So I'm looking forward to buying my first piece. I have black hair and fair skin. I am going to order a 70% density, non graduated hairline, lace base. I expose my hairline often for my styles. Should I worry about visible knots? I know some people order a blonde front then color it which makes it seem like a considerable issue. Are they really that visible? My assumption was that since most people have black hair, and most men don't have experience with coloring or stylists the factory would do a good enough job that it isn't an issue.

The first piece I bought was a colour 1B and the knots were very visible. This was not so much an issue since I don't expose my hairline.

I'm just about ready to order my second and even though my results with my first were fantastic- I will be ordering this next one in a blonde colour 22 and then dye it myself to match my own hair. This is to completely eliminate the knots and give me the option to expose the hairline should I wish to.

@partial: Were they very visible when attached? So someone else could notice them?

This is quite surprising considering my assumption in the original post.

Yes they were visible when attached at the hairline. I notice them of course since I'm looking at everything in minute detail and scrutinising everything to get it as perfect as possible- my goal.

My first order was a stock piece, so I'm not sure if knots are bleached on those since I didn't request it. I think John commented before that the darker the hair colour, the harder it is to bleach.... Since bleaching too long damages the integrity of the knot itself. So it seems to be a trade off with bleaching the darker colours- shorter bleaching, with some knot visibility versus longer bleaching, causing damage to the knots.

Bleaching the darkest colours seems to be difficult so I'm just going to order a blonde colour which has no knot visibility and dye the hair dark myself- it's all a learning curve for me and if this is the best way to guarantee invisible knots I have no issue with taking this extra step.

Perhaps ordering a blonde front and dying it yourself is the best way to go on this for you. Lets see what others recommend.

I've said this 100 times before, but I'll say it again here,
If you're ordering a custom and you have dark hair, then its best to order single strand, single knotted hair at the hairline.
This means that you won't get more than one hair knotted (or double knotted) and this decreases the 'dotty' look. Its also easier to bleach single strand, single knotted hair.

Personally I would specify this type of ventilation even if I was ordering blonde hair and then proposing to dye it.
Its just a better replication of natural growing hair.

@Hersute: Thanks and I was going to start a thread about that actually. Does requesting single strand single knot effect the appearance or anything about the hair in any way as opposed to not requesting it, other than of course decreased knot visibility?

Well.. hair grows in single strands, not groups, so single strand hairs effect the appearance in a positive way in that its a closer replication of natural hair.

@Hersute: So by requesting that, is it safe to not worry about knot visibility so people can't notice a system?

If you order that AND order bleached knots it will be a lot better, but I can't guarantee the exact result.

@Hersute: Aren't they bleached by default? In your honest opinion, are knots as big an issue as some people make them out to be? Are other people going to notice? Because If that was the case I would think everyone or at least the majority of people would order blonde out of the factory.