I am thinking of shaving my head for IMAZ. Will this make me hotter or cooler during the race?
I plan to use the attachment on my electric razor to get it short then a Mach3. Any other suggestions?
Ed
Definitely cooler, but make SURE you put spf 100 on it since you don’t have time to tan it up!
Andy
Use plenty of shaving gel, and go slowly your first couple of times.
Depending on how much hair you’ve got now, it will be noticably cooler. If you aren’t wearing a hat, though, you may get more sweat in your eyes.
(Make sure you wear plenty of sun screen up there, too.)
Thanks. Racing with a mesh hat for the run. I am worried about the bike helmet tan lines though. Hopefully I will get some color in the next two days.
I did too at first but never seemed to get them. I guess if you spend enough time in the sun without a helmet on, it all tans evenly…
It is cooler. I have had mine shaved now for a couple of years. Mach 3 is the way to go. Make sure you rinse often. High spf for both the bike and the run. Should wear a head band for the bike and maybe for the run (especially if the sun screen isn’t very water proof to protect eyes). If you have time order the Halo head band at Hammer’s web site; it does a good job of redirecting the sweat to the side where it stays out of eyes and glasses. Good look and good luck!
Rock on! Spoken like a true swimmer - and you’ll certainly intimidate a few of your competitors.
Good plan on the shaving approach, although I would avoid going “against the grain” when you razor shave. You can get it plenty smooth that way and avoid lots of bad razor burn.
Oh yeah, depending on your mop you might want to try on and readjust your bike helmet before the race - it will certainly fit differently (just in case you were planning on shaving the night before).
Good luck
just came across http://www.headblade.com/ the other day.
personally I wouldn’t shave only for the race only. You’re skin on top of the head is very sensitive, so make sure that you don’t get a sunburn 
Also, wear a bandana to prevent the salty sweat from running into your eyes.
good luck
personally i am too scared and lazy to actually shave my head…with a blade. However, I do get a #0 buzz which is close enough!
Make sure you shave your eyebrows too. That is what everyone else does.
And eyelashes too!
Bad idea this close to the race. Wait till after the race. You are guaranteed to sunburn badly, regardless of sunscreen…and your body isn’t used to that level of heat regulation through a bald head…trust me, you’ll regret it if you do.
Coming from a guy who shaves bald.
I agree, I wouldn’t do it all off this close to the race…sunburn, changes in heat loss, etc. I have shaved for many years (but wait i’m only 28)…I’ve settled on not using a razor and just using clippers once a week. The littlest bit of hair seems to help divert the sweat away, avoids razor burn and sun a bit, but is still cool on hot days. Plus with a bit of peach fuzz you can tell the difference between where your sideburns end and your face begins
Believe it or not you actually feel cooler with long hair. Ever noticed how women triathletes don’t seem to suffer. When I wore my hair really long (at least by today’s standards) in my hippy days and at times when I’ve had a beard I’ve always felt the heat much less in summer. And you don’t have to worry about sunburn, not only on your head but also on the back of your neck.
I wouldn’t do it this close to the race. I shaved my head a few years ago, and went through a host of problems: Sunburn, sweat runoff, hats feeling really weird, etc…
I now sport a really short haircut (“#1 guard, everywhere”) instead. It is almost as cool, but reduces the other problems. As an added bonus, my haircut budget dropped to $0.00. The $14.00 hair trimmer I bought three years ago is still working fine, and I can cut my hair myself. No razors, no barber visits, no hassles.
Read over some of the other ones… Been shaving my head for years. Go for the 0 or 1 guard. using a razor can cause really nasty razor burn that can take a long time to heal. The 0 or 1 guard will do the trick just fine. The ladys like the 1 guard a bit. It feels nice to rub. My GF loves to rub my head. GREAT STUFF!
I don’t believe it…though it obviously doesn’t bother Johnny Damon. I’ve been shaving my head for about 15 years and it’s much cooler than when I had hair down to my shoulders. Of course, now I have hair on my shoulders!!!
I went through a faze where I used a razor regularly. It is very sensitive the first time you do it. But, it feels really cool in the water…and I got a lot of free head massages from the ladies! Now i just juse the zero setting on my clippers once every couple of weeks. I like (translation: my wife likes) that look much better. I also like the fact that it’s low maintanence and I haven’t paid for a haircut in a really long time.
American Crew makes GREAT shaving products. My favourite is the shave drops, but they have a great cream, as well. I am even thinking of selling the products through my blog. I have to check with the agreement of the company, as I am a licensed hairstylist but they may require me to have a bricks-and-mortar operation.
Cut down your hair with a clipper, then a trimmer, put a hot towel onto your head, wet it down, then shave. This will soften the hair so much more than just lathering it up. Rinse the razor after every stroke.
After shaving, use an after shave moisturiser.
Yes, I trained as a barber, too.
A short buzz looks good but a shaved head look like a damn acorn.
I’m another of the very-short-buzz-cut crowd. I’ve shaved, but the buzz is much more comforatable and way less hassle.
The only downside is that whenever two or more people with a buzz (or shaved) congregate, you can be misinterpretted as a bunch of skinheads. That, and people are always mistaking me for David Bekham … not.