I have had a period in my life when my replacement wasn't as good as it is now (typical thick "Club" unit), and it was detectable. I had to tell people I dated before they found out themselves. No one actually stormed out on me when they learned the truth, but being realistic I don't think anyone regarded it as an attractive feature either. It was a flaw that I was being up front about. The people I tend to want to date are decent and sympathetic, and I guess they acknowledged that they weren't perfect either, and decided that in the grand scheme of things they could overlook the fact some of my hair is fake. That was how it worked in my rather low-key lifestyle. I guess if you were some great Lothario concerned with hooking the hottest chicks in the nightclub every night you might get a less sympathetic response, and wearing a hairpiece would be more of a handicap in that situation.

It comes as a surprise to newbies, but actually you can get your piece to the point where it is functionally undetectable in everyday life, and it is not that difficult if you (1) use a good quality lace piece, (2) don't overdo the density, (3) opt for a easy-to-maintain hairstyle and (4) keep an eye on the color match. I think most people who post here achieve this, including me, so being busted is simply not an issue any more.

When I say "functionally undetectable", I mean undetectable to ordinary people in the course of ordinary life situations. Obviously if you have people excavating your scalp, or you get swept overboard in a hurricane then it will be detectable, but that's not real life.

I have dated people for months without them knowing anything about my hair. The only real reason to tell them is the fear that they will feel cheated if you keep it secret too long. Obviously, if you are going to live in the same house as someone, you are going to have to let them in on the secret.