Hi Again venkman..... I can see more clearly now from the most recent photos .... you`re probably better off going for a normal topper. ..... you hair seems to be very tighly-curled / waved ..... you`ll need to get matching wave put in at the factory [permed] ... I know you said you`d like to wear your hair longer than it is now, but I`d assume you wouldn`t be going a whole lot longer than it is now...if so, they need to `` start` the wave close to the base otherwise most of it will be cut out when you have the system cut-in..... the standared hair-length they supply is 6 inches... to me that`s just too much for guys like yourself who`ll be wearing it a lot shorter.... it means at least half of the hair ends up on the salon floor and only make ` work` for the stylist .... you could consider ordering a shorter length.
The general ` rule` when making your template, is to locate your natural [original] front hairline ...simply frown, and the skin on the forehead will crease, but the skin on the scalp [hairline will not ..just mark that ---an eyebrow pencil is handy for that.... just follow ` around` on the skin marking in your temple area from whcih the hair has receded ....don`t make the template too large [` overlapping the growing hair] --- just mark a line where the hair is ` weak` [thinning] and make the template fit that area... many guys make their template slightly smaller around the sides/back, so it sits neatly ` inside` the bald/ing area ..lace stretches a bit, so it`s good to have it just a smidge smaller than the actual area requiring coverage ..just a few millimeters is enough....tape/s and glues stick best to exposed skin rather than to growing hair .... the one exception is in the case of using ``Got2bglued` spiking glue ..this sticks/holds better if it`s got a ` foundation` of growing - hair to adhere-to........ take your time when making the template ---there are many tutorial videos on `Youtube` on template-making ....it`s a little tricky too when you have a level of existing hair on your crown ...this can be ``in your way`` ..dampen the hair and that will help slick it down .....hope that helps.
Toppik and Caboki only do so much. It makes a huge difference, but nothing like a system.
I can just never shake the feeling that had I gone the hair system route earlier, my life would be more "full", pardon my puns lol
I'm also very self absorbed, so for what it's worth. The latter two pics were with Caboki, and it's pretty bad at the hairline. It was GREAT at the crown and mid-forward areas.
sorry i have been quite busy.....i assume that you put those little flaps to fill in the recessed corners and be able to have a lower, straighter hairline.
the problem i see in that and this is just my opinion, others do it and feel it looks fine....is that you will still have a wide forehead which makes it all look off.
i think if the corners are filled, the hairline is lowered and is straightish with a tiny bit of recession then the width of the forehead needs to be addressed as well. that is achieved with longer, larger flaps that replaces the side recession including the temple points. in your case it looks like they are strong but have moved back maintaining their shape though.
with my first stock piece (from another seller) i made my template to include those little corner flaps. to me it really didnt look good. the width of my forehead just made it look like off. a hairline with that sort of contour and very little corner recession is not seen with a wide forehead naturally. some may argure that hairlines come in all shapes and sizes and this is true...but there are those that look weird and i dont think anybody wants to replicate that and possibly draw attention.
this first pic is a mock up to give you an idea of what your template would look like as a piece... i followed the exact lines that you made in black on the plastic....not to natural IMO...
the 2nd is where i added some recession which i feel dramatically improves the appearance...keep in mind that you will still have a wide ish forehead but i think it would look fine..
the 3rd pic is what i think you are shooting for (its a bit rough)...a narrowed forehead and filled in corners....
i'm pretty sure you can see just how much more flap there is....
i'm not a huge fan of big flaps such as that. i think if done properly they can make a world of difference though.
the problem is now not only does one have to be concerned with getting a good hairline attachment (if exposing it) but now there is the equivalent of two more hairlines to be concerned with.
i hope my mock ups are of use to you and if you need more assistance i am happy to help
i should also mention...it is true that if you wrinkle your forehead that does show where your hairline once was....(no offense paul, you give some great and detailed info) what i dont think many realize is that it is where your hairline was LONG ago, meaning as a teenager. when using that method IMO it should be moved back by at least a 1/4' to 1/2'...otherwise one ends up with a very low hairline,,,not only that but its also long....meaning it has to extend back to the side hair...and again this does nothing to address the sides.....
I believe that OP should avoid temple flaps for now. I say this becauae i think that triangular flaps will contrast in hait quality and scap visibility when seen next to his natural sides further back from his face.
I think that he should skip the hair flaps and design the template to have a deeper recession curving outwards from the centre his face to meet his strong temple points. From there, have the template circle around his head (kind of like a flat bowl) to the other side.
I say thia because i believe OP has a similar hair quality to me and i have some (limited) experience wearing. Im guessing he has Mediterranean or middle eastern genetics like me and i think extra precaution has to be taken when ensuring a seemless blend for us, unlike those of European or Asian decent with thick sides.
OP, i would also suggest going out of town to a stylist and say that you are from another country but that you would like their professional experience in template design (this is to ensure they dont refuse to help u unless it is to buy THEIR hairsystems). It might cost a bit of money, maybe $100-$200 to get a template made for you, but consider that most places charge $100 for a single cut-in anyway. If that sounds too pricey, just keep trying and we'll keep helping you until u get the best result. Just know that each of us has only had one head of balding hair to work with whereas a stylist has done hundreds. Also, in person consultation may be easier than judging what is best for you based off of pictures.
early...i tend to agree with the thoughts on flaps....they need to be perfectly ventilated to replicate the growth pattern and density of real temple hair, then there is the issue of basically now having 2 additional hairlines that are fully exposed...
i attempted to improve upon his original design,,,,,but i also say scrap the flaps, but then he will not achieve the look he is hoping for....he would have to have a pretty recessed hairline done in order for it match the recession of his sides.
the first pic posted on this page shows just how recessed his sides are and thats with them being somewhat covered with the hair brushed forward....personally i dont think a slightly recessed hairline that has to reach that far across the front of his head and have to go that far back could look natural
Sorry for the super lag in responding guys, I've been quite busy with work.
Paul In Ireland
Thanks for the great tips Paul, I'm going to try that Got2Bglued product and see how it well it goes with that. I had already seen it mentioned a few other times here on the forum and I'm now even more curious to try it.
travbjork
Great looking system! That's how I feel, I feel like if I'd just gone with a system a lot earlier than I wouldn't have gone through so much as far as hitting rock bottom with my self esteem. But I think now it was needed because my hair is falling out faster each day.
lovehair
You were absolutely right just as others who had mentioned it before, a little recession does make it look more natural and ultimately that's kind of what I went with. I won't be exposing my hairline either way, but if for whatever reason it gets exposed I want it to look good. So thank you very much for taking the time to make these as I got better visual understanding of what looks better. Thank you!
venk no apology needed...took me a while to get to it...and you are VERY welcome...i wish you good luck and keep in mind that most dont get exactly what they want the first time, but through a bit of trial and error, a tweak here and there you'll get it. i look forward to your results!
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