Hey guys,

For those that don't know, I've been using 2 triangular temple pieces on either side of my "island" at the front of my head. (I wear them for 2 weeks before debonding) Since I still have most of my hair, I need to wash my head every night. I use a sulfate-free shampoo (Burt's Bees brand) and wash all the natural hair on my head doing my best to avoid getting any shampoo on my temple pieces. However, I'm finding that the hair is quickly becoming kind of dry and stiff. I don't use any styling product on the pieces aside from Brylcreem from time to time.

I know one of the big things with wearing is to wash as little as possible but I really don't have a choice. If I didn't wash my hair for weeks at a time, my hair would look like a piece of plastic attached to my head. Can anyone offer any tips on how to prevent this? Would a leave in conditioner help this problem?

I also thought i'd mention that I often straighten my hair (on a low setting). Could this be contributing to the problem?

Thanks guys!

Have you used Nearly Natural Softening Solution?
you spray it on the hair while washing and it gives the hair a nice, soft, natural appearance.

Lots of people on the forums rave about it

Here's the product on the Nearly Natural website - http://www.nearlynaturalhair.com/products.html

Are you using a 'heat defence' spray before using the straighteners?
You might find that the oils in the Brylcreem, combined with the heat from the straighteners is a bit like putting your hair in a deep fat fryer.

I think its the 'heat' more than the washing thats causing the problems.
A good spray-in heat defender before straighteners has got to help.

Thanks a lot guys. I really appreciate it. I'm going to give both the products you guys suggested a shot. Is there anyone else that is familiar with straightening pieces and can confirm that the heat is the issue?

It's really frustrating seeing so many guys having such great results while I struggle to maintain 2 tiny pieces at the front of my head. Is there a thread somewhere where everyone posts their hair wearing routines?

Watermelon... why are you straightening your [ system ?] hair.... heat is not kind to system hair..occasional heat-exposure such as a hairdryer on a low setting and held at a distance from the hair, you`ll get away with, but you say you do it ` often` .. I assume you`re using something like flat-irons.... I reckon that`s a large part of your problem. If you want/need straight hair, just order it straight at the start [maybe you got a stock and cut partials from it in which case it already has a bodywave in it] Heat will really dry out the hair. It`s ok too to wet the hair while washing your growing hair, just avoid shampooing it as it can lift the colour.
A little Brylcreem goes a long way... the most I`d use on a full topper would be about half a teaspoon,so 2 small bits like you`re wearing will need only a tiny amount, and again, frequent applications ends up building-up and leading to a lifeless look.
I`m always ` pushing` ``Enhance`` leave-in conditioner..it`s excellent, and cheap..... also has sunscreen in it. Dryness is the main issue with system hair....intense heat will exacerbate things.... simply wetting the hair before styling, and using ` Enhance` a few times a week will pay you back big-time.
You can get it directly from the makers here : http://www.ppi.cc/conditioners_hair_replace.htm It`s the third one down. If you do a Google search for ``PPI Enhance`` you`ll find other companies which sell it.

Thanks for the response, Paul.

You guessed right, I have a stock unit and I've been straightening the (system) hair to match my natural hair more accurately. I don't do it every day but definitely a few times a week.

If heat damaging the hair is the case, then I think I've already destroyed my current pair of temple pieces, lol

Wearing is a lot harder than I expected.

Believe me it'll be a lot easier if you go to full topper.I'm a noob too and i had a lot of thick long hair left (was about NW 3).I went the partial route as,like you,I was nervous about shaving it all off,But it was such a hassle and I never got the partials to match my existing hair in terms of texture and movement.

So,after only a week I finally mustered the courage to shave.Except for the intial shock of seeing myself bald for the first time,things have been great so far...much much easier and less time consuming this way. I finally get to look great again without having to spend hours in front of the mirror trying to hide my balding temples.

Good luck!

Sorry to go off the subject .. I'm also a temple wearer but I struggle to create a natural hairline , how did you make yours ?

NYCguy: I've thought about it, but I really don't want to shave off any of my hair when its still thick and healthy, especially when I'm still frustrated with the basics of wearing.

thompson_adam: My hairline isn't very realistic either, but I wear my hair down and always have, so I'm not too worried about it at the moment.

Watermelon "I really don't want to shave off any of my hair when its still thick and healthy, especially when I'm still frustrated with the basics of wearing."
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I completely understand what you're saying, but you've put yourself in a Catch 22 position because as long as you're 'in-filling' small areas, you may always have trouble getting the hang of the basics.
Its a bit like burning a hole in the arm of a chair.
Yes you can darn the hole, but it will never look as good as replacing the whole section of fabric.