These days, individuals experiencing hair loss are looking for quicker solutions instead of conventional and natural hair restoration methods. With non-surgical hair replacement system making its breakthrough, individuals can enjoy natural and fuller-looking hair without going for surgery.
As such, these two benefits have led to its undeniable popularity over time. Be it hair loss due to hormonal imbalance or genes, hair replacement can be the answer to your hair woes.
In this comprehensive guide, you will learn everything that you need to know about hair systems and how they work.
What is a Hair System?
A hair system is a hairpiece usually made of synthetic or high-quality human hair that is used to address hair loss and cover some part of baldness.
It is often called by different names, such as a toupee, a strand-by-strand insertion system, and a hairpiece. Hair systems are more commonly linked with male wearers, but women can also use a hair system to extend their existing hair or cover their partially exposed scalp.
Factors to consider in choosing a hairstyle for your Hair System
Oftentimes, hair systems are custom-made according to the needs of a specific wearer. When designing your hair system, it is important to consider a number of essential variables, so that you can choose a hairstyle that works best for you and your system.
Here are the most essential factors that you should take into consideration when choosing a hairstyle for your hair system that will look all-natural:
1. Base size
Base size refers to the size of the hair system’s cap. It is usually separated into four kinds: partial size, regular size, oversize, and full cap. Partial size covers areas of hair loss that are equal or smaller than 4” x 4”. Regular size, on the other hand, are for those areas that are larger than 4” x 4” and up to 10” x 8”. This is the most popular choice for men with traditional pattern of baldness, as it covers the top of the head from the front hairline to the crown.
If you have a hair loss area that is larger than 10” x 8” and up to 10” x 10”, an oversize cap is the one for you. This cap does not have a sideburn area, and it covers the head from the front hair line to the back. For those with complete hair loss, full cap hair systems are the best option. These hair systems cover the entire head, including the sideburns and the nape areas.
To have a great hairstyle that looks completely natural on you, you need to choose a hair system with the correct base size. Furthermore, if you only have hair loss on the top of your head, it is highly recommended to keep the hair length around the perimeter of the hair system longer enough to cover the connection between your real hair and the base material. Longer hair lengths are also advised for those with oversize or full cap hair systems.
2. Base material
Aside from the correct base size, you may also need to make sure that you are choosing the best base material for you when getting a hair system. In deciding the most suitable base material as well as the hairstyle that works for you, it is highly advised to first check on the three main parts of a base: front, top and crown, and sides and back.
For the front hairline area, the most ideal base materials are thin skin and French lace. They are thin, undetectable, and have no knots, hence making it possible for you to get a natural-looking hairline. With the use of these material, you can have a brushback hairstyle that looks incredibly good. Apart from thin skin/French lace, folded lace, clear PU, and skin with gauze are also some of the usual materials used in the front area.
On the other hand, for the top and crown area, the most common base materials used are thin skin, lace, and monofilament. Compared to the front area, the base materials for the top and crown area do not have much influence on the hairstyle because the strand of hair usually covers the base and the neighboring hair knots. Nonetheless, if you want a part hairstyle where the base and knots are exposed, you should go for a transparent base material like clear thin skin or lace.
Finally, when it comes to the sides and back, the standard base materials are thin skin, skin with gauze, clear PU, and PU coating. For the materials that have a comparatively thicker edge, such as skin with gauze and PU coating, hair is usually needed to cover the edge of the hair system. The recommended hair length for these areas also needs to be a little longer to fit the thick edge of the materials better and make them less detectable.
3. Ventilation methods
The appearance and durability of your hair replacement system are largely influenced by ventilation. Ventilation refers to the method used in attaching the hair to the base of a hair system. It also describes the direction in which the hair is attached into the base. There are several techniques of ventilation, but the most popular ones are V-looping, knotting, and injection.
V-looping
Under V-looping, the hair is injected in and out of the skin in order to sew it almost in a V or U shapes to the roots.
V-looped has no knots on the skin base, but the strands of hair are also not in one direction. This method basically causes the hair to return with looping, so the poly layer here can be much thinner. The thinner the PU, the more natural the hairline looks.
Injection ventilation
For injection ventilation, the base is put on a mold and a special needle is used to inject the hair into the base.
Injection ventilation can either be flat or lifted. Through flat injection, the hair is injected into the base at an acute angle to cause the hair to naturally fall to one side. Meanwhile, lift injection injects the hair into the base at a right angle to make the hair perpendicular to the base and easy to comb in any direction.
Knotting
Under knotting, on the other hand, the hair is tied around the mesh material in small knots that are typically available in different sizes, such as double knots, half knots, and single knots.
Double knots are the most durable since they are knotted twice with a couple of hairs, while half knots are the smallest and most undetectable. Single knots are the best option for any freestyle hair pattern.
Conclusion
It is important to understand what a hair system is and how it works in order to maximise the benefits that it brings. By being knowledgeable about the above-said points, you can have a hair replacement solution that will truly bring back your confidence!