How to Shave Your Head Bald: A Step-by-Step Guide

Shaving your head bald comes down to a simple routine: shorten the hair, wet and lather your scalp, shave in sections, and check the spots you can't see. I use a Gillette cartridge razor and Barbasol shaving cream. You don't need a special head-shaving kit to start.

I remember being nervous about cutting myself the first time. Taking it slowly helped, particularly at the back of my head. Here's the routine I demonstrate below.

Watch the demonstration

Jump to the first pass (1:20), second pass (4:08), or touch-ups (8:36).

What you'll need

• A clean, sharp cartridge razor and shaving cream or gel.
• Warm water, a clean towel, and a hand mirror to check the back.
• Clippers if your hair is longer than short stubble.
• Moisturizer and sunscreen for afterward.

I use Barbasol for convenience. Use a cream and razor your skin already gets along with, and give yourself time to work without rushing.

1. Trim longer hair and wet your scalp

If you're starting with longer hair, use clippers to take it down to short, even stubble first. Longer hair clogs a cartridge and requires more passes over your skin.

I hadn't shaved in a few days when I recorded this, which is longer than I usually like. Starting shorter makes the job easier.

Shave after a warm shower, or thoroughly wet your scalp with comfortably warm water to soften the stubble. Check for raised moles, scabs, or irritated patches so you can avoid them.

2. Spread shaving cream over your head

Apply an even layer to your damp scalp, including the sides, back, and hair at the neckline. Using both hands helps you reach everything.

Keep the lather wet. If it dries while you're working elsewhere, add water and fresh cream before shaving that patch. Rinse foam off your razor hand so the handle doesn't slip.

3. Shave in small sections

I cover my head from front to back, finishing one section before moving on. Follow your hair growth with each stroke. The order you cover your scalp is separate from the direction you move the blade.

Before lathering, feel the stubble in different directions. The smoother direction is usually with the grain; the rougher direction is against it. Growth can change around the crown and neckline.

Use short strokes, light pressure, and rinse after each stroke. Lift the razor before changing direction. If it tugs, stop to rinse, refresh the lather, or replace the blade. Don't compensate by pressing harder.

I have less hair on top, so the sides and back take more work. The first pass removes the bulk of the stubble; avoid repeatedly scraping the same spot.

4. Take your time at the back

Use a hand mirror opposite your bathroom mirror to inspect the back, then put it down when you need your free hand to feel the area. Follow the curves with short, controlled strokes.

Check the dip at the back of your head, behind each ear, and the neckline. These are the places I tend to miss.

You'll see me shave upward at the back in the video. That can run against your grain. For a first shave, follow your own growth rather than automatically copying that direction.

5. Rinse and check before another pass

Rinse off the foam and loose hair, then lightly feel your scalp for missed patches. Use the mirrors or ask someone to check the back.

I re-lather for a second pass in the demonstration, but a second full pass is optional. If you're happy with the result, stop. If you missed one patch, wet and lather just that area before touching it up.

Stop if your skin starts stinging or feels tender. Shaving with the grain, using cream, and rinsing the blade regularly are also part of the American Academy of Dermatology's shaving guidance.

6. Check around your ears and glasses

My glasses hide a thin strip of hair. Remove yours for a final check if you can see well enough to shave safely; otherwise, use a magnifying mirror or get help.

Gently move your ear out of the blade's path to reach behind it. If you have a beard, decide where the sideburn should end before shaving down toward it.

I use the cartridge's rear precision blade for some touch-ups. That's optional and needs care. Reapply cream, keep the blade away from your eyebrows and eyes, and only shave where you can see and control it.

7. Rinse, moisturize, and protect your scalp

Rinse thoroughly, especially behind the ears where foam tends to hide. Pat gently with a clean towel, leaving your scalp slightly damp, then apply a moisturizer your skin tolerates. I prefer a natural finish and don't use head wax.

Outdoors, use broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher on your scalp and ears, plus a hat. Reapply sunscreen every two hours and after swimming or sweating, following the AAD's advice for skin exposed by hair loss.

Rinse your razor and let it dry between uses. Replace a blade that pulls or stops cutting comfortably. For the next shave, let your stubble and skin guide the timing; don't shave over a scalp that's still irritated.