I started losing my hair when I was 19. It wasn't noticeable at first and I didn't make too much of it. If anything, I tried not to think about it. On occasion, I found myself incredibly frustrated, mostly when I woke up in the morning and found hair on my pillow. But hair loss wasn't something I obsessed over. Not yet, anyways.
After a couple of years, it got to the point where my hair was visibly receding. It was no longer a secret. Friends and family members took notice.
At this point, I started using volumizing shampoos and I spent considerable time in front of a mirror, trying to arrange my hair in a way that minimized the receding appearance. I also tried to exercise more and to eat a healthier diet. I was, in a sense, still in denial that I was actually losing my hair.
Then I reached the threshold, a point where I could no longer cover it up. My two choices: try to preserve my hair (Rogaine?) or ditch what I had left. I went with the latter option. Using electric clippers, I buzzed off my remaining hair using the lowest setting.
While I was at first uncomfortable with what I saw in the mirror, I was also overjoyed. I simply felt liberated, like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Within a few days I adjusted to the look and I realized that this was something I should have done a long time ago.
I thought I would face a chorus of criticism from my friends and family. I anticipated all manner of bald jokes and awkward conversation. While there were a few jokes here and there, none of the criticism panned out and even the jokes disappeared after a week or so.
As time went on, I found myself increasingly confident. No longer was I hiding from something. I had accepted baldness, but I felt more as if I had conquered it. Surprisingly, a lot of people started complimenting me on the look.
Many guys fret over losing their hair. We are told by Rogaine commercials that we cannot have a successful or happy life if we don't have hair on our head. But attitudes about baldness are changing. In fact, many prominent athletes and actors sport the shaved head look.
For a long time, I clung to my remaining hair. It was something I thought about constantly. Looking back on it, I feel foolish. How much time did I waste worrying about a problem that is so superficial, a problem that is really only a problem if you let it be one. One of the few regrets I carry with me is not buzzing off my hair sooner.
If you are losing your hair, take control of the situation. Instead of trying to preserve your dwindling follicles with drugs, supplements and topical treatments, buzz it off. You can always let it grow back out if you don't like how it looks.
Going bald young is not easy if you subscribe to the message put forth by Rogaine and Hair Club for Men commercials. But with some self-confidence and courage, you can conquer it. For more information and tips, check out younghairloss.com.
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