for anyone thinking to get a hair piece....DONT

[Nene]

As far as I know, most pieces have a mesh base, which means when you wash the hair the scalp is washed too. However, most people take them off once a week or more to wash the scalp underneath more thoroughly.

I essentially agree with xhippie's line of thought. For me it's actually true. I stand to earn a lot less money in my career as a bald man than one with hair, and this effect has been proven in studies. f*ck that sh*t. Not only does it make me want to wear hair more, but it means it makes more sense: the cost of the piece will be offset by the extra earnings you'll get over a lifetime.

I would rather just deal with the hassle and get on with my life than become a permanent member of the bald underclass because of how crap it looks on me. As I've said before, I probably spend more time on this site every week than it takes to do the attachement and maintenance.

Well I think it depends what field you're trying to get into. Baldness can actually be an asset in some careers, obviously not modeling or acting. However if wearing hair makes you feel happier or more secure by no means do I look down upon it.

In my opinion, it harms a young man in most areas of business.

You might not get rejected for 'being bald'. But your interview report will probably say you were less 'dynamic' than the NW1 you were competing against.

I'll cite you studies that show just opposite.

 

[FSHGLD]

I'll cite you studies that show just opposite.

Please do, I'd love to see them...

 

[machman]

For me personally i think that hair pieces are a very feasable option for hair loss.
If only people realised that todays hairpieces are a million miles better than hair pieces of the past and i go along with the train of thought that only bad hairpieces are noticable,if you get your specs right then no-one would ever know apart from yourself that you wear!
But what i will say is don't wear for anyone else,wear for yourself!

 

[bigentries]

I have a hard time believing bald men have it difficult in some careers.
Just by looking at other cubicles I would say they don't have it as hard as let's say, females. My guess would be there are less than 10% females in this floor.

And about looks. Being in the IT business I would say "beautiful" people have to face many prejudices in this field.

Some years ago a college friend was applying to the same place I was working. I actually recommended her to my boss, but he just said she was not good for the job, and later in a more relaxed setting he just said she was dumb.

I have worked with this girl before, while not the smartest in the bunch, she stands out away from the incompetence I have witnessed with many of my colleagues. The only reason I can think she was rejected is because she is very attractive and the boss just assumed she was not good for the job as soon as she walked into his office.

I've said before I'm in no way attractive, and I believe that is the reason why I have been successful at finding jobs. People just assume I'm good because I look like you stereotypical IT professional. I'm barely asked question for the interview while some of my colleagues tell me how hard their interview was.

 

[CCS]

Hair pieces can be very undetectable from 2 feet away. Closer than that and someone who knows what to look for can spot them, if they are looking.

But to be that undetectable, you need to have the skills, and you need a piece that matches you. The hair color and wave and vent must all match, and the base color must match your skin.

The problem is 90% of hair sellers don't give a damn if they match your hair or not. I gave coolpiece a huge sample of hair, and they kept it in the states to save on mailing weight. The piece they sent back was off by at least a shade.

You need to try a few places and blow $1000 until someone gets it right. Once you get it right, tell them you want it duplicated. Make sure you have plenty backed up.

Some guys look great with a shave. Others don't. If I had more hair loss I for sure would get a hair piece. But I got just enough hair that I wonder if it is worth the hassle and $$$ to look a moderate amount better. I honestly don't know if the women who saw me liked my hair, or if they liked the botox. The botox made me look a lot better too. I will try a piece again some day when I have enough cash not to care. I'm not saying I'll stick with it though.

And they do make you feel a bit hotter up there, and they do feel a bit different than your skin. No one can tell it is different unless they know how to check though. I'm not saying how to check for appearance or color since I don't know if women will be reading this forum. There was a hairclub ad asking which guy had the hair piece and which was real. I spotted the piece right away and read the answer which said I was correct. This was in a magazine on an airplane flight.

 

[HT Veteran]

On the topic of career impact of hair, I can add a note from experience. If you do not have a job and feel that hair (real or simulated) will help you to compete for positions, then this may well be credible (with a 1990s piece attached, I beat out a good list of competitors for the first job I applied for). If you have a job and consider showing up with a hair piece one day, be careful. Even if your piece is very convincing and does enhance your appearance positively, the impact of your decision on the assessment of your judgement by your colleagues and superiors has potential to be quite damaging. Consider the personalities and perceptions of your coworkers carefully in advance. Perhaps, joke with them about the topic before taking action. Get their real opinions in advance. Don't wait for the potentially polite ones delivered in your presence afterwards.

 

[Boondock]

I agree with this ^

The biggest problem with the piece is transition. If you can't transition cleanly into it, the cure can easily be worse than the disease.

 

[Noah]

I agree with this ^

The biggest problem with the piece is transition. If you can't transition cleanly into it, the cure can easily be worse than the disease.

True, you can't expect to wait till you are slick bald and then suddenly turn up with a full head of hair without people being surprised and amused. That is just human nature.

What you can do is make your hair look as full as you can for a few weeks (with product, concealers etc), then take a week off work and come back with a hairpiece which is the same as your hair with the product and concealer in it, only a bit better. Then, every 3 months or so you can buy a hairpiece which is slightly thicker or slightly larger until you have reached a stage where your hair looks age-appropriate for a non-balding man. Then you stop. Problem solved.

 

[Boondock]

I agree with this ^

The biggest problem with the piece is transition. If you can't transition cleanly into it, the cure can easily be worse than the disease.

True, you can't expect to wait till you are slick bald and then suddenly turn up with a full head of hair without people being surprised and amused. That is just human nature.

What you can do is make your hair look as full as you can for a few weeks (with product, concealers etc), then take a week off work and come back with a hairpiece which is the same as your hair with the product and concealer in it, only a bit better. Then, every 3 months or so you can buy a hairpiece which is slightly thicker or slightly larger until you have reached a stage where your hair looks age-appropriate for a non-balding man. Then you stop. Problem solved.

That's my opinion, basically. Obviously it's easier for people starting from a reasonably good position.

I also think it's helpful not to go overboard with your final hair piece outcome. Going for a NW2 can actually make it look a lot more convincing, and solve some of the difficulty of dealing with thin temples.

 

[HT Veteran]

One thing I have not seen in forums is someone step up with photos demonstrating a successful case of this "phasing in" strategy. It would be encouraging to see photos of a man wearing his piece after cut in at each stage of the integration. Given this, it would be great to know the specs on the piece he used and who cut it in. It would also be wonderful to see a photo of the final NW2 solution. I see many ok pics of nice trendy hairdos on young guys, but few pics of neat NW2 solutions for professionals.

Salons do not appear to subscribe to phased in hairpiece solutions and I think individuals would have to be highly devoted, esthetically talented, and technically brilliant to pull it off convincingly on their own.

Please tell me that there is evidence of solutions that prove the contrary?

 

[Boondock]

One thing I have not seen in forums is someone step up with photos demonstrating a successful case of this "phasing in" strategy. It would be encouraging to see photos of a man wearing his piece after cut in at each stage of the integration. Given this, it would be great to know the specs on the piece he used and who cut it in. It would also be wonderful to see a photo of the final NW2 solution. I see many ok pics of nice trendy hairdos on young guys, but few pics of neat NW2 solutions for professionals.

Salons do not appear to subscribe to phased in hairpiece solutions and I think individuals would have to be highly devoted, esthetically talented, and technically brilliant to pull it off convincingly on their own.

Please tell me that there is evidence of solutions that prove the contrary?

I think this is absolutely correct.

In my opinion, you need to put in huge amounts of effort for the learning curve. You need to work out how you can style your hair appropriately and put in a lot of research and practice to do that.

This is a major barrier to most people. Bear in mind a lot of people find even taking propecia every day to be a major commitment. The amount of time not only in applying and maintaining your piece, but LEARNING everything you need to get it to look good, requires extreme effort.

 

[Noah]

One thing I have not seen in forums is someone step up with photos demonstrating a successful case of this "phasing in" strategy. It would be encouraging to see photos of a man wearing his piece after cut in at each stage of the integration. Given this, it would be great to know the specs on the piece he used and who cut it in. It would also be wonderful to see a photo of the final NW2 solution. I see many ok pics of nice trendy hairdos on young guys, but few pics of neat NW2 solutions for professionals.

I have not seen anyone document their transition in that very methodical public spirited way, but obviously there are tons of professional guys who wear and quite a few wearers who are savvy enough to aim for a slightly receded look.

I am not sure why you think it would be difficult. The pieces are only at their best for about 3 or 4 months, so you have to replace them at that sort of interval anyway. All you are doing is pulling the hairline forward a millimeter or two and maybe asking for a couple of percent higher density with your new order. Then you plonk it on your head and get it cut in (or cut it in yourself). Et voila!

Actually it is a process almost every hairpiece wearer is tempted by - position your front lace a fraction lower and instantly reverse the balding process LOL. The problem is to having the sense to know when to stop.

 

[Noah]

In my opinion, you need to put in huge amounts of effort for the learning curve. ... This is a major barrier to most people. ... The amount of time not only in applying and maintaining your piece, but LEARNING everything you need to get it to look good, requires extreme effort.

I think people imagine it is worse than it is because of places like Hair Club.

You probably need to spend 2 or 3 solid days immersing yourself in a hairpiece wearers' forum so that you know what to order and the theory of how to put it on, clean it etc. Then, when you get your first piece you can expect to be all fingers and thumbs for a couple of weeks. That is a difficult period if you are trying to keep it under wraps, because you don't want to go out with it askew. But by 2 or 3 months in you can expect to have it down pat and you can do it perfectly every time without thinking. Probably roughly comparable to learning to ride a bike or wear contact lenses I guess.

 

[Boondock]

In my opinion, you need to put in huge amounts of effort for the learning curve. ... This is a major barrier to most people. ... The amount of time not only in applying and maintaining your piece, but LEARNING everything you need to get it to look good, requires extreme effort.

I think people imagine it is worse than it is because of places like Hair Club.

You probably need to spend 2 or 3 solid days immersing yourself in a hairpiece wearers' forum (the BA Hair Apparent board is the best one) so that you know what to order and the theory of how to put it on, clean it etc. Then, when you get your first piece you can expect to be all fingers and thumbs for a couple of weeks. That is a difficult period if you are trying to keep it under wraps, because you don't want to go out with it askew. But by 2 or 3 months in you can expect to have it down pat and you can do it perfectly every time without thinking. Probably roughly comparable to learning to ride a bike or wear contact lenses I guess.

Personally, I've put in a fair bit of work already. I've immersed myself in the forums. I've bought and watched MB's video. I've also spoken to wearers and received direct feedback on particular questions.

I don't really consider this to be toooo much effort in the grand scheme of things. Having said that, I know plenty of people too lazy to put this amount of leg-work in to the process.

 

[Noah]

Personally, I've put in a fair bit of work already. I've immersed myself in the forums. I've bought and watched MB's video. I've also spoken to wearers and received direct feedback on particular questions.

I don't really consider this to be toooo much effort in the grand scheme of things. Having said that, I know plenty of people too lazy to put this amount of leg-work in to the process.

Well done for keeping an open mind about it.

 

[Boondock]

Cheers man I may well get in touch when I'm back from travelling and ready to get started.

 

[machman]

In my opinion, you need to put in huge amounts of effort for the learning curve. ... This is a major barrier to most people. ... The amount of time not only in applying and maintaining your piece, but LEARNING everything you need to get it to look good, requires extreme effort.

I think people imagine it is worse than it is because of places like Hair Club.

You probably need to spend 2 or 3 solid days immersing yourself in a hairpiece wearers' forum (the BA Hair Apparent board is the best one) so that you know what to order and the theory of how to put it on, clean it etc. Then, when you get your first piece you can expect to be all fingers and thumbs for a couple of weeks. That is a difficult period if you are trying to keep it under wraps, because you don't want to go out with it askew. But by 2 or 3 months in you can expect to have it down pat and you can do it perfectly every time without thinking. Probably roughly comparable to learning to ride a bike or wear contact lenses I guess.

Personally, I've put in a fair bit of work already. I've immersed myself in the forums. I've bought and watched MB's video. I've also spoken to wearers and received direct feedback on particular questions.

I don't really consider this to be toooo much effort in the grand scheme of things. Having said that, I know plenty of people too lazy to put this amount of leg-work in to the process.

Some great advice and comments there!
If i can add that it really isn't rocket science at the end of the day.
The most important thing to get right is your density(always err on the side of caution around the 60%-65% range for maximum effect)

Everything else,hair colour match,base etc... will take care of itself when you send in hair samples etc for your order.
Again the forums,BA,HD will help enomously to answer any questions and after that it really is a breeze!

My only real advice for anyone after they get their specs bang on is do not get caught up in the grooming side as the less time you spend on it the better and more real it becomes,honestly,take a look around you in the street and almost every guy doesn't have perfect hair or styles!

 

[Hoppi]

I think they're fine. It's important to know which to go for though.