Embrace One Or The Other - Thanks Please

[UpAway]

Hey All,

My first time posting and boy do I wish I did one year ago.

Long story short, 24, Norwood 7, failed FUE transplant, huge over harvesting and white dot scarring on back of my head and the top doesn't look to good either. Tried SMP in the scaring but the ink does not take.

If you're norwood 6 with limited funds do NOT try hair transplant no matter what the surgeon tells you!

Two options

1. Embrace my mistakes - harder said than done - social anxiety every time i step out the door built up over 18+months
2. Embrace Full Cap Wig - Have fun with hair in my youth and stop worrying about my mistakes to an extent.

I wanted to ask you guys as current/past wearers what your advice would be.

My issues -

Embrace Mistakes - harder said than done, social anxiety every time i step out the door built up over 18+months as mistakes on show to everyone, constant staring, affect personal and professional relationships. Will take a lot of hard work to come out of this but is the long term solution

Embrace Full Cap Wig - All ready having thoughts of it falling off, maintenance, cost etc + is it a long term soloution?

The more I write, the more I am leaning towards embracing a full cap wig. I feel like I can regain some of my better days (allowed myself to become miserable) and at least try to enjoy my twenties.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Jimbo5]

jesus ******* christ, NW7 at 24!!

HOW MANY MORE DUDES HAVE TO HAVE THEIR LIVES RUINED BEFORE THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY STARTS TAKING THIS **** MORE SERIOUSLY!!!

I swear, if I was a multi-billionaire (instead of just a millionaire ), I'd offer a $10 BILLION reward to anyone who could END this ******* male pattern baldness NIGHTMARE!!


Don't know what to say, Up. You've obviously been dealt a brutal hand.

I've read that most full cap wigs look bogus ... but, by all means, do your own research on them.

At the end of the day, tho, you may have no choice but to become another hat slave...

 

[shookwun]

Honestly bro a transplant at NW7 is a no go. It will only resemble very thinning hair all over.

only option is toupee or bald.

good luck.

Could have a transplant to reinforce your sides, and temple points. Then wear a topper.

I dont think a full cap is a good option.

 

[transam]

Honestly bro a transplant at NW7 is a no go. It will only resemble very thinning hair all over.

only option is toupee or bald.

good luck.

Could have a transplant to reinforce your sides, and temple points. Then wear a topper.

I dont think a full cap is a good option.

Shook ,what if they transplant hair from the butt-crack, will it fix a NW7?

 

[Noah]

Yeah, obviously there are those who will strongly disagree, but my view is that transplantation is only viable for those who are not going to progress beyond NW2 or maybe 3. Those guys can bring their hairlines down a bit, and even if it is a bit light and fuzzy it looks OK against a backdrop of decent natural hair behind. Anything beyond NW4 and the coverage you get is just too thin to give an aesthetically satisfying result, for me anyway. Certainly by the time you get to NW6 it just isn't a viable option unless you want to look like Joe Biden. For those guys the choice is shaving or a hair system.

As for full caps, they are fine if your hair has absolutely had it, but they do limit the styles you can have, and it is hard to make them undetectable to the touch. Really the only styles you can do are medium and shaggy, or long. Any short sharp styles are out. For that reason I would try to make do with a topper if you possibly can, and today's fashionable undercut styles are fantastic for a guy with thin sides who is wearing a topper.

Noah

 

[UpAway]

jesus ******* christ, NW7 at 24!!

HOW MANY MORE DUDES HAVE TO HAVE THEIR LIVES RUINED BEFORE THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY STARTS TAKING THIS **** MORE SERIOUSLY!!!

I swear, if I was a multi-billionaire (instead of just a millionaire ), I'd offer a $10 BILLION reward to anyone who could END this ******* male pattern baldness NIGHTMARE!!


Don't know what to say, Up. You've obviously been dealt a brutal hand.

I've read that most full cap wigs look bogus ... but, by all means, do your own research on them.

At the end of the day, tho, you may have no choice but to become another hat slave...

Thanks for your reply Jimbo. Yep I can't be the only one in this situation. TBH there are a lot worse things that could happen but this is on the top of my head!

Already a hat slave but what about when I need to go to work. I've been avoiding getting a job now for a few months but it's making me more depressed.

We're all slaves in one way or another I guess but this really sucks!

 

[UpAway]

Yeah, obviously there are those who will strongly disagree, but my view is that transplantation is only viable for those who are not going to progress beyond NW2 or maybe 3. Those guys can bring their hairlines down a bit, and even if it is a bit light and fuzzy it looks OK against a backdrop of decent natural hair behind. Anything beyond NW4 and the coverage you get is just too thin to give an aesthetically satisfying result, for me anyway. Certainly by the time you get to NW6 it just isn't a viable option unless you want to look like Joe Biden. For those guys the choice is shaving or a hair system.

As for full caps, they are fine if your hair has absolutely had it, but they do limit the styles you can have, and it is hard to make them undetectable to the touch. Really the only styles you can do are medium and shaggy, or long. Any short sharp styles are out. For that reason I would try to make do with a topper if you possibly can, and today's fashionable undercut styles are fantastic for a guy with thin sides who is wearing a topper.

Noah

Thanks fr your reply Noah.

I just want to cover up this mess and get on with my life. Maybe I should just wear a turban to work.

I've wasted too much time already worrying about it.

 

[FootyStar]

Hey All,

My first time posting and boy do I wish I did one year ago.

Long story short, 24, Norwood 7, failed FUE transplant, huge over harvesting and white dot scarring on back of my head and the top doesn't look to good either. Tried SMP in the scaring but the ink does not take.

If you're norwood 6 with limited funds do NOT try hair transplant no matter what the surgeon tells you!

Two options

1. Embrace my mistakes - harder said than done - social anxiety every time i step out the door built up over 18+months
2. Embrace Full Cap Wig - Have fun with hair in my youth and stop worrying about my mistakes to an extent.

I wanted to ask you guys as current/past wearers what your advice would be.

My issues -

Embrace Mistakes - harder said than done, social anxiety every time i step out the door built up over 18+months as mistakes on show to everyone, constant staring, affect personal and professional relationships. Will take a lot of hard work to come out of this but is the long term solution

Embrace Full Cap Wig - All ready having thoughts of it falling off, maintenance, cost etc + is it a long term soloution?

The more I write, the more I am leaning towards embracing a full cap wig. I feel like I can regain some of my better days (allowed myself to become miserable) and at least try to enjoy my twenties.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I am very sorry to hear about your situation. I cannot imagine what must be experiencing at the moment as baldness itself is bad enough, but scars as well? Damn.

You said that you tried SMP but the ink did not take - how many sessions did they do for your head? I know someone who has had it done (I'm considering it myself) and it took them several sessions to get their skin to take to the ink (the immune system tends to wash away residue ink and it sometimes washes away too much).

 

[UpAway]

I am very sorry to hear about your situation. I cannot imagine what must be experiencing at the moment as baldness itself is bad enough, but scars as well? Damn.

You said that you tried SMP but the ink did not take - how many sessions did they do for your head? I know someone who has had it done (I'm considering it myself) and it took them several sessions to get their skin to take to the ink (the immune system tends to wash away residue ink and it sometimes washes away too much).

HOW I WOULD LOVE TO BE BALD RIGHT NOW!

I had 2 smp sessions but it's just a stupid gimmick to make money. Sure it looks good in the photos and even in person but it's better to just be bald. Chances are if you're insecure about being bald you're going to be insecure about having tattooed dots on your head.

 

[FootyStar]

HOW I WOULD LOVE TO BE BALD RIGHT NOW!

I had 2 smp sessions but it's just a stupid gimmick to make money. Sure it looks good in the photos and even in person but it's better to just be bald. Chances are if you're insecure about being bald you're going to be insecure about having tattooed dots on your head.

Baldness is just one big nightmare - we're stigmatized for everything we do and it just sucks mate. Seriously f*k any SMP guys and hair transplant surgeons who are out there to make a quick buck while ruining peoples' lives!

I agree with Noah that a topper might be way to go if SMP is not viable for you. How thick is the hair on the sides and back of your head? Do you have much temple recession?

 

[UpAway]

Baldness is just one big nightmare - we're stigmatized for everything we do and it just sucks mate. Seriously f*k any SMP guys and hair transplant surgeons who are out there to make a quick buck while ruining peoples' lives!

I agree with Noah that a topper might be way to go if SMP is not viable for you. How thick is the hair on the sides and back of your head? Do you have much temple recession?

I haven't let it grow out in 2 years. Going to try for a month and try a topper if possible. Otherwise might have to go full cap.

Why is everyone against full caps?

 

[FootyStar]

I haven't let it grow out in 2 years. Going to try for a month and try a topper if possible. Otherwise might have to go full cap.

Why is everyone against full caps?

I personally don't have anything against full caps as that is my only option to have a full head of hair ever again (I have no head hair at all).

It's just that they are unnecessary if you have a decent amount of hair around the sides and back. In addition to the limitations Noah mentioned in his post earlier, full caps also cost more than toppers. Furthermore, since the edges of the piece extend all the way around your head it also requires a bit more work to keep all those edges flush against your skin (particularly around the nape of the neck which is more sinewy). I hear they can also get quite hot on your head if they are not ventilated properly.

One advantage though is you don't have to worry about blending it in with existing hair.

 

[shookwun]

HOW I WOULD LOVE TO BE BALD RIGHT NOW!

I had 2 smp sessions but it's just a stupid gimmick to make money. Sure it looks good in the photos and even in person but it's better to just be bald. Chances are if you're insecure about being bald you're going to be insecure about having tattooed dots on your head.

It rely is.

This SMP gimmick is actually more stressful, and work induced then having a NW7.


Every other day shaving your head to match the tattoo.

 

[CopeForLife]

NW7 at 24..

reinforce temples with hair transplant and do a wig

I do not see another ways

 

[UpAway]

I personally don't have anything against full caps as that is my only option to have a full head of hair ever again (I have no head hair at all).

It's just that they are unnecessary if you have a decent amount of hair around the sides and back. In addition to the limitations Noah mentioned in his post earlier, full caps also cost more than toppers. Furthermore, since the edges of the piece extend all the way around your head it also requires a bit more work to keep all those edges flush against your skin (particularly around the nape of the neck which is more sinewy). I hear they can also get quite hot on your head if they are not ventilated properly.

One advantage though is you don't have to worry about blending it in with existing hair.

Going to grow back and sides out for a month. See how it's looking, if all's well might try the topper.