Shaving vs. Buzzing: Which one is better?

Should you be worried if someone shaves their head?

She’s always had "normal" hairstyles, then suddenly—buzz cut down to the skin.

Male, younger guy.

I read somewhere that this can sometimes be a "cry for help."

Amy Kelly said:Should you be worried if someone shaves their head?

She’s always had "normal" hairstyles, then suddenly—buzz cut down to the skin.

Male, younger guy.

I read somewhere that this can sometimes be a "cry for help."

Actually kind of cute... 🙂
It’s not a cry for help. It’s just one of those things guys do.☕

briskbison47 said:Actually kind of cute... 🙂
It’s not a cry for help. It’s just one of those things guys do.☕

Haha, but honestly, his hair is pretty mediocre anyway.

Amy Kelly said:Haha, but honestly, his hair is pretty mediocre anyway.

It’s fine; they should probably put a little more effort into their look and overall impression. Neglect is always the bigger issue.

Amy Kelly said:Should you be worried if someone shaves their head?

She’s always had "normal" hairstyles, then suddenly—buzz cut down to the skin.

Male, younger guy.

I read somewhere that this can sometimes be a "cry for help."

Where did you see that? Do you have a link or a reference for it?

Personally, I think people should be allowed to do whatever they want with their own bodies—as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. And honestly, a shaved head on a guy is just a perfectly normal hairstyle.

Amy Kelly said:Should you be worried if someone shaves their head?

She’s always had "normal" hairstyles, then suddenly—buzz cut down to the skin.

Male, younger guy.

I read somewhere that this can sometimes be a "cry for help."

And what exactly is "abnormal" about that?
If they went out and tattooed their entire face, then maybe we'd have something to worry about.

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How old is she? Like, 16 or 17?

I used to shave my head all the time—felt I looked better without the hair anyway. Mostly just did it so my scalp could actually breathe, especially during the summer. Haven't bothered lately, though. Honestly, probably nothing to worry about unless she’s secretly hiding some right-wing tendencies...

17

No, there's definitely no "conservative" bias here. They’re an incredibly sharp and level-headed individual.

Eric Gray2 said:Where did you see that? Do you have a link or a reference for it?

Personally, I think people should be allowed to do whatever they want with their own bodies—as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. And honestly, a shaved head on a guy is just a perfectly normal hairstyle.

Think about it—when a woman goes through a breakup, she often chops her hair off.

Take Britney Spears, for example; her public decision to shave her head was such a huge moment.😲

It’s not that I have anything against the look itself, it just feels a little out of left field to me.

Don't you think society still holds a double standard when it comes to seeing a shaved head—you know, whether it's on a male or a female?

I mean, look at how people react after a breakup. Some women just go out and chop their hair off—their own hair, on their own heads—usually settling for a haircut that's considered "socially acceptable." Others might go out and grab a few drinks, maybe hook up with someone new—nothing worth a clinical diagnosis, really. 😁

To be honest, you didn't give us enough context in your opening post. Sure, there are definitely situations where it would be genuinely concerning if a 17-year-old guy suddenly shaved his head, but I doubt this online jury is going to jump to any extreme conclusions about the person in question based on what we know.

You should only worry if he starts hanging out with skinheads.

I think some of you missed my point—I really don't care about someone's "hairstyle"

Personally, I couldn't care less what someone looks like on the outside, and I’m certainly not here to judge anyone; what matters to me is what they have going on "under the hood"😁

Rather than focusing on that "act"

But honestly, what’s the actual issue with China? I might be missing something here, but I don't see it. 😁

Give me some context—otherwise, we could sit here debating this until tomorrow.

Did you even ask her, though? I mean, seriously, what is he even thinking? 😁

I’ve got this joke floating around—some of you probably know it, others might not. I love telling a good joke now and then, so here goes:
“How do Chinese men name their kids?” a witty guy asks his friend.
The friend has no clue, but he's curious, so he asks:
“How?”
That’s when the joker leans in, eager to deliver the punchline:
“They drop a pot down a flight of stairs and name them whatever sound it makes.”
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... honestly, I’m dying here.
And just imagine if that pot hit the steps with a "cling, cling" sound... because hey, why wouldn't that happen? It totally could.

I remember one time I was so incredibly pissed off that I grabbed a pair of scissors and just started hacking away at my hair. Yeah, okay, that’s definitely a red flag. Honestly, I was in such a dark place that I actually wanted to end it all—but obviously, that wasn't an option—so instead, I just murdered my gorgeous long hair. 🤣 It took about a month after that meltdown before I finally reached out for some psychiatric help. That whole episode was basically just the opening act for my complete mental breakdown.
So, look, it might mean something, or it might not. Plenty of guys shave their heads just because it's a style choice; it doesn't always signal a crisis. Just talk to him—pay attention to how he's acting normally.

I honestly feel like there wouldn't even be a topic if he just let his hair grow down to his butt—he'd basically look like some dude in a random power metal band. And *that* would actually be a "statement," just with more hair.

btw, I’ve also been totally clueless since middle school, and the first time I shaved, I just wanted to see how it looked. I mean, when else are you gonna do that if not at that age? I’m guessing this is just about a son trying to refresh his style—I really don't think it goes any deeper than that.

Amy Kelly said:I think some of you missed my point—I really don't care about someone's "hairstyle"

Personally, I couldn't care less what someone looks like on the outside, and I’m certainly not here to judge anyone; what matters to me is what they have going on "under the hood"😁

Rather than focusing on that "act"

So, what kind of "act" was it? Was he doing it at home in front of a mirror or at a barbershop? Or was he just standing there in the middle of the street shaving his head?

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That’s not my son—he’s been shaving his head for years now, so I’m totally used to it😁

Let me be clear: I don't have any issue at all with a bald head, whether it's natural or intentional😁

I tried asking him about it, but he just brushes it off with a joke. But if something is actually weighing on him and he feels like he can't talk to anyone, why would he just give me a straight answer?

The context here is that lately, he hasn't been showing interest in things he used to be amazing at. He seems different, and other people have noticed it too. Now, on top of that, there's this whole "chin" thing, haha

Isn't this classic psychology? Does anyone here happen to be a pro psychologist?

It’s what Olivia Chavez3 is saying that really has me worried😲

Amy Kelly said:That’s not my son—he’s been shaving his head for years now, so I’m totally used to it😁

Let me be clear: I don't have any issue at all with a bald head, whether it's natural or intentional😁

I tried asking him about it, but he just brushes it off with a joke. But if something is actually weighing on him and he feels like he can't talk to anyone, why would he just give me a straight answer?

The context here is that lately, he hasn't been showing interest in things he used to be amazing at. He seems different, and other people have noticed it too. Now, on top of that, there's this whole "chin" thing, haha

Isn't this classic psychology? Does anyone here happen to be a pro psychologist?

It’s what Olivia Chavez3 is saying that really has me worried😲

Don't you think that's pretty vital information that should have been included in the original post? People have been asking for context over and over again.

Yeah, it's definitely possible the kid is struggling with something. Shaving his head is probably the least of his worries, but what was quoted here is what's actually setting off alarm bells. It could be anything, really—but since none of us are licensed psychologists, it would be totally irresponsible to try and "diagnose" him over the internet.

If you're able to and you feel up to it, maybe try talking to him. Just let him know you're there and that you're willing to listen or help out. You could also point him toward some local youth counseling services in his area—if those even exist where he lives—or maybe reach out to his parents or someone else close to him.

I had a quick chat with his mom and let her know I was feeling a little uneasy

She didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, though she did mention she wasn't exactly "feeling" his new haircut

His dad is working overseas right now, so I asked if she thought he might be missing him. She said they talk on the phone every single day and, from her perspective, everything is perfectly fine