How To Shave Your Head Bald Like a Pro


How to shave your head bald

Have you ever considered shaving your head completely bald? A freshly shaven head can feel great and provide a bold new look, but it’s important to know how to shave your head properly to avoid cuts, bumps, irritation, and an uneven appearance. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know to safely shave your head smooth like a pro.

To safely shave your head bald like a pro, you need high-quality tools designed for head shaving, proper technique focused on short and overlapping strokes, using the right pressure and angle, shaving in every direction, applying moisturizer to prevent irritation, and maintaining your look with regular shaves.

Choosing the Right Tools

The first step to safely achieving the perfect bald head shave is selecting tools designed specifically for shaving your scalp. Using just any razor may lead to nicks, cuts, and irritation. You’ll want to get:

  • A head shave razor – Head shaving razors have curves and angles tailored to the shape of the head which allows for a smoother, closer shave. High quality stainless steel multi blade razors like the HeadBlade ATX or Leaf Razor work best.
  • Shaving brush – A shaving brush is used to lift hairs up and exfoliate for a closer cut. Look for one with soft yet firm bristles.
  • Shaving cream or gel – Apply a moisturizing shaving cream to provide a smooth lubricated surface for the razor to glide across the scalp without drag or pulling.

Having the proper specialized tools is essential for achieving that smooth bald head look. Don’t try to get by with cheap multi-purpose razors or you’ll likely end up with irritation and cuts. Invest in high-quality head shaving gear.

Preparing Your Scalp and Hair

Before reaching for the razor, take some time to properly prepare your scalp and existing hair for the closest most comfortable shave possible:

  • Softening the hair – If you currently have longer hair, begin by using hair clippers with no guard attached to trim it down to stubble. This makes shaving easier.
  • Take a shower – The warm water will open up pores and follicles to soften hair. It also washes away any products currently in your hair that could clog the razor.
  • Exfoliate the scalp – Use a facial scrubber or loofah to gently exfoliate and remove any dry skin or flakes which could cause an uneven cut or irritation.

Starting the shaving process with clean softened hair and an exfoliated scalp clears the path for the razor to glide smoothly across the surface.

bald head

Proper Bald Head Shaving Technique

Once you’re equipped with the right tools and have prepped your scalp, it’s time to put technique into action for the perfect shave:

  • Apply shaving cream – Cover your entire head with a moisturizing shaving cream or gel, massaging it in. This lubricates the scalp.
  • Use short, overlapping strokes – Stretch the skin taut and shave using short, overlapping strokes rather than long passes. This provides more control.
  • Maintain a 30 degree angle or less – Keep the razor at a shallow 30 degree angle or less to get it as close to the scalp as possible.
  • Apply gentle pressure – You only need to apply light pressure. Pressing too hard can lead to cuts and irritation.
  • Shave in multiple directions – Go over the head in every possible direction – north to south, east to west, diagonally, etc to catch every last stray hair.

Having proper technique keeps the razor smoothly gliding across the contours of your head without any nicks or missed hairs. Take it slow and steady.

Achieving the Closest Possible Shave

If you want the gold standard of fresh bald head smoothness, you’ll need to incorporate a few special techniques to get the closest shave humanly possible:

  • Shave against the grain – After going with the grain of hair growth, go over the scalp once more lightly against the direction of growth. This cuts the hair slightly below the skin line.
  • Leverage weight of the razor – Allow the weight of the razor to glide across your scalp without adding pressure which may lead to cuts.
  • Stretch skin taut – Pulling the skin as tight as possible raises hairs up closer to the surface for an even nearer cut.
  • Take a final pass – Doing one last close inspection and going over missed patches catches any final strays.

Taking these extra steps lets you achieve that soft smooth cue ball look and feel. It requires more time and precision, but delivers a clean scalp shave worthy of a professional.

Preventing Irritation

A freshly shaved bald head can feel great and look amazing, but the scalp can often become irritated during and after the shaving process without the right care taken. Here is how to prevent irritation:

  • Use moisturizing shave cream/gel – A properly lubricated scalp results in less friction and tugging against the sensitive skin.
  • Witch hazel after shave – Applying some witch hazel immediately after shaving can prevent irritation and redness due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Avoid alcohol based products – Products containing alcohol tend to dry out the scalp causing burning, stinging, and flaking.
  • Apply moisturizer – Keeping your bald head well moisturized maintains the skin’s protective barriers and prevents dryness.
  • Allow time between shaves – Don’t shave your head bald every single day or it likely won’t fully recover leading to irritation.

Taking measures to keep the scalp moisturized and protected reduces the chance of bumps, burns, redness, and ingrown hairs occurring.

Maintaining Your Bald Head

Once that unwanted hair is shaved smooth, you’ll need to put some work into maintaining your slick bald dome:

  • Regular shaves – Just as with the face, you’ll need to shave your head every 2-4 days as hair grows back to preserve the look.
  • Use sunscreen – With no hair protecting your scalp, it’s at high risk for sunburn so be sure to apply SPF 30 or higher regularly.
  • Cleanse routinely – Use a gentle soap or scrub 2-3 times per week to remove dead skin cells, oil buildup, and debris that accumulate on the scalp.
  • Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water and moisturize daily to replenish nutrients, prevent dryness and keep the head healthy.

Caring for your bald head with frequent shaves, protection, cleansing, and moisturizing will keep it looking freshly polished. Think of it like maintaining a clean shaven face.

Cleansing Routine for a Bald Head

Maintaining stellar bald head hygiene involves more than just keeping the dome shaved smooth. You’ll need to incorporate a thorough cleansing routine as well to prevent odor, irritation, clogged pores, buildup, and more unwanted issues from occurring. With exposed skin minus hair follicles covering the scalp, keeping the bald head sparkling clean becomes even more essential.

You won’t need to go full Mr. Clean and scrub aggressively daily across the whole dome in a raging lather. But a regular mild cleansing protocol tailored to the newly exposed scalp is vital for optimum bald head health. Here are some practical cleansing guidelines to wash consciously according to skin type and environmental factors:

Twice a week, use a fragrance-free and non-abrasive facial cleanser matched specifically to your skin type – oily, dry, sensitive, etc. Gently massage it into the scalp using fingers in a circular scrubbing motion to lift dirt, excess oil, and dead skin cells. Rinse thoroughly ensuring no residue remains.

Follow up the cleansing with an alcohol-free toner to restore proper pH, then apply moisturizer immediately after drying, even on oily skin, to counteract stripped moisture barriers. This keeps the head happy.

Limit shampoo use which can strip natural oils and dry out the scalp since it’s designed for hair. If shampooing, choose a gentle formula with added moisturizers. Again, thoroughly rinse to prevent clogged pores.

Those with excessively oily bald heads may need to cleanse more frequently, while super dry skin requires extra gentle cleansing a few times monthly. Figure out your personal sweet spot.

Pay special attention to cleansing after physical activities where sweat, dirt, pollutants, and bacteria accumulate. Grime plus clogged pores are breeding grounds for infection on the vulnerable scalp real estate. Using medicated wipes post-workout can help prevent issues in these scenarios before deeper cleansing later.

Incorporating the appropriate bald head specialized cleansing regimen avoids dull lackluster skin, folliculitis, fungal overgrowth, awful odors, and general cranial grossness. Treat your treasured head like the shiny beacon it deserves to be with a proper hygienic ritual.

properly shaving your head

Protecting Your Bald Head from the Elements

Not only do you have to keep the exterior of the cranium cleansed properly, but with no follicular helmet protecting that precious bald dome, you’ll need to guard it from external elemental damage as well.

The bare scalp is vulnerable real estate prone to environmental factors like sun exposure, temperature extremes, air pollution, dirt accumulation, annoying insects trying to nest in your headgrooves, and general debris bombardment.

You want to prevent burns, bite marks, frost nip, smog residue, weird tan lines, scratched skin, and who knows what else from impacting the smooth polished sheen emanating from your hairless head.

Here’s how to safeguard nature’s fury upon thy baldness:

The most common assailant faced is the blinding beams of solar radiation experienced frequently from daily activity outdoors. Guard against UV rays attempting to char broil your brain bucket by regularly applying a minimum 30 SPF sunscreen across the entire dome, including under the occipital bun, even on cloudy days. The scalp skin is highly susceptible to cancer so don’t play games with mere baseball caps for coverage. Breakout the big UV protection guns.

Bitterly cold temps can also damage the delicate dermis covering your cognition cavity. Cover up with warm headwear like beanies to insulate from frostbite or discomfort. Use moisturizer designed specifically for skin prone to dry winter cold which gets amplified on the naked noggin.

Seek shade under trees, umbrellas or patio covers during extreme heat to avoid frying your fertilized frontal lobe like an egg on urban sidewalks. Stay hydrated as well to counteract moisture loss across your dry dome’s vast surface.

When enjoying water activities, apply waterproof sun barrier to block burns as rays reflect more intensely off wet surfaces. Also coat the scalp in moisturizer beforehand to create an insulating barrier preventing loss of natural moisture and oils which occurs during prolonged submersion.

Take measures as well to protect against pest infestations like lice or mosquito feeding grounds setting up camp on your convenient clear cut meadow mimicking the African savanna. Insects love exposed flesh.

Bottom line – shield thy scalp from external forces out to damage your brilliant baldness. Take cover!

When to Avoid Shaving Your Head

While maintaining cue ball status can become a badge of honor for devoted bald head shavers, knowing when to give the dome a break can prevent painful irritation. There comes a time when one must occasionally shelve the razor.

Attempting to shave over top of existing irritation, wounds, razor bumps or burns usually exacerbates the issue leading to further ingrown hairs, bleeding nicks, infected pores, peeling skin and more melon rind madness.

Pressing on with the blade under challenging scalp conditions almost never ends well for thy hairless head.

As difficult as it may be to lose the polished sheen temporarily, allowing time for the scalp to fully heal avoids complications down the road. Here are some signs it’s time to put the razor aside:

  • Redness / Bumps / Puss – Inflammation indicates infection brewing beneath the skin that needs resolved before shaving again.
  • Scabs / Cuts – Fresh wounds require sealed protection to avoid pathogens entering and causing greater struggles.
  • Flaking / Peeling – Let dead skin completely shed before removing additional layers which could become embedded.
  • Pain / Burning – Nerve discomfort suggests additional friction from shaving may enhance pain so allow skin to calm down.
  • Excessive Dryness – Flaking dehydrated skin leads to an uneven shave. Hydrate and moisturize before taking the blade across parched sections.

Ceasing shaves for a few days up to a couple weeks gives compromised cranial skin respite to heal fully before subjecting it to potential reactive damage from razors, creams, gels, and friction.

Allow the follicular freedom symbol some downtime until the scalp distress subsides. And once improved, ease back into maintenance mode gently, not plowing the head with harsh abrasives.

Your naked noggin will thank you for showing restraint and compassion in its time of need after working so hard to maintain its polished glory every day without hiatus. Give those pore some relief.

When to See a Dermatologist

While minor irritation, dryness and razor bumps plague even the most devoted bald head shavers, more severe or prolonged issues may require consulting a dermatologist. Redness, scaling, sores, scabs or intense pain lingering for weeks can indicate infection or disease requiring medical intervention.

Catching certain bald head conditions early on increases chances for effective treatment before lasting damage sets in.

Here are signs it’s time to seek professional help:

  • Folliculitis – Inflamed, crusty pimple-like bumps from infected hair follicles dig deeper causing puss and scarring.
  • Cellulitis – Painful swollen patches on the scalp signaling a rapidly spreading skin infection.
  • Cysts – Large bumps develop under the skin filled with puss and debris which don’t resolve.
  • Psoriasis – Raised dry red patches covered in silver colored scales may spread.
  • Skin Cancer – Moles or lesions bleed or don’t heal may require biopsy.

The skilled eyes and scope of a dermatologist can accurately assess the cause behind lingering distressed skin. After pinpointing the culprit condition, customized treatment plans get launched specifically targeting the scalp ailment.

Powerful topical medications like antibiotic gels and creams along with oral drugs prove most effective combatting serious skin infections before they threaten healthy tissues in a domino demise. Don’t hesitate reaching out for reinforcements when combating chronic dome discomfort solo starts feeling futile.

Some battles require calling on the troops donned in white lab coats packing heavy medical artillery…dermatologists! They’ve got your bald head back. No follicular foxhole too deep for their reach when extra support needed. Together victory is imminent.

Conclusion

Achieving the sought after bald look can feel liberating, powerful, or just plain great, but shaving your head properly is an art. Without the proper prep work, tools, technique, and aftercare you may end up with irritation, bumps, uneven results and a style not quite befitting of the badass Mr. Clean image you may be going for.

Hopefully this comprehensive guide shed light on the best practices, razors and gels for use, and maintenance processes needed to safely shave your head completely bald like a boss. With some TLC for the dome you can look sharp with a glistening hair-free scalp and never have a bad hair day again.

It does require commitment to regular maintenance shaves along with vigilance against sun exposure, dryness and clogged pores which can lead to irritation or infection without care taken. But many who take the plunge into baldness find the confidence and edgy style outweighs any extra work involved with keeping cue ball status.

Remember to invest in quality razors, take a mild exfoliating approach, keep the scalp moisturized pre and post shave, use proper short stroke technique across all angles, go with and against the grain to get extra close, and protect your skin long term. Follow these bald commandments and you’ll stay polished pro-style without regretting your life as a skinhead.

So lather up, grab the razor and let freedom ring across your scalp. I hope this guide paves the way for you to keep that dome gleaming like the top of the Chrysler Building. Smooth and steady wins the baldness race. Now grab a rag and get to work on that beautiful hair-free head!

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I shave my bald head? You’ll need to shave your bald head about every 2-4 days as the hair grows back in order to maintain the smooth polished look. Shaving daily may lead to irritation for some.

Will a bald head cause sunburn? Yes, without hair protection your bare scalp is prime real estate for sunburn. Be sure to apply SPF 30 or higher regularly to prevent painful burns. Consider wearing a hat as well during prolonged sun exposure.

What’s the best razor for shaving your head?
Specialized head shaving razors with contours to fit the shape of the head work best, like the HeadBlade ATX or the Leaf Razor. High quality multi-blade designs prevent irritation and missed hairs.

How do I prevent razor bumps on my bald head? Exfoliating to remove dead skin, using a brush to raise hairs, always shaving with a sharp razor, shaving in every direction, avoiding too much pressure, and keeping moisturized all help minimize bumps.

Will shaving my head make my hair grow back thicker? No, shaving does not effect the thickness or rate of regrowth for strands of hair. That’s just a myth. But as blunt hair grows out it may seem thicker and coarser temporarily.

Mark

Hey! My name's Mark and I'm passionate about all things grooming, fashion, and fitness and I love sharing everything I learn about them. Expert Gentleman is the ultimate resource for learning everything about men's grooming, style and fitness.

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