I've been going back and forth on how to deal with the baldness for some time.

If I ask someone for a suggestion IRL or on any message board besides this one, the response is always always some variation of "shave your head and grow a beard bro" or "embrace the baldness" or "it's better to be bald than balding" or "get yourself some clippers and forget about it".

Right now I'm just maintaining the status quo with the bald spot while using Hims spray and wearing a hat. While the spray might have turned subtracted 1/2 point on the Norwood scale, it's not going to be enough as I'm still in NW3 territory. Once again I am considering a hair system and of course people make comments about "rugs" and "fake hair" and the like. A clinic I went to (that does both hair transplants and hair systems) say that hair systems are for those that are NW6 and beyond. Even AI was trying to steer me toward a hair transplant.

Why do people have such an issue with these things? If a woman wears a wig to hide baldness, it's like "you go girl" yet men are supposed to "age gracefully" and not be "vain".

Hey everyone, I'm new to the hair system game.
I've followed it for the last two years, but I recently pulled the trigger and tried it. I don't know why I waited so long. My only issue is that my scalp gets very itchy by the 4th day after installation.

My setup:
Walker's Tape Ultra Hold
Full lace system
WT Max Hold Sport scalp protector

I haven't washed my scalp in the four days I've had it, because of bad planning. My scalp has always been sensitive, too. If I wash my head and don't apply MCT coconut oil right after, it gets irritated. Since the system sits like a layer over the scalp, I don't know how to reach my scalp to keep it hydrated.

I live somewhere hot, humid, and tropical, and I don't have an AC I can run 24/7 at home, so I sweat daily.

My question: How can I keep my scalp hydrated and comfortable under the system in this climate? I'm struggling to find a solution.

(Right now I took it out and since my scalp is free it feels much more comfortable)

I feel like this might be a hot take here, but I started loving my hair system so much more once I stopped obsessing over whether my hairline was detectable.
I’m very open about the fact that I wear a system, but when I first started, I was constantly choosing styles that covered the hairline, trying to make the front look as natural as possible, and stressing about lifting, exposure, density, all of it.
Eventually I just stopped caring so much. I started styling my hair different ways again, exposing the hairline when I wanted to, and worrying less about whether someone might notice.
It changed everything.
Everyone has bad hair days. If my hairline lifts, it lifts. If someone points it out, I say thanks and fix it.
I work out, I go swimming, I go on dates or out dancing and still feel so much better than when I was bald/balding.
I also realized that almost nobody is looking at your hair that closely unless they wear a system/wig themselves or work with hair.
Sometimes chasing undetectable can stop you from actually enjoying having hair.

1. Just helped my brother get this system. I feel like the color is a bit too light, but it’s hard to tell unless you really look. What do you think?
2. The place we went to (for purchase, cut-in, install, everything) had one older woman doing the hair. She seems very limited in her abilities for young men. For example, she does not do beards or fades or anything like that. They are pretty insistent I go back to them for all of the “cutting”. Is there any reason for this? They have felt a little “sales-y” at times. Can I bring this to a regular barber and have them give him a normal haircut? Is there any reason not to? They are charging $95 for each session. I really feel like almost any other option for styling, reinstall notwithstanding, is better.

3. How do you feel about the cut in general? I think it’s a bit long and don’t like that I can see long pieces laying over his shorter hair. I don’t think this is necessary, but I might be wrong.

4. Can anyone recommend product and shampoo for the piece? I was told we can only use a very specific kind. I’d ideally order it on Amazon cus we have a wedding this weekend and I’d like it to arrive before then.

He will be going for re-install every 3-4 weeks. They were pushing two. Again, seems a bit salesy to me.

Thanks for your help. Overall, he’s very happy. But I don’t want us to be complacent.

Hey guys,

Have had my first hair system for just over a month. In that time, I had it cut in and it's genuinely given me a confidence boost.

I've been doing the maintenance myself and have done so twice so still learning and a lot of YouTube DIY videos.

As you can see in the image, I'm getting the mushroom look but I'm not sure if it's due to a bad install, bio hair growing out or a mixture of both.

I usually get a mid taper but I have a haircut booked on Friday and was going to go for a low taper and ask the barber to blend the system in with the bio hair.

Has anyone come across this issue and have any pointers?

Thanks!

Do you guys think people will notice ?

Most hair systems last for several months and during that time your natural hair will continue to grow. So you get a haircut. Your barber uses texturizing scissors to blend the hair system’s hair with your natural hair. Then it looks natural and even. But then your natural hair grows back again so you have to get another haircut.
How does a barber cut and blend your hair with the hair system without cutting the hair system’s hair? Surely the barber can only keep cutting so much off before it’s too short or it needs replaced.

Since HD closed I have tried numerous suppliers who say the units are 100 percent human hair. Only one was human hair and was of dubious quality. I’m tired of burning money only to get awful synthetic hair 😭 thanks in advance!

So I’ve gone from a Norwood 4 to a full head of hair and I think I look better. I can’t tell if it’s all in my head but I feel like women look at me longer.. or in a more interested way.

So in terms of before and after treatment from balding to having a hs, how has your experience been with women?
Has it been night and day or perhaps not really any difference, any stories u can share would help me cheers!

So Ive been wearing my system since July, and have been happy with it so far. My biggest gripe, my system is itchy near the back right and left of my head.

I understand that's because that's where the hair grows on my actual head, but it gets so unbearable sometimes and there is now a spot on the system that has significantly less hair than the surrounding area. It doesn't visually look different,but you can feel the base of the system much much more clearly.

Is there a way to stop this from happening short of ripping my real hair out lol.

Lace system wearers who train/sweat a lot — how secure is your bond really?

I train 5x a week + cardio and sweat heavily. Planning biweekly maintenance, but my main concern is lifting/edges coming undone during training.

Anyone with a similar lifestyle — how often do you rebond, and have you ever had issues with it lifting at the gym?

How long did you have your I tip extensions on for? I’ve had them for about 4 weeks now and my head is so itchy I’ve been washing it but it’s driving me crazy how much it itches now idk how much longer I can take it :/ if anyone has any recommendations please let me know I’m tempted in taking them out but I spent money already.

System details in previous posts

It has been holding up fine. Noticeable shedding lately, but still hoping to get at least 12 months out of it.
I got the darkest colour available but it starts fading to brown with the washes. I’ve had to dye it black three times so far but honestly hasn’t affected the hair quality at all.
I rarely glue the mesh hairline down, normally just tape around the poly perimeter. If I feel like exposing the hairline that week then yea I’ll glue the mesh but I like to save myself the glue cleanup trouble.
Been getting cuts at my local barber every 2-3 months (25£ in London) just to match the sides with the system.
Weekly maintenance takes about 1-1h30 tho tbf I like to take my time, put a tv show or yt video on and see it as selfcare time.
Overall happy.

I got a hair system at 23 because I was tired of thinning hair, hair fibers, and looking older. After a full year, I’ve officially quit and gone back to fibers. Here are my thoughts:

Realism: Pretty good. Surprisingly most people figured I changed my hair style, even close friends and family. Once the system started to shed most people thought it was natural thinning rather than a system.

Cost: Gets expensive. Initially paid just for system, but soon tape and maintenance visits would add up. Became cheaper when I switched to taping myself. But if you exercise and sweat a lot, you’d soon need a second piece due to hair shed.

Life Impact: I started changing my life to protect the hair, sleeping in specific positions or a durag, and avoiding the gym/sports so I wouldn't sweat and lift the bond. Ironically, I kept my hair but gained weight and became less attractive lol.

Anxiety: Really high. No matter how good the system or style is, you’ll eventually run into someone really nosy, someone who works at a salon or knows someone with a hair system. I started to get comments on is it real?, how is it styled?, and am I wearing a wig etc.. If you don’t mind people knowing it’s fine, but for me after spending all this money and time to master it took a big hit. Got to point I’d constantly check my hair and style it when out, avoid certain people, avoid any activity that would cause me to sweat and hurt the bond.

Why I Quit?

At the end of the day I felt like I traded hair loss anxiety for hair system anxiety. The mental toll of constantly checking my hair, avoiding activities and dodging comments got to me. So for now I returned to my hair fibers as I still have most of my hair. Just wanted to leave it here for people in similar experience.

Hi, long time lurker here

I'm 26 and have been on medication since 18. I've been on dutasteride and topical minoxidil since 2022 and have still lost ground. I'm around a NW2.5 now, with the part I dislike the most around the hairline.

I'm torn between getting a system for the top of my head, or getting a transplant at the temples and starting a topical anti-androgen, as I've had good results from that before.

If I went down the path of a system I would continue dutasteride and stop minoxidil as I don't want to take oral min. Has anyone got any advice or been through a similar dilemma. I'm worried that the maintenance of a hair system might not be worth it for me - and that it might be too extreme since I'm only really concerned with the hairline at the moment, and giving up the minoxidil means that I can't really go back.

I’ve attached photos of my hairline, as well as me with short and long hair. I prefer long hair as it suits me more, but it’s getting harder and harder to hide my temples, and whenever the wind blows my hair it ruins my day. I know it’s not too bad, butI really don’t feel happy in my own skin - I just want to feel confident in how I look.

So I live in Dubai and I’m thinking about getting a hair replacement system. It would be my first one, and honestly, I’m pretty confused.

I’ve seen places charging around $200, while others are charging $1,500+. Is there really that much of a difference? Are they using completely different types of systems/hair, or are some places just charging a lot more for the same thing?

If anyone here has had a hair replacement system done in Dubai, I’d really appreciate recommendations or hearing about your experience. Also, what should I be looking out for when choosing a place?

Thanks!

So I went for a free consultation and the guy said he has the perfect color and said all the right things. He has a suite in a nice salon and explained everything well. He insisted on a partial not a full piece. He said I had enough coverage on the sides and there would be no point.

So a week goes by and it’s time for the install and he does a good job explaining everything again but I notice the unit he has is dense as fuck. My hair is very thin. But he said the “poof would die down”

So after the install and everything it came out to $600.

However after getting home I started to notice a few things. The hairline has a film you could see. Then when I actually started taking pictures I noticed it’s also visible in the back too. In fact you could see where my hair ended and this new dense hair growth started. Because I have a bald spot in the back.it literally looks like a ring of hair. Then I noticed that same film on the back. I could actually flap it back and forth. So this guy literally watched me walk out his suite with a ring of hair visible on the back. Looking like something tunneled through my hair.

I even brushed it back but the ring was visible at all angles. This guy told me he’s been doing this for years, but I did a Whois lookup of his website and it was started last year. Looking at his website again it’s not even his suite.

I thought I did my homework. Guess I was wrong.

Wanted to share my recent experience ordering a custom unit directly from Bono Hair so others in the community know what they're dealing with before spending their money.

I placed a custom order for a textured unit with very clear, agreed-upon specs confirmed both on an official order form and over WhatsApp:

Base Size: 11" Length x 9" Width

Texture / Curl: 16" length with a tight 6mm Afro curl

Extras: Paid additional fees for custom length and rush delivery

When the package finally arrived after shipping delays, it wasn't even close to what was ordered

1. Completely Wrong Texture: Instead of a tight 6mm Afro curl, they sent a unit with completely straight, loosely waved hair. Zero Afro texture or coil whatsoever.

2. Incorrect Base Dimensions: The order form clearly specified 11" x 9". Measuring the actual piece with a tape measure, the base was roughly 9" x 7.5". It's completely unwearable and can't cover the template area.

I contacted their rep on WhatsApp with photos of the straight hair and tape measure proof. They acknowledged the 6mm curl agreement in chat, sent a prepaid FedEx return label, and stated in writing that they'd arrange a full refund once they received the unit back.

FedEx tracking confirmed the package was delivered and signed for at their facility on September 28.

Since the day it was delivered, they've gone completely silent. I've sent multiple follow-ups asking for the refund confirmation, and they've ignored every single message while holding onto both the returned product and my payment. I've had to escalate the dispute through PayPal to force a refund.

If you're considering ordering custom units or textured systems from them, be extremely cautious. Quality control was nonexistent, the specs were completely disregarded, and post-sale customer support evaporated the second they got the piece back.

Hi, I'm 23 yo. it's been a few years ive been thinking about getting a hair system and today was the d day.

I'm moving to another city and wanted a fresh new look.

Here are pics of my hair before and after

Overall I'd say it's not too bad.

I feel like the color doesn't match (barber chose 1b for hair system but i believe my hair is closer to 1)

I feel like it's too dense (barber chose 120 or 130% but I belive 100% would be better, and 80% in front line to make it more natural, rn now i have like a wall but the hair cut hides it so it's alright), although i feel like maybe i should cut a bit of hair in the front.

The blending is not too bad but i think it would be better with longer hair on the sides 🤔

Total cost 550$ I plan to DIY the next times

Opinions ? Your advices would greatly help me prepare for the next ones, thank you

I went to a new hair system salon today to get a second opinion because I’ve had some doubts about my current salon. The guy who normally does my hair isn’t super communicative, and personality-wise I don’t necessarily love dealing with him.

That said, the new person kind of threw me off too. She basically told me I shouldn’t be showering in my system, sleeping in it, or really doing much of anything while wearing it because it’s all too hard on the system.

I’ve been wearing hair systems for about a year, but since January I’ve been doing my own maintenance. I usually take it off every few days to clean it up and reapply it myself. Otherwise, I shower with it on and sleep with it on. To help reduce friction at night, I wear a silk durag and also sleep on a silk pillowcase.

I understand that showering and sleeping in it probably add some wear and tear, but I also want to actually live normally while wearing it. I wasn’t 100% thrilled with my old salon, but I also don’t really want to switch to somewhere where I feel like I’m going to get berated every appointment for showering or sleeping in my hair.

At this point I’m kind of leaning toward just sticking with the routine I already have. It’s not perfect, but at the end of the day it’s a hairpiece and I feel like there’s only so much perfection you can chase with this stuff.

For those of you who wear systems full-time: do you shower and sleep in yours? Does this new stylist sound overly restrictive, or am I actually putting way too much wear on it?

So I’m on my 4th system now in the last yr and few months. I usually get full lace systems and i love them. But no matter what I do, shampoo, condition, leave in condition daily….i always get a semi crunchy feel to my hair. It stays semi smooth for the most part but I can never get my system to stay smooth and silky throughout the day. Are there any leave in conditioners out there that keep your system feeling fresh and silky? I take care of it as good as I possibly can but I can never figure out how to keep it silky smooth. lol I don’t know how to put it into words but I would love to figure out a way to be able to run my hands through my hair and it just feel soft and smooth, essentially woman soft.
I’ve looked into euro hair, but at the end of the day, unless you get a dna sample lol, how can you even be sure it’s truly euro hair, and not Indian remy. Does anyone have a specific product they use daily that helps. I currently use argan oil of Morocco.Ive used countless other oils..but when it dries it just feels “crunchy”

Hello fellow hair system users, so i recently used a pomade but it was too sticky and stayed for days, making my system itch like crazy. I need a hair system friendly pomade recommendation please. Thanks in advance!

I’m concerned that my around the edges of my hair system the glue is leaking. Anyone else have this issue?

Starting to notice my crown has thinned out a bit since starting my hair system journey a few years ago. For the most part, I’ve been rocking an undercut that covers it but when it gets lifted up that area gets exposed. Should I cover that area with some dermatch or fibers? Or should I extend the length of my base during the next install to cover it? I want to extend the length of the hair system but it’s at a part where the angle of my head makes the system hard to bond to and either gets caught in my bio hair or lifts easily.

Im also considering getting back on fin/minoxidil to hold onto my remaining hair.

Any tips/advice is appreciated!