Hi John..many of your questions have been answered already ..just have a read through the various posts there down along the page.... I had to laugh at question 3 there.....in a word? Ripoff!!! I `ve recently posted pics of my system [ admittedly not the greatest quality] of my system which is 6 months old now and still `going strong` but then I am `light`on them and detach nightly so am not lying on it etc. .. it varies from person to person really but you could reasonably expect a minimum of 3 /4 months ...again it`s influenced by many factors and an individual`s lifestyle too... the products to use ..well, I did a thread there too on Remysoft products ..just scroll away down and you`ll find it and other ones too as it`s obviously a big issue for wearers.... the main enemy of system hair is dryness so a good leave-in conditioner is advisable and use satin/silk pillow slips if sleeping on your system. A lace front will be undetectable to the eye for the way/style you want to wear.... you might like to consider a part-poly perimeter [also been well -discussed down along the forum ] some like them [me included] some like all-lace...again it`s really down to an individual choice...might like to consider ordering an all lace and a lace/part poly perimeter ... then you can see which you prefer for a subsequent order ? Just worth a thought... I like the ease of clean-up with poly, but the trade-off for some is that they feel poly is more detectable to the touch.....again, it`s not an issue for me, and I honestly find the poly extremely thin ...... Hope that`s of some use ..but as I say..take time to go down through the forum ..there`s a wealth of information there.. I know it might seem like too much for a newbie, but this really is NOT rocket science so don`t be a bit afraid of it..cheers.. Paul.