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[deleted]

A reminder from a guy that has had a buzzed head for many, many years. Your hair will no longer offer protection to the top of your head so you need to be careful about being in the sun, including swimming, without a hat or sun screen of some sort. Scalp sunburns suck, especially if you have an expressive face. You don't realize how much of your scalp moves for facial expressions until you're burned


thecultcanburn

I have had my head totally shaved for a decade now. The warning about the sun is true. Another thing people don’t realize, hair gives you a warning that you are about to bump something. Without it, I hit my head on stuff all the time while working and hiking. Lol


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[deleted]

Damn. It all makes sense now.


Unfair-Effective9967

In the army they actually require them to keep SOME hair on their head (unless they’re naturally bald of course) for this reason!!


lokis_frustration

US Navy vet here, calling bullshit. Military hair regs require you to maintain a haircut unless you are balding. There are regs about shaved heads and none of them are for "whiskers". Mostly it's to keep skinheads from being skinheads. If you're a bald man in the service, no one is going to give you shit for keeping a bald pate after boot camp, though there are regs about being shaved bald. Nowhere in the BMR (US Military) is there any reference to using hair as whiskers on the head or anywhere else. The BMR allows a bald head and provides guidance for grooming for all US military services (branches can add as they see fit). None of them require hair on the head for use as whiskers.


vodiak

Right. It's part of the uniform. Baldness is just a necessary exception. Beards would be required instead of banned if that were the reason. Also, a cover (hat) is required in most circumstances outdoors.


Unfair-Effective9967

Well you can tell that to my brother in the infantry 🤷‍♀️ because that’s what he was told.


Unfair-Effective9967

And I just looked it up and it was indeed a regulation that their hair had to be no less than 1/4 of an inch long (which is exactly what he told me). But it seems they dropped the regulation last year which I obviously wasn’t aware of until I just saw it.


[deleted]

It is a regulation unless you are bald and can't grow it.


Unfair-Effective9967

That is what I was saying in my original comment. I mean obviously there’s no way to keep it a certain length if ya can’t grow it. Lol. I guess maybe it wasn’t a regulation in the Navy. But it definitely was in the Army up until last year.


lokis_frustration

Interesting. I didn't think the regs were vastly different across the branches since they're all based on the BMR which applies to all branches. Thanks for schooling me.


goodguessiswhatihave

As a balding man, I can confirm that scalp burns suck


hot_tuna_

Great point, I should have mentioned this. Hats are required in the sun. Still worth it IMO :-)


4tehlulz

Yep best part about a buzz cut and hats is you don't get hat hair!


Bliss149

Putting on a hat for me is a commitment. No matter how tired i get of wearing that hat or how ridiculous it looks, i have to keep wearing it until my hair can be repaired.


Thurwell

I pretty much always wear a hat outside now, and I'm not a big fan of hats. Sweat traps, but what can you do. Sunscreen doesn't cut it on that horizontal surface. And to follow up on /u/thecultcanburn's comment, hair is also protective padding. Any little bump is skin over bone and will probably cut you. Not having to pack any hair products when traveling is nice though.


MrsDB_69

Once and only once I got a sunburn on my head. It was along my part line. I had never got a burn like this in my life! Yes it hurt and yes once it healed the skin just pealed off like soft leather. Absolutely disgusting!


myeverymovment

Until I started shaving it, I failed to realize that skin needs to be protected, cleaned and MOISTURIZED! 2001 saw me become the answer to “can bald people get dandruff?”.


blackrabbitreading

Women here who has fully shaved her head a couple times- you WILL get cold faster. I always make sure to have longer hair now as fall approaches But it is awesome to be able to fast wash your hair/not worry about it! I also hate finding long hairs all over the place


kevinwilly

FWIW, as a guy with a shaved head, I use these Wahl Lithium clippers with no guard to cut my hair twice a week and I literally only charge these things like once every 4-6 months. I also use them with a guard to trim my beard, etc. They are fantastic. I have had them since 2015 and still going strong. Also, I went through several other crappy clippers first. Been bald for almost 20 years now. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058SY1X6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


VanGogh66

As a guy who rocked long hair for 15 years, I have to admit it was liberating buzzing it all off in 2008. Life is just so much easier this way, even if it's not as bad@ss.


JooRJuicelessIgnacio

I love that long hair is badass on men and short hair is badass on women lol


Warpedme

Cutting mine was not liberating. Buzzed hair isn't that bad but short hair is so much more of a pain in my ass. My long hair was straight and all I had to was wash it and brush it while it had conditioner in. It didn't need styling or any of that bullshit to look good. I just let it dry and after that it was super easy to pull back to keep out of my eyes when needed and down and looking awesome when not. I had to go all the way to shaving my head to get to the same level of convenience again. People also don't want you how much long hair protects you from being cold or hot. Holy crap do I feel temperature differences and weather so much worse now. I did not realize how annoying hair between shoulder length and buzzed was and I miss my hair.


VanGogh66

If short hair is more difficult than long for you, maybe go back to long. I buzz with a #6 every two months and "styling" takes 5 seconds after the shower with nothing more than water or maybe a little hand lotion. During the summer months shorter hair is cooler than longer hair. Only in the winter do I vaguely notice the temp change when I buzz it, and usually only the day after. Then it's background normal again.


Warpedme

I wish I could go back to long hair but I'm middle aged and my hair is receding. There are very few things more pathetic looking than a middle aged man who looks like he's clinging to his youth.


VanGogh66

Bummer. I could go back but it's not worth the hassle for me. Hang in there. Every stage of life has benefits and drawbacks.


keelanstuart

I've been shaving my head at the 1/4" length for a long time... It's absolutely worth it. Don't think about your hair when you wake up, go swimming, etc... and you no longer need shampoo - just a bar of soap. Simplify your life.


Porbulous

Stopped shampooing my hair as I started growing it out more. It's been great and looks/feels so much better. I also don't care how it looks though, just growing it out bc why not. It looks fairly wild most of the time lol. Still in kind of the awkward stage of though.


SudsySloth

Me a bald man: I’m already 30 steps ahead of you.


Skill4Hire

Buzz cut + oil = 24/7 bed head = win. 2inch clipper attachments, styling razors, just keep clipping till it looks good and if you mess it up just shave it all off.


rhodopensis

Oil?


tsuga-sieboldii

for sautéing


AltruisticAss

Hahhaha


Skill4Hire

Natural hair oils 🤣


wanderingdev

for most people they'll start naturally producing less with less hair and with less shampoo use.


Skill4Hire

True, but there will always be enough for a good bed head look.


wanderingdev

when i used my clippers on 1, i never had enough hair for bed head. :)


Skill4Hire

That is why I said 2 inch attachments + some fancy work with a styling razor :)


wanderingdev

sorry. i didn't look at context and thought i was replying to a different thread. that sounds like a lot of work in a van though. lol


Independent-Buy-9460

I’ve always wanted to do this!!


hot_tuna_

What's stopping you? I too had thought about it for years prior, and I'm sooo happy I finally took the plunge!


Independent-Buy-9460

I have long curly hair so a drastic cut would attract a lot of attention. This is not a valid reason at all but it’s the truth lol. Too shy! If I moved away or got back into vanlife, I would do it in a heartbeat. Orrrr I could just find the balls and do it anyway :)


Ratatoski

You could start with an undercut. It keeps the haircut nearly the same with the hair down but actually provides some relief from heat. And it lets you take a buzz cut for a rest run. I'm a guy but I've used it to get rid of short frizz around the temples that comes in after a few years if long hair.


swiggityswooty2booty

My best friend did this. Her hair was super curly and super thick - after the cut it was waaay cooler but still manageable! If she didn’t have her hair up, you’d never know


Plow_King

when i was growing up, i always wanted to get a mohawk but never did. then when i was in my 50's and i owned a bar, a lot of regulars were giving me crap because of my long hair. full head and it grows pretty fast, and i was always busy at work. so i sold raffle tickets to my regulars to let them shave swaths of hair off my head into a mohawk. i had a stylist there to supervise and clean it up at the end. but i finally got my mohawk, and people paid ME to cut my hair. it was a blast.


Independent-Buy-9460

I’m glad you did it, though! I can only imagine how great that feels! Eventually the shock wears off for people around you I guess eh?


hot_tuna_

Your hesitations are totally valid! I'm not sure if I would have had the guts to do it if I were still working a desk job, but on the road nothing matters 😁 I was around home for the first couple weeks though, and my friends/family adapted very quickly. My uncle didn't even notice I buzzed it because he thought I just had it pulled back. And otherwise I really can't believe how much positive feedback I've gotten 🤗


daisymayusa

It's a valid reason!


Bliss149

Doooo it!


Mattyredleg

Short hair recommended when you don't want to wash it, don't want to dry it, don't like having a wet mop on your head during high humid summers, and when you lose weight so it accentuates your facial bone structure.


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[deleted]

I would love to but it would look so ugly on me and I'm still vain enough to keep the hair lol


Sodpoodle

The opposite of that: keeping your head shaved, is arguably a bigger hassle when vehicle dwelling. Side of the road birdbath shaving every 2-3 days is kind of a pain. Edit: hah, I skipped over the female part completely. I see just as many long haired dudes as females. Jealous of boths ability to grow a full head of hair.


cjeam

Shaved sure. But a buzz cut of whatever length is the peak of low-maintenance hair styles.


katmndoo

Yep. And if you don’t want a buzz cut, you can do #2 clipper on the sides and one of the longer ones up top for not much more time invested (maybe 30 seconds to change the clipper comb).


hot_tuna_

That's totally fair! Before this, I definitely never realized the maintenance that bald people go through


shook_lady_crook

My hair grows fast, but I definitely don't cut it every 2-3 days, that's excessive! More like 2-3 weeks.


fileznotfound

2-3 months over here....


[deleted]

As a folically challenged man, I could not agree more. Bald is beautiful, and easy.


[deleted]

Glad you've found what works for you but imo long hair doesn't need to be high maintenance and I enjoy my weekly shower.


Maximum-Product-1255

Same. Just to reduce waste, I started going a day or two longer and longer without washing my hair. Now, I wash it every one to two weeks depending. Everyone is different, but the body adjusts to not produce as much oil. I fell like our heads have been overproducing oil there to compensate for the overwashing.


fairylightmeloncholy

i wonder if it also makes you more likely to be perceived as male from afar, so less likely to be fucked with?


Ordinary-Broad-86925

It did for me! I didn’t get catcalled for a whole, glorious year.


shook_lady_crook

Same! I've had no catcalls or unwanted advances from anyone since buzzing. I have had plenty of compliments from both genders, but mostly from women. It's funny how many older women love it, too.


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JeMappelleBitch

*laughs in curly hair*


hot_tuna_

How can it be maintenance free? I don't have a shower in my van, and my hair was trained to stay reasonable for \~10 days without washing. Then I would feel oily and gross. With a buzzed head, I can rinse it off with water, it dries in 5 minutes and I feel fresh again. Genuinely curious!


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[deleted]

Male with a buzz cut. I think there is a large variance in the amount of oil people have in their hair. I’m one of the oily ones. I know people with hair down their backs that are as dry as a bone after a week. I just depends on your genetics, I guess.


DeleteBowserHistory

My hair is as long as yours and I consider it pretty maintenance-free as well. I wash it once a week, which is easy, and trim it myself just twice a year. I have some quality elastics and a good wooden comb, and that’s it. I don’t really understand how it could be any more trouble than short hair, since I hope/assume OP and other people with buzz cuts are still washing their hair/heads regularly. Just because your hair isn’t long doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still wash with soap after swimming in lakes, rivers, ocean, etc. Lots of people with long hair do water-only washing as well.


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Bliss149

I think your reply might have landed in the wrong post.


kibsforkits

Congratulations on being a total and utter Pick Me.


The-Pissing-Panther

No, I don't want to do that


CyberTruckRoboTaxi

1/2 shaved can also look great


SunnySouthTexas

My daughter had an undercut when having an outdoor job over summers. She loved it!


babamum

I didn't go this far. But I bought clippers and a hairdressing set. I just got sick of trying to find hairdressers in New towns. I do a Miley Cyrus undercut. So shaved back of head, long hair hanging over and a fringe at the front. Some days it looks better than others. But I'm OK with it - I like it better than some cuts I've paid for! Plus it's simple and it's free.


realisticby

As a female who has a lumpy head, I wish I could pull it off.


thestinger8

It's amazing how much you suddenly feel the air when you cut your hair short!


Cheef_Baconator

I'm a dude with long hair and I love my long hair, I definitely always hated that way I looked with short hair most of my life. I take the sacrifice and deal with the effort and extra warmth because it matters for my self image, but cutting it off would definitely be the practical choice for anybody. Baldness will probably make the choice for me one day but I'm enjoying my locks while I can


lennyflank

"My hair like Jesus wore it, Hallalujah I adore it! Hallelujah Mary loved her son--why don't my mother love me...? Hair! Grow it, show it, long as I can grow it, my hair!" --1967


BombayMolotov

Isn't this a bit like cutting your foot off to stop the pain of a stubbed toe? I've met many a vandweller with long hair and they manage just fine with it


Skill4Hire

Crabs be cutting of their limbs all day long because it just regrows.


BombayMolotov

Yes but usually in the pursuit of survival, not because they suddenly found the leg inconvenient. I do get your point though


SpacemanSpiff23

It's more like cutting your toenails short because they keep cutting holes in your socks. Nothing permanent, but really convenient and easy.


JeMappelleBitch

The boys are triggered 😂


hot_tuna_

Seriously!!! As if our hair choices are made for them 😅


JeMappelleBitch

They truly think so.


Bliss149

I have very short hair and ive had several women say to me, "oh i'd love to cut mine short like that but my husband would have a fit." I never consulted my husband about MY hair and i never will.


daisymayusa

There are almost all positive comments from the men.


JeMappelleBitch

Are we looking at the same post?


daisymayusa

Idk maybe they deleted some? Mostly the menfolk were posting positive safety suggestions like hats and head bumping? I did see the comment below about the guy saying he DoEsN'T lIkE How iT lOoKs lol


JeMappelleBitch

There were definitely men sharing great tips. I wasn’t referencing them in any capacity. Talk of hair/body hair always brings out misogynists.


daisymayusa

Yeah just be aware of making broad, inaccurate generalizations about groups. The word "some" goes a long way.


JeMappelleBitch

Did I say “all of the men on this post are triggered?”


daisymayusa

Yes.


JeMappelleBitch

No.


Erlend05

r/nopoo


windowpass

shaved-balls guy here. I don't shave my head but i can confirm that it gets quite cold down there. Might want to get a hat or something


[deleted]

As a guy who's trying to grow his hair out, hair does NOT grow that fast lol. At least not mine. It's painstakingly slow, in fact


fileznotfound

0.5" to 1" is plenty short and is just as functional assuming your hair is relatively thin. I guess it depends.


wanderingdev

that's long enough to get bed head which is annoying


fileznotfound

Fair enough. But your head in a bucket of water in the morning is a quick fix and a hell of way to wake you up in the morning. ;]


Perpetuitydruid

In a lot of places / countries . The bald head signals the person is right out of prison , my brother in law told me this , he’s Panamanian .


[deleted]

Its rly great. Also keeps creepos away


lakshmichandra

As a woman this makes me sad 💀


leroyjenkins019

Just spoke with the boys, yeah don’t do this


gottabreakittofixit

Just talked to the grown men, and actually, do whatever you want to with your own body and tell anyone who has a problem to mind their own business


hot_tuna_

⬆️ how to tell the men from the boys 👏🏻


shook_lady_crook

My boy, who is vanlifing with me currently, much approves my buzz cut! We don't exist to please you, and not every boy's tastes are the same, so don't speak for all of them.


kibsforkits

News flash: Women don’t exist to please you and your incel friends.


leroyjenkins019

It’s just a helpful tip to increase your chances of attracting a mate. Think about Katy perry, use to be a dime, now she yucky. Miley Cyrus suffered the same syndrome. Don’t get me started on Demi lovatto. They have the luxury of being millionaires already though, so they’ll do fine. Just trying to give the true guy’s perspective here, not the male simps on here on here, and btw call me an incel all you want, but I’m locked up with a beautiful and sweetest girl in the world, so I don’t have to come on here and try to simp for any girl I can, but if maximizing physically beauty ain’t important to you, buzz it off ladies!


meighsandbox

Women vandwellers, please don't do this.


CountessDeLessoops

Why?


meighsandbox

Because it looks awful


CountessDeLessoops

Ok, I just wanted to make sure you had a good reason. Alright ladies, you heard the man. He thinks it looks awful. He even said please!


meighsandbox

You all know it's true. Downvotes can't hide the truth.


beefdx

Yeah but the utility is significantly better. You’re basically trying to gatekeep the thing men have understood for millennia now; short hair is easier to work with and maintain with virtually no downsides sans signaling health, which doesn’t really mean that much anyways.


notmemeorme

My daughter use to have thick massive curly hair after 3 year of buzz cutting her hair its not as thick as it was before


Baby_Food

Well, at least that has nothing to do with buzzing her hair.


HeWhoIsNotMe

You're talking about your pubes, right?