I'm 26 and my hair has been steadily thinning out over the last 6 or so years. Growing my hair to any significant length draws attention to how thin it is, so for the past few years I've had a very short buzz cut. At this length it looks fine, but I'm just a bit tired of having a perpetually buzzed head. I've been looking at my options, and have ruled out topical and oral medications, and hair transplants, for multiple reasons. This brings me to hair systems, wigs, etc. The more research I do into hair systems, the more questions I have. If anyone has the time to answer a few, I'd appreciate it!

- What is your daily, weekly, monthly commitment with wearing hair?

- Which hairstyles work well with hair systems, and which do not?

- When making a custom hair system, should options like length, curl and density be based on what you want your hair to look like, or what it would look like if you hadn't lost you hair?

- Bases! This I find really confusing. On the TopLace website for example, it says French lace is stronger than Swiss, and disappears just as well, yet they are the same price. Why would someone go for Swiss over French then? Are the stronger, more expensive bases expected to extend the life of your system?

- Do hair systems damage the little real hair you have?

- Is there an option to change the shape of the hairline?

Many thanks!

HI Dekkalife,
Thanks for contacting toplace.com.
The time spent on wearing hair varies a lot. It depends on lifestyle and how meticulous a person is. Some people are more casual in their approach (and hair style) and they do not ‘obssess' with their hair. Every strand does not have to be neatly in place. Others can’t pass a mirror without doing something to their hair.

Typically a person will remove their system every 1-2 weeks to clean their scalp and do a fresh attachment. Some people prefer a ‘hard’ bond that lasts longer. This can cause scalp itching so it’s not advised but to each his own.
We see all hair styles from short to long and casual to executive. But in general a casual style requires the least amount of time is the easiest. Exposing your hair line means that you must be more careful with attachment than a casual style that covers your forehead. Long hair covers more things than short hair. But that’s not to say that they work better--just that they require less attention. Many customers prefer to expose their hair line and spend more time to get it just right.
On a custom order you can do just about anything. As a general rule you want the density of the hair system to blend with the density of your own hair so that there is a seamless transition. But I’ve seen guys that have shaved sides and pull off a dense top unit. But that’s not your average hair style. Most people send a photo of someone from a magazine or the internet of how they’d like their hair to look.
The Super Fine Swiss lace base and the French lace base are the same material--only Swiss is slightly more delicate. Both are translucent and allow the color of your scalp to show. Some people prefer the Swiss lace for lighter densities. But it isn’t the base the determines the longevity of a unit--it’s the hair itself. Oxidation with exposure to sun light and rough treatment (wearing helmets for sports, cycling, etc.) have the most impact on the life of a unit.
Hair systems do not damage the hair you have. But it’s suggested that you shave the thin whispy hair under a system for 2 reasons. First, the base is translucent and allows the color of your scalp to show. And if there is hair on the scalp it will also show. Second, in order to get a strong attachment you need to attach to clean skin. Any hair in the way will shorten the strenght of the bond.
You can change anything on a custom order--hairline, density, wave, length, etc. Lots of people add length and width to their base size as they age and the bald area grows bigger. If you’re sending in a template we will follow the template exactly. But yes, you can make any changes you want to a custom order.
Best,
John