Lynnette

Hi Martin, It is possible, but it isn't something I would recommend. Generally speaking, some companies have systems in stock, but the chances of finding one that quickly - that will match exactly what you need - are slim. Then, after you find the perfect system, you will still need to take the time to learn how to wear it over your successful HT? That would be a tall order. So, realistically - you still have another six weeks to heal, isn't it likely that your shadow effect will lighten by then and that it will be much less noticeable? I recommend asking one of the guys who has already been where you are now - in the HT thread - what they think. The only cosmetic solution I can think of would be a lighter concealer that may help the darker areas. Dermatch does come in light colors so that may be an option for you to consider. Lynnette

Anytime!

I have used Dermatch with gel successfully. You just want to steer clear of rubbing the gel into the scalp vigorously since the gel may remove the dermatch (most gels have alcohol in them). Apply the gel to the hair shaft and it should work just fine. I never tried it with Toppik - I'm not sure how that would work. I would think that the gel would just release the toppik, but I'll leave that part of the question to someone who has tried it.... Lynnette

Hi Blond, Sorry it has taken me a couple of days to get back to the board! I had a Birthday on Saturday and it was a busy weekend! I did read your first post on my iphone and thought to myself, "He didn't understand"...then when I read your second post, I was glad that you went back and re-read my comments. Your second post was right on the money! I'm not going to make this a huge post tonight since I have a client to work with in 30 minutes and I need to prepare a bit, but here are a few thoughts: If I lived in a PERFECT hair world, in order of preference, here is how it would play out for me... I would have been born with gloriously thick, curly, shiny, hair that I could wear in any style I want, it would never go gray and it would stay that way until the day I died. Ahhh...I can hear the harps playing...somebody pinch me. Ok, so it didn't work out that way for me. Next best thing. I tried to figure out what the cause was and have it fixed. Nope..no such luck. Can't fix the genetics. Next move? Research Hair Transplants. I wasn't a candidate, but you can believe that if I had been, it would have been my choice. I am of the opinion that you can't beat a head full of living, growing hair...even if you have to touch it up a bit. The last frontier - non-surgical solutions - I've done it all. There isn't anything I haven't tried over the past 25 years. Wigs, weaves, extensions, concealers, toppers, sprays, pills, potions, lotions, magic wands...the list is endless. I made most of them work during each phase until I found something better. Like you, I always want to know what is out there in case I may need to use it. Now, with regard to hair systems - I'm not trying to "sell" anyone on any one solution. I'm here sharing what my solution is as an option for others to look at. It's the best option that I have found for me. Again, it's not my first choice, but my first choices weren't available for me. You will NOT get me to say that my hair system is 100% undetectable - 100% of the time. What I WILL tell you is that there is technique, a maintenance schedule and products that can help you to achieve a VERY natural look. How often you have that look is up to you. I will also tell you that I do not believe you, or anyone else, would ever know I was wearing hair if you sat next to me in any public area. I typically take my hair off and put it back on every 4-5 days. It takes me exactly 30 minutes AND I shower too. I do it all myself in my bathroom. I use 6 products. I only use products that I check the MSDS sheets on so that I can be certain of the health risks involved. I appreciate your comments about me being in a loving relationship - and I will revisit all the comments tomorrow, but just so you know, when I started dating my "now husband", I only told him that I wore hair. At the time we met, it was extensions. Through the years, I have changed my methods MANY times. He still does not know today exactly how I wear hair, what my hair systems are, how I put them on or take them off...he has never seen the hair, or the products. He can't tell where my "real hair" stops and the "system hair" starts. Since he's been an engineer for 30 years, I'm impressed. ha ha! More tomorrow! Lynnette p.s. I haven't forgotten about the pictures...

Hi guys, I can give you a perspective from both sides ...although I can't speak for all women and won't even try! When I was going through my concealer phase, I found that the fibers (Toppik, Nanogen Fibers, etc.) were like "brown dandruff" and even though I sprayed enough hairspray/gel on to turn my hair into a sculpture that would rival a Rodin, as soon as it moved, the brown stuff would "drift" everywhere. They are useful, but maybe weren't the best choice for me at that time since my hair was long. Perhaps it works much better with short hair. Jerome Russell Hair Thickening Spray (or other brands) - is a colored "hair spray". I used to part my hair and actually spray it directly onto my scalp so that my scalp was the same color as my hair. Problem? It was a very "chalky" color and didn't match very well. As for "Singing In The Rain?" Not likely. Any rain, sweat or mist would have rivers of brown pigment running down my cheeks. So much for the romantic countryside picnic rainstorms, boating, swimming and any other physical activity that may break a sweat. As for Dermatch - it's the best concealer I have ever found. It only comes off all the way with soap/shampoo and is water resistant. Swimming, boating, rain...all ok! I just wrote a blog about this very product the other day! One trick of the trade that I learned was to use a product called, "Walker Scalp Protector" in conjunction with the Dermatch when I was using it. After I applied the Dermatch, I would spray a VERY light coat - 2 quick bursts of the spray over the dermatch. Then, I would let it air dry or hit it with the blow dryer. Finally, a second very light coat of the Walker's spray scalp protector. This actually coats the Dermatch and helps it stay even longer without the dreaded "rub-off" we all hate! As for women running their fingers through your hair and coming back with dark fingertips? I used to have not only the Dermatch and the colored hair spray, but weaves too. Made my head feel like the Bride of Frankenstein if anyone ventured near. So, when anyone used to try to get their fingers in my scalp I would say that my scalp was really sensitive, and having it touched really turned me off, kind of like fingernails on a blackboard. Worked like a charm and it wasn't a lie. Now that I wear systems, I don't deal with the concealers, sprays and weave tracks, but those are just a few tips I picked up along the way. Hope you find them helpful. Lynnette

Hey JKP33, I feel your pain - I used to use the Dermatch since it was the best concealer. I have never found anything better. Yes, black pillowcases became my friends. Here is a suggestion - After you apply the dermatch, spray a very light coat (or two) of Walker spray scalp protector over it. Let each layer dry before you spray the next. This actually acts as a sealer and will help to prevent the "rub-off" you are experiencing. It won't go away totally, but it does help a bit. Good Luck, Lynnette

Keep in mind...the hot chick at the counter just may be wearing hair...

Bill, VERY WELL SAID! Hopefully, through forums like this, people will gather all of the information they can to make an informed decision about which option is the best for them! There are so many solutions - including shaving - sometimes the hardest part is just the research! Have a great day, Lynnette

Hi Bill, I agree. As you can see above, I also noted that the pictures aren't of good quality and I will be posting some higher resolution "hair" pictures today! Actually, those bikini pictures weren't really meant to note the quality of the hair , they were more about noting that whether or not I am wearing hair, or have any biological hair underneath my system, really doesn't (or shouldn't) make a bit of difference to most people. Let me know what you think of the new ones when I post them! Lynnette

<span class="ev_code_BLUE">Hiya Blond, I think some of the most important facts to take away from my last post are these: Others only notice when people wear bad hair poorly. The days of "rugs" are almost gone. There are still a few people who can't find the quality hairpieces that are full lace and quite undetectable. Usually, those are the unlucky people you recognize immediately as wearers because it looks like they have a pelt plastered to their head. (Think Howard Cosell, Sam Donaldson, Burt Reynolds) But these days, there is a lot of new technology available. Come on...when these guys started wearing hair, cell phones were huge boxes you had to plug into your car and you had to connect your cell phone antenna to your car if you wanted to use it, remember??? Now we have iphones that automatically download our stock charts while we sit in the airport. Isn't it logical to think that improvements would be made to this industry too? I'm a little confused as to why people, who belong to a hair restoration site offering threads on ALL TYPES of hair restoration and who have obviously chosen a different path to solve their hairloss issues, would feel the need to visit other threads within the site to bash the success others have found with their methods? As an example,if you have found great success with your regimen of: 1.25mg Finasteride Minoxidil 5% (EOD) Nizoral 1% (x3/week) I would LOVE to hear about it. I'm not going to tell you that you are ridiculous for taking drugs to grow hair and that you are growing dishonest hair since it isn't attained naturally...lol I find that kind of silly, don't you? I noticed that the pictures I posted are really poor quality, so I'm going to search for my hairline pictures and post some of those so you can see the quality that I'm talking about. Hope to have them up by tomorrow. As a side note, I notice that you have been a member here for three years, can you tell us how the regimen has worked for you during that time? Are you totally happy with your results? Thanks, Lynnette</span>

Ok, I think I'm calm now... Labrat (and anyone else who is interested), I'd like you to take a look at some pictures of me: Lynnette's Pictures Now that you have looked at the pictures, I have a question... Are you saying that if I told you I'm bald and I wear hair, that it gives me back the sexy confidence my hereditary genes have stolen from me, that I tried other options but wasn't a candidate / or they didn't work, that you can pull it as hard as you want and it won't come off that you will never see me without it, that I wear makeup almost every day, that I've never had plastic surgery of any kind, that no one would ever know my hair wasn't real unless I handed them a magnifying glass and showed them where to look... Are you saying that if you knew these things, you wouldn't get to know me better? Actually, no matter what you are thinking, the real answer is no. I'll tell you why at the end of this reply. If by chance there is a woman (of this earth) who you deem worthy of your efforts and attentions, I feel very comfortable in assuming you would want an intelligent, classy, secure, self sufficient, stable, attractive, fiscally responsible, successful, honest, fun-loving, sexy, physically fit, healthy, age appropriate mate? Assuming the answer is yes, I'll move forward. Let's say you meet this fabulous woman - it's your lucky day! Since she IS intelligent, classy, etc., it's really safe to say that she is looking for the same things in a partner that you are. So far, so good! You have already established the fact in your earlier response that you want a "deeper, romantic and more genuine"relationship and that's great to hear! Since the dream girl you have met is intelligent, etc., she is going to want to take her time to get to know EVERYTHING she can about you. Likewise, since she is also looking for a real, true love relationship, she will WANT YOU to know everything about her. See, real relationships, true love, is based on honesty, respect, trust, commitment, communication, friendship, intimacy and even chemistry. She won't want to dive into a relationship head first without getting to know ALL ABOUT YOU and you wouldn't dive in without knowing all about her either, would you? After all, you said you want a real, true love relationship, right? My husband has known from day one that I wear hair. He's never seen me without it (ten years now). It's the same kind of hair you just saw in those pictures of one of our vacations. We have a REAL, true love relationship. He thinks my hair looks great. He also thinks I have some great physical assets and he's smart enough to know that at some point as we grow old together, they will "sag"...and guess what? He's still going to love me...and the "assets"! Now to reply to a couple of your thoughts: "A rug will always just be a rug -- PERIOD !! I have NEVER met one girl who didn't view a rug as something dispicable and dishonest, and also as something that makes ANY dude a huge dork in their eyes. They'd much rather a guy who shaves down and accepts his baldness like a man !!" Perhaps you have a limited pool of women? Wearing hair doesn't make a man a dork...there are plenty of men who don't wear hair who qualify as huge DORKS. I prefer a man who is a man. He finds solutions that work for him, no matter how anyone else feels or thinks...that's a real man. "You couldn't pay me $1,000,000 to wear even the best rug offered today. It might work as long as you ALWAYS maintain a healthy distance from people and never have any intimacy; but what kind of life is that anyway ? I'd rather just be bald and honest with myself and others." Talk about hypothetical, we really can't test that out, can we? Mine works just fine, thank you very much. As for never having intimacy, I'll jump out there and be frank since everyone always dances around the subject...I'm in a VERY healthy, extremely active, sexual relationship with my husband. I have NO FEAR that there is ANYTHING you could do that would make my hair come off, no matter how hard you tried, during intimate moments. I don't want to draw a picture for you so don't make me get graphic, there are other sites you can visit if you want that kind of interaction. "do YOU want to be with a woman whose tits hang down to the floor and are full of celluloid when her harness comes off, or one that had her tits surgically removed from breast cancer but FOOLED YOU with some FAKE cushions under a bra ? Or do YOU want the real deal ? How are YOU going to react when you hit the sack with either of these women and realize that they DECEIVED you ?" I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt here labRAT and assume you are TRYING to say that you (and most everyone else) would be angry if you were lied to, is that right? (((DEEEEEPPPP Breath))) If that is your message, then I understand and agree. No one likes to be lied to or deceived, even for a one night stand. But you see, if you are truly seeking a deeper, true relationship, then you won't have to worry about this, because the right woman (whether or not she wears hair) would not lie to you. p.s. I pray for your dream woman's sake in your "real true love relationship" that she never loses a breast to cancer...or you'll be back to square one? "Point 3: Beyonce wears a system ? So is she a Norwood 6 without it, or does this system just "enhance" her already natural hair ? I ask because there is a HUGE difference between the two, both in mine AND the general public's view of hair systems." Is there really a difference? You've seen my pictures. Does it matter to you whether I'm totally bald underneath or I have some hair? Why does it matter? Fact is, you will never see the hair underneath so there is no difference. My answer? I'm almost totally BALD...Also, I don't think you speak for the general public, they don't know I wear hair. They only know about the people who wear bad hair poorly. "Point 4: ... Or are you talking about women who are looking for real romance and a real potential lifetime partner ? If you are talking about the latter, then I can GUARUNTEE you my friend that they will NOT want that ridiculous wig on your head!! The good ones will tell you they accept you as you are and love you for what's on the inside, and it will disgust them if you are so fake and insecure that you need this stupid rug on your head to go out in public. But the gold diggers and fake one-night-stands will not mind in the least because you're just another discard to take advantage of, or a UTILITY that they see as a machine to provide them with an easy life while they think about other men with hair when they get horny." Women want you to do what makes YOU satisfied. I'll accept a REAL man no matter how he chooses to deal with his hairloss. It will NOT disgust me (or any of the other hundreds of REAL WOMEN I KNOW)if a man wears hair well. Instead it will impress me that he cares enough to recognize what he really wants and do something about it. And...trust me when I tell you that it isn't your hair that makes women horny, I'm sorry you have that impression. giggle giggle At the beginning of this reply / book, I wrote: "Are you saying that if you knew these things, you wouldn't get to know me better? Actually, no matter what you are thinking, the real answer is no." WHY? Because ANY intelligent, classy, secure, self sufficient, stable, attractive, fiscally responsible, successful, honest, fun-loving, sexy, physically fit, healthy woman who takes even the slightest bit of time to get to know you, even while trying to take into account the lack of expression and frequent misunderstandings in an electronic environment, would very quickly come to the conclusion that it wasn't worth HER time to let you. Lynnette

Runman, Sorry for your bad luck. It truly does stink that those companies still get away with the tactics they use. Your comments are typical of people who use them. The hair, the products and the service are typically unsatisfactory...not to mention the fact that you have to mortgage your home or sell your firstborn child for your hair! I'm curious to know how long ago it was that you wore your hair? I was lucky enough never to have fallen into any "club" trap. I order my hair online and it comes through the mail. I apply it myself in 30 minutes once a week. While I realize you have stated you aren't interested in wearing again (and I can certainly understand why) would it also be fair to say that products could be different elsewhere and that it's possible given the proper hair, products and training your results could have been much more successful? Just curious! Lynnette