Elvis, I have not received my topper yet (hope it comes shortly) so really can't offer advice but as the weeks go by and expecting it soon I am also worried a little about cut in day. Same feelings as you as far as removing the hair I have left and wondering what if it does not look good but not worried enough to not go for it. My hair is receded more than yours so been wearing a cap a long time and can just go back to that if all else fails however, probably just nerves and all will look and work out fine. So all I can really offer is go for it and good luck to you! Also if possible can you post your before and after pics when you can? I plan on posting mine when done so I can get all your guys opinions. Take care.

I'm in a similiar position. Slightly different perhaps. I have this island of hair in the midlle that makes me look a lot less bald than I would if I shaved it. Problem is no-one sees it as I cover it with brushing down and using concealer, this way I can look like I have a thick head of hair. Problem lies in the fact it takes forever to get it right, I have to use messy concealers and loads of hairspray, and the syle is no fashionable.

I have ordered a hairline piece which I hope I can use with existing hair to quicken the styling process and give me a better look.

But I think the best option is to shave that thinning top bit and get a small piece in its place, the thing is I would only need a small piece, even smaller than a topper because of the shape of my head - existing hair etc.... It would be dead easy to use and no need to have a stylist or cut-in.

I could shave more and go for a topper but I feel better the smaller the piece and the chance to use my hair with it, I know I could easily get a great look, the more time goes on the more likely I cam to shave it.

I've thought of shaving a bit of the front thinning hair and using a larger hairline piece, I guess its trial and error at the start, I'm not going to shave it until I've tried the hairline piece(s). But I'm sick of the time spent infront of the mirror and this little piece could transform my life.

lol i feel your pain.. but man, its tough not hearing from any wearers here =/

Elvis I'm sure you're going to look great! I expect to see some pictures!!! (And i'd bring a picture of the style you're going for in to the stylist, then you'll get the results you are looking for).

Well how did the cut in go Elvis??? I'm on the edge of my seat!

He must be out having pints, celebrating his new hair.

I'm really curious to see how it went as well.

hey guys, the cut in went well. there are a few minor adjustments i need to make. firstly, i need to make the hairline better. see, i put the piece behind transplants. i thought it would make it look more natural but it doesnt. all it did was help disguise any lace that may have been showing. the second thing i need to do is make the piece more dense. 65% was passable by my front hairline.. but it was too little to match with my existing hair (im wearing a partial) so i think im going to go 70% in the front 75% on top and 70% on the sides and back on my next order. Im still tossing and turning about my next order because when i got the unit It was ventilated freestyle rather than how i ordered it (comb forwad with flatback spikey front) Also the knots were not even close to bleached. But john said, because my hair is black and that however i got it is the best that can be done. I hope this is not the case, Because i need the knots to atleast be somewhat bleached After wearing for a day im not angry anymore about the venting error because i was able to style it the way i wanted anyway.. and now id prob consider ordering freestyle now too. Im just a little upset about the principal of the issue. Get what you order you know? As far as the hair and color match.. man, it was great. Slightly lighter than my normal hair color.. but good enough. Because the density is not as thick as the hair i have behind my partial it could be a giveaway that im wearing. So i will have to make these fixes on my next order. But all in all im very confident i could get this wearing thing working,, which is the most important matter of all. The unit is also on pretty tight.

If i could give advice to future wearers Id say these two things. A partial seems difficult to pull off.. so go with a topper.. (thats what im going to do on my next order) and the last thing is.. be ready for a VERY emotional day or two. I dont know what it is but it mentally drains you.. I even shed a few tears when i was alone and couldnt sleep for a while. I was really depressed about all of this. I dont know how to explain the feeling.. maybe you wont get it.. but i felt sooo sad about the fact that i even have to start wearing (and probably because i shaved some of my head too and that theres no turning back now). Im feeling better now and ready to conquer this game. Its not really the wearing issue and that it doesnt look good.. because it look super realistic. Like is said, hard to explain. But trust me, its worth the move. Remember those words if you go through the same dpression I did. Be proactive about your situation. If you dont do anything about it you will keep losing hair and will never get a good result from doing nothing either. I see light at the end of the tunnel now. I can easily solve this with the right order. If the density was a little higher and i went full topper and I didnt try using my transplants then I guarantee That none of my friend would come close to noticing. I wonder how some people go out worrying about it because Seriously it would be really difficult to catch someone wearing.
PS. Dont feel think i was upset because of a sudden change in my look. I had lots of hair.. it was just thinned out in front. The partial is less dense than my hair behind it too. So its not a noticable change really. Like for example.. my sis woke up today and forgot i was wearing because its not noticably different to her than my hair from before (I used to comb my back hair forward to disguise the thinnes i had infront). I can only tell how much more hair i have infront even though its less than whats behind. I have enough hair infront to style now! thats for sure
I'll give a better update after a week or two. Im sure there will be many more pros and cons soon enough.

Also, I'll post pics when i feel i have gotten everything right. density and the hairline wise.
Sorry, i just want everything to be perfect for everyone to see. But i promise in the future you will all have pics to see from me

Now, I have a question. The lady who did my cut in was worried i wouldnt be able to come in in a week because of thanksgiving, so she booked me in 2 weeks from now. And because of that she put two layers of tape and put glue also to give a super hard bond so i can get a 2 week attatchment. Im sure this was stupid of her because i can feel the edges easily even by my hairline. Does glue lay flush on the skin with no edge or ridging? Because if i can get away with two pieces of tape under my lace.. i can only imagine a glued hairline!
Btw i partially expose my hairline. even with a touch of lace being visible due to it being on top of two pieces of tape I can get away with it. lol. But thats because i have transplants blocking full view
With all these adjustments to make I swear.. this wearing thing has made me feel i can have my hair back! BTW i dont even feel like i have something on my head! (cant wait to start doing maintanence by myslef)

Now i owe thanks.
Thanks to everyone here for all the help
Special Thanks to paulInIreland, You have been the most help and i appreciate every letter you type to help people here when u dont owe it to nobody.
Thanks John too for all the help. You are the man that made all this possible for me. I jus hope our future orders are more precise. But hey, maybe it was a blessing in disguise (i like freestyle)

Hey Elvis,

Well done you.
Its hardly surprising you were emotional.
Loosing hair can be like loosing a limb (mentally) and the day you get a new prosthesis of course is a step forward, but at the same time you're being reminded of the tragic situation you feel you're in.
I completely understand.
But it sounds like you've got the right attitude and that you're on the right track.

Good luck to you.

Hey elvis..... thanks for the nice post/words and congratulations to you...well -done man. I know how `traumatic`this leap can be, especially for the younger guys.... people generally don`t realise just how much of an impact this whole hairloss thing is to many men. You could use a little concealer to make it look a little thicker until your next order, around the `join`part where it meets your growing hair---what you have to remember is that your very first system is really a `starting-point`...no amount of descriptions on here or even pics. will show you exactly what a particular system will look like until it`s actually in your hand, fresh out of the envelope......we ALL tweak our subsequent orders...even my first fullcap this year [and I`m well-used to what densities to order] was really really heavy density -wise and had to be thinned... it can be a bit hit-and-miss as these things are made by individuals/by hand and no two will be clones of each other. I`m surprised about the knot/bleaching thing..... it`s never [thankfully] been an issue for me...before you apply knot-sealer, you can get a bleaching kit from Debbie and lighten them if you feel like it..... glad the colour-match is ok too..you can easily use a little pomade like `Brylcreem` to help with that ..... I even find my `Enhance`conditioner [applied liberally again last night ! ] is good for that too. I`m surprised the ventilation was not as ordered --- I know you were anxious to `get going`and probably didn`t want to wait while it was sent back or re-ordered, but I`d honestly say to anyone that if you think a system is way off of what you wanted/need, not to style it or anything and contact John first.....a system can always have more hair added to it if you need a thicker density but BEFORE you get it cut-in....
You`ll find you`ll be almost fixated with this now for a while --you won`t be able to pass a mirror without checking yourself out ! It`s normal.......this is all new to you. I think you have the right attitude to it now .... it will get easier as you go along...... and yes, two layers of tape like the stylist has applied will feel noticeable to you to the touch...glue is far less `thick`......again you are going to be SO `conscious`of everything now.... the early days as you know are/can be a steep learning-curve, but you know you can pop onto here for tips/help. The hardest bit is behind you now so, again, well-done. I really enjoyed reading your post there . You`ll find your own little `ways`of doing things like attachments etc. ....the main thing is don`t get carried away with zealous shampooing --there`s no need and it will lighten your colour and shorten the lifespan of the system.....just a little pomade like ` Brylcreem` maybe twice a week, or a good leave-in conditioner a few times a week onto damp [misted] hair will really pay dividends...... I steer clear of heavy/thick styling products as they build-up and you need to shampoo them out as the hair ends up looking `dead`and lifeless. So best wishes with the `new`you and welcome to this wearing-world !! Paul.