Zandberg..you ask there how long a partial will last...well, like any system it just varies with so many `local`factors.... swimming in chlorinated water or salt water is hard on any system-hair so best off to give it a gentle shampoo and plenty leave-in conditioner directly afterwards. Exposure to a lot of sun will also oxidise any hair [even growing hair fades/bleaches from that] so it just depends on how an individual system is treated ....a good care -routine will help combat the `negatives`though..... if the color fades noticeably you can re-color it easily enough. `Back2natural` is helpful to help combat color fading... you can Google it.... it`s also a conditioner and Toplace recommends it...Paul.

Update after 10 weeks of wearing:

First of all, I have been very satisfied with the results. So far I feel like I made the right decision. I have been able to live my life, go to work et cetera - without spending all the time in front of mirror worrying and trying to somehow style my existing hair. I was really desperate and depressed before I started wearing, so in this sense I'm very happy.

Some facts:
-the system itself is a very small partial, about a 1-2 centimeters wide, going from temple to temple
-I deattach/reattach every third week, and wash the piece at the same time
-I did the cut-in myself, and also have modified the system a bit myself by cutting the lace
-I have been living my life as before, going to gym a lot, running etc.

Some things which I'm not so happy about:
-I still sometimes worry about getting busted, and feel that I'm somehow "fake" or something like that. And I don't feel comfortable to reveal the fact that I wear to anyone
-The shape of the template I ordered. The hairline is a bit too much forward. The next step for me would be to shave a bit of my existing hair, and create a template that is more realistic when considering my head shape
-The time it takes for me to deattach/reattach. I need about 6-8 hours to do the trick, including detaching, shampooing, letting the system dry, gluing it back on etc. (I guess there are ways to speed this process).

All in all, I am very happy about the results. There are still some things I need to learn, and some things in my routine I need to improve. But it really has been worth it so far. I want to thank John and everyone in this forum for giving me the confidence to take a step forward.

iv got my routine , full debond down to a 90 mins,
includescalp clean up,buzzing hair down,washing scalp(gentle shampoo)
while im finishing of my scalp cleaning after washing it, iv got my peice soaking in warm water with shampoo gently worked into it, i return back to it when im done with my scalp.
generally soaking works a treat softening 3 weeks of build up on the peice.
then, gently patt it dry,place it on the ball of my knee,and dry with hair dryer on warm
wide a wide combed cushioned brush,once nearly dry spritz a little leave in conditioner.
then work on my glue bond and ready to go.

(10-09-2011, 06:47 PM)Zandberg09 Wrote: Update after 10 weeks of wearing:

First of all, I have been very satisfied with the results. So far I feel like I made the right decision. I have been able to live my life, go to work et cetera - without spending all the time in front of mirror worrying and trying to somehow style my existing hair. I was really desperate and depressed before I started wearing, so in this sense I'm very happy.

Some facts:
-the system itself is a very small partial, about a 1-2 centimeters wide, going from temple to temple
-I deattach/reattach every third week, and wash the piece at the same time
-I did the cut-in myself, and also have modified the system a bit myself by cutting the lace
-I have been living my life as before, going to gym a lot, running etc.

Some things which I'm not so happy about:
-I still sometimes worry about getting busted, and feel that I'm somehow "fake" or something like that. And I don't feel comfortable to reveal the fact that I wear to anyone
-The shape of the template I ordered. The hairline is a bit too much forward. The next step for me would be to shave a bit of my existing hair, and create a template that is more realistic when considering my head shape
-The time it takes for me to deattach/reattach. I need about 6-8 hours to do the trick, including detaching, shampooing, letting the system dry, gluing it back on etc. (I guess there are ways to speed this process).

All in all, I am very happy about the results. There are still some things I need to learn, and some things in my routine I need to improve. But it really has been worth it so far. I want to thank John and everyone in this forum for giving me the confidence to take a step forward.

Thats interesting as I want something of a similiar size, just out of interest what sort of style do you have?

i have a question..(maybe paul can answer can you wet your system while taking a shower? (not neccessarily shampooing) or will it affect the bond? im asking because mine sould be arriving soon and i plan to use gel in it everyday.. and id have to wash it off every night obviously. also is it ok to use my normal gel and mousse? or do i have to use alcohol free ones? how will using normal gell affect my hair if i use it ever single day?


also, zandberg. howcome you say you feel like you might get busted? is it because the piece seems like a piece on your head when you look in the mirror? or it it because you have an obvious amount more hair? how's it all going so far? hows the hairline looking? mind posting any pics?

you can wet youre system, just as you'd get caught in a rain shower,
but this will affect the hairline,
theres a diffrence between water naturally falling on youre head , and phisicaly blotting the hair dry with a towel.
ofcourse , were talking temperature, steam- heat,increased body head temp,will affect the bond to a degree,
prob worth retouching the hairline after wards.
i used gell on my hair, but left the majority of the product in place,
unless you sleep on youre face,it will remain in place,
you only need re-do the back or sides again,(bed haIR)
saving you having to wash youre hair everyday,
you only need wash youre hair twice a month.
i use hairspray now,i kinda leave it in place for weeks.lol
saves me washing ect, i just re comb the back and sides messed up by sleeping.
yeah, alcohol well modern products do contain conditioners ect so whilst you get alcohol , youre also putting a little something back in regarding moisture, which the hair needs as it gets no natural oils from youre scalp.


anty

anty.. but if you dont wash the gel off doesnt it look flaky and makes you look like u didnt shower either?

maybe using bath streaming water just to get the gel out.. is that better then?

and if you use gel and keep it in for 3 weeks.. how do u use ur leave in conditioner?

nope when using wett look get it stays looking well looking wet and shiny,
but theres alot of choice regarding product,
dont get to caught upto much in the alcohol debate,yeah products contain it, but they also contain as i mentioned alot of positives, conditioners ect.
i use the leave in conditioner t the begining of the 2-3 weeks when bonding styling hair.
just a point that wahing the hair to frequently will shorten the life of the peice, youl lose a lot more hair density from it.
i suppose its a balance between how much product you use,
nothings set in stone, there are general rules,but its about being open to experimentation.
also search the forum, theres alot in the archive,
happy wearing anty

Anty - I have almost similar routine, only that I have not been using a hairdryer...I guess I'm gonna need to start using one now, because it becomes hard to find the time needed for the de/re process (even if it's only in every three weeks). Also, about the leave in conditioner - which do you use? I have been trying to find a suitable one.

Standbyme - My hairstyle is "semi-short and messy", something like Ashton has in this one: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EZOMzMOm3ZM/TV...utcher.jpg. I think mine is more messier because I want my partial to blend in (And of course I wouldn't look as good as that guy anyway, even if I had his hair . BTW, I think I read from somewhere once that he might also wear... ). Also I have some issues with the existing hair behind the partial, because it is still thinning and I'll need to increase the size of my partial soon. I'm worried that the larger I make it, the more visible it will become.

Elvis - I usually shower with shampooing and washing only my existing hair, while not wetting the system. Sometimes I also wet the system, but I only shampoo it when deattached. About the busting part - the shape of the hairline is not completely natural, I need to hide that with a hairstyle. I don't think the piece seems like a piece when I look in the mirror, at least as long as I have my existing hair to help blending it in. Everything has been going ok so far, I have been really amazed how big difference a small partial can make to the overall look. Maybe I'll post some pics later...

(10-13-2011, 06:49 PM)Zandberg09 Wrote: Anty - I have almost similar routine, only that I have not been using a hairdryer...I guess I'm gonna need to start using one now, because it becomes hard to find the time needed for the de/re process (even if it's only in every three weeks). Also, about the leave in conditioner - which do you use? I have been trying to find a suitable one.

Standbyme - My hairstyle is "semi-short and messy", something like Ashton has in this one: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EZOMzMOm3ZM/TV...utcher.jpg. I think mine is more messier because I want my partial to blend in (And of course I wouldn't look as good as that guy anyway, even if I had his hair . BTW, I think I read from somewhere once that he might also wear... ). Also I have some issues with the existing hair behind the partial, because it is still thinning and I'll need to increase the size of my partial soon. I'm worried that the larger I make it, the more visible it will become.

Elvis - I usually shower with shampooing and washing only my existing hair, while not wetting the system. Sometimes I also wet the system, but I only shampoo it when deattached. About the busting part - the shape of the hairline is not completely natural, I need to hide that with a hairstyle. I don't think the piece seems like a piece when I look in the mirror, at least as long as I have my existing hair to help blending it in. Everything has been going ok so far, I have been really amazed how big difference a small partial can make to the overall look. Maybe I'll post some pics later...

Thanks, it would be great if you could post pic's or if you would like possibly email them to me if you'd prefer.