03 March 2012

How to Shave Your Head

Shaving the head is an art, a perfect Baldies committed over time to determine what works for them. But for the razor head for the first time, a few simple rules will allow your head first smooth shave.

Shaving the head bald, for some, is a scenario they have been through a lot mentally before actually taking a razor to their scalps. For others, the first head shaving is an impulsive, spur-of-the-moment thing. I must say that my head was the first shaving a little of both. I had the advantage of some knowledge of the technical head shaved, but I basically had to understand for myself. A good beginners guide to shaving your head you would have been nice. In that spirit, here is a fairly complete basis, someone who was bald by choice for 17 years.

Be careful

One of the mistakes people often make when shaving head for the first time, is to forget that the previously shaved scalp is very sensitive.

It's understandable to want a perfectly smooth head immediately. I know I did the first time. Bald means smooth, and want to be bald. But what can cause the razor to shave her head inexperienced the same areas repeatedly from multiple angles, pressing too hard on the scalp and often continues after the shaving cream has stopped offering no lubrication and started to get sticky. The result may be cuts, irritation and ingrown hairs marring your beautiful bald head, the next day. Not good.

Clean your scalp and lather well

The first thing to consider is a clean scalp, free of dirt, excess oil, etc. If you head shaved for the first time and do not happen to have a friend who is skilled with a razor, I 'm assuming you cut your hair on the scalp and are now covered with hair clippings. Before going further, wash his hair with soap and water. Better yet, take a shower. If this is not practical in your particular circumstances, at least wipe your head down with a warm wash cloth.

Your next concern is proper lubrication. There are many good products out there, especially for some shave your head Some commercial shaving creams are better than others. I recommend if you go the route keeps shaving cream for a moisturizing shaving gel specifically for sensitive skin. I quite like Aveeno shave gel, colloidal oatmeal.

Canned shaving cream should always be used with a badger. Put a generous amount of gel on his head, wet your brush and work the shaving cream into your scalp with firm circular motion, just like brushing your teeth. Work your way around your head, wet the brush occasionally. Do not be too hasty. Soap is an important step, and it can also be fun.

I have not used shaving cream in years. I find a good bar of soap (natural soap handmade, not your typical Irish Spring or Zest) did a great job. Some types of hand lotion are nice, like sugar scrubs based on natural oils. Personally, I like to use a sugar scrub, which exfoliates and leaves a thin layer of oil that I have the right to a lather over. I'll go into more detail rubs in a future post.

Use a good razor

Now that you're lathered up, get a razor with a new blade. Always use a new blade on the scalp virgin. I can not stress this point. You will live a bald head for the first time, we should not be a sore, itching, reddish.

I have tried just about every popular razor, and the best to shave your head, in my opinion, is the Gillette Mach 3. There are cheaper razors, there are fancier ones, and there are those who are specially made to shave your head, but all the options, the Mach 3 is about the best head shaving razor there. Its design allows it to foam and hair to jump through, so it requires less flushing and less hair you shave is longer than an eighth of an inch, it's virtually clog-proof. And it also seems to give the greatest number of heads comfortable shaves per blade razor that everything I tried. A blade can last me two or three weeks, and still give a good shave when its indicator strip has not only changed color, but almost completely worn out in the middle. But I'm a razor head nearly 20 years. For a beginner, I recommend you change razor blades more frequently. If the razor seems to pull or drag or feel uncomfortable on your scalp, changing the blade. As your scalp gets harder and you get more experience to shave your head, you'll realize what works for you.

Direction of hair growth

There is some debate about shaving with the grain vs. against the grain. If you want a smooth head, you have to shave against the grain. However, I do not recommend shaving the back of your neck against, at least not at first. Anything above the ears is generally good, but be a little overzealous on the first shave can make a mess of your neck. It might not be obvious at first, but next day he'll look like a pepperoni pizza.

What I recommend to a shaver for the first time shaving is a simple movement, front-to-back. Start at the front, and shave towards the back of your neck in pretty smooth moves, trying not to go the same place more than a couple of times. You will get the top and sides nice and smooth. The back will be rough if you run up with your hand, but it will still be smooth enough in the other direction. Do it this way for a week or two, and then you can try fishing your shots slightly across the grain. After a while, your scalp will get used to shave and you can go against the back.

Remember that if your head begins to be dry or sticky while shaving, put a little foam on, or at least a little wet, to keep the razor glide smoothly. It is also a good time to wet a couple of fingers and move in small circles on your scalp. Feel anywhere you do not smooth, and you will know in which direction the hair is growing in. There will be areas that require shaving in more than one direction. The crown is particularly tricky, but you also need to be careful around the hairline, behind the ears, and where the parties meet at the top of your head. Feel while shaving. It will make the job easier, and it will keep your foam to dry. For the sake of cleanliness and maintenance of moisture, you might want to try shaving your head in the shower.

Care and Maintenance

With regard to the maintenance of your shaved head, I've never been one for creams or lotions, but you want to keep from getting a dry scalp. An oily scalp is more likely to be a concern, as your bald scalp continues to produce oil for hair that is not there. An occasional wipe with a washcloth or cleaning pad on top of your daily shower is all you need.

Time of day makes a difference. The most opportune time to shave your head is more likely in the morning, but it comes at low cost. Your scalp swelled ever so slighly while you sleep horizontally, then retracts again when you get up. That means your head in the morning smooth shave will not stay smooth for long. If you're up for a little while before you shave, the swelling will have a chance to go down and you can get a closer shave. The evening is an ideal time to shave, you get a very close shave, and it actually feels great to go to bed with a freshly shaved head. But the evening is usually not a time for daily shaving, because it will not be fresh for tomorrow.

However, it is sometimes a good idea to have a second shave in the evening if you go outside, just to refresh his mind and get rid of that five o'clock shadow.

Regarding how often you shave your head, it's entirely up to you. Personally, I'm so used to being bald, I do not feel clean if I get smooth up there, so I want to shave my head every day. Some people go a few days because their scalp is irritated. I used to, but it has been my experience that the head shaving every day in fact conditions the scalp better in the long run, and keeps it clean, preventing break-out. Jump days does seem to increase my chances of skin irritation, razor, burns or acne.

Try for some time

The other deciding factor for me is that I see myself as a bald man, and that is how I want to be seen. For me, the occasional thatched undermines my baldness. This is a reminder that there is still potential for the hair down there.

Ultimately, you can ask ten-headed razors for advice and get ten different answers. Shaving your head is a very personal thing, and if you are committed to maintaining a bald head, you will do a fair bit of experimentation, which is really the only way to determine what works for you. But I hope I have given you a place to start.

And move away for a while nuts and bolts to be bald by choice, there is a psychological and emotional aspect which should not be ignored. Emotionally, this initial shave and knowledge that you are really bald is an intense rush, but it can also be accompanied by the initial doubt or regret, and a significant amount of self-awareness. You may feel fine, but you can also think like everyone looks at you. For most, they are not, and this feeling will pass in time. If you decide to shave your head, agree to keep the bald head for at least a month. You will be much more comfortable with your baldness by this time, your scalp will be used for shaving, and pale skin color has never shaved trimmed to fit your face. And although you might be tempted, do not cover their heads with hats unless you need protection against the sun (and you). Constantly wearing hats will just trap dirt and oil off the parts most prone to acne on your scalp. And besides, what is the point of being bald if people can not see your bald head?