I just gave up the battle against hairloss and cut my hair short... could not be happier... no more potions, rain/wind friendly and more! Just do it :)

by Henry
(London)

I feel like screaming from the rooftops. I have been holding off cutting my hair short for years. Hair loss has had a really significant impact on my confidence for since I was 21 and first started notice I had a problem brewing. I really really sympathise with other people suffering from it. There is something v v difficult about accepting hair loss and I am quite a sociable person (when I am in the right mood) but it really has held me back from doing simple things for the last 10years at least (I am 33 as of last Monday).

My story goes something like this (and I hope others can see the similarity) - I started noticing hair loss in my early 20s but everybody thought I was just being overly self conscious to start with as it was only really obvious to me. It felt like a time bomb ticking making me feel really unattractive to the opposite sex plus make me feel like I was going to look like an old man aged 25. I did the obvious and hit the internet for hours, researching everything I could. I've tried my fair share of potions and spent nearly £2000-3000 on different treatments. Initially, I just tried shampoos like Nisim and less aggressive treatments that people had had success with on forums but on reflection were probably nothing other than snake oil quite frankly. Some of these lotions and devices even caused a bit of a reaction with my scalp. So great... here I was feeling like time was against me and on top of that I was self-inflicting unpleasant treatments costing me both a lot of money and nasty side effects. Not to mention the ridiculous routines I was following that I was v embarassed anybody else would find out about.

I originally thought maybe I just needed to try some real treatments. So I went off to a VERY well know hair treatment centre in London UK and was told I need to be put on an EXPENSIVE course of minoxidil and Propecia. I thought finally this would put me on the path to being able to regrow my hair. How very very wrong I was. I feel like a complete idiot now. The minoxidil felt like rubbing sandpaper over my scalp and caused a allergic reaction with my scalp feeling enflamed. That issue to one side... the routine is untenable IMHO. Women don't want guys who spend more time on their appearance than them (most don't anyway) and here was I being the most vain guy on the planet with a routine that involved various gunk being slapped on my head and taking pills that ended up make my nipples feel v v sensitive and my pecs swelling a little (i was NOT happy about that). It was the reaction to proprecia that instantly made me go... nope... this is not worth it. Coupled with the endless smelly gunk and shampoos I was using I decided enough was enough. So I tried continuing with just my lasercomb (the most non-invasive of all the treatmeants I tried) and eventually gave up with that also when it really didn't do a lot for me.

Eventually - about 5 years ago I quit all products and just said I will chop my hair when the hairloss becomes too noticeable as I did not want a combover as they look terrible. Thing is... I've been terrified for the last 5 years to have my hair cut. I did NOT want to shave my head... no chance. I ended up having a mild comb over in the last year which is what prompted final action. The Jason Statham look was a low as I would go (Grade1 or 2). But I have been so scared to have this haircut. I can't describe the terror it has caused me by such a simple thing. I've been meaning to have the haircut for the last 5 years!! What would people think? What would my mum think (she hates short hair)? what would GIRLS think?! being single and balding is not good for the ego I give you that!


Anyway - 2 Sundays ago... I chopped my hair to a grade2 buzz cut at the barbers. I crapped myself throughout that barber session (nearly broke out into a sweat and could hear my heart beating loud/proud!) and struggled for the first few days thinking I can't go out... was wearing my hat. I finally plucked up the courage to show my sister, mum, brother and go out with friends. EVERYONE said it looked better even though I find it looks v odd to me. Well everyone ... minus one friend who joked I had gone "Bruce Willis". but you know what.. My confidence has just grown and grown. Today I choose to embrace the baldness. It hasn't affected chatting up ladies (I just practiced recently ;)), I can go out in the rain looking the same, I can wear hats no worries without looking terrible, I can frollick in the wind, swim in the ocean... all of these things without feeling self aware!! Even under bright lights (which freaked me out in the early days of hairloss).... it's all good now. It's hard to do getting a buzz cut to deal with hairloss but it has got to be the best solution for 99% of men. You don't have to shave your head... just buzz it and be free. You'll still have some hair... you just won't be hiding the bald spots (but everyone sees them anyway even with artful dodger tactics)

I'm not impressed with transplants and could never consider one myself.. why? Nicholas Cage and John Travolta... these guys have more money than I could ever dream of... their transplants look about as natural as a toy figure. Not only that god only knows how much upkeep they require.... ending up with hair falling out in places without the transplant could end up making someone look way worse than bald. I won't even go into so-called hair pieces... they're basically a mop glued to your head and I could never do that.

I hope my story has helped someone out there. Just writing this is therapy in itself and brings closure to a long period of my life when I struggled. I've never been a particularly vain person but hairloss... takes vanity to another level and with good reason. Wishing the best for other dudes out there suffering hairloss!! Just buzz it and take care :). I've embraced my baldness and I hope you can too! :)

Editor’s Comments,

Congratulations Henry on making a decisive action on your hair loss! It’s really not easy for someone to make the jump to embrace baldness and I would say YES, it’s one of the best solutions for hair loss there is out there.

When you stop worrying about your hair, you won’t have to spend any money on treatments, worrying about how your hair will look in front of your friends and best of all, you won’t have to spend hours in front of the mirror trying to get a satisfied combover.

You’ve definitely made the right choice! For those who have yet decide to embrace baldness, may this story gives you the inspiration to decide but for those who feels they really need their hair, there is no harm to try proven hair loss treatments. If the treatments don’t work after a while then this is the way to go!

If you guys want to have a peek on how you would look bald, try out our QuickBuzz! Headshave services.