I think it's time to make lifechanging decisions

ALightInTheDark

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Hello yall !
I am coming to an age where after having had an Androgenetic Alopecia since I was 15 I am starting to have enough, to be fed up with it. I'm still thinking about it but continuing to take treatments will just continue to disrupt me hormonally and I don't have my whole life ahead of me to enjoy my youth!

Suddenly I am thinking of taking a lace. Except that s aa beginner I ask myself hundreds of questions and as there is a lot of experts here so I want to ask directly here :
1 - The hairline is the most important thing in a lace. However, I like to do sport. Are there any laces which are extremely resistant at the level of the hairline to sweat and effort while remaining realistic?
2 - Can we swim, parachute or do extreme sport with a lace?
3 - Are there any laces with which you can make short haircuts? I have always had short / mid-short hairstyles so no more surfer hairstyles, it will never be for me.
4 - How to measure my skull to have the right measurements for my lace? I am a diffuse NW6. I plan to do the poses myself even if I know it is complicated for a beginner.
5 - Can I make wick hair dyes on the lace?
6 - What are the essential products for the maintenance of a lace? (Glue, hairspray, shampoo, conditioner, scotch tape, glue, dye etc etc). I plan to change it every 3/4 months or so. If you have site links, I'm interested!
7 - On average between shaving, installation and maintenance, how long will it take me per day or per week?
8 - How to be sure to choose the right color and especially the right texture and the right type of hair? Do you have to send a lock of hair or something to the supplier?
9 - I saw sites like northwest lace, hairhub, goodyardhair, bonohair, lordhair, newlacecu, lyricalhair,coolpiece, lavivid,Farell, www/ukhairsystems.com/ , which is the best supplier? As I intend to change it every 3/4 months I would like not to spend 200 € for a lace (I do not count the products, these will last longer than the lace normally?)

I will put my child haircut/hairstyle and hairstyles that I would like to do with my lace, what style/color/density do you recommend based on my child/teen hair ? (It must remain natural)

Thanks everyone for reading :)
 

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ALightInTheDark

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Child/Teen hairstyle
 

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JaneyElizabeth

Banned
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2,027
Hello yall !
I am coming to an age where after having had an Androgenetic Alopecia since I was 15 I am starting to have enough, to be fed up with it. I'm still thinking about it but continuing to take treatments will just continue to disrupt me hormonally and I don't have my whole life ahead of me to enjoy my youth!

Suddenly I am thinking of taking a lace. Except that s aa beginner I ask myself hundreds of questions and as there is a lot of experts here so I want to ask directly here :
1 - The hairline is the most important thing in a lace. That's what makes it or break it. However, I like to do sport like football, karate or lifting. Are there any laces which are extremely resistant at the level of the hairline to sweat and effort while remaining realistic?
2 - Can we swim, parachute or do extreme sport with a lace?
3 - Are there any laces with which you can make short haircuts? I have always had short / mid-short hairstyles so no more surfer hairstyles, it will never be for me.
4 - How to measure my skull to have the right measurements for my lace? I am a diffuse NW6. I plan to do the poses myself even if I know it is complicated for a beginner.
5 - Can I make wick hair dyes on the lace?
6 - What are the essential products for the maintenance of a lace? (Glue, hairspray, shampoo, conditioner, scotch tape, glue, dye etc etc). I plan to change it every 3/4 months or so. If you have site links, I'm interested!
7 - Who do you recommend me as a youtubber or as a forumer here whose guides or tutorials I could follow?
8 - On average between shaving, installation and maintenance, how long will it take me per day or per week?
9 - How to be sure to choose the right color and especially the right texture and the right type of hair? Do you have to send a lock of hair or something to the supplier?
10 - On average, how long does it take for a lace to be shipped? I live in France and have seen stories about China and North Korea regarding deliveries and manufacturing so I don't really understand all the issues.
11 - I saw sites like northwest lace, hairhub, goodyardhair, bonohair, lordhair, newlacecu, lyricalhair, which is the best supplier? As I intend to change it every 3/4 months I would like not to spend 200 € for a lace (I do not count the products, these will last longer than the lace normally?)
12 - And finally for those who live in France - Do you know good hairdressers in France (Paris or Lille) who can do a fairly classic haircut for people wearing lace? Is it possible to go to a hairdresser who does not specialize in lace care to do a haircut? (mostly fading haircut)

I will put my child haircut/hairstyle and hairstyles that I would like to do with my lace, what style/color/density do you recommend based on my child/teen hair ? (It must remain natural)

Thanks everyone for reading :)
Edit : It seems I can't upload pics for whatever reason..
Same thing happening here since Friday.
 

SD1984

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I'm still thinking about it but continuing to take treatments will just continue to disrupt me hormonally and I don't have my whole life ahead of me to enjoy my youth!
Assuming you are talking about Finasteride, are you experiencing side effects?
 

JaneyElizabeth

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I don't see them too often on here but on Tressless, it is almost like a running joke with so many guys lamenting their own stupidity in stopping finasteride and min, say ten years earlier because of the "hassle". Now they are bald with dormant follicles and they come seeking help which is fine but pretty much, I end up saying, "Well, that ship has already sailed". Best option there is probably trying oral min along with dutasteride but many guys claim that not even oral min works for them. I am sort of dumbfounded by these statements because given that we now know about sulfurotransferase, why wouldn't oral min be working for them, too?

I am starting to wonder if there is some sort of "regrowth" gene because of the variability of results even by MtF's. Two thirds of them who contact me claim little to no regrowth although HRT usually stops the progression of male pattern baldness.

Janey
 

Jake1979

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Check out this guy Paul Bowen's channel. He wears his short and is very active in the sport of Motocross
 

TEG

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the hairline at the front is a very easy thing. From experience, it is the blending of the piece on the back and sides of your head that is the problem. You can't just get it cut anywhere, it has to be someone who was taught/has experience doing this.
 

Hair2019

Experienced Member
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Check out this guy Paul Bowen's channel. He wears his short and is very active in the sport of Motocross

I don't agree with the premise of this video. He's assuming that everyone who gets a hair system is completely bald and will suddenly turn up the next day with a full head of hair in front of their friends, family and work colleagues. In reality, most people who go for a hair system have thinning and/or receding hair, and perhaps use hair loss concealers, creative styling etc to cover that up , and want to seamlessly transition to wearing a system. This is a much better way of doing it, and not making it obvious or noticeable.

He's also saying we should be open about wearing a hair system and tell everyone about it. I disagree with this. If that's the route some people want to go then that's up to them, but for me, the whole point of getting a hair system is not so I can broadcast to the world 'hey, I wear a hair system'. Nope. I want to be seen as someone with a nice head of natural looking hair. I don't want anyone to know I wear a system unless I choose to tell them. The idea of being open with everyone you meet about it, in the name of 'empowerment', is nonsense in my opinion.

Also, the fact that he calls it a 'wig' is silly too. There is a difference between a hair system and a wig. Some might say it's just semantics, but it isn't.

I think the whole point of wearing a hair system is so it looks like you have a full head of real hair and so that people DON'T know it's a hair system, unless you tell them. I'm not into this bunch of Youtubers who want to 'empower' people to be open about the fact that they wear hair.
 
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Jake1979

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I don't agree with the premise of this video. He's assuming that everyone who gets a hair system is completely bald and will suddenly turn up the next day with a full head of hair in front of their friends, family and work colleagues. In reality, most people who go for a hair system have thinning and or receding hair, and perhaps use hair loss concealers, creative styling etc to cover that up , and want to seamlessly transition to wearing a system. This is a much better way of doing it, and not making it obvious or noticeable.

He's also saying we should be open about wearing a hair system and tell everyone about it. I disagree with this. If that's the route some people want to go then that's up to them, but for me, the whole point of getting a hair system is not so I can broadcast to the world 'hey, I wear a hair system'. Nope. I want to be seen as someone with a nice head of natural looking hair. I don't want anyone to know I wear a system unless I choose to tell them. The idea of being open with everyone you meet about it, in the name of 'empowerment', is nonsense in my opinion.

Also, the fact that he calls it a 'wig' is silly too. There is a difference between a hair system and a wig. Some might say it's just semantics, but it isn't.

I think the whole point of wearing a hair system is so it looks like you have a full head of real hair and so that people DON'T know it's a hair system, unless you tell them. I'm not into this bunch of Youtubers who want to 'empower' people to be open about the fact that they wear hair.
Yea I completely agree with you. I just posted Paul's video as an example of a guy with a good looking system who wears it short and lives a very active lifestyle being that he's heavy into Motocross.

He has some good content regarding products and going to the salon and living with a system....I honestly just picked this video at random, and I dont agree with those views concerning "openness" about wearing either.

When it comes to hair systems for me the whole point is for the system to be viewed as my real hair. Otherwise, what's the point...just my opinion.

And I'm not transitioning from Norwood zero slick bald either...I use combination of toppik hair fibers and Dermmatch concealer. So the assumption that we are all bic'd bald one day, then full head of hair the next is a bit silly and lacks a full understanding of the full scope IMO

I feel that many of the YouTubers share this view..."just be 100% honest and tell people".."let's destigmatize hair loss and normalize wearing systems"...."nobody cares anyway and nobody's gonna judge you, and if they do they weren't you're real friends to begin with"
LOL, they need to just stop LOL!

The problem with the YouTube guys is that they have a completely different agenda than guys like you and I and many guys on this forum.
I want to wear a system to look more attractive, have more confidence bc I look better, and appear to have a full head of hair. Youtubers are using hair systems as a business opportunity...nothing more.....they wear hair and put themselves out there as doing so for the world to see for $$$$$
Subscribers & Views= $$$$$
Shilling for Hair system providers= $$$$$ + thousands of dollars worth of free systems and products.
They obviously dont care if people know their hair is fake bc they are on YouTube talking about it in dozens of videos for everyone to see. And for them to preach this ideology that we all should be telling everyone it's "fake hair" is pretty close minded and kinda dumb.

At first I enjoyed YouTube system guys, but the more I've watched and learned the more I've soured on them due to their sole purpose of making money and doing more harm than good to the community.

The only YouTuber I like is Curtis at MHE.
 
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ALightInTheDark

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the hairline at the front is a very easy thing. From experience, it is the blending of the piece on the back and sides of your head that is the problem. You can't just get it cut anywhere, it has to be someone who was taught/has experience doing this.

Alright but I will only need it on the frontal, mid-scalp and crown/vertex region (and I only need a tiny bit in my crown region). Not on my sides.
But thx :)
 

TooBad

Senior Member
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the hairline at the front is a very easy thing. From experience, it is the blending of the piece on the back and sides of your head that is the problem. You can't just get it cut anywhere, it has to be someone who was taught/has experience doing this.
I'd agree that you do want to find the right person, who is competent. However...... I've been using Great Clips for over 2 years. She does a great job and I tip her 100% on my 1st cut... and 30% for trims. This tends to buy extra care and loyalty.

$30 total... I understand most "system stylists" charge $50+ for a cut in. That's a bit rediculous.

It's no different than any other haircut and blend. They simply need to be cognizant of the edges, and leave enough length to cover them.

The worst cut was my first system install and cut at a "specialist" for $250(I provided the system)....With a taped hairline....too short... creased tunnels at temples..."to allow water drainage" from the lace they said...
huh? It was aweful.... Has been self installs and great clips ever since....
 
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Jake1979

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Well hair system wearing youtubers are GREAT for advice and how to guides.
They don't all want to sell you something.
Without them, I'd still be relying on costly salons for maintenance.
True words bro! I think I definitely over generalized regarding system 'Tubers', there's definitely some great how to's and tutorials....however, think it is important to keep in mind, when it comes to Youtuber's recommending specific brands of products and systems, that their sole purpose/objective is to make money by promoting.
But at the same time, I've found some guys who are somewhat "unbiased" and simply giving their honest account of which brands have worked best for them (pros and cons reviews)

I've got my first install appt. In less than 2 weeks...I ordered a 95 density lace unit. Hoping I can learn quick and not have to rely on salon for maintenance for too long, fingers crossed, and like u, I will also rely on YouTube tutorials for this:)
 
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ALightInTheDark

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Well hair system wearing youtubers are GREAT for advice and how to guides.
They don't all want to sell you something.
Without them, I'd still be relying on costly salons for maintenance.

I'd agree that you do want to find the right person, who is competent. However...... I've been using Great Clips for over 2 years. She does a great job and I tip her 100% on my 1st cut... and 30% for trims. This tends to buy extra care and loyalty.

$30 total... I understand most "system stylists" charge $50+ for a cut in. That's a bit rediculous.

It's no different than any other haircut and blend. They simply need to be cognizant of the edges, and leave enough length to cover them.

The worst cut was my first system install and cut at a "specialist" for $250(I provided the system)....With a taped hairline....too short... creased tunnels at temples..."to allow water drainage" from the lace they said...
huh? It was aweful.... Has been self installs and great clips ever since....

Alright many thx for the answers but could you please try to answer my original post and 12 questions ^^'
Besides watching youtube I still don't have answers from you guys about what products to use etc
 

TooBad

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Alright many thx for the answers but could you please try to answer my original post and 12 questions ^^'
Besides watching youtube I still don't have answers from you guys about what products to use etc
It's not rocket science. You're going to attach it with glue or tape ...you'll wash it with shampoo and condition with conditioner... like any other hair. You'll brush it with a brush and you'll dry it with a towel....

Your best source for products is hair direct

Curtis with my hair experience on YouTube would be your best guide. He has probably close to 300 videos.
 
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