I'm 24 and Toppik has been a life saver for me. My hair is thin throughout, including the front, and it looks good. I'd say go ahead and try it, some people love it, some don't, but if you don't like it I think you can send it back for a refund. And acually I just heard an ad for it on the radio today where you can get a bottle of it free.
You don't need to comb your hair, I use my fingers as well. Not sure how gel will work, I use hair spray and it works well because it helps the fibers to bond more securely with your hair. Hope this helps, I know it sucks being young and having to deal with this crap.

I've tried both Toppik and Prothik. Prothik is VERY messy. You use it like hairspray, but the stuff (because it's a spray) gets into the air and all over the place--I spent an hour trying to clean my bathroom after I used the product! It is also stiff in your hair and falls out easily.
Toppik is much easier to use. It can also end up in your sink (when you shake it onto your head), but it doesn't stain and is easy to clean--turn the water on and the Toppik disappears immediately. It can end up on your pillow, but using a really good hairspray will minimize that. I have found Toppik to be an outstanding product and I highly recommend it. To the young men in their twenties--I'm in my mid-thirties--hairloss sucks at any age! I wish I new about Toppik when I was your age because it has really changed how I feel about my appearance. Good luck.

I am in 100% aggreement with DON. Just make sure that you don't get overly excited and use too much. Use just enough to make you feel comfortable.

Don - I am approaching 30 and use toppik also. I use it toward the frontal Portion of my scalp ( about 5-6 shakes). I am about a NW 3 and it has been a life saver for me. Where are you in terms of hair loss and how do you apply it?

How much existing hair do you need to get solid (figuratively, not literally) from Toppik?

AP - It is hard to say. I guess you should have at least 40% of your hair for it to work best. However, the only way to truley know is to try it. If you need any advice on method of application, amount, color, etc, just ask.

I need it for the vertex mainly. I have a very severely thinned spot the about size of an orange. I can feel the thin hair there and not the scalp, but the scalp shows right through very clearly when I see it in the mirror. I'd guess I have 25% of my hair there--hard to measure.

MD, it's the darndest thing with that product. Toppik is legitimate and I have the amount of existing hair they show people getting full coverage with but no one who has talked about their use of it says you can get the appearance of full coverage except for Farrel from hairlosshelp, who has a site with his Toppik pictures I saw (he got better coverage than the people in the ads, he has barely visible vellous hair and gets full coverage it seems).

I have to confess I'm afraid to order it because I fear the day I try it and find it doesn't work and I have too much miniaturized (but thicker) hair to have an HT w/o shock loss. Toppik sounds too good to be true from what most people say.

Well, if you have any suggestions based on this about whether I should still try it I would of course appreciate that, and thanks for offering to help with some application tips if I get it, I'm not so good with those sorts of things.

AP - I would give it a shot. A full look can be achieved but obviously, if the hair is totally gone, it won't happen in that area. I do think that a full look when your hair is thinning can be achieved. I use toppik in the frontal portion of my scalp. The hair in this area is thin to where I can see scalp but the hair is definately not vellus. I have been using it for over a year and nobody has ever said anything to me at all. At first, I got so excited that I used alot. This went on for about 8 months. I had a nice full look from it. I decided to tapper down just because eventually I hope to regrow my hair so that I don't need it anymore. Therefore, a full look can be achieved but I think only enough to make you feel comfortable should be used. Based on what you said, I think you should give it a shot. The people who don't like toppik fell this way for that following reasons.

1. They feel as though they are being "Fake" if they use it. Why? It is a cosmetic product. Men and woman color their gray, use gels, mouse, thickener. Woman dye their hair, use makeup, and on and on. Toppik is a product that gives your hair fullness and managability.

2. Some people are just too thin to use it.

3. I think this is an inportant one. After applying it, people get about 1 foot away from an intense light source and complain because the toppik is a little visable on the scalp. First of all, it is only apparent to these people because they are looking for it. Also, how many times will you be 1 foot away from a intense light source with your head down for an extended period of time? Toppik has 3 functions in my opinion. Some binds to your hair thickening each hair shaft. Secondlay, some falls to the base of your hair shaft thickening the base between hairs. Lastly, it lessens the contrast between the hair and scalp. Sorry to ramble. I just think the product is amazing and hope that more people who are candidates to use it take advantage instead of feeling self contious about their hair.It has been a God sent for me and maybe it will be for you too.

Good luck and let me know how it goes. By the way, how can I get to farrel's pictures??

MD, many thanks for your very helpful post.

The pictures of the guy from HLH are at:
http://www.hairlosshelp.com/websites/Farrel2

The pics show his bald spot in the back with and without Toppik. Look at it and tell me if it seems real or not. It's a little too dramatic but I reserve the right to be totally wrong and actually hope that I am.