This scalp for rent

So can a young female student raise a big wad of cash to finance school and a big vacation? Perhaps by shaving her head and using it as advertising space?

After the shave, came the tattoo.

"I’m not going to lie," DeMers said. "That hurt so bad."

Maybe $18,000 will ease the pain.

That’s how much DeMers, a 20-year-old Sparks student who wants money for a European trip and a college education, was paid to have the name of an Internet casino imprinted, not just once, but twice, on the top and back of her newly bald head.

She will have to keep her head shaved and the tattoos visible for a year to keep the money.

Gilford shaves

In a follow-up to this post, the Citizen Online updates us on the wonderful shavers in Gilford, New Hampshire.

Those traveling in the Gilford area over the next few days may notice a larger number of people with shaved heads than is usual for a small New Hampshire town.

This is because many in town turned out Saturday at the Belknap County Sportsmen's Club and at Patrick's Pub and Eatery to benefit a national childhood cancer research foundation and a local boy who is currently battling brain cancer

[...]

Beland said that before Saturday's events, $10,000 had been raised for the St. Baldrick's fund and at least several thousand had been raised for the Palisi family. He said Saturday he did not know how much more was raised.

It's great to see so many people turn out and shave their heads for a good cause.

Bald for a video card

It turns out, shaving your head might be worth a video card, at least if you're at the right promotional event.

The afternoon started with a call for women in the audience who were willing to have their head shaved for an older video card, which carries a retail price of $170. Two women leapt at the opportunity.

"It's hair; it grows back," said newly shorn, 21-year old contestant Teresa Holt.

St. Baldrick's in August

St. Baldrick's Day events are often held near St. Patrick's Day, but can be held any time of the year. As I'm checking the news, I've noticed several St. Baldrick's stories appearing in August.

For instance, police officers and firefighters in Gilford, New Hampshire held a St. Baldrick's event on August 10th.

Today, also in Gilford, the folks at Patrick's Pub are holding another St. Baldrick's event. They're doing it to support 6-year-old Nicholas Palisi, who has completed conventional cancer treatments without success, and needs funds to try more experimental treatments.

And in Arbutus, Maryland, Kimberly DeBoy of the Cutting Edge salon is making plans for a big shaving event in 2006. The article has a brief history of the St. Baldrick's event, and then talks about DeBoy's experiences and plans for next year.

Nationally, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation reported raising over $5 million in 2005, with events in six countries. Sadly, Maryland boasts only one - the aforementioned Baltimore Baldies - which is why Kim has issued a challenge - she’d like to see other salons in the area organize their own events, and compete to see who can raise the most money and shave the most heads. "I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do this," she said. "It was amazing how many people wanted to help."

[...]

Although people can donate any time, and donations are coming in, Kim knows the real money comes from the event itself, and she and Candy are planning the 2006 shave-a-thon, which will come "as close to St. Patrick’s Day as we can." With a 900 sq. ft. shop, Kim is thinking about finding another, larger venue for next year, with more chairs, more barbers, and more heads ready to be shorn.

In other words: bigger, better and balder.

It's a great charity, and it's good to see St. Baldrick's busy throughout the year.

The League of Bald-Headed Men

The Herald Sun of Australia has a story about the continuing growth of the League of Bald-Headed Men.

The League of Bald-Headed Men has been around for a little while, quietly finding its feet in a world awash with hair-product its members are never going to need.

Now it's breaking out.

This month, the league will be launching the Bald Bar on top of the James Squire Brewhouse and Portland Hotel in Russell St.

Naturally, the League has a website of it's own that you can check out. It's all about accepting who you are.

Mailbag: About time

I received a great email this weekend from Ernie. It's the type of story I've heard before, but he really tells it well.

Hey, I just wanted to write in hopes to let a few others know they aren't the only ones out there. A bit about myself: I'm currently 45. Since I was 22 I've been so embarrassed about losing my hair that I either wore a hat or just plain avoided situations (pools, swimming, sports) that might bump off my hat. I felt like I had some sort of sickness.

Then I finally had enough and sought a doctor for hair transplant. All looked great in the photos. So I went ahead, I was told I'd need 2 to 3 scalp reductions. After my first one I went back to the doctor and saw many more guys then first hand. To be honest I was in shock at how easy it was for me to tell they'd all had work done and actually how bad it looked. So I stopped at that time, now with a big scar on my head and still no hair. I eventually went to hair pieces. They were all high quality human hair and no matter what anyone said I could always tell, even though in photos it was difficult, I continued to wear them, but always with a hat, almost like a back up system in case my hat had to be removed, or fell off, in either intimate settings or court, weddings funeral and such. I was always stressing and worried. Then I would never let anyone touch my head for fear of detection, not even my wife. Then at around 2 weeks it would begin to smell a bit, or at least I could smell it, then the itching and if it was hot, damn it was just terrible.

Last year I began thinking about shaving my head, it's in style and all. However I met with some resistance from my wife. Her concern was that I would not be happy and then have no hair; she knew how sensitive I was about my head. But her biggest concern is that I would look even more intimidating than I already did. I am 6'4, 270 with fully sleeved arms and a muscular build. To this date in time, even my kids had know idea I even wore a piece, they only knew me as "dad with a hat". Or if any one did know, no one ever said a word.

It took me almost a year to convince myself just to remove it and shave it off.

So now listen anyone in a similar situation. Yes it was scary shaving it off, but it has been absolutely the best thing I've ever done to date.

Upon first shaving it all off I was white as could be on top: my face was usually either very tan or red from hours in the sun on my bike, so it stood out. But as I walked out of the bathroom, my wife smiled and said damn you look the sexiest I've ever seen you. White but sexy.

She took some of her self-tanner and applied it to my head in hopes of toning down the white until at least the sun caught up with me.

I then went down stairs, without anything covering my head, the first time in about 20 years... think about that. Twenty years. Before I'd even reached the landing my oldest daughter yelled at me to come back. She was still in bed, however saw me pass. She just smiled and said damn dad you look 10 years younger and sexy as hell. What made ya do it. I just said it's been hot out and I need a change. (she is 22). As I continued down the stairs to my chair to put on my boots, word traveled quick. Now my second oldest daughter and her boyfriend came down. Again both very positive on how much they liked it, he even commented that now he was shaving his head (the next day he did). They both said I looked like Stone Cold Steve Austin. I didn't even know who he was, had to look him up on the internet... yea there is a resemblance.

Then the next daughter came in with her boyfriend, she rubbed my head, smiled and said it looks hot, but be careful with the sun.

My last but youngest daughter was the only one who said she didn't know if she liked it or not. So I asked her why, her response was far from what I expected. It wasn't that she didn't think it looked good, however her comment was that I already scare the crap out of her friends, now they'll sure to be scared of me (she's 15).

It's been almost 3 weeks now, I haven't worn a hat in that time. If I'm in the sun I sometimes wear a bandana, but it looks cool; after all I'm a biker and it fits.

I've had nothing but positive comments, far more than I'd ever dreamed possible. I've now had many younger females at the gym comment and begin to talk to me, at first about my head, but then to other things... most of them wanting to rub my head.

All of my daughters' friends have also commented on it and how much they like it.

So guys, don't wait 20 years and go through what I did... just do it.

My wife, interestingly enough.. I have a friend who has shaved his head as long as I've known him, when my wife sees him she always says hi and rubs his head. A week or so had gone by and she'd not really even touched mine so I got kinda weird about it and finally asked her. Her response was kinda sad, that she haddn't been allowed to touch my head in over 20 years, just hard to break bad habits. She's always loved shaved heads but was afraid to tell me because of how sensitive I'd always been about mine. Kinda sad, huh?

Oh, and that scar on my head from so long ago, yea it's there, but only one person has noticed. I just told them I had surgery when younger, they said it adds to my look.

So guys I know it may be scary, but trust me: I know that's hard, but take it from me a guy that's been there... take the plunge. I shave my head every day in order to avoid the partial shadow. That'd be my only tip.

Thanks for the email, Ernie. A lot of guys live much of their lives embarrassed by hair loss, and it's always great to hear about people breaking free from that worry. It's amazing, the psychological freedom that comes from shaving it all off.

Shaving for the role

Nancy Duckles of Tennessee is an actress, and she has shaved her head.

Instead, she wants to feel authentic when she gets on stage this weekend to play a woman with ovarian cancer. She both produces and plays the lead role of Vivian Bearing in "Wit," Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play being performed this weekend by DuckEars Theater Company as a benefit for the American Cancer Society.

"I never considered not shaving my head. I was afraid if it didn't look completely natural, I'd lose the audience; they'd be paying attention to the fact I was wearing a skullcap. I wanted them to take the journey with me," she said.

Women shaving their head for a role is not very common, but it does have precedent. Glenda Jackson famously shaved her head to play the role of Queen Elizabeth I in the BBC series Elizabeth R.

Still, a woman shaving her head is still very rare, and it's considered a much greater sacrifice than if a man would shave his head for a role (for instance, Michael Rosenbaum).

Shaving poetry

Over at the Trinidad & Tobago Express, Tony Deyal is waxing lyrical about shaving.

Ever had one of those mornings when things don't gel and you work yourself into a lather? Life seems like a precarious dance on a razor's Edge and happiness a Blade Runner in a virtual reality nightmare. As you scrape yourself off the primeval ooze of existence even the slightest movement sounds like sound-barrier breaking booms, Mach 3 at least. It feels like someone stumbling through the stubble, the dark shadowy undergrowth. When that happens to me, even my dear wife's attempts at soft-soaping me fail and I get schick to my stomach. Have I lost my cutting edge? Is this a job for Remington steel?

It's an interesting article, especially if you're in the mood for connecting shaving-related terms together in whichever ways might strike one's fancy. And jokes. He's got at least three shaving-related jokes in the article, which is three more than I've encountered anywhere else.

Instead of striking, shave!

According to this Chandigarh Newsline article, Regional Passport Office employees across India are shaving their heads to protest the potential privatization of their jobs.

All the employees of the RPO came out of their office chambers at lunch time and participated in the head-shaving ritual. All the male employees, except those who are Sikhs, got their heads tonsured by a barber in front of the RPO. This kind of protests are being held by employees of all the 27 Passport Offices (POs) and Regional Passport Offices (RPOs) across the country.

It's certainly a lot more creative than picketing, and perhaps it will get them some publicity.

The image of walking into a passport office and finding everyone there shaved bald is an interesting one.

Need reasons?

The Dunner's Stunners blog has a list of 20 reasons to go bald-by-choice, in case you're looking for justification.

Aside from the usual reasons (save on shampoo, save on hairstyling time and money), he's got a few less-often-cited reasons to give it a shot. Check out #10, #15, and #16, for instance.

Headshave as analogy

PJStar.com has an article that's not really about headshaving, but it does use shaving as an analogy. For some reason, I found that interesting.

For a long time, I pretended to actually have hair. I cultivated my few remaining strands with love and care. Finally, I looked in the mirror and asked myself: "Who are you fooling?" I grabbed my Gillette disposable, lathered up with Edge and did the only thing that made sense. And now here I am, all these years later, the happiest bald dude this side of Vin Diesel.

Headshaving is common in sports, but I just haven't read an article that used it in quite this way before.

Change is good

Baseball player Chad Tracy knows the benefits of change. According to this story at the Arizona Republic, the first baseman is always seeking out things to change, in order to keep himself fresh.

"Yeah, like shaving my head, or maybe growing a goatee," Tracy said. "It's just something to change things up so I'm not always doing the same things. It can help take your mind off baseball a little bit and take your focus off something so you're not thinking about it all the time."

When I first shaved my head, it was out of a desire to do something, anything, different. It's surprising sometimes, but making a change in one area of your life can lead to improvements in completely unrelated areas of your life too. At the very least, it keeps us from stagnating and getting too complacent with ourselves. Shake things up every once in a while.

Too hot for hair

Michael Patrick Nelson of Long Island Press shares a story about hot weather and an attempted headshave. It seems things have been hot and muggy in Long Island.

The first thing I had to do, I decided, was shave my head. Certainly vanity and personal appearance mean a lot in this world, and one's hairstyle plays a big part in such things, but comfort had become my priority, and comfort began with ridding myself of the Medusa-like locks that were sticking to my forehead and suffocating my scalp.

It's not normally a difficult task to get one's head shaved, but Michael keeps finding people who advise him not to shave.

"Don't do that," said the woman. "You have such nice hair."

I chuckled. "That's what it wants you to think," I said. "But it's not nice at all, believe me. It wants nothing more than to see me dead of heatstroke."

It's an entertaining story. I won't spoil the ending for you, though: give it a read.

Head care tips

The Kansas City Star says, "If you're hairless, don't be careless." With that, they offer some grooming tips for the bald-by-choice.

Before shaving what’s left up top, hit the showers. "The hot water opens up the shafts and softens the hair, which significantly reduces the risk of irritation, cuts and razor burn."

[...]

If you get nicks and cuts, tend to your wound, stop shaving for a while and let the stubble grow in.

They also include the reminder to wear sunscreen if you're out and about. Trust me, don't forget the sunscreen; a burned scalp is a real pain to deal with.

Interview online

Curtis Bickham over at Head-Liner.com posted an interview he did with me recently through email. Feel free to check it out.

One shaved head = one wish

Matt Betler was going to shave his own head as part of a raffle to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation that he had organized for Bombardier. But then he spoke to his father, Bombardier president Ray Bettler.

"Matt was going to shave his head, and he came home and asked me if I wanted to, too," Betler said. "I told him I would do that if he could raise enough money for one wish (for Make-A-Wish Foundation). He asked me how much that was, and I told him $3,400. I figured I was in the clear."

The final total Matt Betler raised was in excess of $3,500.

And thus, a company president shaves his head, and that shaved head equals one wish. The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

It's nice to know that a simple haircut can make a big difference in someone's life, sometimes.

A straight razor for charity

If you're near Farmington, Maine, you might want to consider checking this out:

One of the few barbers left in the state skilled in plying the traditional straightedged razor to give a man a close shave is offering her skills to charity.

Jackie Tardif, head barber at Dick's Barber Shop on Broadway in Farmington, said she will be doing a full-face shave -- complete with hot-towel treatment -- with the proceeds, plus tips, to be donated to the Farmington Rotary Club to help the organization's many community service projects. The cost of the shave will be $12.

The event's happening July 29th from 6 to 10 pm at Farmington's annual Moonlight Madness.

There's no mention of shaving heads, but a full straight-razor shave is a rare-enough thing that you might want to take the opportunity and try it out. Why is it so rare?

Tardif learned the skill 36 years ago in barber school, and these days, there are few carrying on the tradition because it isn't being taught any more.

"There are no more barber schools. Back then, when we were in school, we had to do them from day one," she said.

The loss of traditional barbering skills has been noted before, of course. Finding a barber anywhere who will give a straight-razor shave is harder and harder. Fortunately for the people in Farmington, there's at least one that they can go to.

Social statements?

There was a time when a shaved head was often construed as a socio-political statement. It might represent your detachment from the material world (a la Buddhism), it might represent anger and violence (neonazi skinheads), or it might represent something else. That time seems past, as the shaved head has moved into the mainstream and become a fashionable hairstyle.

Not everyone feels that way. Andrew Calcutt of Spiked Culture thinks that shaved heads are a part of something he calls ultimatism. As he describes it, ultimatism is "going all the way all the time, taking what we look like to the nth degree, and not only on exceptional occasions."

If you can only see yourself as a forceful individual if you shave your head like a stormtrooper, it means you cannot really see yourself as a strong character. Lack of self-conviction is then compounded by the patent superficiality of the references being made: of course, I'm not really a stormtrooper; only joking; only me. Today the sight of so many shaven heads bobbing up and down in the tidal wave of commuters coming over London Bridge into the City of London each morning, suggests that the masturbatory mix of frustrated desire and self-mockery which expressed itself in the New Laddism of a decade ago, has now spread to the post-lads and dads among the wider population.

Along with self-mockery, Calcutt thinks that "ultimatism" also represents contempt for others. All in all, a very negative view.

I've certainly never noticed the attitudes he ascribes to "ultimatists" in the people I know who shave their heads, either in person or online. At least, not on any serious scale. I'm sure there are people who have those ideas in mind when they go bald-by-choice, but I'm not sure it's at all common. It screams of over-generalization.

Maybe it makes more sense if you're British?

Shaving the CEO

Motivating people by promising to shave your head is so popular now, even business people are doing it. At least, Steve Moles of Microprobe is.

Over a year ago, Moles, 53, president and chief executive officer of Carlsbad-based MicroProbe, which provides products and services to the semiconductor industry, challenged his employees to ship more products than in any other month in the company's 32-year history. In return, he said, he would shave his head.

With a previous single month sales record of about $1.8 million, Moles thought he would be retired by the time the record was broken. However, MicroProbe bested that record in June, shipping more than $2 million worth of products.

True to his word, Moles donned a yellow plastic parka on July 6 as MicroProbe Data Analyst Tom Davis put the electric shaver to his boss's head, much to the delight of the dozens of MicroProbe employees who gathered to watch the ceremony.

Moles has a history of motivating his employees in this manner. A few years ago, he promised he'd do a cartwheel if they met a goal; the cartwheel ended up putting him in crutches. Presumably, he'll fair much better with a shaved head than he did with gymnastics.

Bases loaded

How do you motivate a team of 12-year-old baseball players to do their very best? If you're Wally Clements, you offer up your hair.

As a challenge to give it their all following a defeat to a Bath County team at the Cal Ripken Baseball Tournament in Mount Sterling recently, Robertson County CRB League President Wally Clements said he would let the team shave his head if it beat the next team.

"They not only beat the team, they knocked Winchester out of the tournament with a 3-2 win," said Clements.

If you're in or around Maysville, Kentucky, you can even see the shaving done, as it'll be open to the public.

"After the coach pitch game is over, about 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, the team will get to shave my head, on the pitching mound, at the Lions Club Park," said Clements.