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I would like to try a "topper" and I have a couple question if you don't mind. I know you wear a partial piece and your own bangs, which I do now with a different type of topper.
I've never worn an all lace piece, but I experimented with an old wig I had and it seems like it would be a wonderful solution for me. Here is my specific questions of you:
1) Does there end up being a "part line" between your bangs and the hairpiece? Suggestions for that edge??
2) How big is your piece? I shave a small area now and clip elsewhere with the system I'm using. I'm tempted to just fit the small area behind my bangs 2x3 to see how I like it, but I wonder if covering the top of my head might not be a better overall look. How far down the parietal ridge do you suggest going? My concern would be if it was just on the flat (top) of the head at top that the edges would be more obvious, and wonder if rounding it down a little works better for adhesion or hair blending. I have a lot of hair in back and the sides are ok.
3) Do you use a mono base at all or just use your scalp and the plain lace?
4) Do you use tape or glue?....just edges or entire thing?
I hope all these make sense. I'd greatly appreciate your input, especially on sizing and blending the bangs where it meets the hairpiece.
Hi Rox,
Just noticed that you hadn't received a response yet so I thought I would chime in. I'm sure Sue will see this soon and reply too! I also wear a partial and for the first year and a half, I used my natural bangs. I can tell you that there is no "part line" that you will notice between the bangs and the lace. However, the attachment has to be good AND you have to match the density of your natural bangs with your partial or it would be pretty noticible. Many times, I used to try to get the lace too close to the natural bangs and it was a mistake that caused the lace to lift pretty quickly. I eventually got a tip about placing the lace just a tiny bit further back than you think it should go. Wow, that made all the difference in the world and it looked great!
2. I think I remember Sue saying her piece was 7x9 or something close to that...I know that I would recommend that the lace not just lay flat, but that is entirely experience based. I have never used lace on just the top, mine stops about 3 inches above my ear. Thankfully, for now, my sides and back have enough density to stick with a partial.
3. I believe she wears entirely lace with no mono.
4. She applies with tape, if memory serves!
I'm sure she will jump in here soon, if you have any other questions, please post away!
Babe
Not born with hair, but I've gotthe intelligence to find it, the money to pay for it, the patience to "stick" it on just right,the will to make it work, the confidence to wear it boldlyand the smile to wear under it!
Thank You Babe! I thought you wore a full lace cap or I would have addressed you both. How much of your natural hair at the back do you still have?
I am not sure what this means" I know that I would recommend that the lace not just lay flat, but that is entirely experience based"
My current piece is about 7x9 too, but I know that I don't want to shave that much as this point. I am very short from ear to ear, but actually have a big head. I have ordered the fitting kit as well. Will it show real densities so I know what my bangs should be? I'd like it to transition fast to denser because the top is my problem area.
????..... Did you shave your bangs so you could have more density in front? I have a really nice wig I do enjoy wearing and would like to keep my bangs to soften the front and so I don't have to worry about the bond loosening. I think I could be one of those that have a difficult time getting a good solid long term bond. I have been shaving a cc contour area (actually about twice that size) and taping the front. The red comes off very easily on me after about 8 hours. The blue even comes off me easilly, but sticks like glue to the hairpiece. I am currently removing my piece nightly. I have also had facial dermatitis issues in the past so I am reluctant to get tape/glue on my face. My scalp seems to be tougher and I haven't had any issues so far.
????.... Do you use the HD26 lace like Curly Sue? reading your post I was wondering if you get the sandwiched knots. Can you see the grids from the lace in your piece at all?
????....Long returns? Do you get remy or non-remy? Bleached Knots for sure. Anything else???
Curly Sue, I read you get regular replacements. Babe...how often do you replace your unit? I plan to remove once a week.
I love the piece I have (that I clip sides and back), the hair is fabulous and it is a nice fit, but it still has that slight transition ridge from hair to piece that I would love to eliminate with this type of product....besides the fact I can wear for a week at a time....a HUGE plus!
I'd love insight from you or anyone with experience, and a critical eye for what looks good. Your piece looks fabulous in the close ups of the front hairline babe. You do a great job!
Hi roxrog
I think CurlySue is out this week... not sure if she's on vacation or just needed to step away from the monitor for a few days. But according to her email auto-responder, she'll be out until Oct. 7th. FYI
I'm sure she'll jump right on here and catch up on posts soon.
HD Marketing Guy... Please buy hair from us. :-) brandon@hairdirect.com
Hi again Rox,
So, Curly Sue is having a nice long weekend! Good for her, she deserves it! I'll do my very best to answer all the questions I can...here we go!
I have about 4" of natural hair in the back.
The statement about the lace laying flat just means that I have only had the larger partial and have never experienced a piece that is small enough to just lay on top. Mine has always come down like a small "beanie" for lack of a better description...so I'm not sure how just a really small piece would work.
Yes, the fitting kit has sample densities in it. My top/crown is also my problem area.
I shaved my bangs for two reasons...the first is that it was just a real pain in the neck to align the lace perfectly behind my bangs and it took too much time. Plus, with the gray I've been collecting, I had to keep coloring the tiny bit of bangs I was keeping and that was a pain too! The second reason is that the density of my bangs was difficult to match and since they were so thin, I ordered a higher density and they look so much better.
Everyone has a little difficulty in the beginning getting a perfect bond, but thru practice and tips, you will find the perfect method for you. The way I started was I just shaved about a one inch path of my bangs to start with to see if I could get the attachment to look good. I thought that if I couldn't make it work, at least that little patch would grow in pretty quickly. But, from the minute I shaved that little bit and attached, I loved it. It looked better and bonded much better as well. I have found that it looked much better and I never again have worried when the wind blows!
I use HD 24 and I do not get the sandwiched knots. You can't see the "grids" of my lace at all. My returns are 2" and it's all remy. I have copied a link to my blog about how I order my hair below!
I do a de/re (detach and reattach) every week to ten days depending on when I can find uninterrupted bathroom time!
It sounds like this would be a great replacement for any type of wig. Wigs just do not give you the freedom and security that this does. I LOVE being able to sleep with my hair on...just like normal people do...imagine that!?
Thanks for the compliments and you will find plenty of insight on wearing hair on this site. Check out my blogs and the archive. You can also do a search on the message board for any topic you are wondering about!
http://www.hairdirect.com/community/blogs/babes_mane_blog/archive/2009/09/03/lessons-how-i-order-my-hair.aspx
Hope that helps!
Babe With a Mane
Hi Roxrog--
I'm sorry, I was away on a business trip. I will respond to your questions tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.
Sue
Hi Roxrog-
Sorry for the delay. Normally I reply to posts rather quickly but I was away for several days and without a computer.
To answer your questions:
1. There is no part line if you attach properly and wear the appropriate type of base for doing this. I would suggest lace front with no poly, though years ago I did it with a conventional nylon base with a poly front. The Hollywood (Swiss) lace is best for this. If you have even the teeniest bit of bangs also cut in to the unit, they should blend with your own bangs causing a completely undetectable edge. It takes some time to learn how to get the front edge attached right but you will get it eventually. I usually cannot find the edge of the unit in the front and cannot tell which bangs are my own versus the unit unless I pull the hair.
2. My unit is 6-1/2" wide by 7-1/2" long. I can't really advise on the small piece versus the larger piece because I've never had one that small. The smallest I had was about 5" wide by 6" long or so. I think that it would be easier to blend a piece that went further back than 3 inches but if you wear your hair pulled up then keep it as narrow as you can since your sides are OK. The wider it gets, the harder it is to conceal when it's pulled up, especially if your own sides are as thin as mine.
3. I wear an HD32 base which is the HD03 with reinforced sewing lines and no poly edge. I used to wear the HD26 and I have also worn the HD24 and the regular HD03. They are all good. My favorite is the HD24 but my density (110 on top and front) is too high to wear that one. I'm not sure how Babe is able to wear it. I've been told several times that the max density is 90% for that one. This recent post says she wears the same base as me. http://www.hairdirect.com/community/forums/post/23517.aspx Perhaps she has since changed to the HD24 because I think she has said her density in the front is like 80% or something. The HD24 has ultrafine lace in the front that can only handle a 90% density.
4. I use tape all the way around. No tape down the middle as I don't feel I need it there. I have used glue in the front but prefer tape for a longer hold and easier cleanup.
Moving on to your follow-up post...
The kit shows real densities but I think it's hard to really get an idea from the samples of the density.
I know you were asking this question to Babe, but I keep my bangs in front because I still have a great hairline. I cut in about a 1/8" section (front to back) of bangs in to the unit which blend perfectly with my own bangs. This adds to the density, but I prefer a thing section of bangs and my bangs sort of part and sweep to one side, so you do see a lot of my hairline.
With the HD26 I could see the lace on top a bit. With the HD03, HD24 or HD32 (which again is the same lace as the 03 and 24 on top) I cannot see the lace at all on the top, neither can other people when I have asked them to inspect it.
I usually request long returns because I had one unit that had all little one inch pieces sticking up all over my head when I didn't request long returns.
I remove my unit once every 7-10 days. I also have severe dermatitis and have been fortunate enough not to have a problem on my scalp, thank God! I use Supertape. I've used other tapes and glues and have never had a skin reaction other than minor redness when the tape is removed.
Hope that helps! Thanks for reaching out with your questions.
I lOVE hearing that you have a hard time finding the line. That is what I'm looking for compared to traditional pieces. Thank You, that was a lot of helpful info! When I get my kit I'm sure I'll have lots more questions :) I do have a couple now though if you don't mind answering.
1) What shape are you using for your partials? are they oval in front or squared off? My current "traditional" piece is curved and fits the cc contour tape pretty well. I am not sure if this is the best for my full lace or not. Suggestions??? How did you determine the shape?
2) When it comes to shaving: Is the hair and shaved area an exact fit where the hairpiece sits, or is there a little skin between the piece and the hair....OR does the piece slightly overlap the hair? How in the heck do you get it exact if that's your method?
3) Bang density??? I ended up clipping a bit more of my bangs because they are so dang thin. So now, mine are also about 1/8 inch thick (little more at widows peek). If the density of the lace hairpiece is higher than my bang and I wear my bang similar to you, do you think that I can get away with more density (like what you have), than what my natural bang is? I don't know the density, but they are see-through. I'd really like to have my bangs about 6 inches long, but if I can't do that and get it to look good I'll go with shorter bangs.
Curly Sue, could you please tell me who your tech is? Since we will be wearing it behind bangs the same I would really like to talk with her or him. I would like to try the exact base you are using. I'm not seeing it listed. Am I correct in that it is all lace with reinforcing throughout? Not seeing the grids is EXTREMELY important to me. I drive a school bus and the kids look down at the top of my head! I don't want them to be talking about my grids <giggle> This will be a good time of year for me to transition since I can wear hats if I don't get it perfect.
Thanks both of you for all your help. It is greatly appreciated!
Hi Roxrog!
1. The shape I use is based on a custom template of my hairline. It fits A contour tape but remember your needs are probably different than mine based on the sizes you mentioned. The shape was determined by my thinning area and has grown over the years as my hair continued to thin.
2. The area is pretty exact to the shape of the piece. You definitely do not want the unit to overlap your hair or it will not stick. You DO want the hair to be longer than the edge of the unit and that will cover any minor gaps. Basically, you just have to be very precise and take your time.
3. My "bang density" is heavier than my real bangs. It seems to blend fine. My own bangs are see-through too. I'm not sure how, but it seems to work. Like you I have a widows peak. Just last week I decided I actually want to use a little more of my own hairline in the front so I am letting about another 1/4" grow back (I think--we'll see how it goes). When you cut your bangs, cut them long at first and live with them for a day or two at least. They won't grow back so just make sure you don't chop too much too fast (I speak from experience!). I like my bangs long as well. They come at least to the end of my nose. The shorter bangs you see in my pics are my own growing bangs. They come to the edge of my nose but with the natural curl spring up to above my eyebrows! I usually straighten them a bit.
4. Mary is my new tech. My original tech was Kathy but she left for another job. Mary and I just started working together. She is great but I'm sure any tech could walk through this with you. If you want the same base as me but prefer the poly around the side and back edges, get the HD03. Because your piece is going to be so small though, I think you should consider foregoing the poly edge in which case you would get the HD32. If you have less than 90% density in the front, the HD24 is awesome but it is very fine and can fray in the front a little. These bases last at least 3 months with good care--with great care you could go much longer I'm sure.
Yes, the HD32 has no poly edge but has reinforced sewing lines throughout. I doubt anyone would be able to see the lace from the top of your head without a magnifying glass :)
Roxrog-
This picture shows the underside of one of my old units. This is the HD03 with the poly edge AND customized with the reinforced sewing lines. If you get the HD32 it would look like this, without the poly edge and you probably won't want scallops. I used to get them but don't anymore.
Thanks again CurlySue,
I will be getting my piece larger than the small area I have shaved. I think it will just be too hard to match colors and texture and be easier if I remove the top. My entire top and sides are thinning from AGA, but the sides aren't noticeable so much. The hairpiece I am wearing now is quite large, but it is too much hair in back as the back of my head still has good density. It just seems to me that having it round the top of my head a little would help with the realism.
I guess I still have a really hard time with how one decides on the size. Since we aren't using our hairline do they still form the topper front by the shape of our natural hairline? If I call the techs will they know what shape I'll need after I do the template??? I'm wondering if I want someone with a lot of experience for my first piece Thanks for the picture!
What is the advantage of scallops? I don't understand their purpose. I am very glad to hear that the bangs blend even though yours are thinner. I really want to stay with the higher density.
The hairline shape is defined by the line you shave behind your bangs. So, when you make your template it should match the area you are going to shave.
For people who don't have their own hairline, scallops can help make the fake hairline appear more natural. I somehow successfully wore this behind my own hairline for almost a year and then stopped when I switched laces (from NY/French to Hollywood/Swiss) because the scallops frayed on the Hollywood lace (as opposed to the stiffer NY lace). I don't know how it worked for me before but it did! I only did it because my hair tech (at the time, Kathy) suggested it but I don't do it anymore.
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