Yep, I swim in it (that is when I'm not too body conscious, lol), I play sports, I shower with it and wash it just like normal hair. It's one reason I chose it over anything else. Because you can do anything in it. Ever ride a rollar coaster in a wig? LOL. But it does get expensive. I have to go in about every 4-6 weeks to have it cleaned and rebonded. So you pay around 400-800 for the hair piece itself depending on how long you want it, whether it's real hair or synthetic, and numerous other optiions. Then it costs me 65 every time I go in for a clean and a rebond. I usually keep 2 or 3 hair pieces and I have to replace them about once a year.
I don't think people can tell it's fake first off because I always get compliments on my "beautiful hair" and people ask me who my stylist is. Which sucks though because if I tell them then I give myself away so I usually just say a friend who does it on the side and doesn't take clients. I've gone on many a dates and no one ever knew. My husband and I dated for months and months before I got guts enough to tell him. Fortunately he was accepting and understanding but I've had other dates who weren't and they didn't want to be with a bald woman. I honestly don't think my own sister knows, lol. I started doing this before I went totally bald so it wasn't as noticable to go from nothing to total plush hair and I guess she just never put it together. Plus you still use your real hair too so with that integrated in, it helps make it look realer. And you can dye it, cut it, style it, whatever. I use straighteners, hot rollars, curling irons, blow dryers, all of it. If you're careful not to burn the actually base or lace parts, it can really take a beating. So you really can do whatever you would normally do with your own hair.
It does have a downside though. For me, I have nearly total male hair loss. Actually, I hate even saying loss because I'm bald...period. Ya know the male pattern where men go completely bald on the top from forehad to crown? That's me. (funny this is that every doctor that I went to swore to me that would never happen....and I still have shedding in the back and sides to this day). So with that said, when I wear my piece I have to have it glued on in the front to recreate a hair line. I have bangs that come down and cover it and then the sides and back of my hair are my own, but on windy days it sucks because as much as I try, the actual hair line itself will never look real again. So I've learned on days that it blows around a lot to do a cute updo with my bangs sleek to the side and held down with bobby pins to avoid any embarassing moments. It can still be a cute and fashionable style too so it works out well. When I play sports I usually braid it or pull it in a pony tail or a bun then put on a do rag or a ball cap or use the bobby pins. That way the hair line doesn't show when I'm running around and getting sweaty. From what you describe with your hair, you might be able to use your natural hair line which would work out great! If you could use as much as your own frontal and then start with the hair piece a little bit back, you'd never have to worry about my problem. And of course it doesn't grow. So whatever hair style you have them cut it into will be yours until you order new hair pieces. Now for the REAL downer......they shave your head. In order to bond the hair it has to be very short so they give you a buzz cut in the area that the piece will cover then they bond the sides of that to your very short hairs. I've been doing this for 10 years nearly so it's no big deal. I've pretty much given up hope on my hair ever growing back. I went too long losing my hair and without hair before I got a diagnosis and someone to help me so I think it's pretty much destroyed the hair follicles. But for you, you still have a lot of hope and if you're just wanting this as something to do on special occasions here and there you certainly don't want your head buzzed so you can't take it off and on as you choose. If that's the case then you'll want to stick with a wig topper. I go to Natural Look Hair Center on Watt close to I-80. They're right across the street from the fire house just before you get to Auburn and I-80. Their number is 483-7590. I'm sure they'd be happy to make an appointment just to chat with you about your options. There may be stuff out there that I don't know about where you get all the benefits w/o having to do the shave and bond. They're a strange couple, lol, but they're nice and they're good at what they do.
Last edited by GlitterStar; 05-19-2008 at 10:24 PM.
Yep, I swim in it (that is when I'm not too body conscious, lol), I play sports, I shower with it and wash it just like normal hair. It's one reason I chose it over anything else. Because you can do anything in it. Ever ride a rollar coaster in a wig? LOL. But it does get expensive. I have to go in about every 4-6 weeks to have it cleaned and rebonded. So you pay around 400-800 for the hair piece itself depending on how long you want it, whether it's real hair or synthetic, and numerous other optiions. Then it costs me 65 every time I go in for a clean and a rebond. I usually keep 2 or 3 hair pieces and I have to replace them about once a year.
I don't think people can tell it's fake first off because I always get compliments on my "beautiful hair" and people ask me who my stylist is. Which sucks though because if I tell them then I give myself away so I usually just say a friend who does it on the side and doesn't take clients. I've gone on many a dates and no one ever knew. My husband and I dated for months and months before I got guts enough to tell him. Fortunately he was accepting and understanding but I've had other dates who weren't and they didn't want to be with a bald woman. I honestly don't think my own sister knows, lol. I started doing this before I went totally bald so it wasn't as noticable to go from nothing to total plush hair and I guess she just never put it together. Plus you still use your real hair too so with that integrated in, it helps make it look realer. And you can dye it, cut it, style it, whatever. I use straighteners, hot rollars, curling irons, blow dryers, all of it. If you're careful not to burn the actually base or lace parts, it can really take a beating. So you really can do whatever you would normally do with your own hair.
It does have a downside though. For me, I have nearly total male hair loss. Actually, I hate even saying loss because I'm bald...period. Ya know the male pattern where men go completely bald on the top from forehad to crown? That's me. (funny this is that every doctor that I went to swore to me that would never happen....and I still have shedding in the back and sides to this day). So with that said, when I wear my piece I have to have it glued on in the front to recreate a hair line. I have bangs that come down and cover it and then the sides and back of my hair are my own, but on windy days it sucks because as much as I try, the actual hair line itself will never look real again. So I've learned on days that it blows around a lot to do a cute updo with my bangs sleek to the side and held down with bobby pins to avoid any embarassing moments. It can still be a cute and fashionable style too so it works out well. When I play sports I usually braid it or pull it in a pony tail or a bun then put on a do rag or a ball cap or use the bobby pins. That way the hair line doesn't show when I'm running around and getting sweaty. From what you describe with your hair, you might be able to use your natural hair line which would work out great! If you could use as much as your own frontal and then start with the hair piece a little bit back, you'd never have to worry about my problem. And of course it doesn't grow. So whatever hair style you have them cut it into will be yours until you order new hair pieces. Now for the REAL downer......they shave your head. In order to bond the hair it has to be very short so they give you a buzz cut in the area that the piece will cover then they bond the sides of that to your very short hairs. I've been doing this for 10 years nearly so it's no big deal. I've pretty much given up hope on my hair ever growing back. I went too long losing my hair and without hair before I got a diagnosis and someone to help me so I think it's pretty much destroyed the hair follicles. But for you, you still have a lot of hope and if you're just wanting this as something to do on special occasions here and there you certainly don't want your head buzzed so you can't take it off and on as you choose. If that's the case then you'll want to stick with a wig topper. I go to Natural Look Hair Center on Watt close to I-80. They're right across the street from the fire house just before you get to Auburn and I-80. Their number is 483-7590. I'm sure they'd be happy to make an appointment just to chat with you about your options. There may be stuff out there that I don't know about where you get all the benefits w/o having to do the shave and bond. They're a strange couple, lol, but they're nice and they're good at what they do.
So with my amount of hair I probably wouldnt be able to do the bonding huh? That sucks because it sounds like it really helps! But I have that male pattern too, its sucks!! But its still at an early stage and the only thinning is at the temples. I started treating it early with everything possible because I freaked and thought I was gonna go bald.Does that place do custom toppers and do you know the cost? Is that where you go for your bonded piece?
You can do the bonding with any amount of hair, it's up to you. They have so many different options. Basically the way they did mine, they made a cast of my head and then marked where the loss was and then used that to make my hair piece custom just for me. Since you have enough hair, you might be able to do an extension option too. I know they do those where they just attach it to your existing hair for more volume and you can swim, wash, etc. those as well. The place I mentioned is the place I have mine done at. You can also check out www.adventhair.com. They have several pieces and various products that they sell as well. I can't really pinpoint a price because all the services and supplies will vary a lot depending on your needs compared to mine. But I'd give them a call and ask for a consultation and discuss the options and which would work out best for you.
I couldn't figure out how to put pics on here and putting them in my profile makes them really small but if you want give me an e-mail address I can send you some pics.
I ended up buying a wig. No more bad hair days! I was up front with my co-workers and told them that I had a health condition that has caused my hair to be quite thin on top and I was tired of trying to do something to my hair. Once I got over the initial first few days of seeing each employee/friend for the first time, it was fine. I bought my 2nd wig this weekend and wore it to work today, every single person I came across told me how great I looked and how natural the hair looked. So anytime I run across someone that hasn't seen me with my new "do", I'm up front and tell them it's a wig. I don't want people to think I'm trying to hide something. I only share this information with family and friends and co-workers that already know my situation though, not with strangers off the street. I wish I would have done this years ago - - been doing the Donald Trump Side Sweep for too long and was very self-conscious. My first wig was of wavy human hair and the 2 I bought this weekend are of straight style and synthetic - - I like the synthetic better as the hair looks very shinney and pretty. Also, I was told that I would be able to style the human hair wig just like my own hair, and I found that not to be true. I paid $90 for the synthetic hair wig but feels it's weel worth it, I was spending $40 every six weeks at the beauty shop to have my hair look great for one day only.
I've used human hair for braiding and weaves and the occasional wig. I've used synthetic hair for braiding. I can tell you, only human hair behaves well
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Current weight : 191 ** and hopefully still dropping **
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Just as an FYI, I wore a Jessica Simpson 'hair do' on my recent trips (first to L.A. and then on QVC), and everywhere I went people complimented me on my hair.
I have to admit, the 'do' was super pretty, and very easy to use.
It got a bit tangled by the 4th or 5th time I wore it, but it still looked good. I can't recall which one I had but it was one of the longest, and had quite a bit of wave to it.
Anyway...thumbs up to the Hair Do. (Also, it wasn't super shiny, at all. I just took it out of the package, and was good to go.)
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Hey, SoulCysters! Need to eat more veggies, but can't find recipes??
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