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Should I or shouldn't I?

Sometimes, one reaches a point in life where a change is desirable.

It might be a major change, wherein one considers a change in vocation or lifestyle, and one must weigh a number of important factors. More often, we face minor changes that, though important to us in a very immediate sense, will not alter the world in any great or meaningful way. One of the latter changes might be a change in hairstyle. Long and wavy, short and spiky, coloured in some interesting fashion, there are numerous ways we can alter this very basic part of our appearance. One such choice is the almost zen-like state of hairlessness one achieves by shaving one's head.

Small as this type of change may be (in the universal scheme of things), it's still a personal and (for some) involved decision which affects people in a direct way. In order to assist those considering such a choice, this document looks at many questions that you may be asking.

Questions to consider

1. Why do I want to shave my head?

   Sometimes people are under the impression that shaving their head will fundamentally change something in their life. This is unlikely. A hairstyle rarely makes any real difference to the world. Whatever your reason for wanting to shave your head, please remember that it's really just a haircut.

2. What will other people think?

   A lot of people who want to shave their heads hesitate and delay because they are concerned that they will get a negative reaction from people they know. They imagine that they might look ridiculous, and that people might laugh at them or insult them.

   I've received hundreds of emails from people who have shaved their heads, and virtually all of them have gotten nothing but positive responses about their new bald looks. It's unlikely that they all looked fabulous, but it's understandable that they all got positive comments. Consider:

   • People who don't like you're new look aren't really likely to say anything to you about it. I have known a great many people who, at one time or another, have gotten a lousy haircut. I don't think I've ever told any of them that I thought it looked bad, and I've certainly never laughed at them or mocked them. Neither will people you know mock you for your haircut.
   • People who like you're new look are likely to say something, because it's a very visible and obvious change.
   Thus, you get all of the positive reaction, and virtually none of the negative reaction.

   That doesn't mean that most people will like your shaved head, or think it looks better than when you had hair. But really, you can't expect to please everyone. If you're happy with your appearance, that's all that really counts.

3. What if I don't like the way it looks? How can I tell if it will look okay?

   There's no way to tell ahead of time how you'll look with a clearcut scalp, but I do have a suggestion. Instead of going all the way at one go, try going in stages.

   1. Get a pair of clippers, and using one of the guides that comes with them, trim your hair. A length of 1 inch or so is probably a good start.
   2. Evaluate your appearance. You can do this immediately, or you can take your time, several days if need be. If it's too horrible for you to bear, then you can stop at this point and let your hair grow back. If it's not too bad, use the clippers again, and try for 1/2 an inch.
   3. Evaluate again. If it's still okay, skip the guide and shave your hair down to stubble.
   4. You get the idea. Once you're down to stubble, you have an excellent idea of how your head will look bald. If everything's still acceptable, get out the razor, and shave it all off.
   The big advantage to the step-by-step method is that you can stop at any stage, and you won't have to wait quite as long for your hair to grow back. For most people, hair grows back at around 1/4 to 1/2 an inch per month (results will vary depending on the individual).

Hopefully, this little Q&A will help you in deciding if you really want to shave your head. If you still have questions, and you want my opinion (for all that's worth), feel free to contact me.

Ultimately, though, it's your decision, and you're the only person who can make it. Shave if you want, or don't shave, it's really only important to you in the end. Take power from that.

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