Can I Get A Better Hairline Using A Lace System?

[Borman]

I've been wearing for just over a year now and I'm only just starting to get the hang of cleaning and refitting my system to a certain standard. What I want to know is how much better a lace front system would be for a near invisible hairline.

I see mine as glaringly obvious.

Any thoughts or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Btw the system is a thin skin poly number.

 

[Noah]

Hi Borman

I wouldn't say it was 'glaringly obvious'; I think it looks good. The color match is spot on. You could do with a bit more blending at the back and sides, but that is a detail point which probably no one but another wearer would pick up. Again, with the hairline, you do see young guys with a shock of natural hair like that, but if you want a look which draws less attention to itself you need a graduated hairline - where the first few millimetres have sparser hair, and the hair density builds up over the first inch or so back from the hairline. I think graduated hairlines are probably easier to achieve on lace than on thinskin, because the lace material disappears against your skin, whereas with thinskin you kinda need the hair to conceal the base.

But not at all a bad result in my view. Have you had adverse comments on it, or are you just self-critiquing?

Noah

 

[Borman]

Thanks for the reply Noah,

I've not had anyone openly come out and say anything about it. I have had stares and passing remarks like 'have you dyed your hair?' or 'what have you been doing to your hair.' Nothing I can't easily dismiss. I'd just feel more confident about it if I couldn't see the base.

Do you have any recommendations for purchasing lace systems online?


Cheers,

Borman.

 

[Noah]

I sent you a PM - don't want to look like I'm pushing a particular vendor on the site.

 

[Ant70c]

Thanks for the reply Noah,

I've not had anyone openly come out and say anything about it. I have had stares and passing remarks like 'have you dyed your hair?' or 'what have you been doing to your hair.' Nothing I can't easily dismiss. I'd just feel more confident about it if I couldn't see the base.

Do you have any recommendations for purchasing lace systems online?


Cheers,

Borman.

Where did you get your system from ??I'm new to all this and can't decide
Cheers ant

 

[grincher]

Generally, its ok, but some improvements can be made esp to from hairline and density.

 

[Borman]

Generally, its ok, but some improvements can be made esp to from hairline and density.

Hey grincher,

I agree that it could be a little less dense. What would say would be more life like? Medium? Medium light?

Cheers for the reply.

Jordan.

 

[Borman]

Where did you get your system from ??I'm new to all this and can't decide
Cheers ant

Hey Ant,

If you're struggling with the idea of getting one, I'd say do it. It'll change your life for the better. I've noticed that if people have anything to say it's always positive. Be prepared for people wanting to touch it.

The system I'm wearing at the moment I got through a 'hair club' type salon for more money than is sustainable on my income. So I couldn't tell you where they got it from but I can tell you the quality can vary wildly. The first system I got in January of 2016 was terrible. The woman never cut the excess off of the epic and I was walking about with what looked like an inch of celllotape on my forehead. The system started to shed within a week. I mean shed badly, the piece was hairless on the top within a couple of weeks which left me quite depressed and I felt I was stuck with them. They blamed me for the bad system and I had to shell out another £400. That's £800 in month which is over over half of my income on an average month.

I initially blamed myself as the next system was better all round. It didn't shed and it seemed to be much better quality. About 3 months later and a lot more experience I got another bad system. Same as before only I knew it definitely wasn't my fault. They tried to blame me again but I wasn't having it. I still had to fork out another £150 on top of it but it didn't seem too bad considering it could have been over double that.

I think what I'm trying to say is there's a steep learning curve but the internet is your best friend. Got to a salon for the first 2 or 3, whatcha how they work. Then go DIY. It's cheaper and you won't be beholden to anyone.

Hope this helped.

Jordan.

 

[Noah]

That's actually not a bad price for a salon, but obviously it's only worth it if you are getting a consistent service which leaves you feeling confident in how you look. You could be getting top quality systems off the Net for half that price, and they would last you at least 4 months. It involves a bit more work, particularly at the start when you make a template and decide on your ordering specs, and you also need to factor in the cost of cutting the pieces in. But spending half your income, or even a quarter, on hair is not sustainable, so I think it would be worth your while making the transition to DIY.

 

[grincher]

I would start light then build up later if needs be. I DIY at home at £250 a piece and get 6-8 months each. They could go longer (and I do keep them as emergency ones) but I change to keep them looking tip top.

 

[Ant70c]

From the research I have done so far I thought hairclub was really bad and not a lot of of people recommended them .. I do want one as it's making me depressed just don't want a sh*t one that's gonna cause more problems and more stress
Ant



QUOTE="Borman, post: 1439408, member: 118284"]Hey Ant,

If you're struggling with the idea of getting one, I'd say do it. It'll change your life for the better. I've noticed that if people have anything to say it's always positive. Be prepared for people wanting to touch it.

The system I'm wearing at the moment I got through a 'hair club' type salon for more money than is sustainable on my income. So I couldn't tell you where they got it from but I can tell you the quality can vary wildly. The first system I got in January of 2016 was terrible. The woman never cut the excess off of the epic and I was walking about with what looked like an inch of celllotape on my forehead. The system started to shed within a week. I mean shed badly, the piece was hairless on the top within a couple of weeks which left me quite depressed and I felt I was stuck with them. They blamed me for the bad system and I had to shell out another £400. That's £800 in month which is over over half of my income on an average month.

I initially blamed myself as the next system was better all round. It didn't shed and it seemed to be much better quality. About 3 months later and a lot more experience I got another bad system. Same as before only I knew it definitely wasn't my fault. They tried to blame me again but I wasn't having it. I still had to fork out another £150 on top of it but it didn't seem too bad considering it could have been over double that.

I think what I'm trying to say is there's a steep learning curve but the internet is your best friend. Got to a salon for the first 2 or 3, whatcha how they work. Then go DIY. It's cheaper and you won't be beholden to anyone.

Hope this helped.

Jordan.[/QUOTE]

 

[Noah]

Hi Ant

I guess Jordan/Borman will give you his own take on this issue, but here is mine.

When people talk about the Hair Club type of supplier, they usually mean a salon which supplies you with a system which they attach to your head with a hard bond (basically Superglue). It's actually not glued to your scalp, but to a track of stubble that they cut around your bald patch. It is meant to stay on for a month at a time, and only they can take it off. And in fact the glue does hold for a month at the back and sides (most people don't have enough hair at the front to make a glue track, so the hairline is taped to your scalp, and it has to be changed 3 or 4 times by you during the month). The supposed virtue of this method is that you don't have to do anything - you miraculously get a full head of hair, and you don't have to even think about the fact that you're wearing a system except on your monthly appointment - they do everything for you (they don't tell you about having to change the hairline tape until you are already wearing the system).

There are, however, a number of serious problems with Hair Club and the other operations that use the same methodology. First, you have no control over your own system, you are totally dependent on them. If something goes wrong - say you tear the system - if they can't fit you in for an appointment, you're out of luck. Second, in order for you to be able to wear the same hair system for a whole month without maintenance, it has to be very robust. But robustness is the exact opposite of what makes a good hair system. The best quality most undetectable systems are delicate. Those systems would not stand being worn for a month at a time. So Hair Club systems are not the best quality - they are rugged (no pun intended), but they are pretty detectable. Usually with a Hair Club system you are forced to try to cover up the hairline, because people would be able to tell it was fake. Thirdly, the Hair Club attachment method doesn't work - your hair grows during the month, and the system, which is attached to a track of hair, gets loose. By the end of the month it is shifting around, and you can stick your finger under the base. Fourthly, its unhygienic to keep a system on for a month at a time - like wearing the same pair of underpants for a month. Dead skin, sweat and shampoo residue get trapped under the base - yuck.

This is why many people who come to hair systems via the Hair Club hate it and give up. And that is without even mentioning the prices they charge. But that doesn't mean hair systems don't work - they can actually be a great solution to hair loss. But you have to take control of the process, either by doing it on a DIY basis or getting help from a decent salon which doesn't use the Hair Club approach.

Noah

 

[Ant70c]

Thanks for the reply .. I just want a good system in the uk .. I did go speak to Phil at hair4all and I know a lot of people where ripped off few years back most of the latest reviews have been good I'm stuck on where to go hair4all or ukhairsystems ....

Hi Ant

I guess Jordan/Borman will give you his own take on this issue, but here is mine.

When people talk about the Hair Club type of supplier, they usually mean a salon which supplies you with a system which they attach to your head with a hard bond (basically Superglue). It's actually not glued to your scalp, but to a track of stubble that they cut around your bald patch. It is meant to stay on for a month at a time, and only they can take it off. And in fact the glue does hold for a month at the back and sides (most people don't have enough hair at the front to make a glue track, so the hairline is taped to your scalp, and it has to be changed 3 or 4 times by you during the month). The supposed virtue of this method is that you don't have to do anything - you miraculously get a full head of hair, and you don't have to even think about the fact that you're wearing a system except on your monthly appointment - they do everything for you (they don't tell you about having to change the hairline tape until you are already wearing the system).

There are, however, a number of serious problems with Hair Club and the other operations that use the same methodology. First, you have no control over your own system, you are totally dependent on them. If something goes wrong - say you tear the system - if they can't fit you in for an appointment, you're out of luck. Second, in order for you to be able to wear the same hair system for a whole month without maintenance, it has to be very robust. But robustness is the exact opposite of what makes a good hair system. The best quality most undetectable systems are delicate. Those systems would not stand being worn for a month at a time. So Hair Club systems are not the best quality - they are rugged (no pun intended), but they are pretty detectable. Usually with a Hair Club system you are forced to try to cover up the hairline, because people would be able to tell it was fake. Thirdly, the Hair Club attachment method doesn't work - your hair grows during the month, and the system, which is attached to a track of hair, gets loose. By the end of the month it is shifting around, and you can stick your finger under the base. Fourthly, its unhygienic to keep a system on for a month at a time - like wearing the same pair of underpants for a month. Dead skin, sweat and shampoo residue get trapped under the base - yuck.

This is why many people who come to hair systems via the Hair Club hate it and give up. And that is without even mentioning the prices they charge. But that doesn't mean hair systems don't work - they can actually be a great solution to hair loss. But you have to take control of the process, either by doing it on a DIY basis or getting help from a decent salon which doesn't use the Hair Club approach.

Noah

anks

 

[CITech]

I work for a doctor who offers hairpieces for men that don't want to travel the long road of surgical hair restoration. He offers hairpieces that are hand made from human hair. The scalp is visible when the hair is parted and looks completely natural. Someone I know personally had one fitted last Friday. The issue I see with hairpieces relate to the hairline. Someone who is, say an extreme Norwood 6 or 7 could have a natural hairline grafted that would blend with the hairpiece hair. The piece my friend had fitted looked more natural than any I have ever seen, and he looked great. For me personally, I have some hair loss and would possibly be interested in a realistic long hair piece for fun. My hair loss does not bother me personally enough to go the daily hairpiece route. I think I would look better with a full head of hair, but the maintenance and the thought of gluing it to my scalp would be an issue for me personally. My scalp also becomes uncomfortable when I skip shampooing for more than a couple of days.

 

[Paget1]

Hi Ant

I guess Jordan/Borman will give you his own take on this issue, but here is mine.

When people talk about the Hair Club type of supplier, they usually mean a salon which supplies you with a system which they attach to your head with a hard bond (basically Superglue). It's actually not glued to your scalp, but to a track of stubble that they cut around your bald patch. It is meant to stay on for a month at a time, and only they can take it off. And in fact the glue does hold for a month at the back and sides (most people don't have enough hair at the front to make a glue track, so the hairline is taped to your scalp, and it has to be changed 3 or 4 times by you during the month). The supposed virtue of this method is that you don't have to do anything - you miraculously get a full head of hair, and you don't have to even think about the fact that you're wearing a system except on your monthly appointment - they do everything for you (they don't tell you about having to change the hairline tape until you are already wearing the system).

There are, however, a number of serious problems with Hair Club and the other operations that use the same methodology. First, you have no control over your own system, you are totally dependent on them. If something goes wrong - say you tear the system - if they can't fit you in for an appointment, you're out of luck. Second, in order for you to be able to wear the same hair system for a whole month without maintenance, it has to be very robust. But robustness is the exact opposite of what makes a good hair system. The best quality most undetectable systems are delicate. Those systems would not stand being worn for a month at a time. So Hair Club systems are not the best quality - they are rugged (no pun intended), but they are pretty detectable. Usually with a Hair Club system you are forced to try to cover up the hairline, because people would be able to tell it was fake. Thirdly, the Hair Club attachment method doesn't work - your hair grows during the month, and the system, which is attached to a track of hair, gets loose. By the end of the month it is shifting around, and you can stick your finger under the base. Fourthly, its unhygienic to keep a system on for a month at a time - like wearing the same pair of underpants for a month. Dead skin, sweat and shampoo residue get trapped under the base - yuck.

This is why many people who come to hair systems via the Hair Club hate it and give up. And that is without even mentioning the prices they charge. But that doesn't mean hair systems don't work - they can actually be a great solution to hair loss. But you have to take control of the process, either by doing it on a DIY basis or getting help from a decent salon which doesn't use the Hair Club approach.

Noah

 

[Paget1]

Hi Noah
I am new to this and have just read your post which it seems you have experience in hair systems.
If I were to make an appointment with one of the Hair Clinics with reference to a hair system , what questions should i ask during the consultation? From what I have read it seems it can be a bit confusing and frustrating in the end product and maintenance issues. Really would welcome a reply so i can go armed with correct questions. Many thanks in advance.

 

[Noah]

Ant - I sent you a PM

Hi Paget - First of course you want to know what kind of systems they are selling. Many salons seem to prefer plastic based ("thinskin") systems, but for the average guy lace is better in my view, and you absolutely need a lace hairline if you want to be able to wear your hair combed off your forehead with the hairline visible.

Second, ask them how maintenance of the system works. Steer clear of any salon which suggests that you can keep the piece on for longer than 10 days at a time. Be wary of a salon that purports to do everything for you, and where you are not expected to take the system off or put it on yourself. For your own peace of mind you need to retain control of your system, even if in practice you usually let a salon do the maintenance.

Most reputable salons should be able to let you meet an existing customer who wears one of their systems. Those guys are usually getting cheap systems in exchange for talking to prospective new customers, but at least you will be able to have a good look at the hairline, the color match and the blend between the system hair and the real hair, and assess whether you would be OK to live with a similar outcome. At best, you can take him for a coffee and he will give you the behind the scenes gen on the salon and the system.

Assuming you are happy with that and want to proceed, you should discuss (1) what, if any, commitment you are being asked to make in terms of future payments or purchases; (2) what after-sales service they will provide and at what cost; (3) what adhesives they will be using, and how long they can be expected to last; (4) how long the system itself should be expected to last, and what assurances they can give if it doesn't (for example if it loses hair). You should ask them to set aside a free appointment to take you through the whole process of removing, cleaning and reattaching.

After sales service is the most important thing when you are starting out. Frequently people find that the first choice of adhesive doesn't work that well, or maybe causes irritation. There a lots of choices out there, but you want them to work with you to experiment until you find the right combination. So you want a commitment that in the first month they will provide up to X hours of time (ideally free) to work with you if you have any teething problems - e.g. the glue not working, the hairline lifting, the system losing hair, you can get the system on in the right position etc. etc. Hopefully by the end of the first month you should be getting the hang of it.

Noah

 

[Paget1]

Hi Noah,
Many thanks Sir for this advice. I will keep you updated on how I get on. Thanks again much appreciated.
Paget1

 

[Jamieuk1]

Hi this is my first post. I don't mean to hijac the post but i have a few questions, following my first hair system at a 'clinic' and it was not a good experience.

I live in Birmingham, West Midlands and I can't seem to find any trust worthy clinic/salon. None of them will do a custom system i.e: medium/light density, with swiss lace front etc.

Does anybody have any suggestions? This system is too thick and although i've had it thinned out, I know i am pushing the border of noticable!

Thanks
Jamie

 

[Paget1]

Hi Jamie
Which clinics did you try ?