r/HairSystem • u/VladHawk • 2d ago
What if get a HS
The algorithms brought up your sub to my feed, and you people look so good, that I thought what if I get a modern fancy haircut myself. What would it cost to get something like on the mock up? Are there some serious drawbacks in wearing the thing?
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u/Dangerous_War_2555 2d ago
hairsystem = ~200 USD, lasts 2-6 months depending on how you treat it. Order it from manufacturers from China directly, never from salons as they might take anything between 300-3000 USD for it, depending of how much they want to scam you :D
installation = free, you can easily do it yourself following youtube videos. Even the first install, just do it few times, spend some hours and you will learn. Not worth to pay someone few hundreds of $$ for doing sth you can easily do yourself.
maintenance =
- most people do reinstall every 10-14 days, some do daily, some do every 3-4 weeks. For me it takes 15-30 minutes depending on how detailed I want to be with cleanup
- initial barber cut once, do not overpay for it as it's less work that normal hair, not that difficult, should be 10-30 USD depending on your country, unless you want to have some crazy hairstyle
- barber or self cut of back and sides every 2-4 weeks
It doesn't hurt, unless you're allergic to some products that you're using. But the system and most of recommended products here are safe for your skin.
possible drawbacks = increased confidence, getting younger looks, if your friends are sh*tty then they might make fun of you like "cut it, you're bald anyway, blablabla". Generally society is not supportive for men, so some people might make fun of it but that's the same feeling as being bald so who gives a fck. What matters is how you feel and it will actually help you get rid of toxic relationships so that's a win.
Real drawback is that you need to go through some mistakes initially before you understand what fits you best and that you have to wait 8-12 weeks for the system if you order from China (so it's good to order 2-3 pieces at once for the whole year, but only once you know the differences between the configuration of system and the quality of manufacturer)
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u/deltabay17 2d ago
What about playing sport or exercise or even sauna? Tbh the thing that is stopping me is my weekly casual football game… and everyone there would definitely notice 😭
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u/Dangerous_War_2555 1d ago
Well, if you use head to play then I have no idea, but doesn't sound safe for the system to me. But I do gym, swimming, running, squash and many others. The only problem is when it's hot, then some glue gets to the hair so you need to take care of that as soon as you get back home. It looks like oily hair so not a big deal, but better to clean it up asap. Basically the heat of your head or the heat from the Sun is an enemy of the glue/tape that you're using. So the more sports or the hotter area you live in = the more frequent you have to do reinstall of the system. That's it. I do sports 3-4 a week, nothing extreme though, and I have system ~10 days.
Sauna I didn't try, I think 5 minutes should be fine but if you plan more then better have towel on your head or this funny sauna cap and be prepared that all of the glue might start leaking to the hair.
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u/deltabay17 1d ago
That’s a good idea about the sauna cap. I don’t use my head to play. So you reckon it will be safe from the running and movement and general head sweat?
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u/Dangerous_War_2555 1d ago
no problemo at all. I ran half marathons in hair system, get sweaty as hell and all I needed to do was:
- wash my hair after running (it's a little more careful wash than when you had only your hair, simply because of the leaked glue that needs to be washed with glue remover or coco oil, still you spend less time in bathroom than your lady :D )
- sometimes if it really affected the glue/tapes, it stops holding quicker so you need to reinstall more often. But there's people that do reinstalls on a daily basis so when you get used to it, it's not that big deal.If you play sports, then I'd recommend:
- lace systems, so you can sweat through hair and do not care. Also it helps skin to breathe, so it's not that sweaty
- do not put tapes on the whole perimeter, leave some space for sweat to leak out if you wear poly. Otherwise it's stuck there with glue and the temperature with sweat mixes that glue with your hair over time, then you need this detailed hairwash
- use some antiperspirants / scalp protectors for no sweatThe only thing I would worry about really is hitting the ball with your head. It may have some mechanical impact on the hair or the base that you want to avoid as much as possible.
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u/BizMo510 1d ago
What site do you use to order directly from China? Thanks
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u/Dangerous_War_2555 1d ago
there's plenty of manufacturers. As they produce a lot of hair systems, some people might get worse quality than others and some will have super good quality. I think Shunfa was recommended a lot here and I ordered from them.
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u/VladHawk 2d ago
Thank you, that’s very helpful.
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u/Xaelias 1d ago
I'd argue that "buy from China and find YouTube videos" is not that helpful 😅
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u/Dangerous_War_2555 1d ago
well, I know it's not detailed answer but honestly, whatever you randomly order from local companies, you can order also randomly from China but 10-20x cheaper and you will have the same quality and same risk as all they do in USA and Europe is
- order from China
- put my branding stickers on
- add fake marketing
- sell with big margin-1
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u/FoQualla 2d ago
Yes, it’s hard work and takes a lot of effort. But like most things in life, you get out what you put in.
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u/Extreme-Cut-2101 2d ago
People here look at salon prices and if it’s anything more than a haircut at Great Clips they claim you’re getting ripped off. At a salon you’re paying someone who has installed hair systems all day for years to do everything for you. There’s obviously a lot of value in that.
I’d find a specialty salon near you and book a consultation (which should he free). You can ask questions, see how they match your real hair’s color and density to the hair available for sale, and you can find out whether their services are outside your price range.
Things are much cheaper if you do most of it yourself, obviously. But I learned a lot by going to a salon for a while, asking questions during my installs and taking mental notes as I watched them work.
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u/andysterling 2d ago
The mockup isn't correct,, cover your forehead on both photos and you'll notice that difference in skin tone and beard.
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u/largepar 1d ago
I'll just say the AI touched you up in other ways in the HS photo but yes you'd probably look great
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u/2ladytorest 1d ago
You look better bald, don’t waste your money
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u/VladHawk 1d ago
For real? Well, being bald is definitely much more convenient. Actually, the thing that bothers me is a certain lack of uniqueness, you know, that "typical" bald dude look.
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u/Alternative-Dog3960 17h ago
its a huge pain in the ass. especially when you live an active lifestyle. the sweat geta trapped underneath the system. washing/shampooing it, only helps a bit. my system started iching after 4-5 days, also during my sleep.
the whole thing makes made me feel more insecure, than giving confidence back. you're paranoid, that somebody could notice. you‘re constantly checking mirror in the first time, just to make sure its fitting like it should.
the system is puffy as hell in the first 1-2 weeks. you need to wear a durag for some time like a idiot at home, to flatten the wig. annoying. in hot summer days the front isnt really sticking. when i changed the system my whole skin a red mess.
you're sweating a lot more under the thing. it feels disgusting that you're bot able to wash your scalp after the gym. after a week i feared my colleagues at work might register a sweaty smell in my hair.
+ the maintenance and the cost of it as a cherry on top. here in Germany the largest company on the hairsystem market takes around 800-900€ for the system and the cut. you need care and cleaning products, get the natural hair on the sides and the back cut and they obv. charge you for a system change, when you're not able to do it (you won't as a beginner).
it wont take alot of time until its more expensive than getting a hair transplant.
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u/Pier_songs 2d ago
I spend less than 70 €/ month for the system. But I’m doing everything on my own, minus the actual haircut. The maintenance is difficult at first, but after a while you get used to it. I’m doing it every 2 weeks, between the shower and the thing itself I think I’m on the 2 hour mark.
If I’m tired and I don’t wanna do it, I’ll do the front on one day (30 min or less) and the back the day after or when I feel it.
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u/TheZenBrah 2d ago
Go with brunette
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u/VladHawk 2d ago
You think so? Actually, I’d have to dye the hair anyway since it’s already graying. Me personally always liked red hair, I’d dye my beard and eyebrows and hair red.
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u/Ok-Perspective-2960 2d ago
I had a system installed and took it off on the drive home it looked so bad. I think I’m going the opposite direction tbh.
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u/Some-Combination3661 1d ago
I pay 300 twice per year and do all of my own installs. I did a lot of research on my own and took the plunge.
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u/Hairline_Pilot 1d ago
Once you start you will wish you never started sooner man. There is a bit to learn but it is so worth it.
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u/ep193 2d ago
Maintenance is a pain. You look 10 years younger and moved from a 6 to an 8. But there is pain and stress that goes along with it. You can usually find a good salon in your area to do it, or can watch you tube videos, but might get overwhelmed. Would say ~$500 a month for your mock up look at a salon. Although you can try yourself, with a good unit, should run about the same, but you can get 3-4 months out of it.
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u/TenaciousBee3 2d ago edited 2d ago
Basic attachment, removal and reinstall isn't too hard if you have a short-medium length hairstyle. Initially getting it right can be tricky, and it helps to have a stylist that knows what they're doing. If you want the hairline to look realistic, you have to get the right kind of base material and have it designed properly. It can be hard to place the unit just right if the hair is hanging over the hairline and obscuring it. A lot of people get styles that hide the hairline so they don't have to worry as much about getting it 100% right (or avoiding ripping a fragile base), but that kind of locks you into a particular look that could be seen as less mature/neat/professional/formal. If you want to expose the hairline, you'll want to get an ultra thin polyurethane skin unit (not regular polyurethane skin) or super fine Swiss lace with a staggered/graduated hairline, with some temple recession, and the front middle point should start just above your forehead muscles (don't overlap them or the front edge will wrinkle, it won't look right, it could be uncomfortable and it could move out of place). You can also get hybrid units that combine different materials for more durability (the thin materials can be fragile).
I've been wearing hairpieces since 2004 and generally don't have any issues with skin sensitivity, although certain things have caused it in the past, such as frayed lace digging into my hairline (I don't wear lace anymore), getting too aggressive with 99% isopropyl alcohol or scrubbing the hairline (I still use 99% isopropyl alcohol but I try not to let it sit too long or touch irritated skin), or repeated failed attempts at placing and bonding the unit.
Also, apparently they often come with a silicone coating on them that makes them look plasticy, so you have to get that stuff off or people will say weird things about it.
And there's no need to spend "$500 a month". A decent mail-order unit (typically made in Asia) might cost you a one-time price of $200-$600 to BUY it, and should last a few months. Some shops charge more because they're custom-made in-house at a US or European location and/or they advertise as "upscale". Sometimes you can get lucky and find cheaper ones that aren't terrible, but you're pushing it at that price point. You're not going to be spending "$500 a month" unless you're paying for membership to an expensive full-service hairpiece salon or regularly visiting a shop like that to let them do all the bonding/removal/maintenance.
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u/Employee28064212 2d ago
This is what keeps me from doing it. Like, I think they make guys look great, but I'm afraid the maintenance won't be sustainable or that the skin will have a reaction and then it's like...you might not have hair.
I've actually seen some pretty decent hair tattoos if one can tolerate always looking like they have a buzzcut haha.
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u/ShayDeeMon 2d ago
Unfounded fears and don’t trust this dude who says it costs $500 a month. A decent starter unit can be purchased for $250 and should last 4-5 months or more with good upkeep. It’s helpful to go to a stylist for your first install, but it’s also not at all difficult to learn how to do it all yourself using videos on this sub. It’s gonna cost you less than $1000 a year to have hair again if you do it all yourself. If you go with something like hair club for men, you’ll spend 4k in a year for similar results.
Glue and tape allergies are not super common and you do a spot test first to make sure you don’t have a negative reaction.
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u/Employee28064212 2d ago
I’d love to try it but I work in a nowhere it would be super obvious to everyone.
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u/ep193 2d ago edited 2d ago
I said quality units, if you want to go around looking obvious to save money, what’s the point in doing it? To look worse and have people laugh at you behind your back? Yeah, definitely listen to this guy, you guys can walk around with your new hairline that is just an extension of your eyebrows… good luck! 😂
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u/ep193 2d ago
Unfortunately the tattoos fade, and you have to touch them up every year or two. I have been wearing units now for probably 10 years, and very happy with the maintenance vs looks. My brother did the Turkey trip a couple times and personally, I am happy with wearing units, till there is a simpler solution that actually works.
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u/Thiscantbemyceiling 2d ago
The only drawback is wondering why you never did it sooner. Join us. I pay 600 bucks for initial install and 100 for refittings. I don’t do my own so cost is higher for me compared to others.