Hi guys.

I just got my first piece, started wearing it yesterday. I'm 27. I was one of those dudes who wasn't really "bald", but rather thinning quite badly, but managed to cover it up with concealer and a clever side-swept hairdo. The piece basically lowers my hairline an inch, and provides thick instead of thin hair, so I get good coverage. I still style it the same way, forward/down and to the side. It's still around the same length, except for obviously now a lot more space is covered.

The key for me is not letting anyone know. I'm in the entertainment industry and can't be found out. I have lots of friends who are quite aware of the way my hair used to look, though I never really looked bald or anything.

Initially I was thrilled: it looks incredibly realistic, colour blends perfectly, all of that. There's nothing wrong with the look. Perfect strangers would have no idea. But here are the issues I'm wrestling with this early in the game:

1. Last night I saw my father, who instantly looked up and said "what did you do to your hair? It looks like you have twice as much!". I said "I just got a new haircut, styling it a bit differently I guess". And then he said, half-jokingly, "It's not a toupée, is it?". I tried to keep my confidence and said "no! why would you say that??" When I let him in on it 10 minutes later, he couldn't believe it, and said that if I had kept going with my "new style" story, that he would have believed it. But I can't help but wonder if he's just trying to make me feel better about it. Right after that, I had a beer with a friend. He instantly looked up as well, and did his characteristic half-laugh half-smile and said "whoa, you're looking 10 years younger, something's totally different". And I once again gave the style story. He said "you'll certainly be picking up young girls tonight." And then continued to giggle and look up at my hair. I couldn't help but think that he was totally sure I had one, and just wasn't going to call me on it. Five minutes later it never got brought up again. But I couldn't stop thinking about it. Was it that obvious? Tomorrow night I have a huge event with all of my friends in one room. Am I going to be outed?? Is it that obvious?! Did any of you experience this sudden sinking feeling, half-embarassment, and half-insecurity, that it's far too obvious and that everybody is going to know?

2. Perhaps linked to the first issue, since it's only been ever since the two encounters, but I have had this sudden sinking feeling of depression and self-loathing. Like I'm faking it. Like I'm not being myself. Like I'm kind of pathetic. Have any of you experienced anything like that? I truly do think I look ten times better with this thing on, and I want to keep it, but it's playing psychological games with me... I want to know if these feelings last, or if it's something you grow into and become more confident about.

Please, any advice or suggestions you can relay would be really helpful. This forum is really great.