If I get a mohawk, how badly am I going to sunburn my head?

[pizzamancer]

I have had long hair for a while



It might be time to go short. I have always wanted a mohawk, but in 40 years, never really had the opportunity to do it in a socially acceptable manner, not that I care about what society thinks, it is more of an, "I like being employed" type of thing.

I am just wondering if I am going to burn the shit out of my scalp if I do it on the playa.

[shykat]

You got 40 days to find out, and if ou go out in the sun a lil everyday you will be fine. Just do it now,so you do have time to get your scalp used to it.

DO IT>>>>>

[trilobyte]

Take it from me, unless you've got some kind of sunburn protection you will sunburn the fuck out of your head. Slather on the sunscreen, bring a small bottle (or a couple small bottles) so you can have it on your person and re-apply as you go throughout the day.

I've been shaving my head for nearly ten years, and I get a fair amount of sun on my scalp over the summer, and getting a crispy melon is still something I have to work to avoid. Fortunately it's really easy work.

[ygmir]

get a Brazilian instead, and don't worry about it.

[pizzamancer]

You got 40 days to find out, and if ou go out in the sun a lil everyday you will be fine. Just do it now,so you do have time to get your scalp used to it.

DO IT>>>>>

I do have to live in defaultia for the next 40 days. I am not going to do it while stuck here.

[trilobyte]

You could get it done on the playa, Barber Ella camp (Barbarella-themed camp run by haircare pros) (in the 9 o'clock plaza, I think) and serving up haircuts starting Tuesday.

[shykat]

You got 40 days to find out, and if ou go out in the sun a lil everyday you will be fine. Just do it now,so you do have time to get your scalp used to it.

DO IT>>>>>

I do have to live in defaultia for the next 40 days. I am not going to do it while stuck here.

Long hair vs mohawk don't both get flak from the defaultia world?

[TomServo]

If you're wearing a mohawk...they really only look good when they are "up". That requires some fairly heavy duty products...Aqua net extra super hold unscented, knox gelatin, egg whites or Elmer's glue...all of which require a good amount of washing, to get out. If you can sleep in one position, all night...you can get away with leaving it up. If not, you need to wash it out, or wake up with a sore neck.
Now to the sunburn....if you've had long hair for a while, shaving it right before burning man, is going to leave you with a nice WHITE scalp, ready to burn. Use sunblock on your scalp, and you should be fine.

[lemur]

wear a hat.



......

err

yeah

[FIGJAM]

Zinc oxide your whole head and if the mohawk is a very VIVID color, that will be a hellava look!

[TomServo]

wear a hat.



......

err

yeah

with a mohawk?

[ranger magnum]

You could always use a #3 trimmer on the sides; you dont have to shave them. I have had my hair buzzed for about 10 years, and I have found that even a little bit of hair helps against sunburn.

[inthecolumbiagorge]

I have had a mohawk for a few years now, not by choice necessarily but by natural design thanks so very much to alopecia:-( I work outside every day, even in Lake Havasu, AZ without a single sunburn to my head. Sunscreen 1/2 hour before you go in the sun, a hat for a sun break for your head for a 1/2 hour or two here and there, and keep putting on the sunscreen during the day. Don't try to cut it just before the burn or your scalp will be baked and not in a good way. If you are going to do it cut your hair now and give your scalp some time to get tanned and toughened up before the burn. I also use a shade umbrella when I can because I hate how hot and sweaty a hat makes my head. Bandanas soaked in cold water help to cool you down too. A short mohawk is crazy easy to take care of, especially if you don't use gel, and seriously I get more nice comments and compliments on my stupid mohawk than I ever did from my beautiful long blonde hair. Go figure:-)

[moonrise]

They make sunscreen shampoo.
I've added sunscreen to my regular shampoo, cheaper and it works. Then rinse and re-apply more sunscreen while your noggin is still wet.

OR

Neutrogena ultra sheer aerosol spf 100+ is awesome and worth the extra couple of bucks imho.

[Lonesomebri]

You can do like I did, wait awhile until ya lose enough hair that your skull gets full sun no matter how long the random strands are, then realize a mohawk no longer has much to work with on my head......and the dream dies.

Don't be like me.

Half of the day is night anyway.

[Chowski]

Spray-bottle sublock is the only way to go. Particularly for those of us with little or nothing on top. It coats the entire head, neck and ears and you don't have to worry about drips and blobs or getting it caked in the hair you do have. I take one bottle for every two days, and re-apply frequently.

Honestly though, if you're going to shave fresh, do it as far in advance as you you can. Even a few days with a little bit of exposure each day will toughen up your scalp and give you a decent base.

[junglesmacks]

If you seriously wait until right before the burn to shave your head and then go full blast in that sun.. you are going to burn the living fuck out of yourself unless you use full on zinc oxide. Even SPF 50+ is only going to slow it down a bit but I can almost promise you that you'll still burn to an uncomfortable point.


..from a bald guy of 15 years now.

[illy dilly]

You could always use a #3 trimmer on the sides; you dont have to shave them. I have had my hair buzzed for about 10 years, and I have found that even a little bit of hair helps against sunburn.

I'm gonna suggest pretty much the same thing.
Just leave a bit on each side. Like a 3 or maybe even a 4. If you have dark black hair, bleach and dye what is remaining. The bright color with black will be awesome.

Also, try not to bleach and dye, lower than the shaved length. Then when you get home, after your hair has also grown for another week, you can shave off the colored part.

If you have lighter colored hair, mine is blondish/redish, I shave it short on the sides, bleach and dye it. Then when I get home, I just dye my hair the closest to the color that it was before.

[Mojojita]

Wow - you have great blue eyes!

[trilobyte]

I highly recommend spray sunblock as well. My girlfriend loves it even more than I do, she can re-apply sunblock over fishnets. The easier it is to apply, the more likely you are to actually re-apply throughout the day which is what you really need to avoid getting a burn.

[pizzamancer]

Thank you Mojo!