This is my latest Fullcap ..... I`ve left a bit of ` length` on it, especially at the nape area....it looks thicker / fuller now because it`s new..all systems have that look, until they settle down....over time, normal shedding will thin it out ....it`s always a balancing-act between getting a system which is way too dense, or one which is too thin ....too dense , and , depending on your age, it can draw attention....too thin, and once shedding sets in, it can mean you having to replace it early.
This system has just over 10% gray in it...... I`ve trimmed the temple area and the ear-flaps to expose my own hair, which I`ve allowed to re-grow over the last few months.....am using only Got2b glued spiking glue so attach....hope these are of interest to those considering wearing .

Looks fantastic Paul. Your nape always seems to look great and I think from memory this is one of the better results on the sides... they look to fade in very naturally and have a good shape.. you've really nailed it. Makes me want to use my sides... but I don't think I have anything there to use.

Agree re: balancing act with the density. On that note - have you adjusted your densities since your template thread? I find it really hard to get densities good enough with full cap (i.e. the best balance between longevity and a natural look) but getting better.

I'm really needing 3/4 months out of my hair these days but seems to be hard to attain where I've been ordering from [not TL] -- the density swings so wildly that its a nightmare. I have an order with TL now though so I'm not so worried about it.

Hi fate, Yeah ..am pleased with this one though it came back denser than the previous two,[same template and specs.] .. I thought this would look a bit ` iffy` but the stylist did a good job which also helps in a big way.....the fact that these are hand-made, will always mean there`s a variance from one order to the next.
I find and have said this many times, that ``less is best`` when it comes to systems, in terms of shampooing and using styling-products..... I use a little Gel , only on windy days....even sometimes, just a little of the ` Got2b` here and there helps hold the style /shape --there`s no build-up in the hair as it simply rinses away fully in the shower... I seldom shampoo the hair ....I only shampoo the base, once it`s off my head.....you can wet the hair as often as you like, but shampooing it, leads to dryness, colour-fade and shedding-out........ I only use some of my leave-in conditioner a few times a week [ http://www.amazon.com/Premiere-Products-...B003SEYTNO and sometimes a little serum onto the damp hair...
I do a nightly removal----it`s only a matter of hopping into the shower and letting the water soak into the system.... I think not sleeping with it on, helps prolong the life of the hair.
I usually get a minimum of around 5 months wear from these systems...pretty happy with that.
I think the TL factory seems to be relatively consistent when it comes to hair -quality and usually your specs. are reasonably as you require....there can , of course be an occasional ` blip` but it goes with the territory.....generally they do a reasonably good job.
With my last two Fullcaps, once they had shed out considerably, I actually cut the flaps off them and exposed quite a bit of my own hair ------incidentally, I stopped shaving my head this summer in order that I could use Got2b glued instead of tapes, as the shine from the tapes under strong sunlight was making me paranoid....Got2b sticks better to stubble /short growing hair and there`s NO shine from it......my temple-points are still ` good` so I trimmed the base of the system pictured in this thread, so that the temples and lower bit of the sideburns are visible ...it helps to ` soften` the overall look I think....do you wear Fullcaps? If so, see if your temples/ sideburns will grow for you..you could utilize them in a similar way.I`ll post a few other photos of the same system tomorrow....I think I have a few more of the nape area from a ` lower` angle ...kind regards!

Hey Paul

Yeah I wear a fullcap. I was pretty much inspired by the posters on here. JRob at first, then saw dino's results (the short hair fullcap pic from dino was pretty amazing.). cowboy got some good results too. You are the one that consistently posts and I keep coming back to - you manage to keep a very consistent result from what I can see, a good result, hence I look to you for advice -- thanks for making yourself available to give it!

I missed the other thread -- I didn't realize you were utilizing THAT much hair.. so the hair infront of the ear here is your own? That would explain the excellent look on the sides then! I'll have to check how far gone mine are.. getting a result like yours on the side would be great.

In my opinion (I know its subjective - I don't see you every day) this piece doesn't look overly dense to me. The balance between top and sides seems spot on. The back is obviously most dense - but to a natural extent. Now if I could borrow your stylist...

5 months is a great result. I sleep in my fullcaps.. normally wear a week and then de/re. Really doesn't help at all. Nice pillowcase helps for sure. But I tend lose a lot (of hair) by the time replacements come so I've gotten into the habit of ventilating hair back in quite often.. and it IS a long tedious process. Makes me appreciate the factory for sure! If I hadn't ventilated any hair my current cap [Non TL] would have been unwearable after the second month.

During de/re I shampoo and condition.. so every week. You mention you shampoo infrequently - do you also not use rinse out conditioner or do you sometimes use it without a shampoo?

I would like a private dialog with you (via email) if you're happy to have one. I think you can email from this forum.. let me know otherwise

Hi again fate..... I`m happy to post threads from time to time ..just to help those grappling with the whole prospect of wearing...... hopefully they`re informative and of interest.
Believe it or not, I actually have a day-job too !! ;-)
I mailed you now too.
Dino had great cut-in`s too .... his photos were very impressive..... many of the ` veteran` wearers have gone ` quiet` over the last while .......
I always get the back of the systems that bit denser than the sides/crown....I reckon the nape area benefits from this ..the last thing I want is the hair sticking ` out` from there ....I find the slightly higher density there, helps keep the hair ` in`, and I ask for ` flat-to-base` ventilation.
As for the shampooing etc. --- unless you`re using things like gels /styling products, shampooing is not really necessary...well.... not as frequently as weekly.... I use that `Enhance` leave-in conditioner, I`m always banging-on about ....having used many products over the years, I find that it`s good, cheap and really does keep the hair in good condition....you don`t need to use it daily..often a spritz-over with water next day kind of re-activates it.....it doesn`t build up on the hair and make it look ` tired`....... I only lightly shampoo the hair about once a month !!
Certainly, the lace needs to be kept clean/hygienic....I do lather-on some mild shampoo. to the lace [underside] at times,when it`s off my head...this helps keep bacteria at bay and removes oils and dead skin-cells......I don`t apply shampoo directly to the hair.
Yes, I do use some rinse-out conditioner as the system ages, but I find if I use the leave -in one, from the start, I get a longer life-span from my systems, and only need /begin using the rinse-out one, much further ```down the road`` One guy told me he`s now getting an average extra 6 weeks from his toppers having bought / used ``Enhance``[it`s got sunscreen in it too] ......I wet the hair nightly in the shower, as I remove this for sleeping --- Got2b glued just needs to get quite wet and it`ll release and rinse away ...wetting the hair like that is no problem....I just spray on a few darts of ` Enhance`,style it and sit it to dry overnight.
Finally --- I re-grew my own hair simply to allow me to use Got2b more easily --it`s sticks/holds better to stubble /short growing -hair .... when I saw the temples were pretty ` good`, I just trimmed off a few grids of lace to expose my own hair there ...you`re only seeing a small bit of my own hair there.... if you look at the other thread I posted [``some nape photos``....you`ll see the old /previous system with the flaps and temples area cut off ....I exposed a lot more of my own hair with that one ....this new one now, will probably allow me to do the same as it sheds out gradually...once it`s as ` thin` as my own hair, then I`ll be able to trim the flaps off and ` show` a lot more of my own hair , because the densities of my own and the system will be about the same .

Your posts do a good job of being informative and helpful. You seem to have picked up fullcap wearing well and made it really work. You making yourself available and giving such indepth responses adds so much value to the forum, I certainly have appreciated your posts over the years. I keep coming back to them from time to time.

I agree that old the fullcap veterans have gone quiet. I have seen dino surface somewhere recently, but I cannot recall where. JRob's absence is a bit of a concern in my opinion.. because not only have I not seen anything from him, but his blog (and resources with it) has been replaced with some generic blog and the website is marketing/sales for his products. JRob got some pretty good results and did provide a lot of information for fullcaps over his time here. Wonder if he will ever come back.

Thanks for the email, will reply now.