For nearly two years of my life, for continuity purposes, it was important that I maintained the same look as my doppelganger on the soup package, for my journey on The Lifetime Network’s This Time Next Year; which just aired last week. But now that the episode has aired, I was ready to move on; yet it’s impossible for a guy who is known for having hair to abruptly shave it all off with a zero guard and not be met with this response:
“Wait, what?! What did you do? You can still grow hair right? Why did you shave it all off?”
Therefore, I figured I owed it to the entire world to explain my specific reasons why I would choose the life of a bald man; for now, at least.
1) I was ready to experience a dynamic character transition, like Thor in the new Ragnarok movie.
I’ve never been the kind of guy who could keep the same hairstyle. Ever since college, I’ve had this habit of buzzing off my hair, then having it sort of short for a while, then shaggy for about 2 weeks, then my wife would make me get it cut… to which I would return to the buzzing it all off again.
So perhaps it’s understandable that psychologically, I have been more than ready for quite a while to return to my “bald by choice” status. After modeling my look after another person for nearly 2 years, I was ready to look like “myself” instead.
2) I wanted to prove to myself that having hair was not a confidence crutch.
A secret that many men keep, but most don’t admit, is that they fear, at any age, they will go bald; and therefore, will believe the misconception they are less valuable as men. This is so much of an epidemic, that in my most popular YouTube channel, I serve as a mentor in reminding younger men (who are showing signs of balding) that they are judged by society for other reasons (like being confident, being skilled, being helpful, etc.) but that hair is simply a distraction from their true identity.
I have preached that message so much that I felt it was important that I myself proved that my hair was not a source of my confidence. So I did. And I was right. I don’t need hair to be confident.
3) I knew it would be a smart move in making more revenue as a YouTuber.
My YouTube channel for this blog (Family Friendly Daddy Blog) did not get the newly required 1,000 subscribers before February 20th that it needed to continue to be monetized. Therefore, I needed a way to make up the money I’m losing now. So I figured I could make up the difference on other channel (Nick Shell), the one dedicated to mentoring younger, balding men.
Fortunately, my gamble paid off. My subscribership to that channel is now soaring, now that I’m bald by choice, which hopefully will lead to more revenue maid from that channel.
But really, my decision to shave off my hair was this simple: I wanted to. I felt like it.
I assume an explanation is in order, for those of you who know me as Nick Shell, the daddy blogger. It’s just that in another corner of the Internet, I am known as Nick Shell, the hair loss guy. I have quietly gathered over 3200 subscribers on one of my YouTube channels dedicated to this topic; that’s nearly 3 times people who like Family Friendly Daddy Blog’s page on Facebook.
Therefore, it’s clear that I hold value as a spokesman to younger men who are concerned with the first signs of hair loss. Of course, when people hear about my alter-ego as “The Hair Loss Guy”, their response is, “Wait, you? You still have a full head of hair, don’t you?”
Exactly. Well, like many 36 year-old men who are mainly of European descent who still have most of their hair, I also have some slight, yet largely unnoticeable receding and thinning.
I couldn’t have planned it this way, but around the time I started noticing these signs getting worse, I coincidently made some changes in my life, that arguably, have made some progress in slowing down, stopping, or possibly even reversing hair loss.
Because I’ve had people constantly asking me about this on my YouTube channel, I figured it would be a good idea to write a blog post on it too, as I am now noticing that the few times I have written about hair loss, those posts have ended up becoming some of the most consistently popular articles here on this blog.
So what are the 5 main reasons I believe I still have this much hair, when I assumed during my teen years and my 20s that I would be bald by age 35?
I technically have a decent amount of Asian DNA.
One of my theories on hair loss is that Asian men in general are less likely to go bald, but they’re also less likely to grow a good beard. (Meanwhile, in general, most men of European descent are more likely to grow thick body hair but are more likely to go bald young.)
Because of my Mexican grandmother, the MyHeritage DNA test I took shows that I am 21.6% Central American. That would indicate my ancestors who were likely Mayan, Incan, Aztec, etc. In other words, they were Native American, in modern day Mexico.
To me, it’s common knowledge that Native Americans descended from Asian, thousands of years ago, when they crossed the Bering Strait. My mom’s 3 brothers, all who are “half-Mexican”, still have all their hair, despite being in their late 50s and early 60s.
Therefore, I believe that having nearly a quarter of ancient Asian DNA has helped slow down my hair loss, compared to had I been born with only European DNA.
In case you’re curious in finding out your own ethnic background, like I did, here’s a link to the same test I took: MyHeritage DNA test.
I apply a mixture of Rosemary and Argan Oil on my hair each night.
After learning about a report that apparently showed how men who regularly applied Rosemary oil on their scalp had similar results to men who used Minoxidil instead, I decided to prove the report to be either right or wrong.
Since Christmas Day 2016, I have been faithfully applying a certain mixture of essential oils on my scalp before I go to bed each night. The general consensus among most of my YouTube subscribers is that the oil is working, especially in comparison to videos I did before I began applying it. Here’s an example:
I only use all natural shampoo, which also contains the same oils that I apply each night.
While I’m not faithful to a certain brand, I faithfully only use shampoo that specifically does not contain all those weird chemicals found in mainstream brands. By default, the shampoo I use contains the same mix of essential oils that I apply each night.
And in case you’re interested in trying out some shampoo that contains some of the oils I use everyday, here’s a link to Amazon.
I am a vegan.
Let’s face it: I’m probably one of the few, if not only, male vegans you’ve ever heard of. With now 6% of the American population being vegan, still only the minority of vegans are men. But what gives my vegan lifestyle more value when it comes to potentially preventing hair loss is the fact I’ve been a vegan so long: March 6, 2018 makes 5 entire years.
I don’t consume hormones like estrogen and testosterone from other animals since I don’t eat any animal products. Testosterone is linked to DHT. Some men are more sensitive to DHT, which is linked to hair loss. Therefore, since I am consuming zero testosterone, only producing my own, it is possible that my vegan lifestyle helps prevent further hair loss.
I have the right hairstyle.
There are definitely hairstyles which help downplay a receding hairline, without completely hiding it. I typically keep my hair short on the sides and back, and around 2.5 inches on top. I don’t comb my hair back, nor do I comb it forward.
I can’t say for certain that any of these 5 things truly prevent hair loss. However, I can’t say for certain they don’t. To me, it’s all just an experiment- and I am no professional, for sure.
The irony in all this is that I truly don’t care if I actually go bald. I am a person with a healthy self-esteem and a great understanding of my identity. I do not require hair to be happy, confident, or successful.
However, I do recognize that thousands of younger men rely on me to help them find ways to deal with their hair loss. So that is the reason I continue to be spokesman for hair loss when I myself still have most of my hair.
I hope you found this article to be helpful. To get a daily dose of my hair loss help, I officially invite you to check out my hair loss channel of YouTube:
If you’re a guy who’s starting to see possible signs of a receding hairline and you’re trying to figure out if you will indeed go bald, then you’ve come to the right place. I am a YouTuber with nearly 2500 subscribers and over 1500 videos devoted to the this topic. Hi, my name is Nick Shell.
While I’m not a professional or an expert on the topic, I have accidentally stumbled upon some findings, which I have turned into my own original theories. Based on my constant interactions with my subscribers, it appears my theories on predicting hair loss are accurate at least 80% of the time.
Some of the things you are about to read have not been published in print, until now. I call this The Nick Shell System. I am the owner, discoverer, and creator of these ideas. According to my theories, here are 5 ways to predict if you will go bald.
Check for signs of balding or thinning. (Norwood 3 or beyond, or diffuse thinning.)
If you look at your hairline and it’s either straight across with some minor receding on your temples, which is classified as Norwood 1, or your hairline makes a “V” shape but there are 90 degree angles at the corners, which is classified as Norwood 2, then there is no need to fear yet. This is normal. As you progress into adulthood, it is expected for your hairline to naturally mature a little bit like this.
As long as you see no thinning spots, especially at the back of your head, then you are safe. Otherwise, this is considered “diffuse” thinning, and therefore overwrites the Norwood system; indicating you are indeed balding.
However, if your hairline makes an “M” shape, and the corners of your hairline are rounded off (which is classified as Norwood 3), then you officially have a receding hairline and have begun the first stage of the process of balding. It is common for some thinning to also accommodate the Norwood 3 stage.
2. Use a photo of yourself at age 1 to see a prediction of what your hairline will look like at age 35.
I discovered that a boy’s hairline when he is exactly a year old serves as a projection of his hairline and hair density when he becomes 35 years old. I figured this out, completely on my own, when I remembered that if you double a child’s height when they are 2 years old, it serves as a prediction of their height as a fully grown adult. My mother did this with both my sister and me; the results were 100% accurate. I did this with my own son, and it is predicted he will be one inch shorter than me.
Using this logic, I imagined there was likely a certain age of a boy where his hairline would be the same as when he becomes a mature adult. I knew this could not be based off of a newborn boy’s hair, because I know the first coat of hair falls out within the first couple weeks or so.
I found that age 1 was the more accurate stable predictor. From there, I settled on age 35 as the predicted future hairline because that happens to be the age in which men typically show more obvious signs of hair loss, or not.
By recording a video of myself at age 35 (which for me was last year) alongside a photo of myself at age 1, I demonstrate how my theory holds up.
3. Determine whether or not you could grow a full beard by the time you were age 18.
Another one of my findings from being a “Hair Loss YouTuber” is that typically, men who lose their hair sooner in adulthood were the same boys in high school who were hairy enough to grow a full connected beard before they graduated high school; like around age 16.
I define “full beard” by the fact if you didn’t shave for a day, then the next morning you had visible stubble all the way across your jaw line, chin, and above your upper lip.
If this was the case for you, it is more likely you will be at least Norwood 3 with some thinning by your 35th birthday; meaning you will likely lose most of your hair throughout the rest of your life. However, if you struggled to grow a full beard in high school, and envied the guys like me who could, chances are that you’ll keep your hair.
I discovered this concept after spending my first summer in Thailand back in 2003, when I couldn’t help but notice most middle-aged men still had all their hair, but struggled to grow even a mustache or goatee.
It’s in your DNA to either be balding and bearded, or to keep your hair but have minimal body hair.
And in case you’re interested in trying out some shampoo that contains argan oil for hair loss, here’s a link to Amazon.
4. Consider how close to age 35 you currently are.
As I’ve already mentioned, the exact age of 35 for a man is an important in predicting hair loss. Another finding I have realized is that most men who are Norwood 3 with thinning by the time they turn 35 years old are the ones who go on to continue losing their hair for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, a man who still has the straight across hairline (Norwood 1) or the “V” shape (Norwood 2) and has no thinning, is most likely to keep most of his hair for most of his life.
This is another way to determine whether a man has either the “balding and bearded” genes, or the “full head of hair but struggled in his youth to grow a beard.”
5. Accept that your race and ethnicity increases or decreases your chance of balding.
Going back to how I noticed the concept of how the Thai men kept their hair but couldn’t grow beards, there is truth in that certain races are more prone to hair loss but less likely to grow thick body hair in their youth.
Based on hundreds of interactions with my YouTube subscribers, this seems to be how it works:
Balding and bearded: European, Jewish, Middle Eastern, Indian
In-between both categories: African
Full head of hair but struggle to grow body hair in their youth: Asian
My theory on this is the less Asian you are, the more likely you are to be in the “balding and bearded category.” So for example, a Mexican man is less likely to lose his hair by age 35 as compared to a Norwegian man, because Mexicans’ DNA consists of Aztec and/or Mayans, who were descendants of Asians.
This would be similar to a Filipino man, whose DNA is likely a mix of Asian and some European.
And if you’re interested in taking a DNA test like I did, here’s the link toMyHeritage.
Now that I’ve shared with you my 5 ways to predict hair loss, I want to close with 5 ways to deal with it if you fall into the “balding and bearded” category:
Take a prescription drug to maintain the hair you still have.
Get a hair transplant.
Have tattoo-pigment done, in which the appearance of hair is tattooed on your scalp; given that you keep your hair extremely short.
Try the “natural” approach by experimenting with applying essential oils like Rosemary and Argan Oil, become a vegan, exercise regularly, avoid stress, and stop smoking if you do; all of which may help slow down the balding process.
Accept your fate and new identity as a confident and stylish “balding and bearded” man, by choosing to completely own the “shaved head” look, or at least a buzz cut- I recommend no longer than a #2 guard all over.Personally, I identify as a “balding advocate”, meaning that once I move beyond my current “Norwood 3 and thinning” stage around my 40th birthday in 3 and a half years, I plan to start shaving my head. I always expected to go bald; I just thought it would have already happened by now.
I definitely fall into all 5 of the categories of “balded and bearded”:
It was 6 and a half years ago on my 30th birthday that I first noticed my signs of balding, including thinning in the front and back of my head, in addition to the Norwood 3 hairline. My 1 year-old photo perfectly matched my hairline and density at age 35. I could grow a full beard 20 years ago, at age 16. I am already past age 35. And I while I do have 23% Mayan/Aztec DNA (according to my DNA test with MyHeritage), the majority of my DNA is German, Dutch, Sephardic Jewish, and Middle Eastern.
I am not ashamed to transition to my identity as “balding and bearded” in a few years. I think it will actually be pretty cool.
That’s it.
If you have found this article helpful, or at least intriguing, I invite you to check on my YouTube Channel on hair loss, simply titled, Nick Shell.
You can join a growing community of men who are learning to focus on what they can control and not on what they can’t; especially when it comes to hair loss.
Unless you are Anthony Bourdain, Tony Danza, or Don Henley, chances are you haven’t won the “follicle lottery.”
Most men, myself included, find that by the time they near the age of 35, not only does their hairline recede, but almost even worse, their hair on top begins thinning out significantly.
That combination begins limiting hairstyles for a man. The best response is to start cutting it much shorter on the sides and the back (anywhere between a 2 and 4 guard on the clippers), so that the top looks fuller.
Even then, the top has to be fairly long to distract from the fact that it is indeed thinning. Notice in this picture (below) from this past summer, how you can see how my hair in the front is thinner; I can see scalp in the midst of my hair.
It’s important to me that I am not in denial when it comes to my hair. I embrace reality and don’t try to hide it from the outside world.
So for my hair to look the best, I have to grow it fairly long on top, then pay nearly $20 a month to pay to get it maintained.
But what’s the real advantage of a nearly 35 year-old man having hair anyway?
On the contraire, I have learned it’s actually better, in many ways, to choose to be bald.
1) Many women like the look of a man with a shaved head. My wife is one of them. She’s never liked my hair when it was longer. But when I keep it short, she never has any complaints. Perhaps the psychology is this: “Bald equals masculine, and therefore, equals attractive to women who are attracted to masculine men.”
2) It’s free to shave your head. A pair of clippers is all you need; no need to go out pay someone at least 20 bucks for a traditional haircut every month. I prefer the 1.5 guard on the clippers as it perfectly matches the thinner area of my hairline; looking more aesthetic all over.
3) Men with shaved heads look more confident. Those of us who choose to bald show a strong level of confidence in ourselves in being able to commit to such a fairly extreme, yet butch hairstyle.
4) Men with shaved heads appear to be taller. By no means am I insecure about my completely average height of 5’9”, but sure, I’ll gladly accept the concept of people thinking I’m an inch and a half taller than I actually am.
5) It’s less maintenance, both physically and psychologically. Based on the number of hits I effortless earn each day on my YouTube videos about receding hairlines, it’s very obvious that most men A) suffer from thinning hair and B) spend a lot of time thinking and worrying about it. Instead, they could just choose to opt out of that game as I have.
6) Wearing hats is more practical. When you don’t have any hair to be matted down after wearing a hat, you never have to worry about looking sloppy after removing a hat in public.
7) It’s officially cool to have a shaved head. Perhaps never before in human history have men who choose to be bald been cooler. It’s sophisticated rebellion. It’s edgy yet classy.
I’m not saying I won’t grow my hair back again, because I know I sporadically will.
But really, I’ve yet to see any incentive to. I’ve yet to how having hair benefits my life at all, whatsoever.
Instead, I only see benefits of choosing not to have hair.
But let’s not simply take my word for it…
I hereby invite you to decide for yourself. I just made this video which contains back and forth footage of me: with a buzz cut, then with hair. Vote which you think looks better by leaving a comment on the video.
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