I started losing my hair my senior year of college. It was pretty hard to accept at first. I went from being the big man on campus to not wanting to go out anymore. It’s amazing what the loss of your hair does for your confidence level. I too used Rogaine for a while. It did not work ideally for me. I went on with life with a thinning and receding hairline for about 10 years. In 2003 i decided to shave my head bald and grow the goatee. That was the look most guys were doing at the time who were in my shoes. Luckily, the look seems to work for me. I’m not sure what others think but I’m kind of happy with it. I got my confidence back to a higher level and resolved myself to the fact that this is probably the option I’ll stick with. Now that there’s finally a website for my fellow Chrome domes, I might as well keep it shaved.  -Jason C. (NJ)

OK, my wife bought me a product for the holidays called the “Balder/Fader” from Vidal Sassoon (Nothing to do with Darth Vader). This electric clipper is for guys who shave their heads frequently or like their hair cut very close. The Balder/Fader shows a bald guy on the packaging (nice). It comes with 3 different attachments. 

The good points:   1) It cuts down the hair (doesn’t really make it bald which is OK for me),    2) It is cordless (if it has been previously charged), 3) It fits neatly in the palm of your hand and the blades do not irritate the skin  and  4) It can be used in the shower- although I am not going to try that just yet.

$$$ WHO WANTS TO BE A FOLLICALLY CHALLENGED MILLIONAIRE?

I, like many of others reading this, was follically challenged. At an age of 27, I started losing my hair and was so concerned about it I tried Rogaine but that really didn’t work for me. Finally, I drummed up enough courage to seek out Medical Hair Restoration for a hair transplant and my hair came out OK, not great, just OK.

So how much did this little hair concern cost me in the long run???? Try this on for size: $12K up front at the time of the transplant. I also have to take Propecia for the rest of my life at $2.50 a day ($75 a month) which is not covered by my insurance or the hair that I had transplanted will fall out. I’m sure those little orange pills will increase in cost like everything else in life. I also have the monthly expense of $35 to get my hair cut by a hair stylist who cuts my hair a certain way so the small scar in the back of my head is hidden.

If you add up the expenses and put that money in a 401K plan at an average return of 8% interest over 50 years, here is what you get —> $1,454,593 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t believe me? Go to this site and plug in the numbers:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/Investor/calcs/n_savapp/main.asp

$12k Initial charge for hair transplant

$75 per month (Propecia)

$35 per month for Hair Stylist

$15 per month for Hair spray, Gel, occasional hairbrush etc.

Total saved: $1,454,593

Here are the details again if you don’t believe me:

Starting with $12,000 and depositing $125 ( $75 + $35 + $15 ) monthly over 50 years (at a rate of return 8% compounded monthly), you will save $1,454,593.

Initial balance: $12,000

Total deposits: $75,000

Total interest earned: $1,367,593

Total taxes paid: $0

Total Saved: $1,454,593 — NYTechRecruiter

When I first started losing my hair, I looked into possiblilities for changing my condition. My father and all my grandfathers, were bald, so I knew there might be a strong possibility, I too would be bald eventually. I felt really “old” losing my hair at 24 years of age. The options into which I looked, included shaving my head completely, trying medication to regrow hair, hair transplants and using the services of a well-known hair system company. After much encouragement by co-workers, I chose the last option. I used the “hair system” during the required 12 month contract, and then decided to shave my head.  The hairpeice made me feel like a traitor to myself.  I decided that it was time to finally embrace my baldness. I just needed to get over having lost my hair.

I felt awkward at first, as many of the people I knew did not know that I had been using a “hair system” and knew me with a full head of hair. After the first week with a shaved head, I became used to it.  Taking a shower was quicker and I no longer had to wait at a barbershop for a haircut. I began shaving my head at home (and still do). A decade on, I’m still coming to terms with my bald pate. I am not alone. I have read that almost one third of men are noticeably balding by the age of 30. Many of these men seek to hide the receding tide of their hairline by shaving off what remains.   Sure I’ve had women come up to me and say I love bald men”. I think they are lying- who knows? Sure they say, “You look like Andre Agassi- he’s hot” or ’Daughtry is the man!” I think that many of these people are just trying to make me feel better. Sometimes it works. My bald head now defines me- but I am comfortable with it.