Receding Hairline - To Shave or Not to Shave

I have a somewhat receding hairline and am considering shaving it, not in order to try to 'embrace it' or 'hide it' or anything, simply because it's hot, my hair grows super quickly, and I can't be bothered getting it cut every few weeks during summer.

I am a little concerned though that shaving it will actually make the fact that I'm receding more evident. I am happy to post pictures if people are willing to give me their opinions.

Cheers in advance

When a receding hairline or balding becomes a personal issue for whatever the reason may be, I'm all for the shave.

I'm lucky enough to not have this problem, but if I did, I'd be hitting those clippers without any guards on

Let it show. The cocky among us underestimate a guy with a receding hairline and an extra 10 pounds. Then again, I'm married and employed so YRMV.

My vote is just cut your hair real short. I think that the "head shaving" thing is just a fad, is sort of a "copy-cat" sort of thing, and is a LOT of work!!!

Think about how fast the whiskers on your face grow...well that's about how fast the hair on your head is going to grow. So just think how often you will have to shave your head.

Just my humble opinion,

- Nick

I vote for grow a ponytail.

15" down your back and no one will notice the receding hairline.

You should spike your hair up into 1 spike. When someone stares, poke 'em!

My partner says she likes some hair to run her fingers through, but has also said that if I'm unsure maybe I should try it. I don't think she'd mind too much either way.

Anyway, here are some pics with hair at different lengths and from different angles.

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4

I'm thinking I might just cut it short and put up with having to cut it every few weeks. Thoughts?

orbit79 said:

I'm thinking I might just cut it short and put up with having to cut it every few weeks. Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Tell ya what dude...looking at those photos...you don't have anything to worry about. Go ahead & shave your head...and then see what what a mistake you made!

Maybe your head of hair isn't as full as it once was...but it's still a long way from being a problem "visually". A stranger looking at you wouldn't know there was any problem. Let's "revisit" this topic in about 5-10 years (assuming your hairline continues to recede)...then we can talk about shaving your head.

- Nick

That's it? I thought it was going to be much worse than that...mohawk it! Do it for the forum!

Ok cool, thanks guys. I guess my hair still hides it well enough without it being too obvious that I'm trying to hide it lol

Have a friend of mine who's hairline has receded all the way to the back of his head.

He combs about 10 hairs from one side to the other across the top of his head.

Think he must use Butch Wax to keep them there.

Haha hopefully me trying to hide mine isn't quite that obvious yet.

If I pull my hair back it becomes very evident, which I think means that it would be much more obvious if I shaved it. Particularly as it appears from people's comments that it's not particularly noticeable as is.

Naah man, your hair looks cool.... you have nothing to worry about.

I thought the pics were going to be so bad, that I'd have to give you some white lies.

Picture 2 looks cool, and picture 4 looks really cool.... so I guess what I'm saying as the picture 4's a good length and style for you with a bit of an edgy look, and picture 2 is a good look for a bit more of a polished look

Well either way buy your self a really fancy hat. Something super elegant. And wear it out always. Then you can be elegant and stylish and not have to worry about people staring at your head too much.

pigoo3 said:

Tell ya what dude...looking at those photos...you don't have anything to worry about. Go ahead & shave your head...and then see what what a mistake you made!

Maybe your head of hair isn't as full as it once was...but it's still a long way from being a problem "visually". A stranger looking at you wouldn't know there was any problem. Let's "revisit" this topic in about 5-10 years (assuming your hairline continues to recede)...then we can talk about shaving your head.

- Nick

Click to expand...

idrinorbarsaku said:

That's it? I thought it was going to be much worse than that...mohawk it! Do it for the forum!

Click to expand...

6string said:

Naah man, your hair looks cool.... you have nothing to worry about.

I thought the pics were going to be so bad, that I'd have to give you some white lies.

Picture 2 looks cool, and picture 4 looks really cool.... so I guess what I'm saying as the picture 4's a good length and style for you with a bit of an edgy look, and picture 2 is a good look for a bit more of a polished look

Click to expand...

Thanks heaps

My friend, you have nothing to worry about.

When I was a teenager, my mother told me that even though my dad was bald and gray by the time he was 30, I'd never have a problem because your hair genes come from your mother's side and that her father had died with a full head of thick hair.

My hair was the same way, and in fact, I was so accustomed to it, that every time I visited the barber, I asked him to thin it out for me. One day, much to my chagrin, the barber said "uh, not sure that you really need me to do that". And then, I had kids. Now, my scalp is plainly visible regardless of the length of my hair. No receding hairline to speak of, but every year, things get a little thinner. Apparently, I did get some of my dad's hair traits.

I'm now really at the point where I need to stop parting it to the side and figure something else out. I have absolutely no intention of having hair plugs or trying to comb it over. It is what it is. My thought is that eventually I'll go with a very short buzz cut. But I'm not quite ready to do that yet - and trust me, your hair looks about ten times more full then mine does.

I like Bob's ponytail recommendation, but I work with a guy who wore a ponytail for ten years as his hairline steadily receded. I teased him one day that the way things were going he was going to end up with pigtails and a bald strip in between.
He showed up a work the next day without the ponytail. That's been 5 years and it never came back.

BTW: I agree with the other comments, you don't have a problem.

My hair started thinning in my mid 20s. I left it for a number of years but eventually I realized it was just never gonna happen. I started shaving mine about 10 years back or so, I'm now in my mid 40s. I don't shave every day, just once maybe twice a week. A little stubble actually looks good...

Your hair is way thicker on top than mine but at 53 and married the vanity went long ago.

Even at 31 I'm starting not to care quite as much about my appearance as I used to. Hair loss is still something which worries me however, I guess this will hopefully fade as I get older (and balder lol).