Head shaving advice

I just shaved my head for the first time, and it went all right, but it could have gone better. I started by using the wahl balding clipper to get most of the hair. I thought that thing was supposed to cut as close as a razor, the youtube videos I have seen sure do look like it. Anyway maybe I was doing something wrong because when I was done I still had some pretty decent stubble left, definitley not as close as a razor, so my superspeed with blue personna had it's work cut out for it.

Onto the shave

I didn't really think about following hair growth patterns I mean it seems like all of my hair grows up so I shaved once up and once Down all over. Left me with much less stubble but still trouble spots and still not completley bald smooth. So I gave a pass with a mach III just to make sure I wasn't going to cut myself with the DE. Did pretty well but still not completley smooth. Is there an art to this, or what can I do to improve my next shave. I am not real unhappy with the shave at all, I just want it to be better. I want to have that look that the shaved people on tv have. No sign of hair whatsoever.

Thanks for reading my long poorly written post, but it's 5 am and I am tired.

I started shaving my head a year ago. On day one, I used a electric beard trimmer / clipper. Immediately disappointed how much hair remained I finished it with a Sensor Excel & some spray foam. After how that went - lots of nicks, missed bits and it seemed to take forever, I ran out and bought an electric foil shaver. I used the foil shaver most of the time and only used the sensor excel on my head when camping or if I had lots of time. After a while I grew tired of stubble head at 2 o'clock and tried to follow-up an electric shave with the cartridge. Now it was taking longer than ever and I was still never satisfied with the shave. Enter the world of wet shaving. I bought a brush and some soap and used my cartridge shaver. The result was very decent and a big improvement. I'm now 3-4 weeks into DE shaving and use it on both my face and head. I've never been shaved so close. My wife even commented how I look "more bald" than before.
It will take your scalp some time to adjust to being exposed. It will toughen up and become less sensitive to every little draft, shaving nicks and weepers.
Save yourself the money and go DE right off the bat. There is definitely an art to shaving with a DE, whether it's your face or your head, it takes a bit of time to learn. That said, I'm getting better shaves than ever after only 3-4 weeks.

Just like your face, if you want to have a completely smooth head, you’ll have to map your hair grown and shave against the grain.

As for the hair being visible (shadow) even though you can feel smooth skin, it’s like your face too. If there is enough contrast between skin and hair, your hair is going to be visible no matter how close you shave it.

The people you see on TV are either completely bald or are using makeup to hide the shadow.

I started shaving my head over 4 years ago. It just takes time to learn what direction hair grows on your head. Now that I know my head really well and I started DE shaving about two weeks ago I can get better shaves, my face and scalp feel better than ever, and much, much less irritation. Just get yourself a DE, soap and brush, and after your head gets adjusted and you improve your technique you will be very satisfied.

Zen Head said:

Just like your face, if you want to have a completely smooth head, you’ll have to map your hair grown and shave against the grain.

As for the hair being visible (shadow) even though you can feel smooth skin, it’s like your face too. If there is enough contrast between skin and hair, your hair is going to be visible no matter how close you shave it.

The people you see on TV are either completely bald or are using makeup to hide the shadow.

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I kind of wish my hair would thin up there so I can get more than one shave per blade. Darn this thick head of hair!

I've been shaving my head for almost a decade now. I've tried about every cartridge, disposable, and several electric razors.

Don't use an electric. By the time you've scrubbed it across the stubble enough times to remove it, you've not cut the hair - you've rubbed it off!!!

If you *must* use a disposable razor, I recommend the ladies' "Venus" razors. I stole one of my wife's once and actually got a good shave with it, without slicing my head to ribbons or having to go over it 10 times to get all the stragglers. The blades are further apart and less likely to clog than regular "mens" razors. The little lubricating pad helps a tad too.

About 6 months ago I found my grandmother's old Gillette safety razor. I cleaned it up, bought some generic store-brand blades and inexpensive soap, and a boar hair brush. Shaved with it once and gave away my disposable razors, and consigned the electrics to the junk drawer.

I shaved my face for a month before I tried it on my head. First time out I nicked myself once and cut a slit just behind my left ear. Lots of bumps the next day. A few days later, I tried it again. No nicks, just a few bumps, and no razor burn. As I learned how to keep the razor angled against my head, my shaves got better and better.

I've been using that 60+ year old Gillette on my head for about 3 months, either daily or every-other-day shaving. I can now consistently get a silky smooth head, no razor burn, and few, if any, bumps. It's all about learning how to angle the razor, and letting *it* do the work.

Here's how I go about it -

I wash my head using Dove soap and hot water, rinse. I wrap my head in a towel as hot as I can stand it, for about 3 minutes. I re-wet the towel about 1 1/2 minutes in.

I leave my head wet, and work up a good lather. I only lather up the portion of my head I'll be working on. I make 2 passes, one with the grain, one against the grain, followed by dragging my fingers and cleaning up any stragglers.

I start by shaving the right side, then the left, then top-front. I then do the right rear, left rear, and top-back, and finish up at my cowlick, as it's finicky. I do all the with the grain passes first, then rinse and re-lather as I go for the against the grain passes. Rinse again, lather my whole head, and do the touch-up work. Then rinse, pat dry, and either apply some shave lotion or skin moisturizing lotion.

I generally shave my face first, then move onto my head. That lets me get into the groove of shaving, and re-affirms the "sweet spot" of razor angle that cuts the hair, not my skin.

One thing I do to make shaving my head easier... I don't use a mirror. Sounds crazy, but it's *much* easier to pay attention to what you're doing, especially on the back of your head. Looking in the mirror, you'll unconsciously turn your head to try and get a better view of what you're doing. If the razor is on your skin, you'll leave a good slice in the process. The only time I use the mirror is to shave around the tops of my ears, and to carve my unibrow into two distinct eyebrows.

Practice, practice, practice. Take your time, keep a good lather on your head, and if you find you're trying to coordinate looking in the mirror with moving the razor, just close your eyes and use your fingertips of your other hand guide your razor's path. Wipe-follow, wipe-follow. Concentrate on the angle of the razor. You'll feel it cutting the hair, trying to dig in, or skating along on the safety bar. Just keep at it, and you'll get it.

Oh, and nicking or slicing your head results in *copious* bleeding. I advise a styptic pen to be kept in the medicine cabinet.

Hope it helps!

I clip my hair first with my Wahl, 0000 blade goes down to less than a millimetre, then shave in the shower using a Mach 3 and conditioner as lube. I don't try and follow hair direction, just keep checking by feel for any missed bits / rough spots and going over it with more conditioner added as required. Works for me and still only takes about 10 minutes to complete, leaving me lots of time for a good DE / SE shave of my face afterwards.

ogberi said:

Don't use an electric. By the time you've scrubbed it across the stubble enough times to remove it, you've not cut the hair - you've rubbed it off!!!

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LOL, I felt this way too but didn't know any better.

ogberi said:

If you *must* use a disposable razor, I recommend the ladies' "Venus" razors. I stole one of my wife's once and actually got a good shave with it...

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I've never tried this but was tempted after slicing myself to ribbons. Her razor had those little wires on it to 'dummy' proof it.

ogberi said:

About 6 months ago I found my grandmother's old Gillette safety razor.

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Recommend avoiding the visuals...

ogberi said:

I generally shave my face first, then move onto my head. That lets me get into the groove of shaving, and re-affirms the "sweet spot" of razor angle that cuts the hair, not my skin.

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Same here. Lathering the whole thing at once just gives the lather enough time to dry out and there's no opportunity to 'get in the groove', 'cause it takes too long.

ogberi said:

One thing I do to make shaving my head easier... I don't use a mirror. Sounds crazy, but it's *much* easier to pay attention to what you're doing, especially on the back of your head.

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I agree whole-heartedly. Do the back of your head strictly by feel.

ogberi said:

Oh, and nicking or slicing your head results in *copious* bleeding. I advise a styptic pen to be kept in the medicine cabinet.

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After using the DE on my head a few times, I'm nicking myself less than I did with my Sensor Excel. The stypic is getting less time as my technique improves.

Good response, I enjoyed commenting on it.

You'll get better as you go.

My last full pass is done ATG and it's important to have good, slick lather. So when I just have touch up areas I'll hand lather my off-hand so as I feel for stubble in the back I can take a swipe w/ the razor, feel for stubble, pass w/ razor, and each time I feel, I'm getting some lather applied.
It took me a several tries before I could get BBS all around.

When I use to use a disposable I could take several swipes w/o proper lather (maybe why I had a few bumps) but I think it's important to have something there for each pass w/ the DE

Thanks for all the advice. I actually don't think I did that bad for a first try. This morning when I got up It actually looked pretty good and I am just now starting to notice some decent stubble after 15 hours.

I'll try again in a few days and let you know how it went.

I use whatever cream/soap I'll use for my face.
Splash some hot water on, wash face & head, later head and shave s/n with a Sensor handle and 2 blade cartridge (lasts a couple of weeks). I like the floating head on Sensor, and the 2 blade (not Excell) doesn't clog or skip over. I tried the Mach 3 and the Excell and they left spots, skipped and just didn't give a good shave.

I have to do three passes (WTG, XTG, then ATG) on my head plus touch ups. Everyone is a little different. Time will tell what works for you.

Have had a couple more go's at the head over the past week. The second time was quite a chore. I used a Blue Personna blade with my superspeed. After 30 minutes and not quite getting very far I finished with a mach III and got mediocre results compared to the first shave. Should have just stuck with a fresh feather.

Third time I used a feather with one shave on it. Superspeed again and pretty good results. Even better than the first time. I still had to touch up with the mach III but this is the best head shave yet and it only took me about 15 minutes. I am half tempted to try one of those Headblade things, but with the weather cooling off quite a bit the past week and a half I am not sure if I am going to keep the bald look through winter. But when summer rolls around I will be back to it for sure. I like the feel of a shaved head, and it's less to take care of. Also something more to shave.

jkchuma said:

I kind of wish my hair would thin up there so I can get more than one shave per blade. Darn this thick head of hair!

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I'm not saying having male-pattern baldness doesn't make it easier, but it was kind of a pain to start going bald at 26!

Although I hate using disposables for environmental reasons, the Schick Xtreme 3 is great for head shaving. I generally find I need to do a two passes (WTG and ATG) to get everything.

I'm currently in the midst of an inner struggle over whether to let my hair grow in for the winter. It's getting colder!

For my part, I'm a DE newb but a headshaving vet. I started just using a Wahl clipper to take it all down to around 1/8" tall, and that would do for awhile.

Then about 4 years ago, I began working with a guy who went for the shaved look, and he recommended a Norelco electric. I adopted the Norelco, and used it for a number of months before the bumps and irritation got to me and I began to wetshave with the Mach 3 and an ever-changing rotation of various creams (Every Man Jack being the most recent).

When I began DE shaving, I did a first attempt at my noggin, and it was - less than ideal. I chalk this up to being a DE beginner at the time; I hadn't sufficient experience shaving my face with the DE, let alone my head. I was determined to keep at it, though - I refuse to bear the yoke of $25 cartridge packs any longer!

I have 3 head-shaves with the DE under my belt, and I continue to improve. I haven't done the hot-towel prep yet, but you can bet I'm going to try that. I usually shave my head the night before work, which means I'm not rushing anything. I've been showering first, but now I may try the hot-towel prep in lieu of showering, reserving that for the face shave in the morning.

Problems: I had my Merkur Futur set too high, and sliced off a few small zits/head bumps. I also have a bleeder mole on the back of my neck that is a faucet if nicked (Mach3, DE, any razor will get it hosing), which I have to look out for. The most recent time, I did basically a couple of WTG passes, taking it slow, and using a finger to keep the danger spots that catch the blade clear of lather. Once they heal up proper, I'll shave them gingerly.

I do use a mirror at the moment, but only because I'm still gaining confidence with the DE razor. I may invest in an HD (for a variety of reasons, but mostly because it gets better press on B&B than the Futur as a beginner's [and beyond] razor), because I get the sense it may be a slightly more forgiving noggin-scraper. I'll probably always have to use it to avoid the bleeder mole, but I hope to gain enough skill with the DE to avoid using a mirror for most of the process.

Also, being male-pattern is actually not as much of an advantage as you might think; the fact is, I have to force myself to slow down on the top of my head - it seems like it should go faster since there's so little hair, but that's a great way to self-scalp, I think.

Pros: It's definitely produced the best head shaves I have ever experienced; the fewest irritation bumps, the closest aftermath, and the most luxurious prep. You really can't beat the brush, and there's something incredibly satisfying about lathering up your entire head... not to mention ditching those cartridges at long last.

It definitely takes some time to adjust to a DE shave on the head. With time and practice the shaves will get better.

I use a Headblade for my head. It also takes some adjustment but now that it is mastered, I can get a slick, hair-free, noggin in just a few minutes. Follow that shave up with some Osage Rub splash and TSD Subzero aftershave milk and

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Head Blade. I've been using it regularly for a year and I get great results.

The only problem is that it violates my general prejudice against cartridge blades. I've tried DE on my dome a few times and had good results, but it took a long time and I cut myself at least once every time. The Head Blade is almost fool proof.

At least the cartridges are not that expensive, and I can get at least 5 shaves out of them.

The Headblade always looked interesting but never something I wanted to try myself. The DE for both face and noggin is working out well for me. It may take a while but its great me time. I shave it all year round. The cold doesn't bother it anymore, I love it, and my wife loves it.

I think head shaving is one area where cartridge > DE. It's much easier to shave the back of my head with a pivoting cartridge blade than contorting my hands, arms, and shoulders trying to get the proper angle with a DE.

I save money on shampoo! And it looks total gangsta!