I noticed today while at work (saw myself in a double reflection) that my "crown" looked like a mutant bald spot. I.e., a dead give-away. Maybe even more so than if my hairline didn't look good, as I sit at a computer all day, so people can easily stare at the back of head and notice such things.

Looking at the crown more closely with two hand mirrors, I could tell that the spot looked bad for three different reasons:

(1) It was the wrong shape completely. Instead of being round, it was a funny wide oval.

(2) One can see if one looks more than casually a matrixy nature. (Knot bleaching would help this aspect? Yes? No?)

(3) The hairs coming out of the crown don't spiral around the way they would naturally -- they criss-cross each other in an unnatural fashion.

Perhaps ordering future units without a crown would help, but I don't think that the "crown" is actually the crown in the unit, as my stylists cut the unit down significantly, and I think that where the built-in crown was originally is actually now hidden on the back of my head. I think that the "crown" I'm seeing is just the top of my pointy head stretching the unit in that area, combined with the fact that my hair is combed forward, rather than back.

My stylist thinks that I should order future units with higher densities in areas 1 (front) and 3 (top). I'm skeptical about area 1, as it looks plenty dense in front (the unit is 75-70% all over), but perhaps she's right about area 3? Or perhaps she should be cutting it in slightly differently?

In the meantime, Toppik works wonders on that spot (I tried this out when I got home), but I'd prefer to figure out a way to be Toppik-free.

Any and all ideas are welcome.

- Darius

I was wondering how toppik works for sweating ? and does this work to cover a bald spot..or make your hair look thicker ? or both ?? thank you..

Toppik works miracles, up to a certain amount of hair loss, and then it starts sucking badly.

Regarding sweating, it depends on how much you sweat and how much Toppik you need. Up to a point, it's also okay, and after that, you'll be dripping colored lines of sweat down your forehead.

Swimming, of course, is always right out with Toppik.

In almost all cases, Toppik is better than Dermatch, though it takes more skill for use on the front hair line. I.e., you have to their "Spray Maximizer" attachment (actually several, since they tend to break), and learn to use them if your front hairline needs serious work. If you do need the Maximizer, you also need a dust mask for application, so you don't end up with black lung, and you'll end up with dust covering everything in your bathroom. Fortunately, I had cleaners come in once a month, and they dealt with the mess.

For a bald spot on the back of your head, if there are any hairs there left at all, Toppik will probably work fine, and won't require such fancy techniques and mess. If it's shiny bald, though, it's not gonna cut it.

- Darius

P.S. If I had to do it over again, I'd have switched to wearing a hairpiece like a year sooner. Once you're using the dust mask, etc., it's time for a change! And people would be less likely to notice the transition.

I have to disagree with you on the Toppik Maximizer there, Darius. I bought mine more than a year ago and it is still working well, even after dropping it a few times.
As for needing a dust mask; how much Toppik are you using? I find using Toppik, especially with the Maximizer, relatively tidy. Nothing like when I used to use Prothik spray. Now THAT stuff got all over the bathroom.

With Topphick or any of the competing fiber
product including certain sprays which have
added fiber for thickness ...

***Remember the notorious Ron Popeil hair concealer
product .. where if you lightly patted your head in mixed
company ....it would be like venting a very dirty chimney
flue as a black cloud of doom would emanate from your scalp ...

With fiber-based concealers, you have to very lightly spray
your creation with hair spray when you're finished styling
or a severe wind could severely blind several small
chichichuchuas walking downwind of you...

(that may sound exaggerated .. but I can show you a
photo of my one-eyed pooch giving me the proverbial paw
if you don't believe me).

That 3 dollar hair spray (regular hold) they sell
in the blue can for men in Walmart will do better than the
expensive, highly marked up sprays .....

Like it has been said, 'You need something' for the fibers
to attach or.. even a light peach fuzz ... or its gonna
be like you shelacked your head

And then, you may find that the only humanoid that will
be attracted to you will have the IQ of a bowling ball ....

Just my fiber-based opinion, from years of fiber dust
ciculating in my brain

I dunno i tried a small lil bottle of toppik that u put on ur head like a pepper shaker. And i really didnt like it. It just was like sprinkling dust on your head that comes off really easily. Prothik to me is much cleaner, unless u are not using the product right

I've never had a lace crown that I thought was truly realistic, especially for a shorter style.

Injected is the way to go for a more natural "whorl" crown. The superthinskin I have now has a crown I would give a B+ in terms of realism. Lace by comparison was always about a C-

If you have a longer / messy style then lace crowns are less of an issue and do not need to be as precise.

I have to disagree with you on the Toppik Maximizer there, Darius. I bought mine more than a year ago and it is still working well, even after dropping it a few times.

Perhaps you weren't up to requiring the same amount of Toppik that I was. By the end, I was going through a large size bottle (not "giant size" though) about every month. I agree, though, that the "Maximizers" got better over time. The first few I had lasted about a month each. The last one I had lasted about six months. I definitely needed to have a couple of spares handy, though, just in case.

As for needing a dust mask; how much Toppik are you using?

Very little now. I was using a lot at the end. See above. At the beginning of my use, a large bottle would have lasted me like a year.

I find using Toppik, especially with the Maximizer, relatively tidy. Nothing like when I used to use Prothik spray. Now THAT stuff got all over the bathroom.

Yeah, I used Fullmore spray a few times, and it was much, much messier, but the Toppik would build up over time, leaving a lot of dust lying about.

With fiber-based concealers, you have to very lightly spray your creation with hair spray when you're finished styling or a severe wind could severely blind several small chichichuchuas walking downwind of you...

Very true, but hairspray would keep the fibers attached nicely. Sometimes I ended up with some dust on my pillow, but it wasn't too bad. The texture of my hair sucked with that much Toppik in it, though.

Just my fiber-based opinion, from years of fiber dust ciculating in my brain

I know what you mean. I feel like I must have smoked like 3 packs of cigarettes a day worth of Toppik by now.

I dunno i tried a small lil bottle of toppik that u put on ur head like a pepper shaker. And i really didnt like it. It just was like sprinkling dust on your head that comes off really easily.

See above: hair spray would keep the Toppik on your head (and scalp) just fine. Unless you sweat or got caught in the rain. I had to be utterly obsessive about carrying an umbrella at all times.

Prothik to me is much cleaner, unless u are not using the product right

I haven't use Prothik, but I didn't like Dermmatch much. Dermmatch works great with my unit, however, if I end up with a little bald spot at the edge of the unit. And Toppik works well in covering the crown with the unit.

Injected is the way to go for a more natural "whorl" crown. The superthinskin I have now has a crown I would give a B+ in terms of realism. Lace by comparison was always about a C-

Hmmm, so can one get a mostly lace unit with the crown part being "injected". (What is "injected" injected into?)

If you have a longer / messy style then lace crowns are less of an issue and do not need to be as precise.

I experimented a bit this morning, and found that things are much better if I give the crown some volume. I.e., get the hairs to come strait up out of the crown, rather than combed flat out of the crown. This takes a bit more styling effort, however than I am used to, but hopefully I'll get the hang of it. A little bit of Toppik then makes it pretty darn good, and if I screw it up royally, I can cover up the mistake with a full dosing of Toppik. (Even with a daily full dosing on the crown, a large bottle of Toppik would probably last me a couple years, as the crown is so small.)

- Darius

This is lace and it looks realistic to me, Either order no crown or hidden crown.

Regards BA.

What's a "hidden crown"? The same thing as "no crown"? A smaller than usual crown? Something else?

- Darius

darius, i have figured out that the crown area seems to shed faster than any other area on all my sfs pieces and my last piece was a 70% density. so, in the future make sure you get some of debbie's knot sealer and focus primarily on the top/crown area. this will help maintain the density considerably. i think this area sheds the fastest due to factors such as brushing hair and sleeping/rubbing on pillow, etc.

That pic BA posted is pretty good. None of my lace freestyles ever looked like that. I really think the injected verythin skin (and iLACE) are the best for realistic crowns, especially at a lower density.

The VTS I am wearing now is seriously the best piece I have ever had. Superior to lace in just about every way, IMO.

I've found that the crown as placed by the factory is usually too far forward, despite sending a template with the crown swirl marked on it.

But, with lace I've always been able to style/train the crown area to look ok. It won't just fall into place naturally, but over time it gets easier. Good knot bleaching is imperative for a realistic look.

But, with lace I've always been able to style/train the crown area to look ok. It won't just fall into place naturally

Yeah, I think I might be getting the hang of it, but I have to blow dry it just right, and then gel it just right, etc.

Of course, after years of perfecting Toppik techniques, I know that methods that seem very difficult now can become second nature a few months down the line.

- Darius

The VTS I am wearing now is seriously the best piece I have ever had. Superior to lace in just about every way, IMO.

What about in terms of breathability? Doesn't it get nasty under that plastic if you keep it on for a week?

Also, what about detectability to touch?

- Darius

"What about in terms of breathability? Doesn't it get nasty under that plastic if you keep it on for a week?

Also, what about detectability to touch?"

No, it doesn't get nasty after a week.

It beats lace for undetectability to touch as well, provided of course you get it applied right.

It also has a better hold than lace by FAR. A coat or two of glue on the scalp and one on the entire underside of the skin and it is really on there. Lace would just sit in the glue.

After a week I could pretty much just pull it right off. This is actually hard to remove. I have to slowly remove with gentle peeing from the back and spraying desolveit at the join as i go.

This is with no tape at all, either.

would be interesting to see if anyone around you thinks it doesn't stink. For me, the glue mixes with scalp oils and sweat and starts to smell after 4 days so I stopped wearing skin pieces...they do look good though

I have seen injected laces and worn them, in my opinion lace is better

"would be interesting to see if anyone around you thinks it doesn't stink."

It doesn't stink, bro. believe me.

"I have seen injected laces and worn them, in my opinion lace is better"

This is not injected lace. It is injected skin. And you have not worn one like this.

Brother if you ordered 70% density in a lace unit that is more than enough density, can you post a photo?, could your stylist have taken hair out??

could your stylist have taken hair out??

No, she didn't take any hair out. I think, as I mentioned somewhere way back in this thread, that I just need to practice styling "lift" into the crown. I looks okay if I style it so that hairs are coming up out of the crown. It looks bad, however, if the gel or hairspray causes the hairs to be stretched and flattened across the crown. When that happens, the hairs cross each other in ways that are completely and utterly unnatural. And also the crown often ends up being the wrong shape too.

- Darius