QuoteReplyTopic: Question for Save~A~Stray Posted: March 22 2005 at 10:28am
Hi SAS. I posted this question yesterday, but Jenny R thought that maybe I should direct it to you because you have some experience in these matters.
I suffer from hair loss problems and recently got a custom made piece. I love it, except the part can look a little fake at times. Can you recommend any product that might help to disguise the mesh part? I only need to cover a little of it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Save~A~Stray
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Hi Miamigirl~ The only hairpiece I have experience with is my
husbands one. Although I have never had a problem with the
lace showing. I always have it scalloped in the front with
added baby hairs, which helps to blend the initial hairline. He
also wears it swept forward, so it hide’s everything.
I was going to suggest Toppick, but I think you said you tried
that already.
All the girls that wear bonded lace fronts, wear make up right
up to the bond. I have heard a few girls say they use gel on the
lace part to make it conceal better around the edges.. Then I
guess they put their foundation right up on the hairline.
So let me get this right……you are wearing this as a bonded
piece….right? (hair all shaved on top).
Is the mesh too light for your skin tone? …..because if it is you
can soak the mesh in tea and it will darken the mesh. Or is the
mesh too dark?……I’m trying to understand if it is a mesh color
blending problem or is the mesh the perfect color match, but
you can see it visibly when parted.
I think this may have a lot to do with how it was made. As it was
a custom made piece for you, Peggy should be able to fix this.
Have you told her your concerns?
If you still see the mesh when parted, then she maybe needs to
add slightly shorter hairs in that area….like natural hair has
slightly shorter hairs in it. This may help to disguise the mesh
more without looking to thick and wiggy, (if too much hair was
added). When my hubby’s hairpiece gets a little thin on the part
or the back area we put it in for service to have hair added, to
totally hide the lace and that takes care of it completely.
Or like some of the girls suggested, try parting in different parts
to see if one works better than the other. I definitely think
adding the baby hairs to a hairpiece front really helps a more
natural look.
Oh, I wish I could help you more Hun, I am looking into a lace
front for myself and I'm sure I will be addressing these issues
myself, on how to conceal the lace best.
Sorry, I’m not much help here Miamigirl.
Maybe Metalgirl could give you some insight as she has
ordered many hairpieces and has more experience in that field
than I have. She just went to a hairpiece class so I’m sure she
may have some tips for you.
I did see the picture of you and your topper in Heralopecia.
So, are you having difficulty with the part area or the front hairline area (or both?)
To me, the part area looked a little 'wiggy' and I think that's because the hair surrounding the part area is a little too full and doesn't lie down flat enough. Perhaps maybe it's just the way it was combed back, though. It's hard to tell from a picture.
I'm sure your stylist is probably aware that you can thin out the density of hair pieces. Many times you have to do this to make them look more natural.
To thin the piece, your stylist would take the first few teeth of her thinning shears and lay those first few teeth all the way down to the base and cut. You want those teeth as flush with the base as possible, because you don't want to create little 'stubble' like hairs on the piece, as they would just poke out.
Well, in any case, I'd go back in to see the stylist and I'm sure she can help you because the piece looks pretty good, it just needs a little more customization.
miamigirl
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SAS: What does "scalloped" mean? How can you add baby hairs? I'll try to gel & foundation trick. Yes, it is bonded on and most of my hair line is shaved. Last night I saw Peggy and she pulled some of my natural hair forward from the back of my head to give it a more "natural" effect, but that part is still visible and fake looking. It's not the entire part that bothers me, just the front area (the most visible area), which is probably the hardest part to disguise. Thanks for your help.
Metalgirl: I've having difficulty with both areas. The hairline looks somewhat fake,which prevents me from wearing my hair back, but it's the part that's really bothering me. Don't get me wrong...I'm 90% happy with the piece, but there is still room for improvement. I saw her last night and she decided that we should replace the base with a more "realistic" material. Unfortunately, these things take time and money, so I'll just have to make do for now. She did cut in some more layers and will cut in even more next week. I guess that it's just a constant "work in progress". I wonder how natural the hairline can look? Thanks for your help & advice.
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Hi Miamigirl,
My hubby has a full lace base, which is super light and the
lace is the perfect color match to his skin. He has light-
medium density, so it looks very natural and not wiggy at all.
The lace is cut in the scallop design at the front and the baby
hairs are added when the unit is being made by the maker. You
have to request it or you can have the baby hairs cut into the
unit yourself, which Peggy can do for you. I think a medium
density seems to be the average choice for ladies units. Again
this will depend on each individuals needs. I would say every
unit that comes back from the maker needs that custom cut to
make it look the most believable. You can’t just wear a
hairpiece straight from the manufacturer, they all need work.
I think it will be a good improvement if Peggy was to change
the base to a more suitable match for you, as this does seem to
be a problem from what you are saying.
What is your base made of now Miamigirl?
What is she changing the base over too?
Creating the perfect hairpiece has to be the right size,base (for
use with bond or tape), right density, and of course the right cut
and color for you. I am sure if the base is the main problem
them a switch is the right choice, and the unit custom cut a little
more to look more natural, then you should be a lot happier
with the overall look.
I wish I could be of more help to you.
Keep us updated with the progress Miamigirl.
Sorry Miamigirl....I am having so much trouble getting these
links live with my Mac. I will keep trying.
SAS and Metalgirl: Thanks, I knew you girls would have the info. to
hook her up. Miamigirl emailed me the other day about this, and I was
like, "I don't know--but they'll have some ideas, I'm sure."
You girls are insanely knowledgable, really. It never ceases to impress me.
:)
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Oh....I wish Jenny!! I would love to learn more about this
process myself. It would be a dream come true to be able to
make a hairpiece for a client. That would be such a great talent
to have. I hope to learn much more about this topic. Metalgirl is
way ahead here and hopefully I get that knowledgeable down
the road!! Thanks for the encouragement!! You have an
amazing wealth of knowledge yourself that surpasses most in
this industry!! I have learned so much from your posts.
Thank you Miss Jenny...
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SAS: You overwhelm me! Thank you so much for all of the info. The part is actually better today. I washed it for the first time last night and my hair is a little messier today, which I think makes it look more natural and makes the part less visible. It's still a ton of hair, so I may need to trim it down some more.
The piece has a skin base with a lace front. I'm not sure what the new base will be, but I probably won't have that done for a while. These things tend to cost a lot, so I have to take baby steps.
I definitely think that you should learn more about the process. It's a very valuable and marketable skill. I just noticed that your in LA, so am I. You should contact my stylist. She's been in the business for a very long time and is really knowledgeable. She also is a really nice lady and could probably offer you some advice on where to learn this. She might even teach you some things herself. She designed my piece, picked out the hair, etc...and let's just say that I'm not the least bit disappointed. Again, thank you for your help and advice. Have a great day!
I'm puzzled, a lace front is usually the most natural looking hairline that you can get, and you feel it still looks funky?
A skin base is also usually natural looking as well.
I agree with SAS about the scalloped front idea. In one class I took, they told us to trim the lace front with pinking shears in order to avoid a straight line cut.
As for the part issue, do you feel the part is too wide? Maybe that's the problem, that too much part is showing. If that's the case, more hair can be ventillated in the part area to decrease it.
As far as pieces go, I think some manufacturers do a better job making them than others. For instance, one of Gemtress' toppers I don't really care for, the base is too think and it's hard to make it look natural. I like New Concepts pieces and International Hairgoods pieces.
I wouldn't stress too much on your hair, because it really does look good, it's just because you know it's a piece you look at it with a critical eye.
Edited by metalgirl
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Thanks metalgirl. I know that I'm looking for imperfections, so naturally I'm going to find them. I'm trying to rid myself of that habit. Peggy thinks that they need to add a little more hair to the part, so that may help too, but I need to send the piece back for that. All in all I really am very happy.
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I'm fairly new at this, so please overlook the incorrect terminology. It looks like mesh to me, so that's what I've been referring to it as, but it's really lace.
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Oh, ok, I got it now. Well if it's the lace, than I doubt that changing to a different base material would be helpful, because you can't get anything more undectable than a lace front. But I agree with metalgirl, I wouldn't stress too much about it, I'm sure that people aren't noticing it like you are, and from what I can see in the pics, it looks fantastic!
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Thanks so much. Unfortunately, people are noticing. I had lunch with a co-worker today. When she asked what I did to my hair I told her that I got extensions. She said "wow..they look great, except for that area in front...you should have her fix that". How bad does that suck? She's a really nice girl and has absolutely no knowledge of how these things work, but still was able to easily spot the flaw.
Do you think it would be possible to get your boyfriend to take a
close-up picture with flash (or under some bright light) that shows the
very front/forehead area?
:)
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Hi Miamigirl,
I too am surprised this is a lace front you have, as it really
should be alot less visible than you explain. The finest most
undetectable lace available is the Extra Fine Swiss Lace.
Although it is so delicate, if you are hard on your hair it may tear
the base. Most people go with French Lace, which is also
virtually undetectable but a little stronger than Swiss Lace. If
she has used French Lace on you and it is showing terribly
then adding the extra hair may help or you may want to look
into the regular Swiss Lace. I think if you have heavier density
than medium, then the Extra Fine Swiss Lace would be too
delicate for you. I just went through one of the sites and just to
recap………….
1 French lace –Strong lace used at the front edges of a
hairpiece in combination with bleached knots to give an
extremely undetectable look.
2. Swiss Lace - More fragile than French but strong enough if
handled carefully. It is the 2nd least visible hairpiece base
material ever developed.
3. Extra Fine Swiss Lace- This lace is as invisible as any
material used in hairpiece construction. If you can be
reasonably careful with your attachment and cleaning, this is
visually as good as it gets. Perfect if you want to be seen very
close up with hair styled back. Unless you have medium or
high density, it’s the top choice.
I wish we had someone who had tried all these laces to give a
review on how each wear. I have seen a few girls on the BHM
forum say they were going to try the Swiss Lace over the
French Lace. Again it is a personal preference. The most
natural seems to be an all lace unit, you just have to be careful
with it.
My hubbys unit is all french lace (full bond) and he has
been wearing the same unit for 1 1/2 years. We are looking to
replace it now as it is starting to get a litttle wear and tear. we
probably could get another 3 months out of it, but he wants a
new look.
I was reading that a skin base (called Poly base) is not
recommended or promoted because of the associated hygiene
issues. Poly skin is okay to use at the edges or if there is an
area of mono or lace to let the scalp breathe. Has anyone
heard this before?
Please keep us posted Miamigirl, I would love to see what
changes she makes and how it works out for you. I would also
like to see a close up pic if you can manage to get one for us to
get a better look at.
Edited by Save~A~Stray
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I think the extent of the hygienic issues with an all Poly base would depend on how often she plans to remove and reattach, but I have heard of it not being recommend for that reason. It is not breathable like a lace or mono base, but it is used when it is desirable to bond the entire piece instead of just bonding around the edges.
Edited by purrmachine
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Miamigirl~ I e-mailed Max at http://www.maxpiece.com and
asked him these questions so you could get a 2nd opinion from
a maker.
What base is the #1 most undetectable bases available?
#1 base: Super fine Swiss lace ( at least for the front). Too weak
for the base. French lace is ok.
Can you please give me advice on how to get the most
natural looking unit?
French lace base. Super fine Swiss lace front.
If it is small piece (and not too heavy density) : All Super fine
Swiss lace.
His prices are very good Miamigirl. I also e-mailed http://
www.coolpiece.com and asked the same questions. I will post
his response for you.
Edited by Save~A~Stray
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SAS: You're the best. I can't thank you enough. I think one reason Peggy chose the base that she did is because I wanted something durable. I hate having bangs, but asked her today if she could cut some in to cover the front area. She's going to do that this afternoon, but hadn't suggested it sooner because she knew how much I objected to it. Hopefully that will solve this issue once and for all, but eventually I will get the new base (not sure what kind). I had my boyfriend take some close up shots last night so that I could post them, but after reviewing them I got depressed. My hair looked really "wiggy" in the pictures, which led me to make the decision that like it or not I was going to have to have bangs. I'll post all of the pics Monday.
Once again ladies...thanks for all of the help and support. Have a great weekend!
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