Be HONEST...are hair pieces REALLY that bad & a hassle? Does it really "suck"?

[kenz9]

I know that going sly is the easiest/cheapest route to go, but I just wanted some honest opinions from people who've worn hair pieces, was it really a nightmare? Was it manageable? What made you want to lose it?

I'm not really concerned with the aesthetic "fakeness" of it, everyone does things to improve themselves that might not be 'natural' (from breast implants to teeth whitening), but the part that I think sucks about the hair piece route is the maintenance part.

So with that being said, is it really as bad as the people here say? As an active guy in his 20's, I really wouldn't mind going sly in my 40's/50's, but not now :\

Thanks for your advice guys...

[Stone Cold]

Hi mate.  At the moment I currently wear a 'system', have been for around 18 years now. At first I liked it and felt better about myself however it wasn't long before I would start to worry about doing certain things.  For example I like motor racing and would worry when I went racing with friends and having to wear a crash helmet. Would the system come off when I removed the helmet? Well, no it didn't but I didn't enjoy the day as much as I would have without it.

I have had plenty of girlfriends and during the erm bits of passion I would be conscience of them trying to put their fingers through my hair because despite what they tell you that the units are virtually undetectable it's not true. If a girl did run her fingers through my hair and discover it I can guarantee you she would have got up and leave. It's clever marketing using the word 'virtually' because what they are saying is that yes if someone glances at it they may not notice but on close inspection they will see the lace front and will 100% know its a unit when they touch it and put their fingers through it.

It's a pain in the arse to maintain whilst also a constant nuisance in the morning trying to get ready, especially if when you are getting ready for work and the front of the system lifts and you need to reattached with tape or liquid adhesive.  That can take around 20 minutes if you are good at doing it. The first few weeks it will probably take nearly an hour getting it right and sometimes you will need to start again.

I've been wanting to get rid of it for years but haven't had the balls as I'm scared of what people will say in the workplace and friends.  The thing is I know most people know I wear a wig, its not a cheap wig it's top of the range but over the years when you have to change the wig every year or so depending how you look after it, people will notice that it doesn't look the same. They will spot your hairline changing, also the density of your own hair will not match the unit because the unit need density to hide the materials it's made out of, plus the colour fades quickly. I know people probably take the mickey out of me and I have had people ask if I wore a wig, I denied it but the fact I probably went a little red or looked embarrassed they had their answer.  

I'm getting married next month and have discussed this with the bride to be, I told her I had a unit from day one and its never bothered her as she doesn't care what people look like despite herself being classed by many before we got together as a hottie 😍.

I told her I was thinking of ditching the unit after the wedding as we go on our honeymoon the following day for 3 weeks.  She said I can clearly see you are unhappy so get rid of it now if I wanted to. I did, but bottled it and would rather keep it for the wedding as I don't want people commenting on my new look and the shock on people's faces rather than the actual day itself.  She says she prefers me with hair because that is all she has known me as and wasn't sure if it would suit me.  Last time I had my unit removed cleaned and reattached (which can take nearly 2 hours) I took pictures of myself without the unit. I still had hair on the sides and back mind because that is only trimmed slightly to best match the unit.  I took the courage to show her the pictures thinking she would say no I don't think it's suits you.  She didn't, she said I looked absolutely fine and would look better with the sides trimmed short and said I shouldn't worry and that I looked much better than she thought how I would have looked.  She gave me the confidence just to say that she loves me for me and not how I look and I should do what makes me happy.

I have decided I will do it the day we go on our honeymoon. It gives me time to adjust to my look whilst going to somewhere where nobody knows me and also get a tan on my head to even it out.  Probably around a week and half into my honeymoon when the pale bits have evened out I will take the plunge to announce my new look to all my friends.  All I plan to do is change my Facebook profile picture to the new me and probably just say hi this is the real me without my mask on.

That's the plan, but I'm still getting anxious and nervous about it as the day is approaching fast.  But don't fall into the trap that so many of us have and become a slave to the unit, because despite what you say you will become a slave to it and it will become a burden and security blanket. It's so much harder to get rid of it once you had one for a small time as you will feel like you may be ridiculed when people know you had a wig.  All that money you will spend could have bought you a sports car.  Take my advise don't do it.

[Hingatao]

Personally, I don't understand why anyone would want to subject himself to the hassle AND expense of a "system". They take longer and require more effort to maintain than being sly, they cost more than being sly and they rarely, if ever, look natural. IMHO, they usually look ridiculous. Are you seriously that vain?

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's just the way I feel. I just can't understand people who feel they're not "normal" unless they're slaves to their hair.

[Lynchy]

Hi mate.  At the moment I currently wear a 'system', have been for around 18 years now. At first I liked it and felt better about myself however it wasn't long before I would start to worry about doing certain things.  For example I like motor racing and would worry when I went racing with friends and having to wear a crash helmet. Would the system come off when I removed the helmet? Well, no it didn't but I didn't enjoy the day as much as I would have without it.

I have had plenty of girlfriends and during the erm bits of passion I would be conscience of them trying to put their fingers through my hair because despite what they tell you that the units are virtually undetectable it's not true. If a girl did run her fingers through my hair and discover it I can guarantee you she would have got up and leave. It's clever marketing using the word 'virtually' because what they are saying is that yes if someone glances at it they may not notice but on close inspection they will see the lace front and will 100% know its a unit when they touch it and put their fingers through it.

It's a pain in the arse to maintain whilst also a constant nuisance in the morning trying to get ready, especially if when you are getting ready for work and the front of the system lifts and you need to reattached with tape or liquid adhesive.  That can take around 20 minutes if you are good at doing it. The first few weeks it will probably take nearly an hour getting it right and sometimes you will need to start again.

I've been wanting to get rid of it for years but haven't had the balls as I'm scared of what people will say in the workplace and friends.  The thing is I know most people know I wear a wig, its not a cheap wig it's top of the range but over the years when you have to change the wig every year or so depending how you look after it, people will notice that it doesn't look the same. They will spot your hairline changing, also the density of your own hair will not match the unit because the unit need density to hide the materials it's made out of, plus the colour fades quickly. I know people probably take the mickey out of me and I have had people ask if I wore a wig, I denied it but the fact I probably went a little red or looked embarrassed they had their answer. 

I'm getting married next month and have discussed this with the bride to be, I told her I had a unit from day one and its never bothered her as she doesn't care what people look like despite herself being classed by many before we got together as a hottie 😍.

I told her I was thinking of ditching the unit after the wedding as we go on our honeymoon the following day for 3 weeks.  She said I can clearly see you are unhappy so get rid of it now if I wanted to. I did, but bottled it and would rather keep it for the wedding as I don't want people commenting on my new look and the shock on people's faces rather than the actual day itself.  She says she prefers me with hair because that is all she has known me as and wasn't sure if it would suit me.  Last time I had my unit removed cleaned and reattached (which can take nearly 2 hours) I took pictures of myself without the unit. I still had hair on the sides and back mind because that is only trimmed slightly to best match the unit.  I took the courage to show her the pictures thinking she would say no I don't think it's suits you.  She didn't, she said I looked absolutely fine and would look better with the sides trimmed short and said I shouldn't worry and that I looked much better than she thought how I would have looked.  She gave me the confidence just to say that she loves me for me and not how I look and I should do what makes me happy.

I have decided I will do it the day we go on our honeymoon. It gives me time to adjust to my look whilst going to somewhere where nobody knows me and also get a tan on my head to even it out.  Probably around a week and half into my honeymoon when the pale bits have evened out I will take the plunge to announce my new look to all my friends.  All I plan to do is change my Facebook profile picture to the new me and probably just say hi this is the real me without my mask on.

That's the plan, but I'm still getting anxious and nervous about it as the day is approaching fast.  But don't fall into the trap that so many of us have and become a slave to the unit, because despite what you say you will become a slave to it and it will become a burden and security blanket. It's so much harder to get rid of it once you had one for a small time as you will feel like you may be ridiculed when people know you had a wig.  All that money you will spend could have bought you a sports car.  Take my advise don't do it.

Nice post Stone Cold.

I haven't worn one so I can't really comment.

[benlen]

Many, many actors in Hollywood wear very expensive hairpieces, some that only cover up a partially balding front (Matthew Mcconaughey) or an entirely bald top (Walter Koenig).

You may be surprised to know that George Clooney wears a hair piece and/or has had partial hair transplants. The evidence of this can be seen when comparing Clooney in his ER days to his later film years. His M shaped hairline has gone down to a more youthful straight across the forehead hairline! Clooney wears his piece extremely dilligently so not many photos exist with his "bad" hair, but I saw some pictures of him on a beach vacation that were posted on some site a couple years ago that revealed his less than superb hair.

I did a lot of internet searching on this back in the days before I was really seriously balding, and for a balding guy like me it's really easy to spot a good, even great hairpiece.

Did I ever wear one myself? No. But I would say that I think that balding men/men who have or wear pieces would notice a lot more than people who have never had any experience with them. A good hairpiece can be virtually undetectable to the untrained eye.

[leighmundo40]

It's Horses for courses as they say, or different strokes for different folks! Doesn't make it wrong if you choose to go down that route, doesnt make you any less of a person or unbelievably vain either!

My situation was very similar to Stone Cold. In my early twenties I panicked and went down the hair system route. Had some horrendous experience and some fairly good experience. Yes, there is the maintenance and it can be a pain. Im not going to moan about it because it was my choice.

I decided that after 15years, I'd had enough and decided to let it go and buzz down what I have left.

Would I do it now? Hmmm? probably not, as fashions have changed and the buzzed/Sly look, is much more acceptable. Like Benlen said, a good hair system can be virtually undectable. Though it wont stand up to having fingers run through it, you can feel the sem or where it is attached, no matter how fine or well made.

If you were thinking of going down that route, research it well, dont sign anything, get all the pros and cons. The choice is up to you.


The idea behind this site is to help and advise people, regardless of their situation or choices! Take the bits of advice you like and ignore the rest!

[kenz9]

Thanks for the advice guys, and the PM's, it's really been something that's bothered me a lot lately.

[DJ_Bald]

Thanks for the advice guys, and the PM's, it's really been something that's bothered me a lot lately.

I have a good friend who wears a piece for like 20 years. Sometimes I think his hair looks great. Other times its a little noticeable. Hes a nice guy, successful businessman, his wife really likes it.  He seems to have a really good attitude about it.  I think that's rare.  I see guys out with pieces and to be honest they always have that nervous look about them if you stare at them too long.  I think keeping your hair real short or sly is the best way to go
if your losing your hair.  You don't want to be known to your friends as "the guy with the piece".  Plenty of guys are bald and balding even at a younger age. Its just not that odd anymore.  Good luck