Thinning Hair

[Janes Groove]

At 58, my once luxuriant, thick hair is succumbing to the ravages of time. And unfortunately HRT isn't really helping.  I'm able to hide my receding hairline for the most part with comb overs but the worst thinning is on the crown of my head with the scalp showing trough on days when I haven't shampooed for a couple of days.  Any tips on how to hide that area? I know I'll need to get a wig eventually but I want to have as many options as I can to still use what is left.

[KathyLauren]

A few months back, I saw a photo of a crowd that I had been in.  Sure enough, there was me from behind, with a great big huge bald spot on top.  I hadn''t realized that my thinning hair had gotten quite that bad.  I am not expecting HRT to help much.  So, it's a wig for me.

I was recently planning for a campout next summer, by which time I expect to be full-time.  I don't thik a wig is going to work camping.  So I'll probably wear a ball cap most of the time.  I can pull my ponytail through the opening at the back for a more feminine look.

[JoanneB]

At 58, my once luxuriant, thick hair is succumbing to the ravages of time. And unfortunately HRT isn't really helping.  I'm able to hide my receding hairline for the most part with comb overs but the worst thinning is on the crown of my head with the scalp showing trough on days when I haven't shampooed for a couple of days.  Any tips on how to hide that area? I know I'll need to get a wig eventually but I want to have as many options as I can to still use what is left.

When I was 12-14 I felt that same way....

You can buy a few years but like Jack Benny... Being 29 lasts only so long before it's 39, 49, 59.....

[Lyric]

You might look into wearing a topper or a top-front piece. These are often worn by women with alopecia, who often thin more on the top. The big trick with this is matching your own hair to the piece. Some people end up dying their own hair to match the piece rather than finding a close match to their own color. Toppers can be surprisingly expensive, too. I've purchase fine full wigs cheaper than some toppers.

Even if you go the topper route, there's no reason you can't have a wig or two around as well and try them out. Finding and wearing a convincing wig is quite a art in itself and the sooner you start the trial and error process the better. It seems like most people have to go though a few wigs or pieces before they find one that suits them well. Don't go cheapy, but don't blow too much on the first one, either.

[bluepaint]

with age , many women can start to get a thinning and see through hair, Ive heard good things about nourishing the hair, a biotin supplement is good not only for hair but for skin and nails , as we get older the cells break down, gray hair itself is the result of the hair loosing nourishment as our cells breakdown! 
There are some other good products that will help to build thicker , fuller hair by giving it what it needs, gelatine ect... nourishing from the outside too, coconut oil ect... I myself have thin hair genetically passed down to me and now my mom is at an age where she counts alot on getting her hair done to get some volume but in certain lighting conditions, you can see her scalp. Its just one of those aging things that all women seems to have to deal with!
I've also noticed that our hair reflects the wellness of our health ie: a bout of stress can dramatically affect hair, making a lot drop out so can some prescription medications, being put under anesthesia can have a big effect on the hair as well!  I think one should also start avoiding anything like ammonia in colouring and use less damaging colouring products! 
Ive been dealing with IV antibiotics lately and the stress, the fatigue maybe even the antibiotics themselves have had an effect on what hair I do have, I sometimes resort to a handkerchief when Im not well like this!   [emoji177]Julie


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[Claire]

Does minoxidil work?

[Fresas con Nata]

Does minoxidil work?

I've been a few months on minoxidil+finasteride. I notice that I find less hairs in my hands after rinsing while taking a shower. Lately I find some small, really thin ones, and I (want to) believe they are new ones that are returning back from coma. Defo worth a try.

[Janes Groove]

I'll probably wear a ball cap most of the time.  I can pull my ponytail through the opening at the back for a more feminine look.

. 

At first I thought how can you make a baseball cap look feminine?  Then I looked it up on the internet and sure enough. Women definitely find ways to do it.  We're very resourceful that way.  I need to get one.

Even if you go the topper route, there's no reason you can't have a wig or two around as well and try them out. Finding and wearing a convincing wig is quite a art in itself and the sooner you start the trial and error process the better. Don't go cheapy, but don't blow too much on the first one, either.

I am taking your advice and will eventually buy a really nice wig. But I think I'll start by buying a few really cheap wigs on Aliexpress.  As a matter of fact I bought one last nite for $9 including shipping.  I just want to get a feel for the style and the length for awhile before I commit to the expensive one.  Before I spend a couple hundred on a wig I want to make sure it's the one I really want.  That said right now I'm aiming at a medium length, straight, grey wig. Something I can pull back in a pony and wear with jeans and a T. Like I mostly wear my hair now.   At my age, my transition goals aren't so much about looking pretty but centered around fitting in as a woman and not drawing a lot of attention to myself.  Also, I saw on the internet that you can actually dye wigs. I might noodle around with that for awhile.

with age , many women can start to get a thinning and see through hair,   [emoji177]Julie

OMG. You are so right. These days, whenever I go around to the shops, I find myself focusing like a laser on the backs of heads of women my age.  Thank you for the suggestions, I'll definitely try them.  Also, I'm sending you good thoughts hoping you feel better.  Fatigue sucks. Believe me.  I know.  And please.  Pass the handkerchief.   

Does minoxidil work?

I haven't tried that yet.  I'm trying to avoid new meds ever since I started HRT.  I've even been able to eliminate a couple.

You can buy a few years but like Jack Benny... Being 29 lasts only so long before it's 39, 49, 59.....

Ah yes Joanne.  Like sands thru the hourglass so are the days of our lives. Where did it all go?

[Lyric]

Also, I saw on the internet that you can actually dye wigs. I might noodle around with that for awhile.

Dying a wig is generally not something to consider an option. Synthetic wigs can't be dyed at all. Most human hair wigs have already been dyed and processed to some degree and a second dying will often ruin the hair. It is possible to buy "virgin" hair wigs that have never been treated in any way, but they are usually quite expense.

Your nine buck Aliexpress wig probably won't be much use, but at least you're not out much. Let us know what what you think. I have purchased good quality wigs on eBay for much less than full price, but you do have to shop carefully there. One thing I've realized about wigs is that there is no perfect solution, since all types of wigs have their shortcomings.

The advantage, though, is you can own multiple wigs of different types of construction and vary the trade-offs. You can wear lace front one day and laceless bangs the next. I find it's fairly within the range of social acceptability to vary your hairstyle-- even cut-- to an extent (using wigs), but varying color raises more notice. I think it's best to stick close to a color (or color combo) with wigs rather than be blonde one day and brunette the next.

[Lily Rose]

Synthetic wigs can't be dyed at all.

do not take my word for it, but can remember looking to dyeing something else. thought there was special dyes for synthetic materials.

[Lyric]

...thought there was special dyes for synthetic materials.

The Internet being what it is, I'm sure you can find folks who try things like dying synthetic wigs, but as far as I know it's not standard procedure. I wouldn't count on the results being satisfactory or worth the effort. Synthetic wigs can be purchased reasonably enough that I'd suggest just buying another if you want a different shade.

I've tried various types of wigs and and after going to human hair I wouldn't go back to a synthetic. While it's possible for a dark colored one to look fairly passable from a reasonable distance, blondes easily look very plasticy to me and synthetic hair doesn't tend to move like real hair. If you want a low cost, easily maintained hair helmet, though, synthetic is the way to go.

[Janes Groove]

The Internet being what it is, I'm sure you can find folks who try things like dying synthetic wigs, but as far as I know it's not standard procedure. I wouldn't count on the results being satisfactory or worth the effort. Synthetic wigs can be purchased reasonably enough that I'd suggest just buying another if you want a different shade.

I've tried various types of wigs and and after going to human hair I wouldn't go back to a synthetic. While it's possible for a dark colored one to look fairly passable from a reasonable distance, blondes easily look very plasticy to me and synthetic hair doesn't tend to move like real hair. If you want a low cost, easily maintained hair helmet, though, synthetic is the way to go.

What would you suggest to expect for a price range for a full lace human hair wig? Is it even possible to get one in grey?
Where should I start?

[Dayta]

What would you suggest to expect for a price range for a full lace human hair wig? Is it even possible to get one in grey?
Where should I start?

A good human hair wig is probably going to cost you hundreds of dollars if not thousands for really good ones.  I think toppers are a great choice.  A few things to remember: 1) LOTS of cis-women wear wigs and toppers and 2) EVERY SINGLE celebrity you see on TV with beautiful hair is wearing a wig or extensions.  I think I tend to be overly optimistic in believing that transition will solve all of our problems.  But it also gives one an opportunity to have cis-woman problems. 

There's a really great wig store in LA called Wilshire Wigs, and they do sell online.  My wife also just ordered a bunch of wigs off Etsy last week.  All grey.  I am really in love with my grey hair now.  Who knew?! Best of luck. 

Erin

ps I found the woman we've bought wigs from before on Etsy.  Her name is MissVioletLace, and she does lots of fun cosplay colors as well as natural ones. 

[bluepaint]

When I transitioned, i went to a wig shop on Montreal that made their own, they custom made one for me , was closer to a few thousands ( probably more today) but it looked absolutely natural, had a nice permed curl look keeping my own natural hair colour in mind ( being fair haired). Loved it but it got old with time and even with regular care treatments so I then went into a system but i hated that! I should've just had another wig made!


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[JoanneB]

These days I expect to pay well over $100 for a good synthetic hair wig. Still price is no guarantee of quality and gaining experience can be an expensive undertaking. Manufacturers tend to say nothing at all about the hair composition. Instead they on and on about caps and cap construction. Like WHO is looking or touching your wig's cap?

A good source for info is alepecia related sites and forums where you can get real life reviews from the average person. A few name brands tend to always rise to the top. I tend to lean towards Tony of Beverly and Jon Reneu(sp). Still, the lower cost ones are cheaper.

[Selenakyle]

I struggled with trichotillomania for years, which left me with bald spots in my hair from pulling it out. Glueing in a few track extensions can hide it, and you can dye human hair extensions. There's also this amazing product for thinning hair called Toppik hair building fibers- it definitely conceals thin spots.

[Lyric]

What would you suggest to expect for a price range for a full lace human hair wig? Is it even possible to get one in grey?
Where should I start?

I would suggest starting by learning a good deal about wigs. Luckily, the web is full information, some of even useful. You probably don't want or need a "full lace human hair wig", although they are available. That type of wig has no stretch to it and must be custom made or well fitted to your head. There are a number of other types of caps that are more practical for most people's day-to-day needs, though.

Most HH wig wearers buy lace front wigs. These usually have a "skin top" (a plastic-like stuff) or a silk top. You want the part line on top to be fairly realistic, though none are perfect. Just avoid a wefted top. Wefting is usually fine for the back of a wig, though. Wefted back wigs are cheaper and cooler to wear in warm weather.

You can definitely buy wigs in gray and gray-mix shades, though most wig models have a limited number of colors available. As for cost, you can pay from less than $100 to over $10K for an HH wig. The cheapies are usually mixed with animal hair and the lowest quality of HH available. I actually bought one once that basically turned into a useless furball after the first washing. The most expensive ones are really just about wig makers taking rich people for what they're worth, though. You can buy a good and usable HH wig usually in the $300-$1500 range. I would actually recommend avoiding the most well known wig manufacturers, though (Jon Renau, Raquel Welch, etc.). The big companies make most of their profits from the easily mass produced synthetics. While their caps tend to be very high quality, the human hair divisions of those companies tend to be neglected and hair quality is often poor.

I think it's best to check around for good recommendations from users who have found smaller wig dealers who specialize in HH wigs, therefore have good reason to deliver a high quality product. Those also tend to be lower price, which is nice.

Here a nice alopecia forum post that is full of useful wig info:
http://www.heralopecia.com/interact/showthread.php/863-Everything-You-d-want-to-know-about-Wigs-Toppers-Salons?s=90cbf4296345aaadab68fce577d40ff0

HH wig dos and don'ts:
http://cysterwigs.com/blogs/news/14626429-human-hair-wig-care-dos-donts

I suggest reading more at forums, from Google searches and watch some of the many, many YouTube videos on human hair wigs for more info.

[Janes Groove]

Thank you everybody for such great information, support and suggestions.  I guess I have a lot of homework to do.  I swear.  Sometimes I think transition is like going back to school and getting a second college degree.  Being a girl is HARD!

[bluepaint]

lol its a full time job in itself!  [emoji177]


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