What an overall great and informative/ descriptive post ! May I be so bold as to suggest you change pub to somewhere more up-market ? ;-) [ only pulling your leg! ]
Seriously, as you have discovered and described, wearing can be a steep learning - curve. Adhesives can behave differently from person to person due to varying body -chemistry, and the climate of the country of wherever a person lives,so trial and error has to play a part until you find one which `suits`you. You described exactly why wearing an all -poly for prolonged periods can lead to various issues -- to my mind it can`t be healthy to apply 2 or 3 layers of strong glue to your scalp, blocking the pores in the process, and then planking what is basically a sheet of PVC on top of that , and leave it there for up to a month without issues arising [itching etc. ] The lace allows the skin to breath and remain dry. Your pores can exude sweat etc, which will be washed off as normal when you shower. You are still learning --don`t give up on it. You will perfect your own ways of bonding and de-bonding. At first it`s bound to take a long time as you `` feel`` your way.... after a while it won`t take you half as long. As I said in another reply during the week, I am using a glue called Tracksafe ---- I find it very very good, strong and no shine off it --- great on poly or lace. Would you consider your next system something similar to my own... a small poly perimeter with lace front ? I can assure you the poly is so thin you`d really not detect it to the touch if glued on --- it`s only marginally thicker than the lace. I think your issue with positioning will come good in time---just needs practice...... use two mirrors and sit the system onto your head --then fold up the back so you can see the bald area -- just manoeuvre it down until the perimeter just about meets your own hair --- then carefully mark the front hairline with a womens eyebrow pencil -- much easier to use than an ordinary pencil. I find with the tracksafe, I apply a thin layer first, allow it to go clear, and if I want a really strong bond, I apply a second layer, allow to clear, and only then, press the lace down onto it ---- I use lace -release to free it and it comes off literally in seconds and most of the glue is on the skin and not stuck to the lace. Anyone who has followed my older threads and replies will know I am not a big fan of frequent washing/shampooing the system. I mist it with water nightly and `fluff`it up a bit with my finger tips -- allow to dry naturally --occasionally I use a little leave- in conditioner which I spray on - again, sparingly. I`d also suggest, maybe using/wearing a stock system for gym / swimming etc. and keep a `` good`` one for work and going out socially [ to respectable pubs :-) ] I reckon turning up at work as you describe was really daunting --you really handled it well and reasoned it out too on what way to approach it if people commented. I honestly think, the days of being self- conscious about wearing are slowly coming to an end ---- thankfully the newer materials and bases and decent human hair, make going out with a carpet stuck to your head which immediately drew comment, a thing of the past. If your front teeth were missing you`d get a denture I reckon and most people would think nothing of it --why should hair be any different ? For any person who may be daunted at the thought of making the transition due to work -colleagues etc. I `d suggest, maybe getting a very light density unit first, cut fairly short, and preferably attached during holidays or leave, and you can then go for your `proper`density at a later stage when people have grown used to `` the new you`` ---- when I first began wearing a good few years back, my hair was ok at the sides, but had receded back from the front towards the crown -- I just wore a partial with low density and it only came about half way towards the front hairline......... people didn`t notice [well if they did, they didn`t comment ] and when I went for the full system it really was not an issue --just my story from a long time back but maybe worth considering for anyone who is wary of the `shock- factor` in people who know you. Just remembered it there as I was typing. Even with that partial piece, I was really `bricking`it going in to work so I know how self -conscious anyone might feel.
Finally, as I said on another reply to a post this morning, I feel that the back / neck area is just as important as the front especially as you can`t see it without using 2 mirrors so I can fully relate to how you`d be conscious of it ---especially if standing in a queue where people behind you have nothing to do but stare at the back of your head !!
Brilliant post --thanks for sharing it with us here and I really do hope you`ll persevere with wearing and some more readers will give their input --so come on lads, leave your comments and/or questions after he going to the trouble of sharing all that with us --- it`s great to see the ``pros and cons`` of one type of system over another I think ---very best wishes. Paul.