New Baldy On Board Looking For A Hand To Hold

[Hairy bear]

So update. I seen the guy today and he is elated!
He's went from lace to 0.06 skin.
My opinion? Flawless all around head, transition to his hair- perfect 100% undetectable even when he lifts it! Colour and feel- 100% perfect, front hairline - this is where it falls down . Too much hair all at once too, visible skin and crinkley feel in my opinion. His style isn't exposed hairline, so it looks great unless hairline is exposed.

So I'm not 'off put' but I'd never get that system! If I got skiing I'd get ultra fun lace front for realism. And skin back.

Are these typical and expected for a .06 skin system ? He is honest, but you could never pass that off, not sure about .03?

 

[shookwun]

Lace are detectable to touch.

I can't speak on behalf of skin, but all forms of lace are detectable to touch.

They are undetectable to sight when bonded properly.

 

[Hairy bear]

Thanks Shook, I'd rather have invisible to sight, by the time touching happens is have full disclosure. I'm going for the honest approach rather than making an opportunity for potential blackmailers

But that doesn't mean you need to blurt it out to everyone on the street you meet.

 

[shookwun]

Thanks Shook, I'd rather have invisible to sight, by the time touching happens is have full disclosure. I'm going for the honest approach rather than making an opportunity for potential blackmailers

But that doesn't mean you need to blurt it out to everyone on the street you meet.

Nobody should know you wear if attached properly. meaning at sight, and every day encounters it should be undetectable.

If the unit you are purchasing doesn't feel right meaning the hairline looks like a wall of hair opposed to natural hair, that takes on the characteristics of individual hairs, and more see through at the hairline then I would reject it. The system should not have that wiggish appearance where it looks like a wall of hair. It should look see through, where the hair it growing from the scalp.

Anything less, and you reject the idea of wearing. Don't let them sell you into the idea of this is how systems are supposed to look. The hairline should look graduated, and natural like any one else native hair walking on the streets. If anything you want to go on a less density side, as pieces tend to be very dense. Take your donor hair in consideration, if it's thin then you absolutely must go with light density. A lot of factors to take in consideration. Any hesitance, and I would call it off. Should look 100% natural.

 

[Noah]

I totally agree with this. The technology is now there to have a system which is undetectable to sight, and it is available for a reasonable cost to any guy who wants it. It does require a bit of aesthetic judgement - the ability to see what "normality" looks like so that you can imitate it. You have to have that, or buy it in from a salon.

I would also say that if you are prepared to put the work in these units can be 90 - 95% undetectable to the touch as well, but I would agree that it is quite a lot of work, and a lot of guys (including me) regard it as too much work for everyday wear. I prefer to take the risk of leaving it at maybe 60 - 70% (which is a lot less work). In my case at least, that risk has never come in.

 

[Hairy bear]

Thanks Noah

Think I'm about a week or two out now, excited but, niggling doubt if it looks like a bag of sh*t I'll have to remove and shave . Journey over before it begun

Is the extra work more regular de and re's ?

 

[Jimbo5]

jesus, bear, your first rug will likely look like sh*t.

Doubt there are many wearers who got the perfect wig right out of the gate.

You'll probably have to tweak something (density, color, size, etc.) ... not to mention learn how to care for the thing and do routine maintenance between (mortifying, imo) salon appointments.

You're gunna have to give this at least a few months (and probably a bunch more Benjamins) ... unless you have little patience and throw in the towel after only "17 days" like that "NeedHair" dude did...

 

[Hairy bear]

Plenty of patience, but if professionals can't nail it on go one, I'm not wearing an obvious system for 8 weeks then another etc. 'tweaking'. If it looks good 'believable' I don't mind tweaking for comfort/lifestyle but not tweaking to lose the wig look.

I wouldn't consider a transplant, heaps of $ even if you say 'oh long term but your cheaper....' It's the meds! Sides! All the sh*t you need to take and being paranoid about losing what you have!
If anything plan b might be the Tattoo route, which was plan A before finding out about modern systems.

I trust Noah as and expert and experienced wearer, it can be done, but down to beginners luck for me. I don't think you have any experience at all as a wearer? Is that correct? You seem very anti system route for some reason and a lot of what you say is simply not true. I'd. 'Mortifying salon visits'. I travel to a town I never go to, enter an inconspicuous building with all sorts of things in it, arrive at L4 and all offices are closed and have treatment done in a closed door room by two lovely ladies ?! We're not talking about sitting in a goldfish bowl On the main street of my home town, with people from the pub walking past!

Why are you so down on 'wigs'? Btw

 

[shookwun]

That hair tattoo is the stupidest sh*t ever, let's not kid ourselves here.

it's rugs, drugs, and plugs. Pick your path


Salons can make or break you experience. Be aware of these hack places that have regular female barbers who went to school for two weeks to study artifical toupees, and don't even know how to cut hair let alone apply the piece. I had that experience, and I am sure Noah can chime in on these type of experiences, and places.


DIY is the best way to go. Relying on salons is absolute bullshit.



Find a barber who specializes in cut ins of systems, and get the supplies yourself. The biggest move is getting the piece to match your characteristics then getting a proper cut in. Once you establish yourself here, it's easy as pie. First month or two is going to be an absolute pain in the *** though. Get ready for 1 half hour re, and de-attachments. Sweating, and getting pissed off because your bond is crinkled, and off center. Power through, and learn how to do it yourself.

 

[Noah]

There is no reason why it should look like a "bag of sh*t" (you colonial boys have such colorful turns of phrase). My experience with first hairpieces from my own transition and talking to other guys is that about 40% of the time it looks fine from the word go. Another 30% look fine except that the hairline is not undetectable, so the piece has to worn with a hairline-covered style until that can be corrected (usually it is just messy application, or sometimes unbleached knots). About 20% of the time the color is off enough for it to be a problem - generally these cases will be stock pieces. The hair will need to be coloured, or a better match achieved using a custom unit. The remaining 10% do not look right - this is known in the trade as "bag of sh*t" syndrome. Usually it means the piece has been poorly designed - the front looks unbalanced because of receded temples, or it's too dense to match the surviving biohair. With a bit of common sense and aesthetic judgement you can avoid these problems.

The extra work needed to achieve undetectability to the touch is mainly practice and extra clean-up. You need an all-lace hairpiece and an all-glue attachment. The piece has to be a snug fit for the curve of your head, and it needs to be a couple of millimetres smaller than your bald area, but no more, so that there is no overlap and no gaps. The application has to be perfectly in position, with no wrinkles, and no edges left unglued. Doable with a bit of practice, but quite a lot of fuss. That said, I have spoken to a few guys who do every application like that. One of them is a PUA type who in clubs every night with different girls.

 

[Noah]

Totally agree with Shookwun about salons, especially the Hair Club model - a man's hairpiece salon with a giggly 25-year-old all female staff whose speciality was ornamental nail enhancements until Hair Club recruited them. They have maybe done a couple of days on "toupees" as part of their in depth training. The "toupees" they were told about and practised on were designed circa 1965 (which ironically is a pretty good introduction to the Hair Club product range). These people, and the poor sods who go to them, are the reason why so many guys would rather be castrated than even consider hair replacement.

 

[Noah]

Jimbo5 - help me here. It intrigues me that your conclusions about hair replacement are so different from my own, having worn a piece myself for 5 years. Could you give me a quick run-down of your first-hand experience in wearing or dealing with men's hair systems, so I know where your insights are coming from?

 

[Hairy bear]

I totally agree, he jumps in and puts doubt in your mind. I don't think he a any experience with modern quality systems that are well fitted. His ideas and disrespectful comments are all about 1965 style rugs!

My friends stock piece was a good look apart from the front hairline and I'm sure I felt crinkly plastic there too. As my first one id have rejected his as mine will be under much scrutiny

Fingers crossed

 

[Jimbo5]

Shook's post above is excellent.

Couldn't agree more about head tattoos. You'd have to be seriously desperate and/or seriously stupid to do something like that, imo.

I've never worn. Have just done some reading about pieces in case I ever decide to try one in the future.

But I do know a dude who basically had the exact experience (hack place) that shook describes.

Made me cringe when he told me how humiliated he felt sitting there staring in the mirror as some young cutie hovered over his bald skull.

jesus

Follow shook's advice, bear, and get the hell out of that salon and into DIY-mode asap...

 

[Jimbo5]

Hopefully bear came to his senses and decided to give up on this wig-wearing, money-draining folly.

Doesn't seem like the type who could pull it off for very long anyway...

 

[Cue Bald]

I think he just had that initial elation you get when you research hair pieces, I remember when I first considered buying one - you imagine yourself with a full head of hair; walking around the bar getting all the chicks, and you are elated. you find out that you can afford it and finally have a full head of hair.

but after a few days, this elation wears off, and you realize that you are considering buying a wig - gluing some fake hair on top of your head. Eventually people will find out and you will be a laughing stock.
I bet he is now thinking "man, what was I thinking? I almost bought a rug"

 

[shookwun]

I think he just had that initial elation you get when you research hair pieces, I remember when I first considered buying one - you imagine yourself with a full head of hair; walking around the bar getting all the chicks, and you are elated. you find out that you can afford it and finally have a full head of hair.

but after a few days, this elation wears off, and you realize that you are considering buying a wig - gluing some fake hair on top of your head. Eventually people will find out and you will be a laughing stock.
I bet he is now thinking "man, what was I thinking? I almost bought a rug"

Funny you mention that, because that's exactly what I went through. Except I actually went through with wearing the piece.


Get all amped, then realize it's not a viable option unless you are advanced bald-ing.

A piece is the way to go if you are NW5-7.

Anything under, medication and transplants.

 

[Hairy bear]

Hiy dee hiy campers I'm back!

Had a shocker of a time trying to get back on here, it wouldn't send email for new password for ages, months! But anyway, happy new year everyone!


Ok, so the eight or nine weeks passed and I got my first 'custom' system! I was so excited ! It was all a bit rushed as I remember, as they double sided taped this horrendous rug to my head! And cut it so short it looked utterly ridiculous! It felt like the brim of a baseball cap at the front and a big step at sides and back... but just as a clincher the cut in was just vulger!
I'd been so excited and I drove home miserable as sin, lunging to grab my baseball cap if any other driver pulled up within 20 m!

Sides and back it looked good, but top and front was vile, I couldn't believe I'd blown $800 on this shite, it couldn't have been worse, I wanted to die! ( not quite but you know what I mean )
I sat for an hour in my car trying to get up the courage to face the world, finally I went for a hot chocolate, paranoid as! Watched a movie and as I walked out I swear i heard a group of you girls yell 'wig!' I was miserable, went home and ripped that fkkr off! I almost shaved clean, but I thought na! $800 I'm going back.
I texted them next day, saying how sh*t it was, looked terrible! NOTHING LIKE WHAT I'd asked for! ( med light density on thin lace with graduated random hairline). Anyway I went back with that thing in a bag, -and they hacked up a stock lace unit! And I LOVED IT! Sure it's rough, but I can have exposed hairline, spike up whatever!

I got about 1.5 weeks of hold with walker mighty white and most of the front lifts, but I reglue as best I could, back about every two weeks for service.
then I thought I'd try thin skin for better hold, lasted my through Xmas hols, I day shy of three weeks and it started moving, this one I liked feel and less hassle, but hairline was shocking, -always need cover front.

So I'm back to lace unit, with thin walker blue ( 6 week) tape, I got two days and it came off! Had to do my first full reattachment! Pretty easy, 90% on my first 'rushed' go!
I'm thinking when I save a bit I want a new custom, skin back for hold and feel, lace front for realism. Should I try ordering myself from Norwood lace? HD has exactly what I want 'high definition hair line'. But its$$$ and I'm not sure if it only lasts a month?!

I can see a great future as a wearer, but I want a good unit, that looks real!

Oh and I went full disclosure with everyone, ( I had to, complete bald). 100% positive feedback from all!

Sorry long post, but been off a while

 

[Noah]

Sounds like an emotional rollercoaster Bear - glad you got something wearable at the end. I sense you will be able to make this work for you with a bit of practice and shopping around.

 

[Hairy bear]

Sounds like an emotional rollercoaster Bear - glad you got something wearable at the end. I sense you will be able to make this work for you with a bit of practice and shopping around.

Thanks Noah !

Sorry for belated reply, I keep getting logged out of this forum, and password reset doesn't often work!

Yup, I think I'm zeroing in on my ideal! Med light density, Swiss lace if that's the thin one, probably tape as I can do that not sure about glue Mind you I could prob glue front only once I've got it down with tape?

But I've been 'getting away' with imho some pretty crappy units and no one has picked it ( strangers, all friends and family know). So any improvement is just off the scale in my opinion, I tried a .03 skin loved it but way too flimsy, I can't afford a new unit every de-re ! But incredible!

I've ordered a custom Swiss lace slightly more than med light, with a grad hairline and a tad 5% grey at sides for further realism.

If that thin skin had of worked out, I'd have had 100% confidence, I'm still a tad paranoid every now and then, even though I see the whole thing as not such a big deal these days, BIGGER ISSUES GOING ON