Whether you want something low-maintenance, you’re stuck at home bored, or your receding hairline has retreated from the frontline so much that it’s time to admit defeat (no matter your age), you’d best be sure to have the highest quality clippers available to shave your head bald.
There are many good reasons to do it, too, even if your name isn’t Dwayne Johnson.
For some, the feel of a refreshing breeze passing over a bare scalp is too hard to resist come summertime, especially for lads with thick hair.
Perhaps a failed attempt at a home-job haircut is the very reason for making your bonce bereft of its regular bouffant; a bald patch is hardly a deliberate style decision, but an entire head? That could pass as purposeful.
Daring, even.
Or you could be one of the many men who decide that hair loss treatment is in the too-hard-basket (and besides, Bruce Willis is a badass anyway), meaning the next step is one of three decisions:
- Wear a wig
- Become a “hat guy”
- Shave it off
Option one isn’t really much of an option these days (society decided long ago that no hair looked better than roadkill). Option two is a bit more realistic, but it also puts you in the same basket as the most annoying contestants on cooking shows, so can be a brave card to play.
But as Confucius never really said: “He who controls his clippers controls his destiny”.
In short, if you’re going to join the club and lay waste to your remaining follicles, you’re going to want to have the best equipment possible to make sure it’s a smooth and pain-free experience.
If you’re deciding to shave your hair yourself, there are a few things you should consider before firing up your new clippers.
One: remember that it’s going to be easier to remove all of your hair evenly if you start from a short length. However long it is at the start, use the clipper attachments to take it down to a number two (or even one) first.
It’s also going to be easier if you start at the back and sides when you begin to go properly short.
The second most important thing to remember is to go against the natural direction of growth for a close and even shave. Oh, and that little lever on the side of your clippers? That brings the blades real close together so that you can get right up against the skin. It’s important you do this towards the end for maximum hair removal.
And for the sake of all that is good and comfortable, make sure you moisturise your scalp afterward.
With all this said, the best shears for shaving your head are the main requirement if you’re looking to make yourself a little more aerodynamic, whatever the reason. So, what constitutes a decent set of clippers?
A bargain
Like most consumer products, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a set of hair clippers if you know what to look for (and what constitutes a quality brand).
Wahl, an Illinois company devoted entirely to grooming (both humans and animals), is probably the most well-known set of clippers going.
They’re durable, stay sharp, and require little maintenance. But they also have entry-level sets that will give you a nice clean look without breaking the bank. The Colour Pro Home is a great starting point for clippers that’ll cost under AUD$50, and the colour-coded clip-ons make them very easy to use.
If you have a little more money, then we also recommend the Remington Rapid Cut Turbo. They might not look like your traditional set of clippers, but that’s the point: they have been designed for people who shave their own heads, and the ergonomic curve of the wide blades makes using them a cinch if you’re new to the game.
A bit fancier
Next up we have the Wahl Balder Hair Clipper, at around AUD$100. What the company lacks in the creative naming department they make up for in quality in concept by a country mile.
In short, these bad boys have been designed specifically for men who are losing their hair and want to take the rest of it off. This means that the blades don’t overlap, and they can cut hairs down to nearly half a millimetre.
Ask any barber what the best brand of clippers are and many will tell you that it’s Wahl, but arguably just as many will tell you it’s Andis.
This set here costs a little more than your typical Wahl jobbies, but their motors are known for being both quiet and incredibly long-lasting, making them a favourite for professionals.
The best clippers
So you’re thinking that to look like The Rock, you should probably use the same clippers as he does, right?
To be honest, we don’t know what he uses, but we’re assuming they’re these, though perhaps with some added bling (if that’s even possible).
The Wahl “Salon Series Super Power CC” (there’s that naming department hard at work again) are top-of-the-line. And you have to admit, they’re kinda sexy.
For that extra layer of shine (both on your head and in your appliance cabinet), pair these suckers with the Skull Shaver Pitbull Platinum PRO.
Or, if you literally just want a gold-plated set of clippers, Wahl makes that too. They’re more of a beard trimmer, but also, who cares? They’re gold.
To summarise, there are plenty of good reasons to shave the hair off the top of your head, but really only one way to do it: with a good pair of clippers.
Though it’s true that a bad haircut will eventually grow back (well, at least in some places), you’re still going to be better off starting with the best information and tools on hand to ensure an even cut, a smooth finish, and a successful chrome dome.
And if you’re one of the thousands of men who’s still on the fence about shaving his head, or who wants to keep his hair but isn’t sure about how, remember that the biggest killer of healthy hair is time, and you’re best off making the decision to start treatment or get yourself a sweet pair of clippers early on.
Either way: to shave or not to shave, the decision is in your hands.
Photo Credit: Getty Images / Amelia Hanigan
.svg)
