Advice from top quality system wearers

[norwoodsman]

Hi.

 

Im 26 and a NW5 basicly. Its hell being bald especially at this age. You guys wearing/wore wigs can you please give me some advice? Please only those who have experience with top of the line systems.

Any input is welcome and i am especially worried about how its perceived by the hundreds or even thousands of people in my community who KNOW im bald, will it fall off? What about outdoors activities? Do you feel it to some degree on your head? Is it 120% real looking? Maintainance problems and just everything. Thank you

[trapps99]

Hmm...it wont fall off, and they can look very real. But the maintinence is hell. It requires constant attention and after a while it is a real pain to maintain...You will always know its on, just like a pair of glasses. The ones that are the top of the line are very thin, and to look the best they require replacing every 6 months or so. You can strech it but them it wont look perfect. And if someone notices just once youll always have that pre conceived notiion that people can tell. It really can play on your mind .

Outdoor activities arent really a problem.....

Some people dont mind the drawbacks and for others its just too much. Its a personal choice that I can honestly say you have to go through it to really know what its like...

There is the attachment issue, where if they pull your hair through and attach with bonding, you will eventually get traction alopecia, where the hair wont grow where it was attached. Short term its great becasue you have the thickness and style youve always wanted, but long term opens up a whole other bunch of concerns....

[wb280]

I wore a hair piece for a few weeks and it was one of the most depressing few weeks in my whole life. I was basically so hung up that everyone can notice, and it consumed me. Adjusting to the hair piece takes a lot of mental courage to be honest, and the maintenance is tough, even for a weeks that i have worn it. I just cannot fit it myself without feeling that it looks unnatural. Hey, my provider is honest, there is nothing fishy about him and it was a good piece. lace etc. However, the day i decided to ditch is was one of the happiest days in my life Sorry if i was a bit extreme but paranoia is tough to avoid... but thats just me. On the bright side, look, u can give it a go and its not irreversible like HT. If u dun like it, just chunk it and forget abt that money u spent on it

[trapps99]

thats exactly right.....

Ive kinda think that the ONLY way youd be totaly happy with a hairpiece is one of two ways...

a) you DONT care if people know or can tell the odd time.....secrecy isnt an issue. YOu can accept and talk freely about it

b) your totally oblivious to the fact it wont look natural ALL the time....

If your worried people will notice and find out youre sunk......stressd out at all times..( when in public anyways......)

[wb280]

trapps, thanks for highlighting the points. my points exactly!

 

The mental stress was just too much for me to handle. I would constantly worry if the person i talk to will know etc etc... Thats y i said i felt unshackled the day i decided to ditch the system. It just did not work out for me

 

However, like i said, i will recommend u to try and if it goes not get on to u, then it might turn out to be the perfect solution!

[crossbow]

@trapps

 

i am also researching these days to go for a hair system .

 

if i got ur right u meant that if someone pulls ur hair and the bonding n gel is there and it gets pulled it wud cause permanent bald patch at that spot?

or

did u mean that only by putting bonding gel at one whole strip or spot of head makes it permanent bald after some time? ( i have thinning hair n not complete bald from any angle so weighing my options)

 

kindly do reply . i wud very much appreciate that . many thnx n regards

 

p.s = can one take a bath with the system on? i mean how are the hair in hair system cleaned? like normally if u dont wash ur hair for 2 to 3 days they start looking messy .

so how does a hair system lasts for a month? any insights plz?

[trapps99]

No problem....love to help out.

I mean when they attach....an option is that they pull your natural hair on the sides and back through the system, and then glue it so it nice and tight. but after years the follicle will die. so even if you decide to have the stubble look you might have little bald patches around your head. ANY company or salesman who denies this is lying. Glue is a little better, but a month with a system glued to your head dosesnt smell too great. Constantly glueing can also affect the follice......Im sure you tube has some examples.. If your young there WILL be a time in your life where youll change your priorities and want to shave the head. It will be terrible iof you cant even do that from a previous thing thats left you scared. MAybe tri the semi permanent clip in for the time being.

And tyes you can shower and bathe no problem. The longer the hair it DOES tangle alot....and remember when it falls out it doesnt come back.....time for a new system. The less wear and tear such as washing and things liek that the better....uinless you have a tone of disposible income and can afford a new system every couple months... but you would have to go for service every 4-6 weeks if it is permanently glued. prob a hunderd bucks a pop....

[wb280]

Just to add on, my supplier did warn of this traction alopecia before selling. However, u would need to wear for some time before that happens. As such, to be honest, my opinion is that unless u r not suitable for a HT, if not the time, effort, money in maintaining a hair system, coupled with that uneasiness, is tough to stomach. In fact, my supplier told me that he would go for HT if he was a suitable candidate. He was a full blown NW7 by 25 so he had no choice

[Beemark]

Geez, you guys are so negative! A few comments:

 

1. Attachment, removal & cleaning take a total of about 30 minutes each week.

 

2. I am almost never aware that I am wearing my hair system.

 

3. Traction Alopecia has not been an issue at all.

 

4. Most people who don't like hair systems never took the time to:

a. Get used to wearing it (takes about 4 - 6 weeks)

b. Learn about different attachment methods and products.

 

5. It took me a while to find the right on-line seller, but once I did, attachment became simpler, the system looked more natural, etc.

 

6. Early on, I was constantly looking in every mirror I came across to make

sure it looked right. I got over that in about a month.

 

7. Like most things, there is a learning curve.

 

8. I look a LOT younger with hair.

 

9. You will start feeling more confident about your appearance after a couple of months, so you just need to get over the (natural) insecurity that occurs early on.

 

10. You have to be willing to deal with good-natured joking from friends and also very earnest comments from people who try to reassure you that you look great without hair and that you don't need it - or who say you looked better without it.

 

11. You have to wear hair because YOU want to - not to cure your insecurity about your baldness or to impress others or to meet more women. Those things will probably happen, but your main reason for wearing has to be that you like the way you look with hair - period.

 

12. The best hair systems are totally (I mean it!) undetectable. Forget the nightmare stories - there are a lot of crappy hair systems and unethical sellers out there. When you find the right supplier and a good stylist, you're gonna love the way you look.

[wb280]

Beemark, yup i admit i was too negative, however the feelings were very true. I just felt that my confidence took a deep plunge. In Asia, especially where i come from, the stigma associated with hair system is still there. There are a couple of actors who are donning hair systems and media ridicule them all the time.

[trapps99]

lol....yes reading it over my posts do sound negative..

but you hit the nail on the head...if you can get over the insecurity and dont mind wearing hair....it shold be no problem. If you want to 100% conceal the secret at all costs then the problems arise... its always that stigma like the last gentleman said......

[wb280]

trapps, exactly ! If the wearer can get over the insecurity and stigma associated with it, by all means its a good alternative. However, sorry i just could not cross the hump. I am so glad i did the HT and ditching the system

[crossbow]

@beemark

 

thankx buddy ur post ws veyr helpful and a source of encouragement for me as i am in the process of making up my mind ..

 

i posted a few questions in another post on this forum but havent got full satisfactory answers till date. i am re-posting the questions with a request if u can addres them. i would be more than thankful

 

1. is the system taken off every nite?

 

2. if a system is taken off e.g every 2 weeks , is the glue or tape that strong to keep holding the skin for so long??

 

 

3. what if a child or partner mildly pulls my hair? any chance of the hair system coming into their hand?

 

4.can a hair system survive extreme sweaty conditions? ( i mean places like dubai where it is pitch hot n lots n lots n lots of sweat all day long)

 

 

5. can i do hair transplant and wear a hair system on top until the transplant starts to show results ? is it practical n possible?

 

 

6.i read it on a few sites tht u can even swim with a hair system? must be marketing slogans i thought! any thoughts frm u guys?

 

and a final one

 

7. if the system is worn for lets say 2 weeks is it washed n cleaned with shampoo conditioner etc? and if not does it not become dirty n messy like it happens to normal hair if not washed for a couple of days.

n on the other hand if the hair system IS washed every 2 days does it not wear it out?

 

many thankx n i would be anxiously waiting for a reply from you beemark (or others) .

much respect n kind regards

[wb280]

crossbow, i would really want to chip in but somehow i feel u do not want to hear negative remarks it seems. I can understand as u might be profoundly excited abt the hair piece so better let him give u his reply on his experience

[trapps99]

A couple points to your questions...

The hair has NO natural oil in it, so when you wash it it will strip the hair shaft down so to speak and will definately wear out...So the more you wash and condition it the quicker it becomes dry looking. As I stated before, you can replace it once every two or three months to have it looking great all the time but do the math over five or so years and that s ALOT of money..

How it will hold on yur head is dependant on your chemical make up of your sweat and oils on your head....For some it can last a week or so and others a few days. You constantly check and after a while youll know how the bonding will react..

Hair transplants underneath COULD work, but going from a thick head of hair, then the tranplant will be at first not even half as thick, so psychologically it wont be a great option..

Again, the only real way to get the right answers is to do the procedure and see how it fits your lifestyle....At first the maintinence is no problem becasue the new hair is very exciting, but after a few years it can be a oain..

Ive had a system for 5 years and then got a tranplant, so believe me i know what im talking about through first hand experience.....

[crossbow]

to wb80

 

thnx for ur input.. and please by all means chip in n speak out ur thoughts. what i am looking for is different and realistic viewpoints before i finaly decide if or not the hair system is the solution for me.

hope to hear frm u. many thanx

[crossbow]

@trapps99

thnx for ur input.

buddy can tell me where were u buying ur system from in all those 5 years? would it all look natural? specialy the hair line

 

u knw i am 30 now so emotionaly i feel i can't part way with hair at this time . so i am realy inclined to getting a system (but not at the cost of looking ridiculous n laughable a bad wig n stuff). i wudnt mind goin bald n shavign my head at 40 after 10 years of may be the technology till then wud ave taken some turn . )

 

so the bottom line is i am looking for some undetectable hair line n stuff.. maintanence n stuff i think i would able to bare n cope with . no issues.

so any suggestion where can i go to get one?

[crossbow]

Geez, you guys are so negative! A few comments:

 

1. Attachment, removal & cleaning take a total of about 30 minutes each week.

 

2. I am almost never aware that I am wearing my hair system.

 

3. Traction Alopecia has not been an issue at all.

 

4. Most people who don't like hair systems never took the time to:

a. Get used to wearing it (takes about 4 - 6 weeks)

b. Learn about different attachment methods and products.

 

5. It took me a while to find the right on-line seller, but once I did, attachment became simpler, the system looked more natural, etc.

 

6. Early on, I was constantly looking in every mirror I came across to make

sure it looked right. I got over that in about a month.

 

7. Like most things, there is a learning curve.

 

8. I look a LOT younger with hair.

 

9. You will start feeling more confident about your appearance after a couple of months, so you just need to get over the (natural) insecurity that occurs early on.

 

10. You have to be willing to deal with good-natured joking from friends and also very earnest comments from people who try to reassure you that you look great without hair and that you don't need it - or who say you looked better without it.

 

11. You have to wear hair because YOU want to - not to cure your insecurity about your baldness or to impress others or to meet more women. Those things will probably happen, but your main reason for wearing has to be that you like the way you look with hair - period.

 

12. The best hair systems are totally (I mean it!) undetectable. Forget the nightmare stories - there are a lot of crappy hair systems and unethical sellers out there. When you find the right supplier and a good stylist, you're gonna love the way you look.

 

thnx beemark

ur post has been particulary encouraging and very informative.

i thank you for taking the time and write in detail. ws very helpful.

 

can u suggest me a vendor/ supplier where u r buying ur system? actually I went to a local clinic yesdy to discuss any hairsystem.. the pics on their website looked great. the guy who runs the salon ws himself wearing one n he looked natural on camera.

but

when i saw him in real n get a little closer it looked all fake. the hair line ws no way close to being a natural

so that made me wonder if there is any such thing as undetectable hair system or is it all marketing gimmicks n looking real on camera.??

 

12. The best hair systems are totally (I mean it!) undetectable. Forget the nightmare stories - there are.......

 

kindly recommend me the place where u get it ?

 

many thnx

[wb280]

crossbow, it all boils down to your mentality. If u can pass past that,hair systems are the best bets of looking the best u can. However, if u r fairly bald to begin with, remember u have to contend with jokes ( both harmless and harmful ) that come along. No hair system wearer is truly free of that unless u intend to leave your life behind and migrate and meet totally new pple

However, if u can get past that stigma, i would say, go ahead and try it. It might be the best solution to your problem

[crossbow]

to web280

thnx for ur reply

 

actualy my particular case is a bit differnt. i had full head of hair just about 2 years ago and when i wud use gel n blow dry it wud make my hair swell up much more showing reasonably good hair.

i ws living in dubai back then . i got transfered to london . n after around 8 -10 months my hair just started falling down at a speed faster than euro rail. n now after 2 years, its that i have thinning hair on top n on front .thinning but still the whole of my head is covered prolly a very small bald patch at the crown . a direct light in my hair makes it look aweful ( i started using toppick n fulmore so aparently i dont look bald ) n besides i will be leaving london to go back in a couple of month's time so it wouldnt matter if someone just gets in a shock seeing a lot of hair on my head

my principle concern is how natural n real can they look? i mean if it look fake then i dont think i have the nerves to face ppl with it ..

so kindly recommend me a place/vendor which give a real close to natural hair line n stuff. many thnxx

[wb280]

ic... in that case, why not just stick to toppik etc? I know that its a chore, but trust me, hair pieces are a worse chore! If u had reasonably sufficient hair, i strongly recommend just going along with concealers. On the question whether it looks real, to be v v honest, my supplier was a nice man and he did the best he could. However, EVERYONE i meet, tells me u look different. That scared the hell out of me! If u want my truest opinion, no, sorry mate, it does not look natural. Maybe its just me. Actually whats stopping u? Order one and try it. If u dun like it just chunk it.

[HairToday72]

Hi there. Having also been a wearer for many years I guess im a bit of an expert now. Which salons have you consulted?

 

I wanted to give you my take on your questions....

 

1. is the system taken off every nite?

 

No. Most modern systems are hard bonded to your scalp (method depends on type of system) and only need to come off when the glue starts to weaken. After a while you work out how long this is for your scalp but usually anything up to 3 or 4 weeks, sometimes less. The oil in your skin and how much you sweat can affect this.

 

2. if a system is taken off e.g every 2 weeks , is the glue or tape that strong to keep holding the skin for so long??

 

Yes. You normally get plenty of warning as well as you start to feel the system slowly loosening.

 

3. what if a child or partner mildly pulls my hair? any chance of the hair system coming into their hand?

 

No chance. Or not in my experience, when its on properly its on and bonded (even with just tapes) it isnt going anywhere even with a good tug, ruffled hair or pull. Even if you know its time for maintenance its unlikely to come off, I never found it on my pillow.

 

4.can a hair system survive extreme sweaty conditions? ( i mean places like dubai where it is pitch hot n lots n lots n lots of sweat all day long)

 

Yes in my experience as I worked out at the gym every day with one on. Sometime the glue melts quicker if your really sweating so the time between maintenance will be shorter. A lot of sun will make the system fade quickly, if the condition of the hair is still ok colour can easily be added (i used just for men).

 

5. can i do hair transplant and wear a hair system on top until the transplant starts to show results ? is it practical n possible?

 

I struggled with this one and best to ask your HT doctor. I had a system made to sit in front of the hair transplants and bigger so it could be attached with clips. My doctor said it was better not to wear the system or limit the wear. I decided not to use the system in the end as I didnt want to waste the money I had spent on a ht.

 

6.i read it on a few sites tht u can even swim with a hair system? must be marketing slogans i thought! any thoughts frm u guys?

 

Yes you can (it wont come off). But the chlorine in the water will wreck the hair and probably bleach it an undesirable colour and will fade a lot quicker. Also, even with the best system in the world, it will be very easy to notice when you get out of the water that its a hair system.

 

and a final one

 

7. if the system is worn for lets say 2 weeks is it washed n cleaned with shampoo conditioner etc? and if not does it not become dirty n messy like it happens to normal hair if not washed for a couple of days.

n on the other hand if the hair system IS washed every 2 days does it not wear it out?

 

It wears out quicker if you dont wash the hair as the hair becomes brittle. You would need to wash and condition the hair regularly every couple of days (a good supermarket shampoo and conditioner should do) to keep it looking natural, every day its best to use a spray leave-in conditioner. Its also best to go to the salon for it to be properly cleaned at least once a month.

 

IF you ask my opinion about hair systems I can honestly say when I first started wearing I felt it gave me a new lease of life and it did. in the early days (maybe because of my age) nobody seemed to notice and I never seemed to get found out. It all depends on finding a good stylist and quickly learning how to style it yourself. Its got its limitations, even if you get a lace front the hairline needs to be cleverly styled to pull it off.

 

The only problem is that you tell yourself youll only wear it for another few years but they are hard to give up. Towards the end of my time wearing I felt trapped, not being able to go out without one and not wanting to go out because i was wearing one (and it felt like everyone was looking/laughing). I never found them helpful in relationships, particularly when its time to have 'the conversation' about your hair, if they hadnt already worked it out by then.

[wb280]

hi 72, actually to be honest i had quite some opposite comments from u. If u r talking about swimming, from my experience it will definitely not hold. Its not about the lace or materials. Simply put, glue or tape will definitely lose their strength under water. I tried 10 times, 10 times the glue came out. You will emerge from the water with hair piece a bit loose, that i can guarantee! Lastly, if u are those who perspire a lot, yes the piece will start to feel very uncomfortable especially at the sides and the part where it is glued. My supplier has told me all these before hand so he was not hard selling.

 

If u are not into swimming and live in a temperate climate, prob the piece will suit u better. However, if u are a regular triathlete who lives in Dubai, sorry mate, i know u do not want to hear this but tough luck seriously

[huynhlinh]

thanks

[huynhlinh]

thanks...