# Men's Hair Loss > Non Surgical Hair Replacement >  Can they look real?

## amadeus

Can a hair piece really look as good as real hair? Wouldn't be best to just do a transplant?

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## bigmac

Some hairpieces can look very lifelike and be undetectable but they require a lot of maintenance and tend to be expensive.

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## PayDay

> Some hairpieces can look very lifelike and be undetectable but they require a lot of maintenance and tend to be expensive.


 They Can look very real. Spencer talks about the problems with the clubs and whatnot on the show, but he says that you can buy good ones.

Maybe you should call in or PM Spencer.

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## billybaroo

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

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## BaldBob

There's a learning curve to attaching and maintaining a hair system.  Regardless of whether you attach and remove daily or weekly or bi-weekly, it really doesn't take a lot of time or effort..

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## amadeus

> There's a learning curve to attaching and maintaining a hair system.  Regardless of whether you attach and remove daily or weekly or bi-weekly, it really doesn't take a lot of time or effort..


 How long have you been wearing one? Do you have any pictures you can upload? I'm interested in learning more about the whole thing.
I went to  toplace.com but didn't get much from there. The website is very outdated.

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## BaldBob

Amadeus:  I'm an old fart - I'm 56. I started wearing many, many years ago when hairpieces were heavy, uncomfortable, way too dense and not very realistic.  I gave up after a few months and tried again about 15 years ago.  Same story - they really hadn't changed.  BUT...

The pieces available now are amazingly realistic.  I don't display my pics for personal reasons, but you can achieve almost any look you want without anyone being suspicious at all.

I notice you've been a member here for a year.  I'm guessing you have been going back and forth for that long trying to decide whether or not to order a hair system.  I think it's time for you to give it a try...even if your first piece isn't perfect, you'll know whether wearing hair is right for you or not.

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## amadeus

Thanks for the advice Baldbob! I have been thinking about it for a long time. I started Propecia with good results and I know that Kobren preaches about keeping the sides and back thick to make transplants or a hair piece look natural.

I am still having trouble taking the artificial path even though I know they can look very good. How do you deal with women finding out?
I was going to talk your advice and order one just to play around with it. I took another look at toplace.com but the website turns me off , it doesn't instill much confidence in the company for me so I think I'll order from coolpiece.com.
Where do you get yours?

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## BigCityJames

As a hair replacement wearer for nearly 16 years, I can tell you honestly that the newer lace front hairpieces can absolutely look lifelike-even at kissing close distance. Now, that being said-the aforementioned realistic look lasts maybe a week after having had a service from a technician who cleans,attaches, and adds hair if needed. After that, the day to day maintenance is the part that requires much finesse. I have learned certain tricks of the trade through the years. There are many variables that can be altered. 1)Color-you have to be careful not to let the color fade 
           2)Style-whether you where it parted to the side ,middle,slicked 
           3)Using gel,hairspray,mouse all have different results
           4)Keeping your "real hair" color matched to the replacement
           5)Whether you let your hair air dry, or you blow dry it
           6)Keeping the length of the real hair in proportion to replacement
So you see there are many different options to work with. If you become skilled at the maintenance of the replacement your chances of somebody detecting it is quite small. However, as any hair wearer can attest-there are going to be those days where it just doesnt come out quite right.This is going to happen from time to time and is one of the pitfalls that you have to accept.I hope this is helpful to anyone considering using hair replacement. 

                                       NYJames

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## BigCityJames

> Thanks for the advice Baldbob! I have been thinking about it for a long time. I started Propecia with good results and I know that Kobren preaches about keeping the sides and back thick to make transplants or a hair piece look natural.
> 
> I am still having trouble taking the artificial path even though I know they can look very good. How do you deal with women finding out?
> I was going to talk your advice and order one just to play around with it. I took another look at toplace.com but the website turns me off , it doesn't instill much confidence in the company for me so I think I'll order from coolpiece.com.
> Where do you get yours?


 In my experience with women-it completely depends on how you carry yourself. If you are about to get busy with a girl,you CONFIDENTLY tell her about it and then move on like it is no big deal. It only becomes an issue if you make it one. Plus chances are good she has probably had something done herself.

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## amadeus

Thanks for your help NYJames! It seems like a great deal of work and worry to keep your hair looking real. Is it worth it? Does it really make a positive difference in your life and do you think if I tried it I could learn quickly enough not to get spotted?

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## BigCityJames

> Thanks for your help NYJames! It seems like a great deal of work and worry to keep your hair looking real. Is it worth it? Does it really make a positive difference in your life and do you think if I tried it I could learn quickly enough not to get spotted?


 Amadeus-I have been "wearing" for 16 years, so I have obviously grown accustomed to it. I will not lie, there is an adjustment period that you will have to go through. Is it worth it you ask? For me, yes because I happen to be vain. Most people do look better with hair.The main thing I have learned is that if you are doing it to make yourself more desireable the opposite sex, I would say focus more on making more money(LOL). Lets face it, in this world we live in looks will only get you so far. Money and power trump all else in the end. Sad but true

                                     NYJames

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## amadeus

Money=stability and thats what women want, even more then a guy with great hair. In the end I would probably pick being a millionaire with a good hair piece then a poor guy with perfect hair. :Big Grin:

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## BigCityJames

Case in  point: Tiger's going bald-all these girls/hoe's lining up for Tiger...do you really think they would be lining up for Tiger the caddy???Highly unlikely. Whats is the equalizer-MONEY. And you know whats even worse, all of these girls convinced themselves they really loved Tiger! LOL They loved those dead presidents.

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## Toplace

BigCityJames is right on.  Hair replacement systems can look so real that you can't tell it's a hair piece.  As the saying goes 'you only notice the bad hair pieces---the good on3w are undetectable.'  There are too big misconceptions to wearing a hair piece.  First, many people think of them as 'rugs.'  This is because of the poor quality of some of the units.  The hair is synthetic and the base is a screen made of monofilament.  This was the 'state of the art' about 20 years ago.  The hair had to be so thick in order to cover the screen.  No scalp was shown.  Second, people think that an undetectable hair piece costs thousands of dollars and only movie stars wear them.  They think it's a luxury that the average guy cannot afford.  Both of these assumptions are WRONG!  There have been huge advancements in base materials.  The new bases are made of Super Fine Swiss Lace and French Lace.  Comfortable and undetectable.  You can part your hair and show scalp and comb your hair back and expose the hairline.   And you don't have to have just a lace front.  Lace is the best material and undetectable--why not use it for the entire base and not just the front hairline?  And you can have real human hair---not synthetic.   You can get a custom made hair piece with real human hair for under $200!  And you can compare these to hair systems costing $2,600 each.  You'll be surprised at how undetectable these systems are!  
Regards,
John 
Toplace USA

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## amadeus

Toplace USA,
Do you have any better examples then whats on your website. Its not easy to tell what the hair pieces really look like from the pictures you display. They look kind of old.  How about some video?

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## Toplace

We're in the process of putting a new website together and that will have better capabilities and fresh updates on the new site.  Should be about 2-4 weeks away.  These are photos that customers send in.  Sometimes they send 'before' photos but not always.  Toplace keeps the price affordable so that people 'can take the plunge.'  After they try hair wearing everyone says the same thing--'Why didn't I do this years ago?'  You can pay $2,600 for a Farrell unit or $195 for a Toplace unit and get better quality from Toplace.  We've accepted the 'Farrell Challenge' on 6/26/09.  He has yet to respond to Toplace--he ignores us.  That's gotta tell you something.

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## amadeus

Thanks for responding, but with all due respect it sounds like you're giving me a sales pitch. I can see for myself that you dont charge  to much and I could care less about whatever challenge you're involved in. I come here for information and to get advice from real people. Im sure that you are very knowledgeable, but I do not think this is the place to do the hard sell. Toplace keeps the price affordable so that people 'can take the plunge. This is a sales pitch!

Do you wear a hair piece? If so, why not fill me in about your experience instead of trying to sell me? Upload some of your pictures to show me how they really look.

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## Toplace

I wear hair--and here's a photo of me wearing a New Generation base.  I've worn hair systems for 10 years.  I first started with Hair Club but didn't like the high prices and contracts.  I switched to Toplace and was a customer for 3 years before taking an ownership position.    The photo is of me with a  super thin skin (no lace) base  with single injected venting, medium density, and body wave.  We have customers in the entertainment business that go in front of the high definition cameras all the time.

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## amadeus

Thanks for sharing Toplace! I cant really see the picture that you posted too well since its so blurry, but I appreciate you telling  your story.

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## wheresMYhairDUDE

Hi Guys,

I'm curious in a hair 'system' as an alternative to a transplant.

This might be a dumb question but how does sweat or excessive sweating effect a modern hair unit?

I'm noticeably sweatier than other guys on my head during light to heavy exercise or in nervous/stressful situations.

If I decided upon a topline system for example would there be any drawbacks?

Thanks.

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## BaldBob

The good news is this: modern hairpieces are lighter than the old ones and the adhesives are 1000% better. There are loads of people who sweat heavily (for whatever reason) and have no problem keeping their hairpieces attached.  You may need to try a few until you find the one that works best with your body chemistry, but that shouldn't be an obstacle that prevents you from trying a hairpiece.

You can't assume that there are no drawbacks.  There is no such thing as a perfect solution, but a well-made and well-designed hair system will look as natural as your own hair.

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## mep0812

I have worn a piece for 25 yrs due to a bad HT that gave me a barbie doll looking hairline. I did have the HT plugs removed and redistributed but it still does not look good enough to lose the piece. All I can say is that the new pieces do look natural but you will be a SLAVE to the piece. You worry about being out in the wind, keeping the color matched to your hair, always questioning yourself when people look at your hair while talking to them. Also, the price to keep it maintained is very expensive. Without a doubt I have spent thousands over the yrs..best bet is to clip your hair short and be done with it if you can..in my opinon a piece is not worth the cost, aggravation and embarrassment.

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## blowmeup

Ive been thinking about trying a piece but most people say its a real pain in the ass.

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## BaldBob

There is a learning curve, just like with everything else.  Once you get the knack of how to attach, remove, etc., it doesn't take much time at all.  

You have to decide for yourself if the results are worth the effort. All I have to do is look in the mirror and I know it's worth it to me.

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## KDD

> There is a learning curve, just like with everything else.  Once you get the knack of how to attach, remove, etc., it doesn't take much time at all.  
> 
> You have to decide for yourself if the results are worth the effort. All I have to do is look in the mirror and I know it's worth it to me.


 anywhere in Australia that you can find a good hair piece place ?

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## Tazz

I have a question for the people who say you could "swim in them", how does it feel once you're out of the pool? Do you ever get a wet, underneath feeling?

Also, how often can you shower with a hairpiece? Are you suppose to shower around them somehow? Just confused a bit  :Confused:

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## blowmeup

I think that youll feel the water through a lace hairpiece but it will still probably feel kind of like wearing a hat underwater.

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## Gusto

Hair pieces can look real but make sure you get an unbiased opinion first. I've seen a lot of guys who are wearing systems that THINK theirs is undetectable.

Sometimes. But not always. Common flaws are you can see the join, color doesn't match, nor hair texture.

Another one is that many guys put a lot of faith in these seemingly 'undectable' frontal lace hairlines. Again, some are detectable.

Again, get an unbiased opinion.  :Smile:

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## Toplace

Gusto,
You are very right.  There's 3 elements that are necessary for a hair unit to look good.  

     1. Properly spec'd hair system (not too density, etc.)
     2. Good attachment 
     3. Good cut in

Wearing hair isn't rocket science and these basic elements are achievable and affordable.  Like anything you get better at it the more you do it.  
Regards,
John
Toplace.com

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## Tazz

By the way I just wanted to mention that I really hate these Toplace guys...

They banned me from their forums one time based on an error (said they were trying to ban someone else), and then the second time they banned me because they assumed I was a "competitor posing as a curious customer" - I tried to figure out what in the hell they were talking about (considering I merely had 5 posts on their forum) and I noticed it was because this one sentence I had where it read (something along the lines of) "thanks again for the advice, heard lots of great things, just curious how your pieces compared to coolpiece"

Talk about an inferiority complex there Toplace...nonetheless I did want to say that almost everyone has said good things about their products and it's quality, just don't think the higher-ups are prone to comparing themselves to the competition.

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## Toplace

Tazz,
I'm really sorry to hear that.   The issue is not the mention of a competitor.   It's something else that I prefer not to discuss on a forum.  We just need to make sure of your identity.  If you call me on the toll free number (888-986-7522) I'm sure we'll be able to get things straightened out. 
Regards,
John

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## krauss

Hi guys...

I'm very new here and thinking of different options, HT's, now i am reading about "pieces." I am real active with sports and i dont know if i would be totally cool (no pun intended!) with a piece.  Im just trying to look into all avenues...





> Amadeus:  I'm an old fart - I'm 56. I started wearing many, many years ago when hairpieces were heavy, uncomfortable, way too dense and not very realistic.  I gave up after a few months and tried again about 15 years ago.  Same story - they really hadn't changed.  BUT...
> 
> The pieces available now are amazingly realistic.  I don't display my pics for personal reasons, but you can achieve almost any look you want without anyone being suspicious at all.
> 
> I notice you've been a member here for a year.  I'm guessing you have been going back and forth for that long trying to decide whether or not to order a hair system.  I think it's time for you to give it a try...even if your first piece isn't perfect, you'll know whether wearing hair is right for you or not.

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## J_B_Davis

How bald are you? If youre not too bad Propecia might be the way to go.

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## Gusto

I've been looking around. I might get myself a hair system shortly.  :Wink:

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## Fixed by 35

Surely it gets to the point though where when everyone knows you're bald, there's no point having a realistic looking hair system because everyone knows it's fake?

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## Gusto

> Surely it gets to the point though where when everyone knows you're bald, there's no point having a realistic looking hair system because everyone knows it's fake?


 I've worn a hat for 10 years. Nobody I know now knows I am bald, but no doubt they have suspected. :Big Grin: 

I also used to do a lot of TV extra work, which is something I'd like to return to, *IF* I can get a hair system that looks moderately okay.  :Wink:

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## Fixed by 35

I don't think there should be any shame in actors wearing wigs, yet there is. What I've noticed is that actors are allowed to wear wigs to portray characters, but only if they have their own hair underneath (with the exception of period dramas). 

Bald men, inexplicably, only seem to be allowed to perform bald roles (generally, action roles, side kicks to bad guys, or the comic relief). 

Why they're not allowed to don a wig to extend their range I do not know.

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## Gusto

> I don't think there should be any shame in actors wearing wigs, yet there is. What I've noticed is that actors are allowed to wear wigs to portray characters, but only if they have their own hair underneath (with the exception of period dramas). 
> 
> Bald men, inexplicably, only seem to be allowed to perform bald roles (generally, action roles, side kicks to bad guys, or the comic relief). 
> 
> Why they're not allowed to don a wig to extend their range I do not know.


 
In the past when I did TV extra work, I often wore a wig. Partly to make myself look different, but it also gave me a good excuse to turn up on set with hair.  :Big Grin:

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## CIT_Girl

We've had a number of patients show up for consults with hairpieces and I generally have no clue until they mention it.  I've heard complaints about how you become a slave to your hairpiece, as well as men who have experienced constant low-level anxiety at the fear of being 'discovered'.  However, I believe that the best ones can truly be undetectable, can restore confidence and are a great option for men who are poor candidates for hair transplantation or just don't want to go the surgical route.

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## krauss

> How bald are you? If youre not too bad Propecia might be the way to go.


 im about a norwood 5.  right now i just shave everything off, much less noticable but ut still bothers me.

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