Back After A Decade! Are Systems The Answer?

[bonzo]

Just logged in and noticed it’s been a decade I joined and last did something about the (lack of) hair!!
It must’ve been at the end of the good days I was last here, just before the point of no return; I didn’t opt for drastic treatment and have buzzed it since, whilst in a slow descent to NW6

I’m so sick of the shaved look - I always hated it and have always hoped for a miracle cure. I've waited patiently but ultimately futilely for a miracle cure :dang them:

Now after seeing a few YouTube videos, I’m hooked on the idea of a hair system - it’s the only way I’ll achieve the look I want. I’m sure a lot of people here are familiar with how self-esteem and pride in appearance may be linked with hair - for me losing the hair was the turning point of me ‘giving up’ - weight ballooned, dressed like a slob, could barely care less at times.
Are the YouTube videos giving me unrealistic hopes? for example, this video (at 2m10s) https://youtu.be/5gAFXQQXCuA?t=2m9s is my ideal style, if I could get this as realistic as his, I’d sign up now. I’d lose all the hang-ups related to appearance and finally give a damn again


I’m going through the forum systematically (this board specifically) and hoping to gain all the insight from over the years (although starting from the back seems a poor idea as some 2004 posts feel so dated given the technological progress) and wanted to check a few things whilst I research

The obvious first issue I’m grappling with is ‘coming out’ as a rugged man (that’s rugged as in 'with rug’ and not rugged as in chiseled!). Some people talk about hiding it! There’s surely no hiding it for me after sporting a smooth bald head for a decade and suddenly turning up with a head of luscious hair - all the people I know, work with, live around, have me on Facebook etc all will know. I assume this must be the same for most users - many go from total baldness to a headful of hair - how do they deal with the initial stages of wearing one? Do they get unbearably teased and ribbed forever more? Or do people quickly forget? I could take a few cheeky comments and laugh them off if it’s just short-term.
I would have thought that 6 months, 12 months down the line, your new look becomes your look and whilst people know it’s fake, they kinda forget about it over time or get used to the rug
I’m not the most observant person in the world, but I’ve never noticed a wig on anyone, so I’m assuming the overwhelming majority of new people you meet can’t tell.


And perhaps the one that is bugging me - there are LOADS of posts in the treatment boards and relatively few on this one. That suggests many are going to great lengths with meds but few are gluing rugs. What’s the reason why?!?
surely if something like this is as good as it seems https://youtu.be/RrzsDvdBzIk?t=1m37s then we’d all get it?? what’s the reason this isn’t the popular solution?


I know it’s been recommended to order your own system but sometimes I prefer paying an expert to hold my hand through the process. Only problem is it seems like many providers and all have some negative reviews online. It’s a minefield! I’m really in 2 minds for my first piece.


And finally a technical question before I commit gung-ho to this idea…..my work sometimes requires me to go into furnace rooms for short periods, they can get quite hot, imagine being in a room on fire (with adequate PPE/protection etc but it’s still hot). Does this interfere with the adhesive (don’t mind if it peels off, just don’t want it to melt to my scalp and burn me permanently, or be hauled in front of the boss and have it forcibly ripped off)


fingers crossed….i hope this is the solution that i’ve been looking forward
thanks for replies

 

[Noah]

Hi Bonzo

Ah yes, the miracle cure. There always seems to be someone in Osaka or Stockholm who is just on the cusp. Meanwhile here we are discussing the same solution that Tutankhamen and Louis XIV used.

The good news is that hair replacement technology genuinely has moved on substantially in the last 10 years. Lightweight undetectable bases which used to be only available to Hollywood stars are now as cheap as chips off the Net. Custom-made hairpiece glues and tapes mean that your piece is almost as securely on as your real hair. Best of all, there is a ton of high quality information available on forums like this and on YouTube, which mean you can take control of your hair system as never before. The look in that video is very readily achievable.

I made the switch before I went visibly bald, so I haven't had to "come out". But I agree with you - if everyone knows you are slick bald and suddenly you have a full head of hair, people are going to know. The new people you meet won't know, but your existing friends and acquaintances will. Most people won't call you out, but there may be a few nosy women or laddish men who will ask about it or joke about it. The best way to deal with that, I think, is just to smile politely and say nothing. Give them no feedback whatsoever and they will stop doing it, either through politeness, embarrassment or boredom. You may still be the subject of the occasional bit of gossip behind your back. If you can't face that, hair replacement at this stage is probably not for you. Or of course you can just come clean about it. You definitely don't want to deny it or lie about it.

As to why it is not more popular, that is partly just this forum, which is very geared to drugs 'n' plugs. But partly it is because of the famous stigma associated with wearing a "rug", putting up a false front, the fear of being caught, or of having to tell a long-term partner. That is the dealbreaker for many guys. It's a shame, because hairpieces are such a good solution in so many way compared to transplants, tattoos and drugs, but that psychological thing really puts a lot of people off. For what it's worth my experience is that women (in fact people generally) are far more accepting of hair replacement than you might expect from reading the Internet or magazines, and once you have confronted the issue once, you realise it's not such a big deal and the angst goes away. For some reason there is a tremendous amount of social baggage connected to the idea of men wearing artificial hair. But when confronted with the reality that someone you know and like went bald, and they hated being bald, and so they have bought a patch of artificial hair to give them the look of normal hair again, most people get that, and the psycho-baggage disappears.

On your technical question, if the furnace room is cool enough for you to go into it safely, it will be OK for your hair system and adhesive too. The only caveat is use a human hair piece, not synthetic. Synthetic hair is very heat sensitive. There are other good reasons to use human hair anyway.

Good luck with your investigations

Noah

 

[Hairy bear]

G'day I've went through this process recently, the big worries were, will the system look sh*t and will I be laughed out of town/how will I come out.

First system was horrendous! The worst you could imagine, and they completely fucked up the cut, it was worse than terrible, big thick base like a hessian bag and thickish double sided tape to hold it on, making a brim not an 'undetectable hairline'
Depressed and cheated I ripped it off that night and went back the next day, looking for some $$$ and ready to shave again! They pulled out a stock lace unit, not great but not bad!, hacked it up to my template and glued it to my skull, I LOVED IT!
If since bought a skin system I don't like ( currently wearing it) as I can't style it the same ( I like a brushed back, exposed hairline with spikes, off to one side or the other) but it's not a bad gap filler, and better than the shrek look!

I'd say 100 percent go for it man! I've got one chick I'm crazy about, and shitting myself wearing the system, I met her 'your hair looks great she said!' I knew it did too, had zero appreciation walking about town, you know when it's right and when it's wrong!
I've never been caught out, but sometimes I still get paranoid, if people nearby are laughing etc. but a good test for this is to wear a baseball cap, and see if the same sort of things randomly happen!

Worrying about the reveal is much much worse than doing it, trust me on that.

I'm happy but I've got a ways to go, I know I can get a much better look, for less. I want to order a graduated front med light density from Norwood lace, but I'm not sure about templates and correct colour etc. I have learned a bit, can do rebonds with tape and reglue front lace if it's a full bond. Etc.

Noah is so helpful on here, he got me through the doing it bit!
I've not had much luck with front hairline, the good system ( lace ) was butchered and as such has two flaps of lace all round and it never sticks that good, but I'm sure a custom would be much better! And a material type lace ( like cloth? Not plastic'ish ) that's stretchy might stay down longer too?


Go for it man, and good luck

 

[Jimbo5]

bear, my man ... good to see ya!!!


But I must ask ... is it really worth all the trouble???.........................

 

[Dnpuntold]

Unrelated question .This front material sticking out is to be cut out I presume ?

Just got it delivered and I'm gonna attach it so I can run out to a salon to get it cut ,but ya this boggles me it doesn't look like it's supposed to stay but then again why would it be send like that if it's supposed to be cut out xD. Better make sure and ask the pros

 

[Noah]

Yes, DNPuntold, the hairless strip at the front is meant to be cut off. Use a sharp pair of scissors, and cut it just in front of the front hair.

 

[bonzo]

thank you all for the replies; apologies for the delay in responding - my mind has been racing about this topic and I haven't found the words or time to give a succinct reply

i'm still all over the place with my thoughts. I'm constantly flip-flopping (e.g. there's a line in this article http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39287955 which saddened me, but then today I walked past a nail bar that listed all sorts of artificial options and solutions.....). the comments here were horrific http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4328668/Gareth-Bale-receive-hair-transplant.html but the commenters on *that* site are never aligned with my views.
I bought a silly fake wig (fancy dress) from the internet as a little test. I'm asking trusted people. I'm looking on the 2 sites popular with users here.
I'm still incredibly keen in principle, but perhaps I won't rush it. some research and a careful, considered approach and I think I will at some point make that commitment. maybe I'll do a trial run. I do also need to solve the work issue of heat exposure. the rooms are very hot - the limit of human endurance - but we're quite well protected. I wouldn't care about its appearance and performance at this point, just that it's safe. to be honest this is such a niche issue I'm unsure it's ever come up before. I certainly haven't seen anything on the message boards I've read through.
in the meantime, I'll be lurking and watching here, learning what I can.


I'll sign off with the question I haven't been able to answer - how does it feel? is it like wearing a lace cap at all times? is it uncomfortable? do you get used to it? the cheap wig I picked up is horrible to wear for extended periods, but I appreciate it's at the other end of the spectrum quality-wise.

 

[bonzo]

well my grand plan fell at the first hurdle. instead of losing weight to get ready for the system, I put a load on
back to the drawing board. shift the belly. upgrade the wardrobe. fix everything else in my control and then get this as a literal crowning glory

 

[Twopint2222]

Hey everyone my first ever post on this forum i notice you spoke about concern with the "reveal" i have the same problem getting it done in like 3 weeks but to be honest i am just thinking it will die down in a couple of weeks once most people see it plus im a mechanic so i totally exspect a bit of banter

 

[Noah]

Good luck Twopint. If you need any help when you get it, please ask.

 

[Twopint2222]

Good luck Twopint. If you need any help when you get it, please ask.

Thanks noah im sure il have some questions but i think its going to be a case of learn as time goes on , im getting a thin skin system, the woman at the salon said its fixed for 6-8 weeks but that seems abit of an over statement?

 

[yurguardianangel]

Thanks noah im sure il have some questions but i think its going to be a case of learn as time goes on , im getting a thin skin system, the woman at the salon said its fixed for 6-8 weeks but that seems abit of an over statement?

6-8 weeks is marketing bullshit, 2-4 weeks is much more realistic until it gets cleaned up and re-glued/taped.

 

[Noah]

You're right YGA. I would say 14 days is max from a scalp hygiene perspective.

 

[yurguardianangel]

You're right YGA. I would say 14 days is max from a scalp hygiene perspective.

Yeah and can't see a glue lasting longer than 4 weeks without lifting.

Maybe the entire scalp with a solvent based glue might, but would wreck the skin without a scalp protector.

 

[Twopint2222]

Had it done yesterday what you think?

 

[Noah]

You look good with and without the piece, but just for fun I had a go at estimating your age before looking at your profile. I guessed 31 with the piece and 41 without. It changes you from an early middle-aged man back to a young guy, which is what you are. Good job.

 

[BaldBearded]

Had it done yesterday what you think?

Wow... you look great! Fun style!