Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lo on January 11, 2017 at 4:23pm

No need to PM you - full disclosure here!  Ha ha.  I order from hairdirect.com

here is the link.  It is Davlyn brand - blue liner - 2-4 week hold...

http://www.hairdirect.com/store/blue-3-4-x-3-yard-tape-roll.aspx

Permalink Reply by Minter on January 11, 2017 at 2:47pm

Oh wow, thanks for the great info Lo! I vaguely knew about tapes, but to be honest I always thought it would be something that would have to be done daily, I had no idea it would last so long! That is great to know, as I work out and go cycling and I SWEAT, not to mention getting the odd hot flash on top of everything else! So to know that taping pieces in will last as long as it does with heat/sweat, well that does give me something else to think about- as this was/is a big reason why I have been hesitant to make the leap to helper hair. I have been looking at a place that does extensions/wigs/topper & their reviews are pretty good, so I think I will make an appointment for a consultation (free yay)! and see it all in person- Thank you again Lo and Sally too, for sharing, I appreciate it!

Permalink Reply by Lo on January 11, 2017 at 4:25pm

OMG no problem... and I am SO with you on the hot flashes... I am 45 but I swear they are starting... I sit in my office and out of nowhere I feel like this flood of heat comes over me... I have a fan running one minute and my mini-heater running the next.  Haha.  You probably stated this in prior posts - but how old are you and how long have you had this?

Permalink Reply by Minter on January 11, 2017 at 7:46pm

Yeah, these hot flashes do my hair absolutely no favors with the damp/sweaty hairline that comes out of nowhere, ugh! I was/am so worried about getting overheated with additional hair on my head, sigh. 

I just turned 52, looking back, I think the FFA started when I was about 50, but I put it down to menopause and just thought the thinning hair was a part of it, like a lot of us did apparently. It was only this past year when I realized that the hair on my arms was missing, along with the hair in front of my ears & the rest of my hairline was disappearing-that I more or less freaked out and got online and found you all and a doctor who diagnosed me and now I am at the point of looking at extra hair for my head  :-/

Permalink Reply by sallylwess on January 10, 2017 at 7:06pm

I think it is great that you went ahead and did this. My topper maker does the extensions and I have seen some of the pieces she has done. She says they must be tightened about every six to eight weeks. We decided they would be too hard on my scalp and might add to the pressure on the scalp. I have lost so much hair along the frontal line and above the ears, that I don't think they would work, but then again, I may yet look into this. It beats wearing a topper all the time. I wish I could go for the intralace also, but alas it is not feasible when the salons are so far away.

Permalink Reply by Airam-FFA on January 11, 2017 at 12:45am

Birmingham and Manchester possibly too. See Lucinda Ellery website. Plus there must be other companies too.

Permalink Reply by Stars-r-Aligned on January 15, 2017 at 7:33pm

Eh, I've thought about this,. I'm I think they cost too much and at the end of the day you have to take it off anyway...I rather just wear a scarf... Its cheaper...and that way I don't feel like I'm lying.

Permalink Reply by femmemuscle on January 15, 2017 at 9:18pm

I did extensions. "Monkey Barrz", "Great Length" - aka Glue in types.

I've worn the sew-in types, the micro-rings, the braid in as well as Glue-in tracks.

My natural hair, over time, began to weaken due to the extra weight not only of the Glue, but the tracks, micro-rings, etc., depending on the mechanism.  Some of the ladies that specialized in "braid in" or "track" extensions, were braiding too tight, and over time, i acquired "traction alopecia"..Even when they were light-fingered, the hair, the braiding, the glue - whatever i wore, over time began to take it's toll.

And when the wind blows, you bend over, or someone decides they want to "run their fingers through your hair?? Yep, it's obvious. If you have thin hair to begin with, it's hard to cover in those situations.  And there's always that ONE someone who'll sneak up and "check to see if that's all your hair"..usually,the co-workers..  Also? when you have thin hair and the sun is shining brightly - yep.. it happened to me.  People saw my "tracks" a mile off, or the glue plugs.

I have less of a hassle just wearing a lacefront wig.

I stopped going to these "head hunters"  (aka beauticians) after the year 2005.  Why? because they were making so much money from the "labor costs" ($2,500 for the Great Length Extensions, + application of the Great Lengths, Monkey Barrz, braiding, etc.). Plus, i was charged extra to have my own hair either flat ironed, permed, or dyed to match the extensions "perfectly"..:(  The last beautician was charging about $5,500 every 4-6 weeks.. 

For once, i finally took a good look at my head and saw, that the constant "anchoring" of the extensions over the years became bald spots.  Yes, they will use different areas on your head - but it's still a head, not a vast area.  Every few months, they have to come back to that same "anchor space" and use it over and over again through time. 

It's 2016.. After experimenting with regular wigs and lacefronts, i'm finally getting my hair back slowly.  It falls out every year, but the hair fall is decreasing.

And i wear it in braids as a protective style.  I wear a lacefront a couple of hours a day, take it off, massage, and oil my scalp.  and finally am learning how to take care of my own hair.

Even when i was 1/2 bald, there was never a beautician that ONCE said: "i think we're doing more damage than good for your hair and scalp.  Maybe you should try another alternative."

This didn't even occur to me as my last beautician drove off from the salon in her Mercedes.

Permalink Reply by sallylwess on January 16, 2017 at 10:07pm

Spot on.  I am getting tired of being ripped off by beauticians because they know I am desperate.  

Permalink Reply by Marian on January 17, 2017 at 12:19am

I have had extensions for a few months now and they have bulked up my hair but am going to go Lori's route and do some side glue ins. The place that does my extensions have just launched a new product and i am glad there will be another option that might work in the future for me. It is called VIVE LE HAIR SYSTEMS™ and is the closet thing i have found to a Lucinda Ellery system up here in Canada. Not sure where else it is available.

Permalink Reply by Minter on January 17, 2017 at 9:41pm

Marian, I googled the Vive Le Hair system and it looks like a really good option- but I'm not in Canada :-(

femmemuscle, wow- that is a big reality check for extensions, it is so hard to decide which way to go with this stupid FFA and I am very grateful for this group and that we are able to share what works and doesn't work so very well.

Permalink Reply by Nancy Cowie on January 28, 2017 at 3:10pm

I have had FFA for quite a few years. I do O.K. with it, but would love to have some professional help to know what I can do to hide it better. How/where does one begin to find that help? I went to one wig shop and felt so awful! I felt like a Barbie doll! I just want to look like myself...with hair!

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page