Hello from a longtime lurker!
I'll try to give some kind of background story of my plight. I started losing my hair at 17 (ouch). It's probably one of the worst things to happen to a young guy in terms of peer mockery, worse than illness. At least most kids have the decency not to mock guys with serious conditions, but apparently going bald is a green light to abuse. I wasn't unpopular, I was successful at school and had a lot of friends, but because of my easy-going nature people took advantage of it by teasing me about it (except my close friends). They thought I could take it but it hurt inside.
Anyway, I didn't have MPB, i had female pattern - in other words losing it evenly all over the top of the head. I'm not sure if that made it better ot worse. I tried going to these laser treatment places, which were a waste of time and money. I tried rogaine, also a HUGE waste of money. Eventually I started getting into hair systems. Started off going to an expensive salon who made terrible systems that looked ridiculous, with grumpy staff and conmen for managers. Got sick of being leashed to a salon every month so decided to go solo, as many system wearers do. I have to say, although my style wasn't great, It looked pretty realistic and you could only tell it was a system if you scraped at the edges or examined the back. The problem is that spending 2-3 hours every other day on cleaning it, and then having a sticky mess after a gym session wasn't really sustainable long-term.
This went on for 8 years (18-26). It caused me to do worse at my university studies than I should have done, and it gave me depression for a long time. I never had a problem with girls, but my self-confidence died and it's impossible to get any girls when you're a miserable wreck. What started my turnaround was bodybuilding. I started in January working out to gain muscle mass, and in the last 4 months I've been cutting down. I am very close to getting my 6 pack (3-4 weeks away), and it's been hugely motivating. However the system has always been at the back of my mind, holding me back. I wanted to start swimming - can't because of the system. Wanted to go on holiday for a long time - can't because of system maintenance. Wanted to ask a girlfriend to move in with me - can't because was scared about the system. It controls your life.
So I decided, with the help of this great forum, to make the jump. I already had the top of my head shaved for the system so I knew roughly what I would look like, but I was surprised at just how different I look fully shaved. The transformation was amazing, and I feel so free now.
I just need to get some tan on the head and it should start looking pretty decent I think

The only problem I have encountered so far is that it just gets SO COLD here in england so I have to wear a wooly hat outside anyway or my head starts hurting

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