Transplants And Fibers No Longer Keep Me Covered - Help Please!

[refuse-to-be-bald]

Hello everyone - my first post on the board.
I am an NW6 with one male pattern reduction and four transplants. I do not want to get anymore transplants. For many years I had been topping that off with fibers and got away with it. Now my balding is overtaking all that and I now am thinking a piece is needed. I am even losing the hairline.

Please, some questions:

1) How are pieces today different from say 35 years ago?
2) I live in a country that is hot and humid in summer.
3) I have always had a side part and think I should keep it to go undetected. Does that mean it needs skin where the part is? Or, is it possible to go 100% lace?
4) I want to wear it just when I go out so does that mean I should be thinking tape?
5) Should I have some of my hairline exposed? My thinking here is, make it look like I am just starting to lose the hairline. Or does that make it look less natural?
6) If I buy a custom piece, does that mean I do not need to cut in?

I would want low density as my age is advancing and I want to remain undetected. My budget is online, and at that price point, I could replace them every 6 months.

Thanks to all.

PS: I want to die with my hair on!

 

[Noah]

Hi RTBB, here are attempted answers to your questions:

1) How are pieces today different from say 35 years ago?

I wasn't around then, but my impression is that the ultra lightweight lace pieces we can buy now for $200-300 were only available to show business people in the 60's and 70's. The toupees which the common man was able to buy were far heavier and more obvious. The hair looked coarse and 'Asian', the bases were thicker and more visible (what would nowadays be called 'monofilament'), the hairlines did not look natural so they always had to be concealed, and the adhesives were much less reliable, so wearers resorted to clips or braiding to attach to their remaining growing hair.

2) I live in a country that is hot and humid in summer.

Me too. Go for a lace unit.

3) I have always had a side part and think I should keep it to go undetected. Does that mean it needs skin where the part is? Or, is it possible to go 100% lace?

100% lace should still be OK, but if you are ordering custom you could request a skin insert under your parting, and that would give an even better result.

4) I want to wear it just when I go out so does that mean I should be thinking tape?

Probably, yes, you should choose a low-tack tape.

5) Should I have some of my hairline exposed? My thinking here is, make it look like I am just starting to lose the hairline. Or does that make it look less natural?

Exposing hairline makes it look more natural, but it is a bit more work to get a nice undetectable hairline. If you are going to want to take the piece on and off a lot (as you mentioned above) a covered hairline might be more practical.

6) If I buy a custom piece, does that mean I do not need to cut in?

No, custom pieces come with long uncut hair, so you still need a cut-in. Some of the sellers can arrange a remote cut-in for an extra charge.

I would want low density as my age is advancing and I want to remain undetected. My budget is online, and at that price point, I could replace them every 6 months.

That is sensible and very doable. Good luck with your project.

Noah