If I buy a system and never wear it for like 2 years, it will keep all of its hairs right?
So, Im guessing that if I wear my system and never wash it or wash it like once every 6 months with a product like Creme of Nature, never put any products on it and only comb it with my finger, apply knot sealer when I take it off to attach it, an oversize system with a light mono base and 85% density will last me like 2 years right?

It MAY last you a bit longer than the average life span of a piece, BUT at a great expense: it's gonna look terrible.

85% density, mono base, unwashed, hand-combed, no styling products...what a "deadly" combination.

Why not be happy for 6 months and get a new one, instead of being miserable for 2 years and STILL have to get a new one? :| :| :| :?: :?:

Leamon

Within reason of course. "Washing" the system with mineral bottled water every 15 days, combing it a little bit with a wide tooth comb and perhaps using the perfector gel (alcohol free) to style the system a little bit.

There are other things besides washing that cause shedding and hair breakage. Putting your head down on a pillow at night has an effect---especially if you're sleeping on a cotton pillow case. It's been stated before on this forum but it bears repeating for the newbies---don't sleep on a cotton pillow case. Cotton does two things. First, it's very absorbent and it 'wicks' the oils out of the hair causing it to dry out. Second, the cotton threads are very scraggly and 'hook' the hair and pull on it. Both of those factors cause shedding and breakage. Use a satin or silk pillow case and your unit will last longer. And wearing a cap also pulls on the system.
Regards,
John

don't be silly, you need to wash it.

just be very gentle to the BASE, and use knot sealer, shampooing should not cause harm to your system

The satin pillowcase is a must have. Best $10 I ever spent.

Definitely wash your system, but keep it to a minimum. Only use slightly acidic shampoos that help retain color and contain conditioning agents to hold moisture in the hair shaft and prevent tangling. I can't stress this enough.

All the steps I've taken to prevent shedding (mostly from jrob):

1. Replaced my shower head with one that has much better filtration (I can feel the difference from this alone)
2. jrob's shampoo/conditioner/sealer combo
3. Satin pillowcases (still adjusting to them, I find it hard to sleep with them for some reason)
4. Wide tooth comb when my hair is knotted after the shower

Unfortunately because the partial I'm using isn't big enough, I rely on a combination of dermmatch and gel to blend the hair - and this usually necessitates that I wash my hair every day or every other day. So much for keeping it to a minimum...

I love these topics. It has become my life mission to figure out ways to make my hair last longer, haha.

One more thing that is VERY important-

Use cool water to wash your unit!

I try to wash with the unit off of my head whenever possible. When I do have to wash in the shower I lower the temp as much as possible just to wash and condition then I bring the temp back up for the rest of my shower.

If you have any doubts about how big of a difference this makes try getting your hair wet with cool water, then increase the heat. As the water gets hotter the hair shaft swells and any remaining cuticle opens up causing the hair to feel icky and start to tangle.

JRob,
Good tip! I know that it's not the most comfortable thing to dial down the water temp in the shower but it does make a difference.
John