20 Years Old Looking For Hope - And To Be Able To Travel

[Applepie123]

hi,

Im 20 years old been on finasteride for 6 months with no sides but also no results hair thinning alot and judging off my brothers hair itll all be thinned out and scalp visible by the end of the next 6 months. So i’m trying to find some solutions, or atleastt something to hope towards so i dont just have to give up entirely. As im young and finasteride doesnt work a transplant seems pointless and SMP for me looks to noticeable (no offence, some do look great for anyone who has done it).

Anyway, my only solution seems to be a hair replacement.

I dont sweat much on my head at all, in fact ive never even seen a bead form or my hair look wetter after excercise and my hair/scalp never feels oily so i think that probably the only good think about my head lol but hopefully good for a hair system?



My questions are -

Can i get one that i self manage and put on myself that is unnoticeable to sight and touch? Or maybe i meanto what extent is t unoticeable. Price isnt an issue but i wouldnt want to use a salon as i want to travel as ill exain later

I have curly hair can i get an unoitceable hair system with curly? That doesnt look fake?

Is it always noticeable to touch?

i want to travel for 6 months/ a year at a time in a few years, do South America etc. Has anyone travelled with a hair replacement sysytem? Is it possible?

Can i do any activity i want? Swim in the sea, bungee jump, play football etc?

I havent researched much but i think french/swiss lace is the sturdiest (correct me if im wrong). Could i apply this to myself without a salon while travelling so i could do all these activities?

Would i be able to handle the heat and humidity?

How often would i need to take it off and clean it? And how long does this usually take - for secrecy?

Can you get any baber to cut just the sides of your hair with the system on if they dont cut the top too?

Hwo much equiptment would i need to carry abot? Would it all fit in a wash bag for example?

Thanks for reading sorry its such a long post just really not sure what hope i have left. Just want fo stop worrying again for once.

 

[BigOl'BaldingHead]

Have you tried min? And wait a year before you decide that finasteride does not work for you.

 

[Noah]

Hi Applepie. It's definitely doable. Here are some answers on your Qs:

Can i get one that i self manage and put on myself that is unnoticeable to sight and touch? Or maybe i meanto what extent is t unoticeable.

Managing your system yourself is very possible. Achieving an undetectable look is easy if you choose a hairstyle where the hairline is covered or partially covered. If you want an exposed hairline it takes a bit more work and practice, but still pretty easy. To achieve undetectability to the touch is more difficult, but still possible. For that you will need a custom-fitted piece, either all lace or thinskin, and you will have to be painstaking to get a good attachment with no wrinkles or overlaps, and you will have to keep up your maintenance. It is never 100% undetectable to the touch - you will still be able to feel it - but it can be undetectable enough to withstand intimate situations, casuals hands through the hair etc.

I have curly hair can i get an unoitceable hair system with curly? That doesnt look fake?

No on the contrary, curly hair is actually easier to make undetectable. Obviously you will need to get a good curl match, which you will do by sending a hair sample and photographs of what you want.

Is it always noticeable to touch?

See above

i want to travel for 6 months/ a year at a time in a few years, do South America etc. Has anyone travelled with a hair replacement system? Is it possible?

Yes. I have been hiking in remote mountain areas with mates for a month at a time. Obviously you need to carry some minimal supplies, but everything will fit into a pocket on your rucksack. Ideally you need somewhere private to take your system off, clean it and reattach every 14 days. It doesn't have to be anywhere fancy, but it should be cool and dry. It is much easier if you have two systems, so that you can do the clean-up separately from the change-over. If 14 days is not possible, you can stretch the maintenance cycle out to a month or so. The adhesives will still be OK, but the clean-up will be more laborious afterwards. If you are going to do this, definitely go for a style with a covered hairline. The look of the hairline does tend to deteriorate after 14 days.

Can i do any activity i want? Swim in the sea, bungee jump, play football etc?

Yes, none of those is a problem.

I havent researched much but i think french/swiss lace is the sturdiest (correct me if im wrong). Could i apply this to myself without a salon while travelling so i could do all these activities?

Sturdiness is the enemy of undetectability. Lace is not the most sturdy material, but it is a good choice if you want undetectability. French lace is slightly more robust than Swiss lace. You can apply a French or Swiss lace system yourself.

Would i be able to handle the heat and humidity?

If you are going somewhere hot and humid, I strongly advise you to choose a mesh ("lace") based system rather than a polythene film ("skin") based system, which is the main alternative. Lace is breathable and fairly cool. You can feel the wind and rain through the mesh base, and it lets sweat escape. Skin, on the other hand, is an impermeable membrane, which traps sweat underneath it.

How often would i need to take it off and clean it? And how long does this usually take - for secrecy?

See above. Ideally every 10-14 days, but you can extend it to a month if you need to, provided you don't have a very high maintenance hairstyle (e.g. very visible exposed hairline). Indicative timings once you get used to the process: taking the system off - 10 mins. Cleaning it and re-taping it - about half-an-hour if you have a hairdryer (much longer if you have to wait for it to air dry). Putting it on - 20 mins. As mentioned above, it makes a big difference if you have 2 systems, because then you can do a quick swap, and do the clean-up later.

Can you get any baber to cut just the sides of your hair with the system on if they dont cut the top too?

Yes. Just tell them you are wearing a hairpiece, and you just want them to trim your growing hair. They will clip the system up and do that.

Hwo much equiptment would i need to carry abot? Would it all fit in a wash bag for example?

Yes. Small bottle of glue, small bag of tapes, nail scissors, bottle of alcohol for removal, some cotton wool, shampoo and conditioner (small bottles). Leave-in conditioner. Fold-out mirror which you can hang on the back of a door if you need to. With the exception of the mirror, glue and tapes, they are all things you could buy on your travels if you are going to going through large towns.

Noah

 

[Applepie123]

Thanks a million for taking time to read and reply to everything, youre a life saver, reallt appreciate it.

Do you know any plaes i could find pictures of people with curly systems? And how obvious does the hair line look? I would cover the hair line with my style anywya so not the end of the workd but sAy there was a strong breeze etc? Also how long untik the system is ‘pull able’ off. I saw a post the other day about how someones came off during sex?

Also has anyone ever bene able to keep it unoticeable from a someone close to then i.e a girlfriend/boyfriend?

Thanks again

 

[Noah]

A pleasure, Applepie.

If it is properly put on, the hairline of a lace system can look very realistic. You would have to be looking at it from a few centimetres away to notice anything, and even then you would have to know what you were looking for. Provided your system has a graduated front and the knots are properly bleached, the edge of the system just looks like fine hairs or big pores. Very difficult to spot that you are wearing anything.

I have dated girls for several months, including sleeping and showering together, sex, beach time etc without them spotting that I wear anything, so yes, that is possible.

I will let BaldBearded explain how his system came to be pulled off during sex. Speaking for myself, my system can only be taken off by breaking the adhesive bond with alcohol. It couldn't be pulled off. If you pulled hard enough it you could probably pull the hairs out of the system and maybe even rip the base, but I don't believe the whole thing would pull off. The adhesives are extremely strong. But it depends how regular you are about maintenance. I re-do my system every week, so the adhesive bond is always fairly fresh and strong. If you leave it on for 3 weeks maybe it would deteriorate to the point where it could be pulled off.

I don't know anywhere that specialises in curly systems. Maybe just google "curly hair systems"?

Noah

 

[BaldBearded]

I use tape, and it was a very fresh bond, so it had not fully cured (24-hours). I also keep my own hair very short, and the back of the system is also short, so you can feel an edge. Heavy perspiration on a fresh bond = easy to loosen. Also... he was pulling on my hair...

As for curly... I work with a 23-year old guy who has a full head of long curly hair, and he uses a full-topper. You just need to learn how to order. A good thing to do is get a mix of smaller and larger curls.

 

[Applepie123]

Thanks a lot both of you guys, appreciate the help.

Every day i look into it i seem to have more and more questions. Is there anywhere thats good to start finding out all these things myself? Like finding out the basics between systems and maintenance etc.

Thanks again

 

[BaldBearded]

Thanks a lot both of you guys, appreciate the help.

Every day i look into it i seem to have more and more questions. Is there anywhere thats good to start finding out all these things myself? Like finding out the basics between systems and maintenance etc.

Thanks again

Here is really the best place... and @Noah is the total GURU!

My suggestion, for your first system, go to a REPUTABLE salon, that carries systems from a reputable vendor. They will make the template, determine color, density, hairline, style, etc... let them do the cut in, and they can teach you (or you can learn on Youtube) to do ALL your own maintenance. They should have no problem letting you have the template, and you can then send it off, and have new systems made, for less. You will only then need a stylist to do the cut-ins. Depending on your style, you can do your own haircuts (system OFF) yourself.

If you let us know where you are located, between @Noah ,@grincher and me, we can find you someone close by (hopefully).

Good luck, we are here for you.

OH!!! And I JUST switched to curly hair.... I will post a pic...



Warning... it's still a bit POOFY... just had it cut, and my sides are shaved, completely, no stubble. In a week, it will blend better.

 

[Noah]

Yes, lots of guys here to help on the specifics, me included. But if you are just doing some general research, YouTube is the best place now. There is no aspect of ordering, installing, wearing, and maintaining a system that has not been made the subject of a Youtube video - usually 3 or 4. Of course, as with all internet content, some are better than others, and there is a fair amount of commercial spin. One of the best and most objective resources is the Hair Direct YouTube channel. The videos are a bit unexciting, but there is a lot of very practical information there.

https://www.youtube.com/user/hairdirect/

Another good albeit smaller channel is M G Ford:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIAGr1b1pMBZ9Itc0DpVnHA

Curtis Mitchell's site MHE offers a useful insight into the kinds of issue you may encounter as a newbie wearer - particularly his early videos before he "went commercial" and started plugging his own merch.

https://www.youtube.com/user/MrRETIRINGEARLY

 

[Applepie123]

First of all, absolutely quality beard baldbearded, youre definitely not lacking hair there!

Ill look through all them pages for more general information etc. Thanks

My more specific questions ill ask on here if thats all okay?

I have frizzy curly hair as i said before. I was thinking of just shaving it and transitioning to a hair peice nowish so its more seemless however im worried. How close to my actual donor hair can i get a peice. Not having straight hair means its pretty hard surelt to get a decent replica. Ive seen a few sites which show you what curl level you are etc but is there anyway i could get it near perfect, and what would be the best way?

How long does s system last and what wears it down? Heat? Sunlight? Sweat? Whats the max you can push it? And say i had a peice in my bag (for travelling) for months but didnt wear it would it still be okay to use and say 4/5 months?

Thanks alot again guys

 

[Noah]

Hi Applepie

The best way of getting a perfect colour and texture match is to send a hair sample (several, if your hair is different in different parts of your head - e.g. more grey at the temples), and in the case of curly hair also a picture of the look you are going for.

I don't have curly hair, so I am only able to pass on what other guys have told me. The system hair is always processed to straight, and the curl is permed in. (Conceivably some dealer somewhere in the world is able to supply virgin naturally curly hair in different degrees of curl, but that is a highly specialist purchase - I am talking about the normal internet suppliers). Like any perm, the result is somewhat unpredictable and it is quite difficult to get a perfect curl match. The best way to cope with that is either to have long hair, so that the system hair covers everything and there is no real issue with matching, or to make a feature of the join by cropping your natural sides fairly short and leaving the system hair longer, so that there is a natural (and natural-looking) change of texture where the system meets your growing hair.

I usually retire my pieces after about 5 months, but that is being fairly rough with them in terms of sweaty sport, beach time etc. I could easily get 6 months if I was more careful with them. I have heard guys say they got a lot longer, but I think it depends how concerned you are about the look. If you are backpacking, then a bit of dried out bleached hair probably wouldn't bother you too much, whereas if you are the managing director of a bank it might. The main destructive factors are (1) the sun, (2) over-washing, (3) leaving it too long between maintenance sessions, so that the adhesive gets gummy and bleeds into the base and hair, requiring more rigorous cleaning, and (4) pulling tape off without taking time to release the adhesive bond. If you keep the piece in a ziploc bag out of the sun it will last pretty much indefinitely.

Noah