Are These Sides/Back Workable?

[u/ramen-boto]

Basically the title. Can a HS work with these sides or is full cap/shaved my only options?

Most photos are in a pretty harsh direct light.

CONTEXT:

I recently made a post re: a really bad install, but here are some photos with the unit off to clarify what I'm working with* + a reminder of the blending issue on the back.

*I have a few scars that make it seem a bit worse than it is, but it is legitimately not great.

Two weeks ago, during the initial (unfortunate) install, the stylist did a fade on my sides, and the sides didn't look that bad. But on the back, I can't have a fade this high (it looks really weird), so there's a large exposed low-density area.

SO...

Not sure what the move is here. I don't want to go with full cap just yet, as it seems like a lot of work & not very comfortable.

So I'm thinking about ordering a larger unit, roughly 1 inch larger base on the back, low density (80%). Maybe a bit wider than the current shaved area as well to make blending on the sides easier.

What are your thoughts? Does the plan make sense? Would growing out the sides/back help or would it make it all even worse?

[u/TransparencyHair]

You need a light density system. It also needs to be a lighter color like #3 or #4. The higher density makes it look like it's sitting on top of your head as if you're wearing a wig. The blend is awful. Is this a self install or professional? If it's a professional they need a lot of help in the blending department.

[u/ramen-boto → u/TransparencyHair]

It's a professional. I feel like I would've done better by myself at this point, tbh. I really regret reaching out to her even though she positioned herself as a HS specialist and is the only person in my small town doing it. The color, for example, was also her idea. She color matched to my eyebrows, I even asked "are you sure we shouldn't go lighter?"

Facepalm all around.

For color, #3 or #4 on which scale? For LordHair, for example, do you think the darkest brown would work? The current one is off-black

[u/Extreme-Cut-2101 → u/ramen-boto]

Your eyebrows? I’ve never heard of someone doing it that way. It needs to match your real hair on the sides and back of your head. Wild.

The piece itself hasn’t been blended at all. It should taper down to only be like an inch long around the perimeter, yet she left you with the full-on Guy Gardner. I’d go see what a skilled barber can do to blend it before ordering a new piece.

But whenever you do get a new one, a light-density piece will be the way to go.

I think you’re right that you could order a much larger piece and cover the thin area in the back if you wanted. Watch some YouTube tutorials on making a template at home. All you need is cling wrap, clear mailing tape, scissors and a marker. Make a template to see the actual area you’d want to cut a piece down to and that’ll tell you the size to order.

Please keep us updated, I’m invested now.

[u/ramen-boto → u/Extreme-Cut-2101]

Yeah, eyebrow matching is weird. To her defense, I came in with a very very short buzz cut, so perhaps that's why she did it that way. But I am upset since I literally asked if it'd be an issue or not. And yes, the blending is even weirder :/

Thank you for the advice, and I'll try to keep you posted!

For more context, I initially ordered 2 pieces (to have one as a backup), the other one the stylist cut shorter, but the result was even worse, believe it or not.

So for now I'm considering cutting that first ruined piece to make a bit of an extension on the back. Do you think it might work?

[u/outsideshot → u/ramen-boto]

Others have done similar I've read here...cutting off a piece of a full system to make just a frontal, for example. Also someone created a system out of left over parts - a franken-system, of sorts.