How is it that some hairpieces look terrible and others you don't even know are there? There are a lot of factors, of course, but when it comes the the actual hairpiece itself, there are few very important ones. Color, Curl (or Wave Pattern), Ventilation (or the way that the hair is sewn or knotted into the piece), and Density are 4 key ingredients to making your piece completely undetectable.
A hairpiece needs to match your own hair color perfectly. The best way to achieve a good result on your first order is to use a sample of your own hair. The sample should be about 2 inches long to achieve the best results. Another way to decide what hair color to order is by obtaining a color ring from a hair retailer or manufacturer. A color ring can also come in handy if you have gray hair in your piece, since many rings have samples of varying percentages of gray.
Next, you will need to decide how much curl you have in your natural hair. Curl size is generally expressed in categories; straight, light wave, medium wave, tight wave, loose curl, tight curl, or kinky. You should be able to get a good idea of the size curl you need simply by visiting a hair replacement specialist like David Hansen.
Another thing you will have to decide before placing your order is the direction in which the hair is ventilated. A ventilator is a person who makes hairpieces. The art of tying hair into a hairpiece base is called “ventilating”. Generally, when your order is placed the manufacturer asks what style ventilation you want. This means that you need to decide if you prefer the hair on the top to tend to lie forward, backward, or “freestyle”.
“Forward from the crown” means that the hair will tend to lie in a forward direction. “Flatback” means that the hair is tied in such a way that it naturally lies backward. “Freestyle” is where the hair is ventilated in no particular direction, and is easy to style in many different ways. This is the way that many of David Hansen's pieces are ventilated, in order to give each client the most versatility that they can have in their hairpiece. Don't worry, though; If you decide to order forward ventilation, this doesn’t mean that you can’t wear it spiked up or combed back, but without styling products the hair will tend to lie in the direction in which it was ventilated.
Finally, there is the density of your hairpiece. This is an important step in creating a natural looking hairpiece. You have a little more flexibility in your choice of density in areas like the crown of the head, but the general rule when designing a hairpiece is “less is usually more”, especially on the top.
An important thing to consider when choosing density is age. The older a man is and the finer and whiter his hair on the sides and back of his hair are, the less dense the hairpiece should be. It would look completely unnatural for a man to have thinning hair around his ears and in the back of his head and full, thick hair solely on the top.
Before you choose your density it’s a good idea to do some research. Take a look at the various densities of other men who are roughly your age. Make a mental note of how much density they appear to have on top, on the sides, and in the back.
Most men’s hair thins and recedes with age. Sure, there are some older men with very thick, full heads of hair and very little recession, but as a general rule most men who you wouldn’t even consider to be “balding” will lose density as time goes on. When choosing the density for your custom hairpiece remember that you by slightly lowering the density, especially on the top, your piece will look more realistic. Little details like this can help improve the overall look of your Custom Hair Replacement System.
This just goes to show that even with a light density on top, you can still look as if you have a full, healthy head of hair. When deciding on the density for the top, it’s always best to start low. If you aren’t comfortable with a super light density, step it up a little bit, but for your first order stick with a medium density at most. You can always add a bit more hair to the piece with the services of a ventilator, like the one working for David Hansen. The first thing that gives away a hairpiece is too much density, ESPECIALLY on the top. Most people think of the bad toupees of the past, and the fastest way to let everyone know you are wearing a hairpiece is to have hair that is too thick.
So, when you are ready for your new Custom Hair Replacement System, keep these details in the back of your mind. We will be here to walk you though these and other steps you take towards the new you!
