The Handlebar Club Forum

What I'm about to describe happened the day after Boxing Day. Brace yourself.

I usually shave my head in the shower. I'm not that used to shaving my face (I've usually had a beard!), but thought I'd do that in the shower too. Why not, I thought. I suffer with shaving rash and a steamy shower prevents almost all problems when I shave my head. It was all going so well. Then whilst shaving around the sides of my mouth and chin, disaster struck; a lapse in concentration and a full clump of my whiskers were in my hand, freed from my ugly mug. Gutted. What a plonker.

I plan to grow the handlebar back starting immediately, but as traumatic as this mishap has been for me over the last few days, I'm thinking this might not be so bad for two reasons (I know I'm stretching it here, so bear with me):

1) My moustache growth was quite low down the sides of my mouth, way below the corners and on to the top of my chin. I felt like I was cheating myself a little. It was really only a way of having my handles without waiting for the more of the bar/middle/pringle to grow out. I wasn't satisfied with the overall shape if I'm being honest; a little too 'biker' for my tastes. From now on I'll be shaving to the corners of my mouth and I am growing the rest out to thicken it all up a bit. Patience grasshopper. This leads nicely to my next point of perhaps somewhat deceitful self-therapy...

2) Because my handle growth was solely from the sides of my mouth/chin I didn't like the utter lack of thickness when waxed.

So I'm left with a sort of pringle-only 'stache for the moment. Back to square one as far as the bars are concerned.

Please tell me it'll all be ok in the end. I'm feeling low.

Here's a shot from New Year's Eve, just days after said incident
(photo below - be honest... I can take it )

The handlebar moustache gods have moved to pull you back from your biker goatee transgressions. You have learned your lesson well. lol.

Not sure of how you describe your new boundaries as "the corners", but I think it's fair game to grow the moustache area sideways out beyond the corners to the smile creases but not BELOW the corners of the mouth - not by more than maybe a cm.

I also used to let about a half inch of area below the corners grow out to bulk up my moustache but did feel like I was cheating, and felt better when I cut it back to just be hairs above the corners. Gotta be legit!

You look like you have a good growth. You will recover just fine. Happy New Year.

I also think your moustache looks like it will recover to an even better incarnation than what you had. I am currently growing a rather bushy beard to (among other things) see if I can gain any volume or length using "support" hairs from my beard beyond the corners of my mouth. I am still unsure of how that will work out, but I must admit that I do really enjoy the handlebar most within its classic confines. Just be patient and your handlebar will be even better than you thought possible!

Thanks Eric and Smedstad! You fantastic chaps, you.

Corners... ah, sorry I wasn't clear:

I mean area where the top lip meets the bottom lip. I will also grow out from the smile lines, shaving everything outside the lines but obviously not trimming the handles. In other words, if the hair originates from within the lines and above the bottom lip it won't get touched. We're on the same page.

@Matt - Hope this comes as some comfort.

I had at least two failed attempts with growing a handlebar. The first image was taken October 2003. I had been tr*mming the ends for about two years in the mistaken belief that the middle would grow to reach the ends and they would continue together from there. At the time I didn't have a Forum like this to help me. I became frustrated with my inability to grow and form the handles, so cut them off. The second picture was taken April 2004. Except for the colour, it reminds me of where you are now. I repeated the same mistake again two years later before finding this Forum in 2007. From then on, and with the advice of Forum members like Micawber, I stopped tr*mming. The rest is history.

Those two mistakes made through ignorance and frustration cost me four years of potential additional growth. May your recent mishap and my two mistakes become a lesson and springboard for your future success.

It does. Thank you.


Yes, I too had that belief until reading this. I would hope that the length the 'bar' grows to, no matter how limited, would still add further thickness and/or support to the 'handles' when brushed to the side with them. I understand from our recent exchange elsewhere here that there is in fact a terminal length and this surprised me, though it does make sense when I think about it.


Oh wow! Totally agree! That picture really is comforting to see. Thanks again.


Your moustache really has achieved greatness since then. Inspiring.

I have a feeling I'm in this for the long haul. I'm going to try my hardest to stop fussing, stop over-thinking, stop over-shaving(!) and definitely no trimming whatsoever for the foreseeable future!!!!

Thanks everyone for your continued support and encouragement. I'll get there, I'm certain.

Good luck not obsessing about it. I have an article on my blog about how not to get sick of your moustache.

http://handlebarmoustachelife.com/moustache-related/how-not-to-get-sick-of-your-new-handlebar-moustache/

Funny, after reading about your accident shaving I when to shave with my electric and accidentally shaved off my right sideburn - lost two days experimental growth. Wasn't thinking. Maybe I need orange cones.

Thanks again Eric. I'll have a read.

I give it 4 months to be a great handlebar again. Maybe even better. Do grow it back Matt.

Schnauzer, amazing time-lapse. It grew a lot wow. Great motivation to us all.

Thanks Dannz. Oh, I am growing it back - no doubt!

The problem that I have is that the right had side grows faster than the left and a different thickness.

I have been trimming less lately but still hjave the lop sided issue.

Stewart

Really enjoyed the pictures, Schnauzer. It gives us all hope!