This guy has a great toupee

[sciencedude]

What about the hairpiece they showed on Beyond 2000? It looked very realistic and was completely undetectable unless you can detect the so called mesh which is 30 micons thin i.e. 1/3 the thickness of paper and very strong. The only drawback is that is has to be redone every 2 weeks but then it's always new and wont wear out like other peices. Also it's more expensive. The company is Propia and it's from Japan.

 

[Vega]

maybe the wig alternative should not be treated as a permanent alternative, but one that you can use from time to time?

i think most people are really scared of being "found out" -

but if everybody knows that your bald, and you tell them that when you fancy having a good night out you wear a hairpiece, i think they'll understand that. That way you enjoy the bits when hair is important, and dont have to worry about the bits when it isnt. And your not living a lie?? just an idea

 

[ToupMaster]

I've had several customers who wear hair, but not on all occasions. There are those who never wear it to work, but always wear at home and when going out. There are those that wear just for social occasions and their friends see them without when visiting thier home or work place.

Some treat it like a tie... sometimes you wear one, sometimes you don't.

Of course most... would not be seen without it at any time.

 

[MichiganBaldy]

Most people make it into a much bigger deal than it really is.
I see it as another piece of clothing, and thats all. It can look good, or it can look bad.
Its only hair, if it looks good, why does it matter what its made of?

Hair on my head, or anyones head does nothing all day but just sit there.
It just sits up there, and provides us with plummeage. Its not like you`re going to use it as a hammer, or pliers or something.

 

[gray]

hi bert.
This strand by strand technique...doesnt it restore your hair the way that you lost it??

 

[ToupMaster]

Strand by strand is nothing more than how they "one at a time" tie the hairs into the mesh of the unit..... You can't go in and get 10 or 20...

 

[Shinyscalp23]

it takes me 15 minutes to change the tape in the front and clean my scalp underneath and i often forget my piece is on and i have no shame in wearing one as it was a big and brave step to get one to go from the balding guy with rather short hair to a full head of 3 inch longer hair in less than 24 hours and have to go to work the next day...i have yet to be able to get my hair line perfect and it is actually my own hair that constantly needs to be dyed but i go for the wet look....so the dye isnt always necessary-your hair looks darker when its wet----and i wear my hair down so you cant see the hair line anyway--everybody talks about the maintenance and omg the paranoia about someone finding out and so on--well unless im with my coworkers, friends, or lover, no one would ever even think that this wasnt my hair thats how confident i am and thats how real it looks...unless you were to literally push the hair in the front up you would never ever know...and id hardly call having to change the tape in the front (which could take 15-30 mins) every 3-4 days plus a service visit once a month alot of maintenance (unless ofcourse you never styled your hair or got your hair cut once a month)---you guys mustve had some pretty crappy pieces.....secondly my piece is holding up quite well so ive heard after 3 months a lace system should need to be replaced or at least repaired...mine is almost perfect...according to my stylist i could have this system i have right now for a year provided that i get the hair cut alittle later down the road(the ends do eventually get frizzy but if u style your hair anyway this isnt a problem) and continue to treat it well..anyone who compliments my looks i tell about my hair i have nothing to be ashamed of and neither do any of you, and if you take on this attitude with people, many of them, after admiring how natural your hair looks, will admit you that theyd probably do the same thing if they were in your shoes

 

[CCS]

Gardener, it is so obvious from reading your long posts, and reading other toplace wearer's posts, that your piece was really really bad. Sorry to hear about all that pain you went through, though at least you did not spend $14,000 on grafts, which I'm about to shave off and cover with a piece.

I'll post before and after pics and log my minutes of maintainance. The only thing Gardener mentioned that I'm worried about is the hair fading. But I think I can take care of that.

When I first read your post, I thought you were going to say that any significant other will notice the bleached knots, where the hair is tied to the lace. But when I read how bad the materials your piece is made of are, I sighed some releaf. I don't think I'll have anything to worry about. Experienced wearers change their piece in 15 minutes. I plan to do that about twice a week, but might got a whole week at times with the ST30. It does not come off. The only problem I heard is it does absorb a little water, and can make the edge just high enough to feel.

 

[Cassin]

lol...can't believe I made this thread. :$

 

[Shinyscalp23]

Well its been a long time since I posted here-simply because the hair system has solved the hair loss problem. In terms of maintenance it actually only takes me 5 minutes to change the tape and I can wear it up when the tape is fresh...maintenance isnt really an issue..i now change the tape once a week..if u dont wear the hair up after the tape starts lifting you can actually go a week or two without changing the adhesive in the front..so maintenance is actually less than when i initially went the hair system route..now i wear the hair in a "faux-hawk" style with some hair in the front down...youd never ever know unless I told you...so I say to all you fellow advanced bald(ing) men out there-the big 3 just aint gonna do it like a hair piece will or implants...stop wasting your money waiting for results taking drugs (you shouldnt take propecia or avodart unless u got prostate probs-ofcourse if u do your probably balding as well) and msm and other supplements and all this crap..you will never get the same cosmetic results as you will with a good quality hair system and a good hair stylist. In my own experience with lace and skin systems its more how the hair stylist cuts it in and styles your hair and you style your hair than it is the system...when u wake up in the morning it doesnt look real-u have to style it to look real-it s a compromise you have to make to look great versus growing 5 hairs from minoxidil or propecia or avodart
secondly, dont fall for the u have to change your piece every 3 months-i keep mine for 6 months to a year..lace front systems..in my opinion the older they get the more realistic they look when you style them(the worse they look if you go simply go the natural look)..because the hair frizzes and stuff you have to style the piece for it to look good-which is a small compromise to avoid dishing out more(regardles of how much)money on a new one.
Must take a breath
peace,
michael

 

[IBM]

Shinyscalp23 that was a great post!

I would like to know some details like:
- Maintanance on hairpiece like washing and get rid of potential smell and dust;
- It is difficult for someone to took it out? How strong are the tapes?

 

[Shinyscalp23]

i have to admit i agree with michigan baldy..its just like a piece of clothing..its only a lie you live if youfeel that way..as far as im concerned its no one else's business unless i make it theirs..but because mine looksso good and natural i dont care i tell everyone

 

[IBM]

If it is someone with cancer its acceptable for society to wear it but if it is male pattern baldness folk its no acceptable.

 

[Shinyscalp23]

well ibm in terms of regimen/maintenace i wear mine for 4 weeks at a time and just change the tape in the front-i go to an expensive salon..what im waiting to do is actually send one of my old hair pieces to toplace.com coolpiece.com or soemthing and get that replicated..i wash the hair and scalp around the piece and when i lift the front that area of my scalp..thats all..i rather have someone else do the dirty work take it off and clean it...as far as im concerned it is acceptable for anyone to wear a wig -cancer or not--its much more acceptable than spending tons of money on minoxidil and pills to grow 5 or 10 hairs..more people wear realistic hair systems than you think...trust me i know..especially when i get the hair done on the week-ends and my place is packed..cancer victims also go to my salon-its a free country do what u want you know?im just glad i dont have to put that greasy generic minoxidil on my head or that burning retin-a anymore to grow a few hairs-in the end the hair piece saves time and money

 

[MichiganBaldy]

We`re still talking about my great toupee in here, lol!
Its been a while since I wore that particular unit.
Alot has happened, and also changed since then.

But first I have to say that some of the descriptions of the maintenance is quite off, what with all the talk of aligning, waiting, trimming off glue (?) tapes, etc. thats not true, unless someone didnt know how to do it.

As far as people knowing about it finding it, since them pics of mine were posted, I`ve had several women run their hands and fingers in my hair during some *good times* and they didnt find out.

I also went through a sleep test with it on.
They come in and literally scrub parts of your scalp with a cotton ball and solution so they can attach electrodes or probes to your head for monitoring. The nurse/technician did this right on my hairpiece and did not know it was there because it is paper thin, attached skin tight (I stretch it when I apply it) and it just looks and feels pretty much like hair coming from my head.

When they diagnosed me with sleep disorder, I had to go and have a mask fitted to wear to bed at night. These two guys were putting them and taking them off, allowing the strapes to really mess up my hair. They were putting their hands all over my head adjusting straps and all that. My hair didnt move and they didnt know it was there either.

Now I`m saying it cannot ever be found. They can, under extreme conditions I`m sure. However, these normal day to day situations in my case didnt happen, due to my diligence and proper maintenance.

As far THAT goes.
I dont use tape, I use liquid adhesive. Tapes can be felt, and the edge can be seen in the front with my extremely exposed frontal hairline style.
I use an all lace base which means about 75% of my scalp is exposed to the elements so my scalp gets air all day, not to mention that the lace is completely permeable meaning I can shampoo and my scalp will get clean.
On the days I dont shampoo, I soak it down to the scalp in the shower with very warm water and massage as if I`m shampooing, only without the shampoo.
This keeps my scalp very clean.
Years ago when I went to a salon, they would never tell you to do that, they`d say its bad for the hair.
I didnt do it that way when I made them pics either, so this is fairly new to me and a huge improvement on the whole situation.

I`m also able to keep this all lace on for weeks at a time without removing and redoing it every week.
I`m currently looking at having one made with a lace base and skin front, which will have all the advantages of the breatheable lace base which is less likely to be felt to the touch, and the skin front which will allow for a stronger bond where its needed most (in front!)

 

[Vinton Harper]

MichiganBaldy, have you tried the ST30 tape that BA raves about? He says it can be used for any hairstyle and is pretty undetectable.



CCS, where did Gardner say he wore a TopLace piece? From his post, it sounds like he went to one of those hair studio's that make you sign a contract for monthly maintenance and crap like that.
Most TopLace pieces I've seen are pretty excellent, and I've even seen them getting put on in person at one of their conventions, and I was amazed at the transformations, I'll have to say!

 

[CCS]

CCS, where did Gardner say he wore a TopLace piece? From his post, it sounds like he went to one of those hair studio's that make you sign a contract for monthly maintenance and crap like that.
Most TopLace pieces I've seen are pretty excellent, and I've even seen them getting put on in person at one of their conventions, and I was amazed at the transformations, I'll have to say!

Um... I thought I said that Gardener did NOT get it at toplace. Please double check me on that one. I said that when he said it is noticeable to close friends, I got worried, and was relieved to read about the crappy design and that it was obviously not a toplace piece.

MichiganBaldy, have you tried the ST30 tape that BA raves about? He says it can be used for any hairstyle and is pretty undetectable.

Visible? I heard that if you stretch the ST30 before applying it, it dulls it very much. You can heat it with a blow drier and use the tape backing to flatten it more. Then there is an adhesive drier you can spray on it that makes non-sticky.

Base bond sounds much easier. But if I'm going camping, or swimming, ST30 is what I'd do, and I'd get some practice in before hand.

 

[sean66]

toplace has changed so much in the last 18 mos it's not funny

I was getting them from the older factory ba uses consistent in density and matching my template and at $135 delivered..
New factory completely botched the base on my last 2, and now they are $210 delivered in... well...sometimes 8 weeks, sometimes 14 weeks, or sometimes not at all as the new guy messed up my order when he took over... in the old days ba would have had a couple made, but now sent back to have lace added to the front to match the template I sent in in the first place??

it didn't work

go on the forum and try to say this... bammmmm.. all the butt kissers ( who are now paying 40% more than 18 mos ago) will shooo you away... ba has changed, tho still a good guy but snaps...

so I tried something else... it is great, for now... I learned tat this industry is ever changing...
what stay the same are the basic 10 factories in China that make them..
the rest is for the consumer to weed thru :bravo:

 

[MichiganBaldy]

MichiganBaldy, have you tried the ST30 tape that BA raves about? He says it can be used for any hairstyle and is pretty undetectable.



CCS, where did Gardner say he wore a TopLace piece? From his post, it sounds like he went to one of those hair studio's that make you sign a contract for monthly maintenance and crap like that.
Most TopLace pieces I've seen are pretty excellent, and I've even seen them getting put on in person at one of their conventions, and I was amazed at the transformations, I'll have to say!

I used to try every new tape and glue that came out until my bathroom closet was filled with them, so I dont mess with them anymore.
Although, alot of reputable guys have given it the thumbs up, but still my hairstyle in front is very risky for tape, and I dont like any feeling on the sides either so tape is just not an option for me.

 

[CCS]

MB, there is an adhesive dryer/sealer you can buy at sallies for $5. If you spray it on tape or any other sticky glue, it will not be sticky anymore, in 1/2 second. The trick is not spraying too much, so you don't smell like it. It also dulls the shine. If you stretch ST30 tape and let it recoil before putting it on, that gets rid of the shine too. Only problem is thickness. Some guys use a blow dryer to get it softer, then use the tape backing to press it flatter. The only problem i see with that is if you press it and it goes too far forwards, it will be hard to clean up.

I'll definitely start with basebond, since I think it will be much easier to slide into place before it sets. But I bought ST30 tape so I can swim or go camping for a week. Stubble will not move it at all. The bond never ends. It just gets stronger, which can be bad if you wait more than a few weeks and it gets stuck to your lace.

This is what I read on toplace forums.