Hey 24hours,

What I would do if I were you is to make a list of all of the hair replacement salons in your area and set up an appointment. If they can show you a high quality product and give you a reasonable price, go for it. Make sure they itemize the hair, bonding, and cut-in service. Ask for a sample of the type of base they will be using. You can always transition to DIY down the road once you see what it is all about.

I know you aren't wanting to go the do-it-yourself route, but if a salon is going to charge you more than a few hundred dollars for a hairpiece you might want to order a custom unit from Toplace and have the salon get you squared away with the bond and cut-in once you have the hair. When you talk to the salons ask them if they would be willing to do a cut-in if you already have the hair. If they were going to charge you $1000 for the hair and you can get it for $200 online you will still come out ahead even if they charge more for the cut-in.

Of course it does complicate things a bit when you buy your hair from one place and get it serviced from somewhere else, but at least if you order from John you will know what you are getting product wise. You wouldn't want to get stuck with a unit made with thick, outdated base material, and from what I understand some salons aren't exactly keeping up with the times.

Bottom line- you can save yourself a lot of money ordering online and going the DIY route. I understand you wanting to get some help in the beginning, just make sure you do your homework and ask lots of questions before you agree to anything.

And keep in mind, if you have any questions once you get started there are always some knowledgeable folks here on the forum, so don't hesitate to ask.