Hi Everyone! Newbie to this site and after "lurking" for a week (I think that's what it's called!) I thought I would post my story.
I'm 40. I first noticed my hair loss when I was 27. Someone I hadn't seen for a while saw me and mde a comment that my hair had started to thin at the front. This threw me into a major panic, which lead to a bout of depression. During the months that I was signed off work, I started looking into possible treatments. This was before the internet, so it was all in magazines. I stumbled across an advert in the back of a newspaper for "Advanced Hair Studio" I sent away for the brochure, couldn't believe what I saw (if only I had known then!) made an appointment for a consultation. Completely fell for the sales schtick and paid 3thousand pounds for what was basically a glued on wig! My naievity lead me to believe that they actually permenantly replaced the hair forever! For 6months I was relatively happy, I had hair, I went every month to have it refitted. Then the pressure came to buy a second unit "in case something happened to the first" Well, that was all it took to make me buy a 2nd..it was awful! wrong colour! I felt that I was again in a trap, and my depression re-surfaced.
I found a local hair restoration company, family run and went to them for advice. Seemed that a lot of their customers had come from AHS and they genuinely helped me and put me at ease. For the next 15 years I bought my systems from them every couple of years, went each month for the upkeep and had to say, that I felt that it was a great alternative to have hair. As far as I was aware, no-one knew (my parents did, I ended up telling them as they couldn't understand the bouts of depression) I was careful with my relationships, never letting anyone near my head, and I got on with life.
Then last winter I started to think about what I was doing, all the money I had spent over the years. Not just on the pieces themselves, but the shampoo's, tapes, monthly visits etc etc. The staff were lovely and nothing was too much for them, but the owners were getting near retirement and I started to think about what would happen when they did. I'd obsessively looked into other companies offering similar services, hair transplants and even the new head tattooing! But I just felt that I would be swapping one thing for another.
So...I made a desision..I was going to stop with the pieces and buzz my hair down and just get on with life! I fessed up to my partner, who had no idea about my hair! It was very emotional and nervewracking. I gave myself a time frame of three months, starting taking some nutrients in an attempt to thicken up my own hair, started talking at work about possibly having a new look. It was stressful and I felt sick 24/7, in a way this kind of helped as I developed a weird scalp infection called follicatitis, which gave me an added reason to change my hair.
I went to the company for the last time in early December. They were fine with it and I knew that if I didn't do it then, I never would. I had taken 2 weeks away from work to get used to my new look. I admit that when I got home that first day I cried like a baby for hours. I bought some clippers, my partner clippers my hair for me every few weeks. I bought some spray tan for my face..very pasty where the piece had been! I also bought many hats!
So, bringing up to date...Am I happy? Uhm...I feel better for not being tied into something. The reaction from others has been fine. Ive been told the new look makes me look younger. My nieces arent keen, they liked to put ribbons and bows in my hair! Me? I have to say that I prefer myself with hair. Some days Im fine, others I hate it so much! Ive looked into natural methods of keeping the hair I have, supplements, shampoos, massage etc. Im not going down the procecia, finasteride, rogaine route. It's coming up to 6months now and Ive yet to have my picture taken without a hat or cap on! Ill get there eventually! I actually find the buzzed look very attractive on others..not so sure about me!
I just wanted to share this with people who might have been through a similar thing.
Feel free to ask any questions!
I'm 40. I first noticed my hair loss when I was 27. Someone I hadn't seen for a while saw me and mde a comment that my hair had started to thin at the front. This threw me into a major panic, which lead to a bout of depression. During the months that I was signed off work, I started looking into possible treatments. This was before the internet, so it was all in magazines. I stumbled across an advert in the back of a newspaper for "Advanced Hair Studio" I sent away for the brochure, couldn't believe what I saw (if only I had known then!) made an appointment for a consultation. Completely fell for the sales schtick and paid 3thousand pounds for what was basically a glued on wig! My naievity lead me to believe that they actually permenantly replaced the hair forever! For 6months I was relatively happy, I had hair, I went every month to have it refitted. Then the pressure came to buy a second unit "in case something happened to the first" Well, that was all it took to make me buy a 2nd..it was awful! wrong colour! I felt that I was again in a trap, and my depression re-surfaced.
I found a local hair restoration company, family run and went to them for advice. Seemed that a lot of their customers had come from AHS and they genuinely helped me and put me at ease. For the next 15 years I bought my systems from them every couple of years, went each month for the upkeep and had to say, that I felt that it was a great alternative to have hair. As far as I was aware, no-one knew (my parents did, I ended up telling them as they couldn't understand the bouts of depression) I was careful with my relationships, never letting anyone near my head, and I got on with life.
Then last winter I started to think about what I was doing, all the money I had spent over the years. Not just on the pieces themselves, but the shampoo's, tapes, monthly visits etc etc. The staff were lovely and nothing was too much for them, but the owners were getting near retirement and I started to think about what would happen when they did. I'd obsessively looked into other companies offering similar services, hair transplants and even the new head tattooing! But I just felt that I would be swapping one thing for another.
So...I made a desision..I was going to stop with the pieces and buzz my hair down and just get on with life! I fessed up to my partner, who had no idea about my hair! It was very emotional and nervewracking. I gave myself a time frame of three months, starting taking some nutrients in an attempt to thicken up my own hair, started talking at work about possibly having a new look. It was stressful and I felt sick 24/7, in a way this kind of helped as I developed a weird scalp infection called follicatitis, which gave me an added reason to change my hair.
I went to the company for the last time in early December. They were fine with it and I knew that if I didn't do it then, I never would. I had taken 2 weeks away from work to get used to my new look. I admit that when I got home that first day I cried like a baby for hours. I bought some clippers, my partner clippers my hair for me every few weeks. I bought some spray tan for my face..very pasty where the piece had been! I also bought many hats!
So, bringing up to date...Am I happy? Uhm...I feel better for not being tied into something. The reaction from others has been fine. Ive been told the new look makes me look younger. My nieces arent keen, they liked to put ribbons and bows in my hair! Me? I have to say that I prefer myself with hair. Some days Im fine, others I hate it so much! Ive looked into natural methods of keeping the hair I have, supplements, shampoos, massage etc. Im not going down the procecia, finasteride, rogaine route. It's coming up to 6months now and Ive yet to have my picture taken without a hat or cap on! Ill get there eventually! I actually find the buzzed look very attractive on others..not so sure about me!
I just wanted to share this with people who might have been through a similar thing.
Feel free to ask any questions!