Shaving head

[Hair4Days]

Does anyone recommend shaving your head to get a better idea of your balding pattern? I feel like that’s a way to truly see what’s under all the length as It’s very easy to hide when your hair is grown out..For those who have thinning hair and chose to shave it off, did you notice a change in how it grew back? Thicker, thinner, slower, etc? 

[Hair4Days]

55 minutes ago, qui bono said:

Nope.

Best approach is to go to a HT doc and ask them to check for miniaturisation. Balding is progressive, and while your lateral humps and crown might appear stable at this point in your life, it doesn't mean there aren't signs that they are prone to future balding.

Im guessing from the question youre a diffuse thinner. You could simply wet your hair and check if you wanted to attempt a self diagnosis.

And from my experience theres no difference to how the hair grows back after you shave it .. I mean its the same hair and shaving doesn't alter that. Shaving it can make it look better though in terms of the contrast though. If youre considering a HT you might consider shaving it generally just to see whether you prefer the look.

Yes i am a diffuse thinner, i am curious to not only see what id look like with a shaved head, but to see how much space there really is between my hairs. And to see how far my crown Dips in the back. I still have a lot of native hair and when it’s wet you can obviously tell I’m losing hair, but it’s still very hide-able, so I’m curious if i have that horseshoe forming under the length 

[Richie888]

7 hours ago, James C said:

Does anyone recommend shaving your head to get a better idea of your balding pattern? I feel like that’s a way to truly see what’s under all the length as It’s very easy to hide when your hair is grown out..For those who have thinning hair and chose to shave it off, did you notice a change in how it grew back? Thicker, thinner, slower, etc? 

Yes I would definitely recommend it. Firstly because you will know how comfortable you are with a shaven head for future reference and secondly you will be able to get a better look at your scalp and where you are thinning. You can wet it and part it all you want but it is still awkward to try look in the mirror and examine a head with hair on. 

I've got thick hair which I have never shaved off so getting a skinhead on the day was probably more traumatic than the transplant! If I had known I was thinner in the back than I thought I might have planned for more grafts near the crown. 

It has also all grown back at different rates and definitely gives a clear pattern of where DHT is playing a big part. As stated above if you do decide to do it, go down the numbers on the clippers, you may not need to go all the way down to get a good indication. 

[Hair4Days]

54 minutes ago, Richie888 said:

Yes I would definitely recommend it. Firstly because you will know how comfortable you are with a shaven head for future reference and secondly you will be able to get a better look at your scalp and where you are thinning. You can wet it and part it all you want but it is still awkward to try look in the mirror and examine a head with hair on. 

I've got thick hair which I have never shaved off so getting a skinhead on the day was probably more traumatic than the transplant! If I had known I was thinner in the back than I thought I might have planned for more grafts near the crown. 

It has also all grown back at different rates and definitely gives a clear pattern of where DHT is playing a big part. As stated above if you do decide to do it, go down the numbers on the clippers, you may not need to go all the way down to get a good indication. 

Appreciate the input. I’m mainly concerned with it growing back nicely. My hair now is pretty long, enough to hide everything. I would hate for the grow back to be all patchy and expose more zones like the crown. But i really need to see my true pattern 

[ciaus]

2 hours ago, James C said:

Appreciate the input. I’m mainly concerned with it growing back nicely. My hair now is pretty long, enough to hide everything. I would hate for the grow back to be all patchy and expose more zones like the crown. But i really need to see my true pattern 

I've been buzzing down to 1 or 0, sometimes shaving completely since the lockdown. At those lengths I can see my thinning pattern better than when the hair was grown out - not really the thinness of the individual hairs, but in terms of the hairs I've already lost. Its pretty revealing comparing the density of the dot patterns of hair in your donor with the top of your head where the MPB is happening.

In terms of trying to make sure you can keep your thinning areas concealed, get some toppik and/or dermmatch, and like another poster said gradually buzz your hair down until you are satisfied with what you see, or you can't go any further because you won't be able to conceal it.

 

[hairlossPA]

i shaved my head down to a #1 before deciding on my transplant. it was pretty helpful I must say and the hair grew back at the same rate it was growing.

gotta bite the bullet

[IanH]

I did during lockdown as I was on the fence about whether to get a HT or not. 

As soon as I shaved it I knew I wanted at HT.

It grew back absolutely fine over the next few months, just before I got the HT.

If you are debating a HT, shaving it will probably just push you along to make a quicker decision. Took a few weeks to get used to a shaved head, and it has its benefits! But I'm almost 4 months post HT now and absolutely delighted with it. I dont think I would have gone ahead with it if I hadnt have shaved my head.

Good luck with whatever choice you make!

 

[Melvin- Admin]

I recommend this, but also to see if you’re okay with shaving. I did this video last year

 

[Richie888]

2 hours ago, ciaus said:

I've been buzzing down to 1 or 0, sometimes shaving completely since the lockdown. At those lengths I can see my thinning pattern better than when the hair was grown out - not really the thinness of the individual hairs, but in terms of the hairs I've already lost. Its pretty revealing comparing the density of the dot patterns of hair in your donor with the top of your head where the MPB is happening.

In terms of trying to make sure you can keep your thinning areas concealed, get some toppik and/or dermmatch, and like another poster said gradually buzz your hair down until you are satisfied with what you see, or you can't go any further because you won't be able to conceal it.

 

Can fibres be used on the front i.e the temple area or is it more obvious than the crown? I've got a couple of nights out over Christmas and the shedding is gonna look odd whilst it all grows back

 

[Hair4Days]

4 hours ago, ciaus said:

I've been buzzing down to 1 or 0, sometimes shaving completely since the lockdown. At those lengths I can see my thinning pattern better than when the hair was grown out - not really the thinness of the individual hairs, but in terms of the hairs I've already lost. Its pretty revealing comparing the density of the dot patterns of hair in your donor with the top of your head where the MPB is happening.

In terms of trying to make sure you can keep your thinning areas concealed, get some toppik and/or dermmatch, and like another poster said gradually buzz your hair down until you are satisfied with what you see, or you can't go any further because you won't be able to conceal it.

 

I’m thinking a number 3 or 4 will look worse than a number 1 or .5, exposing it more. I’ve become a master with concealer use. How well do they work at a number 1 though? I’d assume you can bury the crown with no issue. I’m thinking a 1.5 or 2 will work best. Not sure tho 

[Hair4Days]

3 hours ago, IanH said:

I did during lockdown as I was on the fence about whether to get a HT or not. 

As soon as I shaved it I knew I wanted at HT.

It grew back absolutely fine over the next few months, just before I got the HT.

If you are debating a HT, shaving it will probably just push you along to make a quicker decision. Took a few weeks to get used to a shaved head, and it has its benefits! But I'm almost 4 months post HT now and absolutely delighted with it. I dont think I would have gone ahead with it if I hadnt have shaved my head.

Good luck with whatever choice you make!

 

Thank you man. I know once i see how terrible it looks I’ll book a procedure instantly lol. I thought maybe it would grow in patchy or slower in the crown. Right now i have my hair strategically maneuvered to hide any crown thinning. But regardless i think it needs to be done

[IanH]

If you are strategically positioning hair it will only become harder and harder to keep getting it to a place you feel ok at, that's what I felt anyway.

My advice to you would be if you are in the fence, then go get a HT if you are in a position to financially etc.

It's the little things now that make such a difference for me like not fiddling with my hair to cover up or when its windy trying to keep it in an ok position. 

You never know, the shaved head might really suit you, then you wont need to go through anything!

 

[Hair4Days]

29 minutes ago, IanH said:

If you are strategically positioning hair it will only become harder and harder to keep getting it to a place you feel ok at, that's what I felt anyway.

My advice to you would be if you are in the fence, then go get a HT if you are in a position to financially etc.

It's the little things now that make such a difference for me like not fiddling with my hair to cover up or when its windy trying to keep it in an ok position. 

You never know, the shaved head might really suit you, then you wont need to go through anything!

 

The thing is, i don’t need to shave my head just yet. I could possibly buy another 4-5 years before concealers are no longer helpful. I still have a lot or native hair, and with concealers i can pull off a nw2. But realistically, i see a future nw6 when i look in the mirror. Hairline recession, diffusing in the mid scalp, and a semi light crown. Im fortunate to say- Financially, even multiple HTs aren’t an issue. My biggest concern is getting good results. I know the front half will come out satisfying, it’s mainly the back half Im worried about not getting enough treatment(Running out of grafts) or having too little implanted back there where it looks funny

Edited December 13, 2020 by James C

[ciaus]

1 hour ago, James C said:

I’m thinking a number 3 or 4 will look worse than a number 1 or .5, exposing it more. I’ve become a master with concealer use. How well do they work at a number 1 though? I’d assume you can bury the crown with no issue. I’m thinking a 1.5 or 2 will work best. Not sure tho 

I have a little toppik collecting dust so I just tried to sprinkle some on my 0 guard head---I have to say there's no concealer mastery level to make that work.

What doesn't come right off like dust in the wind clumps to the skin in random areas on your scalp. And I don't know about using it even on a 3 or 4 guard on the top, maybe. Before the lockdown I would get a 3 or 4 guard buzz on the sides, blend it up to longer lengths on top. Then the initial week or two after the hair cut my FUT scars would show a little at certain angles so I would put some dermmatch to help conceal them until the hair grew out a little longer. This hair on the sides like that is easier because its all growing in a downward direction laying against the skin so that you get the maximum thickening effect from the dermmatch or toppik.

But the hair on the top grows upwards, perpendicular to the scalp, you need to make sure the length is long enough to where it starts to have the ability to lay down somewhat with a comb and styling products, so that you can maximize the coverage effect.

 

 

 

[baldiee]

You should post pictures of your hair so we can give you feedback. But before I decided to get a HT, I shaved my head just to see if I could rock it and like it. I did not. So I got a HT. 

[ciaus]

3 hours ago, Richie888 said:

Can fibres be used on the front i.e the temple area or is it more obvious than the crown? I've got a couple of nights out over Christmas and the shedding is gonna look odd whilst it all grows back

I've used toppik and dermmatch together for years, they complement each other well. When I was growing my hair out I never combed it straight back, just forward a little and to the side. And I used dermmatch and toppik in the temples and front, a bit everywhere else too just to help blend it all together to create a consistent look. Your blending efforts are going to vary depending on good of a match you can find with your natural hair and the colors that they offer.

[ciaus]

1 minute ago, baldiee said:

You should post pictures of your hair so we can give you feedback. But before I decided to get a HT, I shaved my head just to see if I could rock it and like it. I did not. So I got a HT. 

I'm in the opposite boat, already down the HT road a bit and during the lockdown its given me the freedom to shave it down and I'll be damned, I actually like it -now that my head/face has matured fully and I'm in my early 40s. I did buzz down when I went into the service after highschool and didn't like it then.

[baldiee]

1 minute ago, ciaus said:

I'm in the opposite boat, already down the HT road a bit and during the lockdown its given me the freedom to shave it down and I'll be damned, I actually like it -now that my head/face has matured fully and I'm in my early 40s. I did buzz down when I went into the service after highschool and didn't like it then.

I would take a buzzed haircut over a shiny bald head any day!

Edited December 13, 2020 by baldiee

[Hair4Days]

2 minutes ago, ciaus said:

I'm in the opposite boat, already down the HT road a bit and during the lockdown its given me the freedom to shave it down and I'll be damned, I actually like it -now that my head/face has matured fully and I'm in my early 40s. I did buzz down when I went into the service after highschool and didn't like it then.

Why did you want to shave off your transplanted hair? How do you handle  the scarring?

[ciaus]

2 minutes ago, baldiee said:

I would take a buzzed haircut over a shiny bald head any day!

Its an interesting topic, the buzzed head definitely helps to frame your face. Some guys have very strong facial features, beard hair, that does most of the heavy lifting for framing the face and can get away better with that shiny bald head better.

There was a thread or two recently about guys wanting to 'reverse' parts of their hair transplant, having some hairs removed. One of the suggestions was to do electrolysis to just destroy the hairs with lasers instead of risking the additional scarring from extracting them.

When I was looking into that electrolysis I found this guy, never any hair transplants, just accepted he was going to be bald and didn't want to have to even shave anymore. You can see in some of his vids how as the hair follicles are completely destroyed it creates patchy areas next to the 'shadow' effect of the hairs that are still alive right under the skin, after about 10 treatments it all just looks like there was never any hair anywhere.
 

 

 

 

 

Look at Bill Burr here, maybe its just his red hair, or maybe he has had the electrolysis? because you can't see any darker contrast on the sides of his head when compared with the top, like he just lasered all that off.

[ciaus]

14 minutes ago, James C said:

Why did you want to shave off your transplanted hair? How do you handle  the scarring?

I just started shaving my head over the summer because of covid, rather than risk going to a barber, and I don't even think they were allowed to be operating by then.

The scar concealment is what I'm considering now, some FUE followed by SMP to finish the blending.

[Hair4Days]

1 minute ago, ciaus said:

I just started shaving my head over the summer because of covid, rather than risk going to a barber, and I don't even think they were allowed to be operating by then.

The scar concealment is what I'm considering now, some FUE followed by SMP to finish the blending.

But would you say your transplant was a success? Does your hair look good grown out otherwise? How many grafts did you get via surgery 

[ciaus]

Yes they were successes, I've had 3100 over two procedures into the front/temple area, been using toppik and dermmatch along the way to bridge the gaps as needed. Fin and minox have stabilized my crown pretty good, but its thin enough that in some of the more unflattering lightings I still need to use the toppik/dermmatch. And unless we get some drugs better than fin/minox that's going to gradually, hopefully very gradually, keep progressing. Which is another reason that I'm looking at SMP beyond the scar concealment, to do SMP on the crown so I never have to roll the dice restoring that, and just keep everything buzzed down to a 0/1 guard range for the duration.

Man its been one of the bright spots of this whole lockdown not having to mess with hair stying, concealers. Just buzz it down every few days, and in the morning when I get up just head right out the door/get on with life.

[Hair4Days]

5 minutes ago, ciaus said:

Yes they were successes, I've had 3100 over two procedures into the front/temple area, been using toppik and dermmatch along the way to bridge the gaps as needed. Fin and minox have stabilized my crown pretty good, but its thin enough that in some of the more unflattering lightings I still need to use the toppik/dermmatch. And unless we get some drugs better than fin/minox that's going to gradually, hopefully very gradually, keep progressing. Which is another reason that I'm looking at SMP beyond the scar concealment, to do SMP on the crown so I never have to roll the dice restoring that, and just keep everything buzzed down to a 0/1 guard range for the duration.

Man its been one of the bright spots of this whole lockdown not having to mess with hair stying, concealers. Just buzz it down every few days, and in the morning when I get up just head right out the door/get on with life.

You aren’t considering grafting the crown when that day comes? You could potentially have like 3-4k more grafts in your donor. Or do you just overall prefer a buzzed head over any kind of hair up top? I’d be stoked if i was genuinely happy with the results of a hair transplant

[ciaus]

Just now, James C said:

You aren’t considering grafting the crown when that day comes? You could potentially have like 3-4k more grafts in your donor. Or do you just overall prefer a buzzed head over any kind of hair up top? I’d be stoked if i was genuinely happy with the results of a hair transplant

I was until the lockdown. I've been working from home since March and my company has already given the ok to keep doing it all next year. When I do go out I wear ballcap for now. If it wasn't for the lockdown I wouldn't have had the courage to buzz down, and now that I have I do prefer it, not just in terms of convenience, but I like how it looks. 

This is why I've commented on a few threads where young guys with aggressive loss were asking about options, telling them to consider how even if they don't like how being buzzed/shaved looks now, they may grow into it when their face/head shape matures as they get older and end up actually liking it.