Hair Club For Men- Should I Even Bother?

[Dean K]

My name is Dean,

I started losing my hair at the age of 22, I am 26 now and I hardly have any hair left. It is starting to take a toll on me and it is effecting my everyday life. I don't go anywhere without a hat, I don't go to the beach, I don't go anywhere where hats are prohibited (Some night spots in the US don't allow hats) . I don't date. I don't feel good at all... so I am trying to do something about it.

Today I decided to visit the Hair Club in Farmington Connecticut.

I walked in and was asked to sit in the lobby until they were ready to see me. The place wasnt too bad, had some character. Shortly after a gentleman came out and directed me to a room where he took some photos of my hair, some with a regular camera and some with this special zoom in camera that took photos of my hairs close up. He told me there was nothing we could do to regrow my hair, but they did have a hair system that would be matched and styled by their stylists. They had one system that was $3600.00 , and a "Gold" system that was $5200.00. I asked some questions about care, feel and look. He told me that it looks natural, I can sower, swim, run and work out wearing the system. I would just have to come back once a month to get it styles and blended.

Then things got a bit sketchy...

I said I liked what I heard but I wanted to do some more research, I just didnt want to jump in and drop $5200.00 on something I didnt even see. He then proceeded to tell me how he wasnt really supposed to offere me the "Gold" option as it is only offered to members that have been with the club for at least a year and that I should put down a deposit to lock the offer in ($500.00) ... I did that, signed an agreement and I have 3 days to call and let them know if I wold like to proceed or not, if not they would refund me that $500.00... Now I am debating and looking to see if anyone else has had any experience with the Hair Club for Men or any of their systems. I was surprised they didn't have some kind of samples available for me to touch and feel, they also didnt provide me with any before and after photos, they haven't provided me with anything really... so I am a little hesitant to jump into this... but I really do want hair on my head, I want to feel like I belong and I want my confidence back. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Dean

 

[Noah]

Dean - absolutely no way. Get your money back while you can. Hair Club is a dinosaur business, only kept going by massive advertising and people's ignorance about the product. It is absolutely the worst possible introduction you could possibly have to hair replacement. No matter what kind of hair system you need and no matter whether you want a full salon service or are willing to go DIY, you can get it better and cheaper elsewhere. I can sense that you are already tuned into the hokey scammy pitch they are giving you. If I tell you that you can buy a better system than Hair Club are offering off the Net for US$200, that gives you an idea of the scale of the scam.

Don't get me wrong - I wear a system myself and am really pleased with it - just not Hair Club.

Noah

 

[Noah]

1. Dean - here is a copy of a post I did a while back about my experience with a Hair Club-type place:
   
   I wear a hair system, and I started off with a system from a HCM-style chain. Now I buy my hairpieces on the Net and do my own maintenance. I think hair systems are a good solution for lots of people, but it is best to avoid the HCMs of this world.
   
   HCM's method is to glue the system on for a month at a time with what is essentially superglue. That has 3 effects - first, the system has to be very robust to survive being on your head for 4 weeks solid. Because it has to be very robust it cannot be one of the delicate lace systems which are the most undetectable. Instead, HCM systems (especially their entry-level systems) have coarse easily detectable bases. To make up for that they make them very high density (ie tons of hair) so you can't see the base. The result is the opposite of what any experienced hairpiece wearer would recommend for maximum undetectability, namely a delicate base and light hair density. Ergo HCM pieces are pretty easily detected, certainly to the touch and often to the sight, especially after you have been wearing them for a month solid. That is not what you want if you are a young guy in the dating market, and you don't have to settle for that.
   
   Second effect - you have no control. The superglue is designed to be taken off by the salon only. You are totally tied to the salon for everything. If your stylist is off sick on the day of your monthly appointment, you're in a state of fear that the substitute will screw up your system. If something goes wrong - eg the piece comes loose - you're frantic.
   
   Third effect - linked to the second, it simply isn't healthy to wear a hairpiece for 4 weeks solid. You wouldn't wear the same pair of underpants for 4 weeks, and wearing a piece is not much different. So of course there will be pimples and rashes and yuck and smells.
   
   It is really not that difficult to do a template and buy your own hairpieces on the Net. It is a small fraction of the price, you get a far better product, and you're totally in control. That is what most younger hair wearers are doing. I keep my piece on for a week at a time. You may also be able to get somewhere local to help you get started, depending where you are based. If you want more details of this option, please ask. Note, though, that this is not a particularly fast-moving board, so you may have to wait a few days to get a response.
   
   I am also a younger guy, and I can say unequivocally that wearing a piece has improved my social life and my love life immensely. It is a myth that women generally won't date a guy who wears a piece. First, dates won't know unless you tell them. Second, my experience has been that if you do tell them women are fairly accepting of a little artifice if it is undetectable (so you're not embarrassing them in from of their friends) and if it makes you better looking. Sure, they would rather be dating Brad Pitt, but at the end of the day they are realists, and usually not above a bit of artificiality themselves.
   
   This board, for whatever reason, has attracted a group of people who have had bad experiences of hair systems a long time ago and from HCM-style providers, and they are continually extrapolating that experience into the message that all systems are to be avoided at all costs. In my view that message is based on limited and now outdated information, and is downright misleading. I would encourage you to investigate and come to your own view. Let me know if I can help.
   

 

[Dean K]

Dean - absolutely no way. Get your money back while you can. Hair Club is a dinosaur business, only kept going by massive advertising and people's ignorance about the product. It is absolutely the worst possible introduction you could possibly have to hair replacement. No matter what kind of hair system you need and no matter whether you want a full salon service or are willing to go DIY, you can get it better and cheaper elsewhere. I can sense that you are already tuned into the hokey scammy pitch they are giving you. If I tell you that you can buy a better system than Hair Club are offering off the Net for US$200, that gives you an idea of the scale of the scam.

Don't get me wrong - I wear a system myself and am really pleased with it - just not Hair Club.

Noah

Thank you so much for your insight Noah, I am very happy that I don't have to spend $5200.00, and even more happy that I can do this myself. They definitely made it seem as if this was a new solution that they only had access to. I am going to go back to their office on Tuesday and let them know that I am no longer interested. I should always listen to my gut instinct but I guess my longing for a head full of hair and emotions go the best of me lol.