bozo the clown I swear. We were all trying not to laugh so we wouldn't get in trouble. Our DI was there too. But in the end we just couldn't hold it in any more and everyone burst out in a huge roar of laughter. Fortunately our DI (Drill Instructor) couldn't hold back either and burst into laughter also so we didn't get into trouble.

[Gorpy]

Oops. I meant TI (Training Instuctor). Air Force TI's are the equivalent of Marine DI's. It's been a long time.

[wesley949]

I have pictures of my head buzzed in the service where it looked like my hairline was painted across my head my hair was so thick. It's strange that although my father was bald I never thought i would lose my hair. It was just so thick. The thing about the service is they want everyone to lose their individuality and the way to do that is having everyone looking the same. Some guys looked like they had money, some looked poor, but after taking away your clothes and your hair everyone looked like we all came from the same place.