Howdy, first off, I definitely consider myself a newbie, so anything in this post is just my experience, I thought I'd share incase anyone getting started will find this helpful in taking the plunge to start wearing.
I waited forever and lurked and researched the forums for years before I just jumped in and started wearing, I wish I had done this years ago! I just started wearing 10 months ago, I kept my head shaved and sported a ballcap most of the time, I started off ordering from a different supplier- and went thru 3 systems in the first few months, I didnt know what to expect, and really wouldnt have known if what I was getting was good or bad except with the other suppliers pieces, I would always show a line where the piece met my real hair so getting ready in the morning was always a hassle trying to conseal this, the pieces were shedding something fierce, and I was being as gentle as I could, also the lace didnt match my skin correctly and had a tint to it- finally after waiting for a standard stock piece for over 14 weeks I called Toplace and ordered a stock piece from John, after waiting all that time for a stocker I was worried that I would end up in a jam and not be able to get another, I knew I had to find another supplier, 3 days later I recieved my toplace stock, no line on the side to hide, no tint to the lace, and fast shipping! Thats all I needed to know, I ordered a back up immediately. I have been wearing this stock piece for 5 months, I'm pretty rough on it too, and just now getting ready to break in my back up. I am wearing all SFS with a tape perimeter keeping the hairline low key, I have done all my cut ins myself so far, being a student money is tight, I wouldnt advise this to everyone, but I've always cut my own hair, I use a razor comb and thinning shears to blend, and clippers on my natural growing hair. I'm hopping back into the forum because I want to kick up my game a little, bleach the knots my crown of my back up piece and start messing around with glue and showing some hairline now and then, I'd say its about time to start experimenting with that. I have to say that wearing has been nothing but a positive experience for me, I look 10 years younger, I'm 35 and get ID'd buying beer from time to time which is great! People very close to my know, because I tell them, and they tell me I look great, I pay attention and noones eyes drift up to my hairline or anything odd, its been awesome, I'll attach a couple of pics, they arent tech pics, just some iPhone pics that show me with hair, so you get an idea, I will get some close up for you guys to check out and give me any pointers on my blending etc. as soon as possible.

Looks natural, how far back does the piece go?

Hi Beer... welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing that story ..really interesting and proves what people assert/state here ..Toplace systems are excellent and don`t cost an arm-and-a-leg. It`s great that you can do your own styling, but I`d caution others against.... it`s the one thing which really can end in complete disaster [as we saw with the chap in France recently] ...until you are `sure`of what you`re doing and have a back-up system to hand, I`d advise Newbies to get it professionally styled at the start....concentrate on de/re-bonding etc. at first and then you can consider going it totally `alone`...having said that, you`ve done a really great job there from what I can see and your story should be of great inspiration to others... I saw a post on a completely un-related [to hair-wearing] forum earlier this week where a guy was losing his hair and asking advice on what to do as he was considering wearing ....all the usual crap there [usually from those with full heads of hair] telling him shave it all off and `get on`with it.... others talking about wearing `rugs` and how obvious they are..... I left a post there telling him to check out Toplace and pointing out that it`s a total lie if you are told you have to shell out thousands [$$] to look half-decent again..... one poster said my post was the most helpful/ constructive comment that had been left there so I do hope that some new people will see it, check out this forum and reading your story there will totally bear out my point...... chances are you pass people daily on your travels and don`t realise they`re wearing, courtesy of Toplace systems !! I love dispelling the myths that do the `rounds`!! Cheers.... Paul.

@beersnob are you taking it off at night? Can you use regular gel´s, waxs etc or does the product have to be for only systems. If i could get the same result you have i would be made up with that..

NIce picture, looks natural, even your forehead looks natural.

(03-18-2011, 02:02 PM)Henry Wrote: Looks natural, how far back does the piece go?

The piece is a 8" x 10" stock piece, I made a template of my shaved area and just trim the piece to fit it.

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(03-18-2011, 09:57 PM)sagem Wrote: @beersnob are you taking it off at night? Can you use regular gel´s, waxs etc or does the product have to be for only systems. If i could get the same result you have i would be made up with that..

I do not take it off at night, I do a bond with blue lace and red liner to ease the clean up, the red liner really makes a difference for clean up, if I would have been doing the red liner all along, I could have definitely stretched the piece out longer, but I just started using it.. I de/re about every 7-8 days, for me it starts to break down after that, but I hear of lots of people getting longer attachments, thats just whats working for me so far. I also use scalp protecter, and it makes a big difference as well, I get all this stuff from Debbie's site, you can definitely pull this off if I can
For products I've been using pomade and Resque alcohol free freeze pump, there is a list on the forum here of lots of products that are easy on your piece, I stick to alcohol free stuff.

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(03-18-2011, 09:50 PM)Paul In Ireland Wrote: Hi Beer... welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing that story ..really interesting and proves what people assert/state here ..Toplace systems are excellent and don`t cost an arm-and-a-leg. It`s great that you can do your own styling, but I`d caution others against.... it`s the one thing which really can end in complete disaster [as we saw with the chap in France recently] ...until you are `sure`of what you`re doing and have a back-up system to hand, I`d advise Newbies to get it professionally styled at the start....concentrate on de/re-bonding etc. at first and then you can consider going it totally `alone`...having said that, you`ve done a really great job there from what I can see and your story should be of great inspiration to others... I saw a post on a completely un-related [to hair-wearing] forum earlier this week where a guy was losing his hair and asking advice on what to do as he was considering wearing ....all the usual crap there [usually from those with full heads of hair] telling him shave it all off and `get on`with it.... others talking about wearing `rugs` and how obvious they are..... I left a post there telling him to check out Toplace and pointing out that it`s a total lie if you are told you have to shell out thousands [$$] to look half-decent again..... one poster said my post was the most helpful/ constructive comment that had been left there so I do hope that some new people will see it, check out this forum and reading your story there will totally bear out my point...... chances are you pass people daily on your travels and don`t realise they`re wearing, courtesy of Toplace systems !! I love dispelling the myths that do the `rounds`!! Cheers.... Paul.

Hi Paul and thanks! I agree with you, I would not go the cut in route totally alone, I just read thru the thread you mentioned the other day, I was in cosmetology school or I would have never had a go at it without practicing on dummies first! In my area there was only a couple of options for cut ins and I just took the chance, for anyone else I would advise to send the piece to Debbie or find a local stylist that does cut ins in your area, it is so true that once its cut its gone!
I hear people advise the shave your head route, and some guys look cool with that, but for me I have no hang ups doing this, and it does not break your wallet to look your best, very thankful I found this forum! Sometimes there is so much info its overwhelming, I just know when I was still lurking around and had not started wearing yet, I always wanted to read the posts from the guys starting out, so I thought I'd throw one out there and show that wearing had been a positive experience so far! You are right, you only spot bad pieces

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(03-18-2011, 09:50 PM)Paul In Ireland Wrote: Hi Beer... welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing that story ..really interesting and proves what people assert/state here ..Toplace systems are excellent and don`t cost an arm-and-a-leg. It`s great that you can do your own styling, but I`d caution others against.... it`s the one thing which really can end in complete disaster [as we saw with the chap in France recently] ...until you are `sure`of what you`re doing and have a back-up system to hand, I`d advise Newbies to get it professionally styled at the start....concentrate on de/re-bonding etc. at first and then you can consider going it totally `alone`...having said that, you`ve done a really great job there from what I can see and your story should be of great inspiration to others... I saw a post on a completely un-related [to hair-wearing] forum earlier this week where a guy was losing his hair and asking advice on what to do as he was considering wearing ....all the usual crap there [usually from those with full heads of hair] telling him shave it all off and `get on`with it.... others talking about wearing `rugs` and how obvious they are..... I left a post there telling him to check out Toplace and pointing out that it`s a total lie if you are told you have to shell out thousands [$$] to look half-decent again..... one poster said my post was the most helpful/ constructive comment that had been left there so I do hope that some new people will see it, check out this forum and reading your story there will totally bear out my point...... chances are you pass people daily on your travels and don`t realise they`re wearing, courtesy of Toplace systems !! I love dispelling the myths that do the `rounds`!! Cheers.... Paul.

Hi Paul and thanks! I agree with you, I would not go the cut in route totally alone, I just read thru the thread you mentioned the other day, I was in cosmetology school or I would have never had a go at it without practicing on dummies first! In my area there was only a couple of options for cut ins and I just took the chance, for anyone else I would advise to send the piece to Debbie or find a local stylist that does cut ins in your area, it is so true that once its cut its gone!
I hear people advise the shave your head route, and some guys look cool with that, but for me I have no hang ups doing this, and it does not break your wallet to look your best, very thankful I found this forum! Sometimes there is so much info its overwhelming, I just know when I was still lurking around and had not started wearing yet, I always wanted to read the posts from the guys starting out, so I thought I'd throw one out there and show that wearing had been a positive experience so far! You are right, you only spot bad pieces