More men are rocking the bald look

By Jessica Yadegaran

Contra Costa Times

(MCT)

But, about 12 years ago, Buckley looked in the mirror and realized he had more cowlicks in front of his hairline than actual hair on his head. So, he grabbed a razor and set his dome free. He's been bald and beautiful ever since.

"I'm fascinated with my bald head," says Buckley, now 47. "I always knew I had a pretty good round one. And my wife loves it. She rubs it all the time."

You can't beat the low maintenance or female attention, not to mention how much more youthful a tan, shiny head feels when compared to grays or comb-overs, men say. The trick is to make sure you approach the shave carefully, and that nature has blessed you with a nicely shaped noggin.

Twice a week, Buckley covers his head in shaving cream. He shaves against the grain in long, careful sweeps, then applies an after-shave lotion "to keep the bumps down." That's his regimen.

One time, a student's mother told Nicholson that she thought most men look scary with shaved heads, but not him. He was flattered.

"Before, losing your hair made you think, 'Oh, I'm some old bald guy,'" Nicholson says. "But it's considered such a good look now that you can feel confident about it."

Nicholson says it helps that he comes from a long line of men blessed with good heads: Round with limited lumps and bumps and a forehead that isn't too long. But, if you're considering the look, how do you know you've got the right dome?

Hankins, a barber who shaves his own head, consults with clients about the shape of their faces and recommends products specifically designed for the scalp. He's against bar soap because it dries out the scalp, he says. Also, if you tend to bang your head on things, the bald look may not be for you. It's tough to shave your scalp when it's constantly covered in cuts and bruises, he adds. Nevertheless, chrome domes look good on a lot of people, especially those who sport facial hair.

"A lot of guys are growing facial hair and thinning on top, so I try to give them a shorter look and blend it into their beard," Hankins says. "I encourage a lot of guys to shave it all off. It hides the gray and adds a lot of youthfulness to an older face."

"When people start losing their hair, the first thing they do is try to find a way to get it back," says Smith, who is 32 and has been shaving his head for seven years. "But the confidence they were looking for all along usually comes from taking the hair off instead of trying to put it back on."

"I got tired of combing it," says Dorrance, a father of four. "No more shampoos, haircuts, blow dryers. I just shave my scalp every other day in the shower."

His wife, Kris, walked in on him when he first reached for the clippers five years ago. He was about 75 percent closer to resembling Mr. Clean — Dorrance is a redhead with a ruddy complexion — when she screamed, "What the hell are you doing?"

Now that she's used it? "Not everyone can pull it off, but on him, it's sexy as hell," she says. "It suits him. He's fit. He's athletic. He's all man."

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HEAD SHAVER 101

Get a fresh blade for your razor and replace it every seven days.

Invest in good shaving cream, shaving gel or shaving oil. If it foams and comes out of a can, it's not what you want.

Using an exfoliant before shaving can help lift stubborn hairs and provide a smoother shave.

To avoid bumps or cuts, do not apply pressure to blade. A sharp blade does the work for you.

Each person's hair grows differently. Shave with the grain first and then venture to other directions to find the best shave for you.

Protect your shaved head with at least SPF 15 sunscreen every day.

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