Hi,

I've just received my first piece, and before I take the plunge and do this thing for the first time, I just want to make sure I've covered all the bases. Once I shave I'm committed, and needless to say I'd like it to look as convincing as possible from the first day.

Primarily, I'm wondering how you guys prepare a piece before you attach it. Straight out of the box it isn't particularly manageable & quite dry...water helps a lot, but I'm guessing there's a process the better guys go through to break in a new piece. (Conditioners, etc?) ...Anyone care to share?

I'm guessing this is pretty basic information, but I couldn't find anything that authoritive anywhere. Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks

I just recently got my first Toplace piece and these are the steps I took. 1. Remove excess lace. 2. Wash the hair in the sink with shampoo so some of the excess color comes off. 3. Let air dry. 4. Apply knot sealer and allow it to dry. 5. Apply glue to your scalp or tape to the system. 5. Apply the system and go!

Ditto what Sidney said.. definitely wash it once or twice with shampoo and conditioner before wearing for the first time to remove any excess color.
Holding the unit in your hand, i understand how you might be quite nervous it's not going to look good.. but honestly, it will look completely different when it is on your head.

Are you attaching and then going to a salon for a cut-in, or doing it yourself?

Good luck )

Before cutting it in yourself or going to a salon, I would wear it "as-is" for an hour or so until you get a feel for it. It's kinda like wearing a hat which I had never done in my life so it was definitely something for me to adjust to. However, now I don't even know I have it on.

Hi - wow, many thanks for the quick response.

Knot sealer is in the mail, conditioner/shampoo I haven't really considered. I use "Tresemme Salon Silk" on my natural hair - they're fairly standard shampoo/conditioner products. Should I just use those, or invest in something hairpiece-specific?

Thanks again for the fast & helpful responses.

Really no need for any overpriced "hairpiece specific" shampoo/conditioner.Any sulfate-free shampoo will do.Many here,myself included use L'oreal EverPure color care line and it seems to be gentle enough for system hair.

You can pick it up at any Walgreens or CVS for around $7. Another option is Johnson's baby shampoo which I also use ocassionally.A good leave-in condidtioner is also recommended,preferably one with sunscreen.I use this one http://www.adventhair.com/1001.html

Many thanks NYC - really appreciated.

That Enhance conditioner--- I swear by it ! No build-up / residues and keeps hair in great condition.
I was sweating a lot yesterday while working outside......came in, removed system, then hopped into the shower.....had the water not very hot, and just wet the system by allowing water at the underside[base]..it obviously flows through onto the hair...I applied a little Johnsons baby shampoo directly to the base and lathered/spread it with my hand...simply to remove the sweat-residue....rinsed it off almost immediately.....didn`t apply any to the hair. Blotted it dry on a towel, applied ` Enhance` and lightly brushed it in...job done. No need to be constantly shampooing the hair itself....guys get totally carried -away with shampooing system hair... you`ll only dry it out and lift the colour....dryness is the main issue with it so a good conditioner like that will pay you back big-time.
You should get yourself a polystyrene head-form to sit your system on....this will help keep it`s shape and is handy for if you want to ` work` on your system.
Before the cut-in, I usually allow mine to sit for a week or so, mist it daily with water and gently brush it through....this helps it settle down, and some of the factory ` bounce` comes out of it, making it better for the stylist to give a more accurate cut.
When applying knot-sealer, I`d wait until after the cut-in, especially if it`s a freestyle system, because it ` locks` the knots into place, so if your stylist tries to comb/style the hair into a particular direction, it will ` resist`....... usually a week to ten days after the cut-in, will be fineto apply it..only barely dab it on....do NOT wet the lace with it , or it will seep through onto the hair and dry into clumps.......it`s a acrylic material and you only need it to form a light ` skin` on the lace/knots.....use a cotton-pad and barely dab at the knots....it shouldn`t look ` wet` while you`re doing it.

Paul makes a very good point which I've not read mentioned all that frequently.

Shampooing should be about washing the base, not the hair itself.

allegorymax,
you haven't mentioned if you're using tape or glue. If you use glue you may want to think about getting a lace cleaning gun (a textile gun) in the future. You don't see them mentioned much here on the forum but I think they're one of the nicest things to have. Glue gets trapped in the little lace holes and sometimes it's a real pain to get out. The lace gun blows a jet of water through the lace and forces the hardened stuff out.

I was a hell bent believer in glue, but I've been experimenting with tape and the cleanup is SO much easier. I'm currently using the Walker No-Shine and Sunshine Stick-it and both have been giving great results.

These are just things to consider from one newbie to anohter!

Sid