Nanogen & Toppik Hair Fibres - Help Needed!!

[Pearsonboy]

Hi Guys,

 

I've just joined this forum so big hello to all you lot out there! Apologies that I've probably waffled on a bit too much but here we go.....

 

I'm 32 and first started noticing a receeding hairling about 19 years old. I was gutted but have always been able to hide it with my messy/spikey hairstyle. About 5 years ago, someone at work made a comment that I was going thin on top. When I got home, I checked the top of my head with 2 mirrors and was horrified to see they were right! I had always been one of these people really into my hair but never really bothered looking at the back, just used to apply gel and ruffle it up a bit!

 

Anyway, about 3 months ago I heard about Toppik hair fibres. At the time, I didn't even know these type of products existed. I ordered a trial size Toppik and it arrived a couple of days later. I was absolutely blown away by the improvement after applying it and was gutted I hadn't discovered it sooner! The trial bottle is supposed to last a week but not sure if I wasn't using enough because it seemed to last almost a month!

 

I was so happy but then began reading that some people were complaining that it was turning their hair green in the sun. I panicked a bit as we had been having a hot spell of weather around the time I started using it, so was worried I'd been walking round with a green crown!! I took a photo on my phone of the top of my head whilst out in the sun and sure enough the photo showed green specks on my head!! I was gutted. After reading several reviews, I switched to Nanofibres as people had said that this does not turn green.

 

I ordered a month supply and I'm not sure if it was because the bottle was bigger than Toppik (and therefore more comes out when you shake it) but I seemed to be using a lot more to cover the hair. Also, everytime I scratched my head, I would have the fibres stuck under my nails (didn't happen with Toppik but may have been because I was using less). I went to Spain on holiday a week later and did the same thing by taking a photo on my phone of my head in direct sunlight. The photo almost looked identical to the one I had taken of myself wearing the Toppik! However, when I looked closely in the mirror (under a spotlight), I could not see any green at all so not sure if this is just how it looks in a photo??

 

Regardless of the cause, I am sticking with it and if anyone ever noticed a green tinge, I'd just blame it on some new gel spray I'd been trying! I haven't even told my wife that I'm using this stuff (if she doesn't notice then no one else is going to realise I'm wearing the stuff!).

 

Also, the month supply of Nanogen lasted me a month but the Toppik 1 week trial lasted the same time! I'm not sure if I wasn't using enough Toppik (as this was my first time using a hair concealer)or whether it just lasts longer than Nanogen.

 

One other thing, with both Nanogen and Toppik, I've never ever woken up to find a messy pillow that lots of people complain about! I've been using a gel spray that has an "extreme hold" so maybe thats locking it in or could it be because I have quite oily hair naturally?

 

Anyway, back to the main reason of leaving this post! If you'd be kind enough I'm after advice relating to three areas please guys:

 

1. What do you prefer, Nanogen or Toppik and why?

2. Do you have any tips on using these concealers you can share with me?

3. I am probably a NW2 in terms or receeding hairline and the crown is thinning as per NW3 - from your experience, how long do you think I have until I have to shave everythng off and can no longer use concealers effectivelly anymore? (I cant see myself going for a HT).

 

Many thanks guys

[HARIRI]

1) Nanogen is way better than Toppik. Toppik gave me so much itching because of using sheep wool, also the color isnt natural at all greenish plus it weighs down the hair and makes look flat. When you sweat it runs over your forehead when you apply it on hairline. All of these problem went away when I changed to Nanogen. However if you are not contented with Nanogen as week then I recommend Caboki (Best Hair Loss Product: Why Caboki Is Superior), the only bad thing is the high price plus no shipping outside USA.

 

2) Use the fibre spray of Toppik. I had an empty bottle of Toppik and I filled it with Nanogen fibre in order to use the spray. Its more economical and allows the fibre to stick into the follicle unlike tapping it which I believe its really annoying as it gets messy and sticks on the surface which leads to discoloration.

 

3) It depends really. Crown is a black hole, no matter how may grafts you put there, you still need to use concealer to look perfect. My advice is to wait till your hairline goes NW3 and then do a transplant and make hairline priority and sprinkle some grafts in the crown to leave some hair that the fibre can stick into. Hairline is very important because concealing a hairline with fibres is a PAIN IN THE ASS.

 

I, Hariri, take you, Nanogen, to be my lawfully wedded (concealer), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. lol

[wb280]

lol, thats a good one Hariri but u mirrored my thoughts ! I think concealers is the best invention at least for me. Without it, i cannot imagine how i can even feel comfortable stepping out from my home

 

Pearsonboy, Hariri has already pointed out the diff in toppik and nanogen and yes, he is completely right. Get a toppik and its spray applicator. Finish it and top up with nano fibres. Thats the best way, in my humble opinion, similar to Hariri's

[Bobilero]

Concealers saved my ass for a long time. Nanogen was without doubt the best i used. The array of colours that look natural uinder strong lights was the most important aspects.

 

Some of the other products can have you looking like part of the blue rinse brigade under strong lights !!

[hairtodaygonetmrw2]

really? you guys feel nanogen is better than toppik?

 

isn't nanogen a base concealer that you rub on, or am i thinking of something else?

[wb280]

nope. nanogen is similar to toppik, a sprinkler kind of concealer and not rub on.

 

That would be dermatch

[WhamHair]

I actually kinda dig toppikk. It got me through business school. I only used it on the crown area since I didn't really need it elsewhere. I only have a slightly receding hairline - nothing to lose sleep over but toppikk for the crown is amazing. I didn't realize just how amazing until this April. I acted in a student-directed movie. Since it was backed my corporate sponsors, it was a pretty big deal with a hired camera crew etc. There was one part of the movie where the camera shot the top of my head (it was a classroom scene and I had to sit right in the front of the camera). I dreaded what this would look like at the first viewing of the movie for school. Of course, I had toppikk on my head. When we saw the video, I was shocked - pleasantly of course. There was no an iota of a hint that I am losing hair in my crown. It just blended well with the rest. I don't know. Maybe I can blame it on the video camera but I was pretty kicked by what I was seeing.

[Phil]

I've found both Toppik and Nanogen work well for me. I've also used Instant Hair and find it works about the same. No problems with any of them. I tend to lean to the Instant Hair because of the two for one price but whatever I can get is fine. I've never experience the green tint, or itching with any of them.

 

Only issue I have now is that as I approach 60, my grey is increasing and I may have to try coloring it a bit. Something I've been avoiding.

 

Both my brothers have lost a lot more hair than I have so I consider it lucky that I can fill in the thin areas cosmetically.

[Spammedtothemax]

It all sounds expensive and a bit of a vain messy palava. I just popped down to my local Argos and bought a top quality set of clippers for ?29.99, put on the #2 guard and job's a good un. I've never had so much minge action. The Girlies used to love rubbing my head

[tacolinowest]

has anyone noticed that caboki has changed there product completly,, it comes in a diff bottle and its now exactlly like toppik,, and wont wash out like caboki did

[ArizonaGuy85]

Can you go swimming with Nanogen/Toppik and have it stay in your hair? Anyone know?

[Squatch]

Shampoo generally removes it. The problem with swimming is that you will see through to the scalp. It will show brown spots from the concealer.

[PAM24]

Toppik is garbage!! I used it initially but its formulation has changed due to cost cutting. I had used Organin and/or Hair So Real which were both the same but branded and bottled differently. I now use Caboki which is worth the extra cost. Nanogen I found very similar to Toppik in characteristics. For a spray hold, don't use anything that they try to sell you as "fibre hold spray" I recommend L'Oreal Design Spray it work great and hold all day.

[Squatch]

Toppik is garbage!! I used it initially but its formulation has changed due to cost cutting. I had used Organin and/or Hair So Real which were both the same but branded and bottled differently. I now use Caboki which is worth the extra cost. Nanogen I found very similar to Toppik in characteristics. For a spray hold, don't use anything that they try to sell you as "fibre hold spray" I recommend L'Oreal Design Spray it work great and hold all day.

 

When did Toppik formulation change? I have a bottle from five years a go and one from four months a go. They seem the same to me.

[PAM24]

Toppik changed their formulation early 2000's. I was told directly by them it was due to manufacturing site change. Big difference. I noticed it immediately as the hair spray I was using had a different effect in the newer formulation. It had more of green tinge to it also. Caboki is what I use now after switching to Organin from Toppik. Those idiots refuse to confirm that they changed their formulation recently also. It now comes in a different container similar to Toppik which is garbage to disperse. Luckily I still have 10 plus containers of the older type. I just transfer the contents of the new container to the older one. Still a slight difference in chemistry though. Just my opinion.

[Tara101]

The Toppik hair fibre product isn’t quite as natural looking Nanogen.

[FUE2014]

Nanogen is great but it is better in the back of the head than at the hairline, also remember less is more.