Hair Replacement Systems

If you're like me and getting towards your middle ages (I'm 40 so I'm already there I guess) you've probably noticed your hair is getting a little thinner or grayer. Luckily for me mine is getting gray but hasn't gotten too thin - yet. It might in the future though, and I've thought about what I'd do. I told my wife I'd just shave it and go bald, which a lot of guys do these days but she didn't really like the idea. Still I don't know what I'd do about thinning hair. I'd definitely not get a toupee, at least one of those things that sit on your head like a rug. No wonder they got that name. Anyway there are a lot of hair loss remedies out there but a lot of them are a little scary. I mean some of the hair loss products are actual drugs with side effects. Then there's things like the laser comb. So there's laser hair removal and laser hair growth? How does that work? How does the laser know what you want it to do?

Men have been wearing hairpieces for centuries, in the 1600's up until the early 1800's it was common. Geoorge Washington in his powdered wig is an example. Today though you don't have to put up with something that obvious you can use one of the newer hairpieces that are virtually undetectable.

So, if you don't want to stop thinning hair with lasers and drugs what can you do? Well, nothing really, the only way to put it back is with one of the male hair replacement systems. There's a lot of hair replacement systems out there (there are women's hair replacement systems too), basically what they do is make a hairpiece that covers just your bald spot and blends in with your own hair. It's what they use in movies. John Travolta wore one in the movie Swordfish. If done right they can look just like your real hair. So how do they do it? They make base that fits your bald spot exactly. It's a mesh base and your other hair can fit through it from what I gather. The theatrical wigs are called lace front hair replacement systems or French lace, the base is such a fine lace you can't see it unless you are really close and are looking for it. It's recommended that you don't get a hairpiece that is woven tightly to your real hair. Those types were popular in the 80's and 90's but have fallen out of favor because they can actually cause baldness along the hairline where it is woven in. Not really what you're trying to accomplish.

Hair Club for Men

There are all sort of hair replacement systems out there, Hair Club for Men is one of the oldest and probably the most popular. It's now just Hair Club, although they bill it as Hair Club for Men and Women. So they have hair replacement systems for women too. They use a thing they call Bio Matrix where they weave your hairpiece together strand by strand. It's supposed to be virtually undetectable. I think the deal is though that you keep going to them for fitting and styling, that's how everything keeps looking so real. Probably more expensive, but if it makes you look like you want then go for it.

Hair Direct

Hair direct uses the fine lace hairpiece but they bill themselves as being more affordable. They say you don't need long term contracts or appointments and you can order online. They also have tapes, glues and accessories. Yep, that's how you attach it. Glue it or tape it. They also have solvents for taking it off! So I guess it really sticks to your head good, which is what you want, right? They also make the piece fit the thinness or thickness of your hair so that it looks natural for your age. Again it's all about making it look real, and they seem to be thinking about it.

Farrell Hair Replacement

Another of the lace hairpieces and they use real human hair to make it look more natural, like a lot of the others. They claim that a lot of major movie stars are using their systems and it looks so real nobody knows. They pick hair that is most like yours and put it on the base in the same thickness as the surrounding hair so that you can't see a fake hairline.

So do these hair replacement systems work? They do, but at various costs. I remember as a kid one of my dads friends that moved away bald, but moved back with a head of hair. At the time you could tell it was a toupe, but now 30 years later when I see him, I know it's a hair piece but I can't tell. He's probably been with it so long nobody knows he even has one. Which hair replacement system is going to work for you? That's a choice you'll have to make.