Shaving Your Head Bald: A 6-Point Guide For Men

Shaving head bald

We all know how to shave, there’s enough information out there for first-time shavers and even the more seasoned.

If you’re starting to shave your head then this guide will be perfect for you to take that plunge – including some tips and tricks I have learnt over the last 20 years.

I remember the first day I shaved my head, the feeling of the water hitting my newly shaven head for the first time was liberating.

I felt clean and smooth, I felt confident. Looking in the mirror wasn’t much of a shock as my hair before was very thin and short, somehow I looked better and it suited me.

If you are in two minds about doing the shave and you still have quite a bit of hair, well, just give it a go! See what you think – the hair you had will grow back to what it was before.

If, like me, you’re going to keep the look then let’s make sure you don’t mess up that head of yours, you don’t want to end up looking like someone out of a Freddie Krueger movie!

**IMPORTANT**

This applies to all the times you shave your head – take it slow, don’t rush. If you do you will cut either your head or your fingers, slow and steady wins the race.

Step 1 –  The right place

Pick the correct place and time to shave – it might sound silly but you don’t want the kids running around your feet or anyone banging on the door for the bathroom, you need some time to do it right.

I personally shave first thing in the morning when in the shower, I have been doing this for years and I shave without using a mirror but I don’t recommend this for your first time – practice makes perfect!

If you still have some reasonably long hair on your head then make sure your clippers are short before you start, depending on your type of hair loss make sure you get the thickest parts of your hair – the razor will only blunt quicker if you don’t, or worst still, cut your head.

Any good clippers or beard trimmers will do, make sure you get it down to 1-2mm short before you start.

Step 2 – Get the tools

Have the right tools. If you have a preferred shaving product then use this.

I am mainly talking about wet shaving here using a razor but if you prefer an electric shaver you might want to try wet shaving to get a better look.

If you are a bit worried about cutting your head if you’ve never shaved it before then I recommend getting a razor that has guards over the blades – any of the high street brands will do.

Don’t go for the most expensive you can find, start simple and see how you get on.

I personally use a disposable BIC razor, good for two shaves and then throw it away – never shave with a blunt razor – never!

Step 3 – Wash up

Everyone has different routines and I understand this, but make sure before you shave you give your head, face and neck a good wash.

Why?

Because it helps clean off natural oil, dead skin cells and it lifts the hairs on your head for a closer shave.

Make sure you clear off all the wash you have been using, you want a clean covering of your favourite shaving foam, gel, soap or oil before you start.

Step 4 – Laver up

Product choice is yours – I will be reviewing a few different products later in this styling section but for now, make sure you have plenty of your product available to do just more than your face, you don’t want to run out half way through.

Make sure you cover your whole head rather than a section at a time, make sure you get lower enough down the back of your head and behind those ears.

*Tip. You don’t have to apply loads of product to your head, too much and you’ll clog the razor and probably miss bits, you’ll be back and forth trying to shave the bits you have missed and probably end up making your head sore!

Step 5 – Shaving

As mention in step 1, finding the right place to shave is important, once you start you don’t want to stop.

Let me explain the technique I use, it’s worked for me for years and I never miss a bit.

**IMPORTANT**

Try to always shave your head in warm/hot water, it helps not only clean the razor head but it opens the pores on your head and cleans off any oils that might be produced in the shaving process.

Fig. 1

Start with your razor at the bottom of your neckline and work your way up to the crown in even fairly firm strokes.

You will get used to how much pressure you can exert once you know the contours of your head.

Use your fingers from the opposite hand you’re shaving with just in front of the razor to feel where the hair is, you will get used to this in time, it’s like a guide for where you need to shave.

Work your way around the back of your head from bottom to top, making sure you rinse the blade after each stroke.

In order to know if you have missed anywhere, run your fingers around the back of your head and neck to feel if there are any stubble areas you have missed, if so, just repeat the action until you can’t feel the stubble anymore.

*Tip, make sure you keep your fingers out of the way of the razor when shaving, I have made that mistake a few times and ending up nipping my fingers with the blade.

Fig. 2

Once you’re happy with the back of your head and neckline, move onto the sides of your head. This is where you’ll have to be more careful as things like ears and eyebrows get in the way. If you are using a mirror then keep an eye on where your razor is heading and take it slow.

Work your way from the neckline around the top of your ear to the front of your face above your eyebrow. Repeat this across the whole side of your head, both sides until you can’t feel any stubble patches.

Take extra care around the top and back of your ear – you might want to pull your ear back to make sure you have got those stray hairs.

*Tip. I always shave from back to front as it seems to give me a closer shave and fewer cuts – it might be different for you so try a few techniques.

Fig. 3

Shaving head instructions 2

Once you’re happy with how the back and sides feel then move onto the top of your head.

If like me and you don’t have much top hair then you’re not going to feel much stubble but trust me, it’s there.

The hair on top tends to me much thinner but it still needs shaving otherwise you’re going to have that ‘fluffy’ look later on.

On this stage I change the direction of the stroke, I tend to go from front to crown, from where your hairline was to the back of the crown – it just feels more natural to shave the top of your head this way.

Again use your fingers to feel for any missed patches and repeat until you have a smooth finish.

*Tip. Make sure you don’t start too low down from the front of your face, you don’t need to shave your forehead unless you’re Teen Wolf!

Fig. 4

Final part and it’s important to the overall finish.

Make sure you check the front of your ears, the part where your ear meets your head and you have a little dint between the ear and the head – this is the place where it’s hard to reach with the razor.

Carefully pull the ear up so you pull the skin tight and try to shave the hairs you see. Repeat both sides until you’re happy with the look.

*Tip. If you are having trouble getting short hairs around the ear and the razor just can’t get them, use a pair of tweezers to pull them out.

Step 6 – Aftercare

Once you’re happy that you’ve shaved all the areas, you then need rinse off any foam, gel or oil and just double check again in the mirror that you’ve not missed anywhere or cut yourself to ribbons!

One last thing I always do, a tip I got off a fellow shaver, was to rinse your whole head and face with cold water.

Why?

It closes the pores of the skin to help prevent spots and tightens it up – trust me it works.

One final thing, once you have dried your head, then moisturise immediately.

Your skin will still be holding moisture from the shave and you want to lock that in with your daily moisturiser.

Leaving your whole head to dry out loses the all the important moisture it has just soaked in from the shave – don’t lose that.

Paul Inman

Paul Inman is the founder of The Bald Gent. As the main contributor to TBG, Paul has years of knowledge, experience and stories to share with our users. His insights, advice and blogs form the backbone to everything we do and what makes being a true gent so important to the ethos of TBG.

No Comments Yet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.