Noah
Senior Member
- Reaction score
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This is a post on behalf of Leon, who has so far been unable to join the forum due to the technical glitch previously discussed:
I’m a first time wearer and I want to share my experience, make som inquiries and hopefully get some overall feedback!
Some background:
I’m currently 31 years old and have been struggling with my hair loss since I was 20. Androgenic alopecia runs on my mothers side of the family where the men typically reach Norwood 5–7 by their 40’s. I wish I had been as fortunate as my older brother to inherit the luscious curls from my fathers side, but alas here I am somewhere around Norwood 3.
I was on Finasteride for about 3 years in my early twenties but decided it was not for me (no notable decrease in hair loss + side effects). Got scared off trying Minoxidil after someone I know lost all hair in front which unfortunately never grew back and he was left a lot worse off than he started.
For the past few years I’ve been trapped under layers of hair fibre and hairspray which gave ok results for a few years but has gotten harder and harder to make work, and I can no longer manage to get the results I want.
I considered getting a hair transplant but realize that it would only be a temporary solution as I will continue to lose hair up top (reaching Norwood 6–7 sooner or later) and I simply don’t have enough donor hair to get full coverage when that happens (and I won’t go back to finasteride).
I am also adverse to the idea of shaving my head, imo I don’t have the features for it.
Including some pictures of my natural hair (with and without toppik and styling products) for reference.
SO, refusing to admit defeat I went ahead and got a hair system a week ago.
I’m in a steady relationship with a supporting partner but outside of the relationship no one has seen me with unstyled or wet hair for at least 10 years, and I’ve never talked about my hair loss other than with my doctor. I think the fact that I’m wearing will go mostly unnoticed by the people around me, if only I can get the hair system to look good. I still have three more weeks to get it right before summer vacation is over.
Hair salons that deal with systems seem to be scarce in my country so I picked the first I could find that was not a ”you must come to us for all your maintenance”- hair club. This hairdresser only works with full poly units, so I got the thinnest one he had at 0,08 mm. I had two choices: a lighter density unit that looked like a grandma with hair rollers and really thin in the crown, and a slightly denser unit (still looked quite thin) straight out of the Beatles.
After some discussion I was recommended the Beatles one. Color match seems spot-on and the thickness of each strand is not too different from my bio hair.
Dang it looked good for a few minutes while it was wet! Felt a burst of happiness and confidence! Main take-away from this is that hair systems look better and fuller on your head than off!
We opted for a fringe hair cut, main reason being not wanting to have to worry about the hair line. I was used to having my forehead more exposed so I thought it looked a bit strange and like there was too much hair on top – was told that it is common to feel this way. Then when the hair started to dry the puffiness came, and I looked like a yak.
We thinned the hair out quite a bit but I still think there is too much density (and too much puff). The hair on top is significantly denser than my bio hair on the sides. Did not have this much volume on top even as a teen.
What happened after
I’ve tried styling it a few different ways over the past week but have yet to find something that looks good and the hair is not very compliant. Can’t get too much variation without cutting it though. Pictures attached. I tried a semi-exposed hairline which looked good from a distance, but at least in good lighting the edge of the poly was visible from like 60–80 cm which I can’t accept (at work I get closer than this with strangers, several times a day).
I have contacted the hairdresser and scheduled an appointment this Friday to cut in the other, lower density unit (I think he said ca 15% less hair). Hoping for the best.
Tried wetting the hair and wearing a cap to flatten the unit out – things improved but the puff comes back after washing and/or brushing.
The glue in the front ”Manager Top - Trackpower” loosened immediatly after a light jog at the end of the second day of wearing (had allowed it to cure properly for 24+ hours). Reapplied the glue and went to the gym next day, loosened completely again. Guess I will have to find another glue? Until I can get my hands on something better I’m using tape in the front as well ”Arcos – Super Grip tape 25 mm”. Can’t see much of a difference from when I had it glued, the edge of the poly is just as noticable so a fringe that covers it is a must for now.
On the fourth day the system started to itch a bit, mainly in the back. Due to having lived a large portion of my life under a helmet of hairspray I’m used to not scratching, but it is annoying.
Detached and reattached the whole system on my own after 6 days. I think it went fine even though I didn’t have all the right tools (got to get som hair clips!) Took me 3 hours but I’m confident it’ll be faster next time. Going to try the Noah method. Itching did not go away unfortunately.
Reactions
No one out on the town has looked at my hair twice, not even when it was at its poofiest, guess most people don’t look at strangers hair as much as I do
Met an old acquaintance and her outspoken 12 year old on my third day of wearing. Havent seen them for maybe 3 or 4 years. None of them so much as glanced at my hair, I took that as a win. I have yet to meet anyone that knows me better though.
Question time!
1. Density and puff: What do you think, does this amount of density look unnatural, or is it my mind playing tricks? According to the hairdresser the hair will look better after a few weeks, but is it normal to have to go through weeks of looking this way until it settles? You don’t see that in advertisements If so, how do you explain the sudden shift in puff to your colleagues each time you change systems?
Am I doing the right thing by getting a lower density unit right away instead of waiting for my current one to flatten out? Hairdresser thinks I just have to get used to having more than I did before, but I’m not sure. When looking at other people, even young guys, their hair typically seems to be thinner/less than mine but maybe it’s also attributed to what hairstyle they have. The only thing I’m worried about with the lower density unit is getting a bald spot in the crown – the crown on my current unit looks excellent.
2. Cutting the borders of a new unit to match the scalp: Is it standard procedure to attach the system to the scalp first and then cut away the excess on the sides? When the hairdresser did this last time the edges of the cut unit were a bit uneven and in som places overlapped my bio hair. Not noticable by sight but definately by touch, could probably get my fingertips 2–3 mm under the unit in the back and sides. I think i mitigated this issue a little bit when reattaching (trimmed it a bit) but still definately noticable, would never fool anyone if they were to run their fingers through my hair. Does it ever get less noticable? Difference between different kinds of systems? Anyway, I don’t think this is my biggest problem since other people usually keep their fingers to themselves.
What bothers me more is that when cutting the base, he ended up also cutting some of the units hair quite close to the scalp, maybe like 1–5 mm short while the rest of the hair in the area is closer to 5 cm. These short hairs poke out through the longer hair (again noticable by touch, not by sight). When I pat my hair on the edges of the unit these short hairs feel like small needles, and I think they are the main reason behind the itchiness of the unit. They also force the longer hair to lay a bit on top of them, but maybe I’m nitpicking.
I have looked at DIY vids of cutting in a new unit and they all stress on making sure to NOT cut the hairs, just the base material. Those vids was for lace units though, is poly different?
3. Haircut: I need help. Desperately. I want a ”modern” haircut that look natural and where the system is undetectable by sight. I don’t mind spending a bit of time on it, within reason.
I’m almost ok with my look on the third and fourth day so long as I don’t brush it or get wind in it (puffs right up) but can’t get over that it looks a bit juvenile/feminine, especially since I have quite soft features overall? Like a 15 year k-pop idol.
I still think fringe is the way to go, at least for this kind of unit. I’m questioning my tastes and would love some input from other people and to get some pictures that I can show the hairdresser when I go for my next cut in! Anyone else with a fringe haircut that have pics to share? Maybe lace or a 0,03 mm poly would allow better for a semi-exposed hairline? Will have to try in the future.
4. Bounce, and getting the hair to do what you want: How do you do it? My unit is new and untamed. I find than changing hairstyle is really hard unless the hair is completely wet, when the hair dries it goes back to how it was before attempting to style it. The system hair is stiff when dry and has almost no bounce. I feel like this is a problem for fringe haircuts where you can’t really sum it up to hair products making the hair stiffer. Does leave-in conditioner help with this? (I asked the hairdresser and he didn’t have any for sale, will have to order online).
Leon
I’m a first time wearer and I want to share my experience, make som inquiries and hopefully get some overall feedback!
Some background:
I’m currently 31 years old and have been struggling with my hair loss since I was 20. Androgenic alopecia runs on my mothers side of the family where the men typically reach Norwood 5–7 by their 40’s. I wish I had been as fortunate as my older brother to inherit the luscious curls from my fathers side, but alas here I am somewhere around Norwood 3.
I was on Finasteride for about 3 years in my early twenties but decided it was not for me (no notable decrease in hair loss + side effects). Got scared off trying Minoxidil after someone I know lost all hair in front which unfortunately never grew back and he was left a lot worse off than he started.
For the past few years I’ve been trapped under layers of hair fibre and hairspray which gave ok results for a few years but has gotten harder and harder to make work, and I can no longer manage to get the results I want.
I considered getting a hair transplant but realize that it would only be a temporary solution as I will continue to lose hair up top (reaching Norwood 6–7 sooner or later) and I simply don’t have enough donor hair to get full coverage when that happens (and I won’t go back to finasteride).
I am also adverse to the idea of shaving my head, imo I don’t have the features for it.
Including some pictures of my natural hair (with and without toppik and styling products) for reference.
SO, refusing to admit defeat I went ahead and got a hair system a week ago.
I’m in a steady relationship with a supporting partner but outside of the relationship no one has seen me with unstyled or wet hair for at least 10 years, and I’ve never talked about my hair loss other than with my doctor. I think the fact that I’m wearing will go mostly unnoticed by the people around me, if only I can get the hair system to look good. I still have three more weeks to get it right before summer vacation is over.
Hair salons that deal with systems seem to be scarce in my country so I picked the first I could find that was not a ”you must come to us for all your maintenance”- hair club. This hairdresser only works with full poly units, so I got the thinnest one he had at 0,08 mm. I had two choices: a lighter density unit that looked like a grandma with hair rollers and really thin in the crown, and a slightly denser unit (still looked quite thin) straight out of the Beatles.
After some discussion I was recommended the Beatles one. Color match seems spot-on and the thickness of each strand is not too different from my bio hair.
Dang it looked good for a few minutes while it was wet! Felt a burst of happiness and confidence! Main take-away from this is that hair systems look better and fuller on your head than off!
We opted for a fringe hair cut, main reason being not wanting to have to worry about the hair line. I was used to having my forehead more exposed so I thought it looked a bit strange and like there was too much hair on top – was told that it is common to feel this way. Then when the hair started to dry the puffiness came, and I looked like a yak.
We thinned the hair out quite a bit but I still think there is too much density (and too much puff). The hair on top is significantly denser than my bio hair on the sides. Did not have this much volume on top even as a teen.
What happened after
I’ve tried styling it a few different ways over the past week but have yet to find something that looks good and the hair is not very compliant. Can’t get too much variation without cutting it though. Pictures attached. I tried a semi-exposed hairline which looked good from a distance, but at least in good lighting the edge of the poly was visible from like 60–80 cm which I can’t accept (at work I get closer than this with strangers, several times a day).
I have contacted the hairdresser and scheduled an appointment this Friday to cut in the other, lower density unit (I think he said ca 15% less hair). Hoping for the best.
Tried wetting the hair and wearing a cap to flatten the unit out – things improved but the puff comes back after washing and/or brushing.
The glue in the front ”Manager Top - Trackpower” loosened immediatly after a light jog at the end of the second day of wearing (had allowed it to cure properly for 24+ hours). Reapplied the glue and went to the gym next day, loosened completely again. Guess I will have to find another glue? Until I can get my hands on something better I’m using tape in the front as well ”Arcos – Super Grip tape 25 mm”. Can’t see much of a difference from when I had it glued, the edge of the poly is just as noticable so a fringe that covers it is a must for now.
On the fourth day the system started to itch a bit, mainly in the back. Due to having lived a large portion of my life under a helmet of hairspray I’m used to not scratching, but it is annoying.
Detached and reattached the whole system on my own after 6 days. I think it went fine even though I didn’t have all the right tools (got to get som hair clips!) Took me 3 hours but I’m confident it’ll be faster next time. Going to try the Noah method. Itching did not go away unfortunately.
Reactions
No one out on the town has looked at my hair twice, not even when it was at its poofiest, guess most people don’t look at strangers hair as much as I do
Met an old acquaintance and her outspoken 12 year old on my third day of wearing. Havent seen them for maybe 3 or 4 years. None of them so much as glanced at my hair, I took that as a win. I have yet to meet anyone that knows me better though.
Question time!
1. Density and puff: What do you think, does this amount of density look unnatural, or is it my mind playing tricks? According to the hairdresser the hair will look better after a few weeks, but is it normal to have to go through weeks of looking this way until it settles? You don’t see that in advertisements If so, how do you explain the sudden shift in puff to your colleagues each time you change systems?
Am I doing the right thing by getting a lower density unit right away instead of waiting for my current one to flatten out? Hairdresser thinks I just have to get used to having more than I did before, but I’m not sure. When looking at other people, even young guys, their hair typically seems to be thinner/less than mine but maybe it’s also attributed to what hairstyle they have. The only thing I’m worried about with the lower density unit is getting a bald spot in the crown – the crown on my current unit looks excellent.
2. Cutting the borders of a new unit to match the scalp: Is it standard procedure to attach the system to the scalp first and then cut away the excess on the sides? When the hairdresser did this last time the edges of the cut unit were a bit uneven and in som places overlapped my bio hair. Not noticable by sight but definately by touch, could probably get my fingertips 2–3 mm under the unit in the back and sides. I think i mitigated this issue a little bit when reattaching (trimmed it a bit) but still definately noticable, would never fool anyone if they were to run their fingers through my hair. Does it ever get less noticable? Difference between different kinds of systems? Anyway, I don’t think this is my biggest problem since other people usually keep their fingers to themselves.
What bothers me more is that when cutting the base, he ended up also cutting some of the units hair quite close to the scalp, maybe like 1–5 mm short while the rest of the hair in the area is closer to 5 cm. These short hairs poke out through the longer hair (again noticable by touch, not by sight). When I pat my hair on the edges of the unit these short hairs feel like small needles, and I think they are the main reason behind the itchiness of the unit. They also force the longer hair to lay a bit on top of them, but maybe I’m nitpicking.
I have looked at DIY vids of cutting in a new unit and they all stress on making sure to NOT cut the hairs, just the base material. Those vids was for lace units though, is poly different?
3. Haircut: I need help. Desperately. I want a ”modern” haircut that look natural and where the system is undetectable by sight. I don’t mind spending a bit of time on it, within reason.
I’m almost ok with my look on the third and fourth day so long as I don’t brush it or get wind in it (puffs right up) but can’t get over that it looks a bit juvenile/feminine, especially since I have quite soft features overall? Like a 15 year k-pop idol.
I still think fringe is the way to go, at least for this kind of unit. I’m questioning my tastes and would love some input from other people and to get some pictures that I can show the hairdresser when I go for my next cut in! Anyone else with a fringe haircut that have pics to share? Maybe lace or a 0,03 mm poly would allow better for a semi-exposed hairline? Will have to try in the future.
4. Bounce, and getting the hair to do what you want: How do you do it? My unit is new and untamed. I find than changing hairstyle is really hard unless the hair is completely wet, when the hair dries it goes back to how it was before attempting to style it. The system hair is stiff when dry and has almost no bounce. I feel like this is a problem for fringe haircuts where you can’t really sum it up to hair products making the hair stiffer. Does leave-in conditioner help with this? (I asked the hairdresser and he didn’t have any for sale, will have to order online).
Leon
