The easy-peasy guide to ordering hair replacement systems online.

Last week, I promised to demystify the world of hair replacement; to show you that wearing a hair system is not as complicated as you may have been lead to believe. Today, I’ll show you how to order hair replacement systems online.

My best piece of advice for any newbie is to print off this guide, grab a coffee and take the time to read it. It’s your hair and to ensure you get the right system, you’ll want to be armed with all the facts.

Quick thought – if you don’t have time to read this guide, or you feel confused and overwhelmed by the options of ordering hair replacement systems online, you can schedule a call with a member of our team here.

Step 1: Choose your base

The hair system base is made of three main types of material and you need to choose which one is best for you; your lifestyle and your pocket.

LACE – Undoubtedly the best overall base material for balancing sheer undetectability and comfort. It is extremely fine, lightweight and breathable. Sounds brilliant doesn’t it? Shame there’s one teeny drawback. It’s super delicate and needs to be treated with love and respect, so not recommended for the ham-fisted….especially our super fine Swiss lace (the most delicate lace we have – popular for the front hairline). Typically, a lace based hair system will last two – four months, perhaps a little more, if handled gently.

SKIN – The Skin, so-called because customers report it feels like a ‘second-skin’, is a see-through, fine membrane in which individual hair strands are injected (or knotted for greater durability). The translucent material creates the illusion that hair is growing directly from the scalp. The skin material (made from ultra thin polyurethane) cleverly matches the colour of your scalp. It’s the chameleon of bases. This base is still extremely thin and so requires delicate handling. Also, I’ve heard that some customers prefer the greater breathability the Lace provides.

MONO – A suitable base for customers with medium-thick hair. Made from monofilament fibre, these thicker bases are the most durable and can last up to twelve months. The ideal base for cash-conscious customers.

You don’t need to be restricted to just three options. You can mix it up. Thomas, one of the Hair Hub managers, wears a Swiss lace front with a skin perimeter. Justin, our new efficient picker and packer, wears a lace with a full skin perimeter, but he’s only 25 and wears a big, floppy fringe!

Step 2 – Choose the hair direction.

Before your real hair starting jumping ship, whether this was some years ago or is just starting to occur, you will be used to styling your hair in a particular way. Now you’re choosing a hair system, you will need to select the correct hair direction, to achieve your desired hair style.

Options include: freestyle (you can brush and style the hair in any direction), left/right/centre crown, left/right/centre parting, left/right break (not as defined as a parting), and brushed forward/backward.

Step 3 – Choose the hair density.

This is one of the most important decisions in the hair system customisation process as this can make the difference between wearing a realistic head of hair and something that looks like it came from a kid’s dressing up box! We’re aiming for natural looking hair here, not fancy dress wigs. Therefore, please, please choose the correct hair density for your AGE. As much as we all yearn to be in our twenties again, wearing hair as thick as rope might draw unwanted attention.
It is preferable to select hair thickness to match any existing hair on the sides and back.

Options include: Extra light (60%), light (80%), medium light (100%), medium (130%), medium heavy (150%) and heavy (180%).

Step 4 – Choose the curl and wave

If you require a curl or wave, you will need to choose from the following options: Straight/slight/medium/tight wave; loose/medium/tight curl; loose/medium/tight afro. If you’re unsure which option is best for you, we can send you a curl and wave chart.

Step 5 – Choose the hair colour.

As with the hair system density, it is vitally important you choose the correct hair colour for your age and to blend with any existing hair. Nothing shouts ‘WIG’ more than a mismatched head of hair. It should go without saying, that if you’re grey on the sides, you should not opt for black hair on top.

You have two options – either send us a hair sample or order our colour chart. Preferably, and to match your hair accurately, we’d like a snippet of your own hair. Ideally, 2-3 inches long and the width of a pencil.

If your hair colour varies, please send in a cutting of each different colour and label which part of the head they came from. If you are unable to provide a sample, you will need to order our colour chart to select the best match.

Almost there! By the way, I know I said this was easy, and it is, however, it may seem there is a lot to learn initially. Once you have placed your first order, everything will become much simpler for you. Not only can you just repeat any previous orders, you will also (thanks to our handy guide), be an expert on ordering a hair system in the future. Plus, do bear in mind that all the info in this guide should only take you a few minutes to implement i.e. it won’t take you long to select hair density and direction etc, and we're on-hand to guide you through the process.

So, you’ve selected orange curly hair with green highlights and a side-parting (we do occasionally get such unique requests), what’s next?

Step 6 – The final step! Make a head template.

I’ve left ‘making a template’ to the end of the guide, as it’s probably the one detail of making a custom fitted hair system which customers fear, particularly those used to visiting salons.

When making a hair replacement system, we need to ensure we have accurately matched the size and contours of your head to enable a precise fit. This is where some 'off-the-peg' hair systems fall down, as they’re made to fit all head types.

One quick look around the office, shows me how different head shapes are. The system Tom wears would not fit the head of Justin, as their heads are different sizes. I shan’t say who has the biggest head!

Again, what may appear initially complicated, is actually very straightforward. You just need to arm yourself with the right info and follow my steps below.

Please note: If you currently wear a hair replacement system, you can send us an old or spare one. This is the most obvious and straightforward solution to ordering your Hair Hub hair replacement system. We can simply use the system as a template for size, shape, hair density and direction etc.

How to make a template:

You will need: Clingfilm, selloptape, make-up pencil, permanent marker-pen, scissors.

With a make-up pencil, outline your front hairline, from temple to temple. If you are completely bald here, place 3-4 fingers above your raised eyebrows and place a dot with the pencil. Now draw your front hairline, making sure not to make it perfectly straight as natural hair growth is not dead straight.

1. Tear off a large piece of cling-film and cover the entire area of hair loss. If you have hair on the back and sides, it is a good idea to dampen it slightly beforehand which helps the clingfilm to stick. Use enough clingfilm to cover your ears. Twist the ends to tighten. The clingfilm should be flat on your head.

2. Take individual strips of sellotape and start to cover the clingfilm from front to back and then side to side. Finish with a row of tape from front to back. You should have a lattice effect, like the top of an apple pie!

3. Grab your marker pen (make sure it’s permanent) and start to draw the shape for your system beginning by tracing the hairline you drew in step 1. Continue to draw a line that will form the perimeter of your hair replacement system.

4. Once the perimeter has been drawn, mark the front with the letter ‘F’ and the back with the letter ‘B’.

5. Add one more layer of tape, as in step 3, which will seal the markings.

6. Remove the template from your head and trim off the excess tape and clingfilm.

7. Relax. Put the kettle on. Pop your order in the post. Easy.

So, was that simple? I hope so. But if you’re still confused or don’t have the time to digest all the info, drop us a message at hello@hairhub.com