Looking Into Wearing A System. Where Do I Start?

[dralex]

So I am 23 and at around a NW3 with diffuse thinning. I still have a decent amount of hair on my head, but the front part of my scalp, mainly around the hairline is completely destroyed and the thinning all over is getting pretty bad. I have tried finasteride for 3 years, and am currently on dutasteride, but don't have much hope in these treatments anymore, and may drop everything soon. I am thinking about switching over to a hair system. I have seen some amazing videos/pictures of people who have gotten them, and was wondering where I should start. So I have a few questions and any answers would help.
1. Partial vs. full system. Which is ideal?
2. Would my hair still grow fine under a system?
3. What is the difference between lace and skin? What do they consist of?
4. I would prefer going to a salon-type place to have this professionally done and cut. How often would I need to get it replaced/groomed? How often would I need a new system? How much would this most likely cost per year?
5. Do you recommend going to a professional salon to get this done?
6. I workout a lot (heavy lifting 4-5 days a week). Will the system still be fine working out/sweating?
7. Is it easy/possible to tell it is a hair system? Even by touching/pulling the hair?
8. Does anyone know where I can get a hair system like this youtubers system?: Karim Jovian. Here's one of his videos:

Any answers would be a big help. Thanks!

 

[Noah]

Hi Dralex - welcome. Here are a few answers:

1. Partial vs. full system. Which is ideal?

The conventional answer is use as much of your natural hair as you can for as long as you can. You say that the thinning all over is getting bad - but is it still giving you decent coverage? If you want a more specific answer, post a picture of the top of your head (blank out your face).

2. Would my hair still grow fine under a system?

You will shave it off each time you do maintenance - a hair system looks best if it is sitting on shaved skin - but the hair will continue to grow as normal.

3. What is the difference between lace and skin? What do they consist of?

"Lace" is a very fine mesh, a bit like pantyhose, but without the stretch. "Skin" is a very fine transparent plastic film.

4. I would prefer going to a salon-type place to have this professionally done and cut. How often would I need to get it replaced/groomed? How often would I need a new system? How much would this most likely cost per year?

The typical salon deal is a monthly "service" when you get the system taken off, cleaned and re-applied. Costs vary widely, but my sense is that in big cities the cost is around US$150-200 per service.

5. Do you recommend going to a professional salon to get this done?

You can do this yourself, and I strongly recommend that you learn the techniques so that you are able to do it yourself. But there is something to be said for having some professional handholding when you are starting out if you can find a good place to provide it. If you do go the salon route, try to find one that will teach you the maintenance techniques to look after your own system. Avoid ones that want you to be totally dependent on them.

6. I workout a lot (heavy lifting 4-5 days a week). Will the system still be fine working out/sweating?

Yes, but I would strongly recommend that you go for a lace system in that case. Lace is breathable, whereas skin is not, and you really need breathability if you are physically active. You may also want to think of getting a poly strip around the back and sides of your system. The poly gives a good surface for tape of glue to stick to - better than lace - which gives you added stability if you sweaty very heavily.

7. Is it easy/possible to tell it is a hair system? Even by touching/pulling the hair?

That's the million dollar question. It is certainly not easy to tell. I have been wearing lace systems for 4 years and no one has spotted mine, so far as I can tell. Of course it is a physical object, so it's not literally invisible. From very close quarters (e.g. staring in the mirror from 2 or 3 centimetres away) I can just about see where the lace is if I pull my hair back and the light is pointing the right way. But unless someone knows you are wearing a system and knows what to look for, it is not something they would spot. Even if they saw the lace, it just looks like big pores or a patch of dry skin.

8. Karim's piece just looks like a good quality standard lace system. A nice job though; it really looks good on him. I don't know where he gets his from (I don't think he has actually admitted it is a system, although it definitely is). But you could get something similar from any decent supplier.

Noah

 

[jared garnith]

Hi Dralex - welcome. Here are a few answers:

1. Partial vs. full system. Which is ideal?

The conventional answer is use as much of your natural hair as you can for as long as you can. You say that the thinning all over is getting bad - but is it still giving you decent coverage? If you want a more specific answer, post a picture of the top of your head (blank out your face).

2. Would my hair still grow fine under a system?

You will shave it off each time you do maintenance - a hair system looks best if it is sitting on shaved skin - but the hair will continue to grow as normal.

3. What is the difference between lace and skin? What do they consist of?

"Lace" is a very fine mesh, a bit like pantyhose, but without the stretch. "Skin" is a very fine transparent plastic film.

4. I would prefer going to a salon-type place to have this professionally done and cut. How often would I need to get it replaced/groomed? How often would I need a new system? How much would this most likely cost per year?

The typical salon deal is a monthly "service" when you get the system taken off, cleaned and re-applied. Costs vary widely, but my sense is that in big cities the cost is around US$150-200 per service.

5. Do you recommend going to a professional salon to get this done?

You can do this yourself, and I strongly recommend that you learn the techniques so that you are able to do it yourself. But there is something to be said for having some professional handholding when you are starting out if you can find a good place to provide it. If you do go the salon route, try to find one that will teach you the maintenance techniques to look after your own system. Avoid ones that want you to be totally dependent on them.

6. I workout a lot (heavy lifting 4-5 days a week). Will the system still be fine working out/sweating?

Yes, but I would strongly recommend that you go for a lace system in that case. Lace is breathable, whereas skin is not, and you really need breathability if you are physically active. You may also want to think of getting a poly strip around the back and sides of your system. The poly gives a good surface for tape of glue to stick to - better than lace - which gives you added stability if you sweaty very heavily.

7. Is it easy/possible to tell it is a hair system? Even by touching/pulling the hair?

That's the million dollar question. It is certainly not easy to tell. I have been wearing lace systems for 4 years and no one has spotted mine, so far as I can tell. Of course it is a physical object, so it's not literally invisible. From very close quarters (e.g. staring in the mirror from 2 or 3 centimetres away) I can just about see where the lace is if I pull my hair back and the light is pointing the right way. But unless someone knows you are wearing a system and knows what to look for, it is not something they would spot. Even if they saw the lace, it just looks like big pores or a patch of dry skin.

8. Karim's piece just looks like a good quality standard lace system. A nice job though; it really looks good on him. I don't know where he gets his from (I don't think he has actually admitted it is a system, although it definitely is). But you could get something similar from any decent supplier.

Noah

This is a really late reply to the thread but can you wear a hair system if you still have a fair amount of hair that's on the verge of the diffuse thinning becoming visible

 

[Noah]

The area under the system has to be buzzed. You can put the system on over existing hair for a bit, just to see what it looks like. But if you are wearing it permanently and you want the best look, you have to buzz. So yes, it doesn't matter if you have a fair amount of hair, because you will be buzzing it off.