Why do so many consider Concealers to be Taboo??

[Cant decide]

First, let me say that before I had my HT, I used Toppik for 10 years. It was a life saver and got me through 10 years of hair loss. I no longer use it because my density is good enough now from my HT not to need it.

It seems on here that so many people see the use of these type of products as a bad thing to be avoided at all costs. This is particularly true of HT patients. For a HT patient, if you have to use these, then you have not "Succeeded" in your HT is the opinion of many it seems. Or, using them somehow makes you "Fake" or your part of a big cover up.

I was talking to my wife last night and the subject came up. Not because I am using them but just in general, it came up and she is simply astonished as to why anyone would see the use of these products as anything different than any other tool men or woman use to enhance their appearance (Padded bra, spanks, make up, etc).

My opinion is that as long as you treat it as a hair “styling product” as opposed to a "Concealer", then the use of these products makes total sense for many people. Provided the following rules of thumb are followed and if they are, they will also be completely undetectable if one is worried about that. I know in the 10 years I used them, nobody ever said a word.

1. Less is more

2. Don't try to cover all you’re thinning with a lot of the stuff so you look like you have a full head of hair but rather target the areas that really bother you to build up the density say 20-40%.

3. You should not be a prisoner to the stuff. If the same person sees you on two consecutive days with you wearing it one day and not the next, they should not consciously notice anything other than your hair did not come out as good that day. Just as if you use other styling products one day but not the next.

This is not to say if you don’t follow these rules, then you’re a big fake but I think following these rules strikes a nice balance between getting benefit from these products while not making them into a “Fake” thing. Example would be a padded bra to give a woman some curvature vs stuffing her bra with paper to look like she has a D cup J.

Thoughts??

[Airbumps]

Mate I agree with you 100% and have always maintained so.

 

I started diffuse thinning when I was 22 (now 33) and used Toppik for about 10 years - it was a life saver. So much so that when I told my parents and girlfriend of 8 years that I was going to get a HT they all started at me blankly and said what the hell for! None of them knew I was thinning at all, yet without the Toppik in it was quite apparent.

 

I don't consider it any different to women (or men nowadays) that wear makeup. Chicks spend hours covering this and that, adding a bit to here and there. If its good enough for them, its good enough for me - particularly in this day and age when every second bloke I pass on the street has a fake tan anyway.

 

I've just had a HT in April and the little bastards are just starting to grow through. I don't know if I'll need to continue to use the Toppik (or Nanogen) when it comes out 100%, but if I think it adds to the look or feel of it then I absolutely will. Why kid myself and think that 4000 grafts is going to be enough when I can shake a can a couple of times and have that 4000 turn into what looks like 20000?

[Spanker]

A lot of people want to put it past them, and don't want to spend $20,000 just to put makeup on top of it.

 

I am not against concealers. I tried it once or twice in my corners before my transplant, but looked at myself in the mirror and said, "What the f@#% are you doing?" After the HT, I don't need it anymore and it is easy to forget where you came from.

 

I may use them someday, but honestly, I really don't want to, but that is just for me. I don't look down on anyone else doing it. I think that a big part of it is that I am just lazy and there is an emotional sting to admitting to yourself that you need it.

[Airbumps]

I think some people criticize them because people become dependant on them. The reality is its not a hard core drug and if the worst thing that happens to you this decade is you become dependant hair fibres then you're probably doing alright.

 

I'm not a fan of dermatch as that's far too much work and I believe can be a lot more visible, but a few sprinkles of Nanogen or Toppik never heart anybody and if it boosts somebodies confidence then isn't that the ultimate objective anyway?

[Cant decide]

If you listen to the Ron Shapiro interview on here, he explains that people should consider all the tools based on their situation. Fibers are jut another tool as long as its not overdone and thats where dependency kicks in. It is this dependency that causes some HT patients to feel like they failed if hey need to use it after their HT. They feel like they are still prisoners to it. I know I hated feeling like a prisoner to it before my HT and I hated that feeling. This is why I came up with my above rules to potentially help some guys out considering using it.

 

So for example, if your a NW 6 and dont have enough donor to cover everything, part of planning with your doc can be discussing where to go very light with the premise that you will use concealer in that area.

 

I hate the word concealer anyway. I consider it a styling product aslong as you respect its usage. I dont see gray hair coloring products having the same stigma.

[FriskyDingo]

I think it's partly men's unfamiliarity (and aversion to) using makeup/concealers of any kind. That's become less of an issue in recent years, with more guys buying things like moisturizers, but it's still a big step to go from that to something like Toppik or Dermatch. The issue wasn't helped by all those "hair in a can" spray-on ads that ran on late-night TV back in the 90's which gave hair loss concealers a terrible reputation for a while! We've come a long way, but the general public doesn't know that...

 

(Honestly, if people knew what goes on in Hollywood and modeling gigs, they'd realize that everyone you see on TV or movies is wearing some form of makeup, and a great deal of the men are using hair concealers as well!)

[Calgacus]

Concealers are not practical for me. I live in a tropical country with soaring heat and humidity all year round. On top of that I ride around on a motorcycle with a helmet on. I dont want to end up like Jason Alexander in "Shallow Hal".

[SADbutTRUE]

the bottom line is that if using toppik or nanogen to improve how you look and makes you feel better about your hair, than so be it, it dosent matter what others say ,it comes down to how YOU feel. women use makeup padded bra, extensions, etc, to improve their looks,

[britboy]

I had HT 18 years ago, I am now thinning on head and crown a lot, I am considering further HT procedures very soon, However, I have never used concealers apart from 8 years ago when I noticed I was still slowly thinning so I use JR and it worked, I gave up because of the mess it left on the shirt collars etc, I then started using HC, GLH 2 years ago as I was thinning badly and still use it when necessary until I get my HT. No One knows I use it except close family, but friends appear not to notice I am very thin on top. Generally as a stop gap I think concealers are very useful. I have found the loss of my hair a concern often and GLH or JR has helped me feel more confident especially as I sing on stage too, With using these I look as though I have a good full head of hair. Of course it depends on the individual and his/her hair condition, density etc, but I certainly recommend using it on a temporary basis until you can find a better procedure for oneself.

 

I also tried the shake pepper type and found this to be an awful type of application. My immediate family noticed straight away that I had applied a different application, looked like I had been up a chimney sweeping it out. Found it very difficult to apply an even coat, with blotches everywhere and the shake and vac pepper was 3 x the price!

 

Sprays for me work fantastic especially when you master the distance and amount of concealer you need to apply, Sprays I find are very flexible as you can spray close, or at a distance according to the density you require. I tried main also but did not like it. GLH and JR worked well for me.

[abcd0000]

britboy, what is JR?

 

I agree 100%. If women are allowed to use 1000 products to enhance their looks, why should it be a taboo for men to mask their MPB?

 

I think though that it is very important to have it applied in a proper way, i.e., it should look as natural as possible. Just recently I saw a guy on the street who had his head covered with too much nanogen (including a thick hairline) and it looked completely unnatural and a little creepy to be honest. But I also had a friend a couple of years ago who was wearing toppik (or something similar) and I had no idea, I only realized it later when I discovered all the hair restoration universe.

 

So I think that when properly applied concealers are completely normal and acceptable hair styling products, just as you say Cant decide, similar to hair sprays, dyes, gels etc.