So, you’ve ordered your new Hair Hub hair replacement system, and waited excitedly to receive your discreetly marked parcel from DPD. You’ve ripped open the bag, after all, you have been promised, ‘hair systems of unrivalled quality’, and out pops something resembling a squashed cat. ‘Hmm, this doesn’t look right’, you’re probably thinking. Well, hold your skeptical horses.

Your customised hair replacement system will need to be cut-in, to blend with any existing hair, which will explain the extra length. Providing hair systems which appear much longer than you requested, are essential to ensure your chosen stylist has plenty of room for manoeuvre when trimming, bonding and styling your new hair system.

But how do you find a stylist with experience in fitting hair replacement systems you ask? The easiest thing to do is to call the lovely and helpful team at Hair Hub who will be able to put you in touch with a local affiliated stylist. You also have the option to ask your existing hair stylist/barber to help. But you may want to show them the stylist instructions at the bottom of this post, before they get the scissors out!

Many of our clients actually employ the services of a local mobile stylist who would visit their home to cut and style their hair. Once the system hair has been cut, it will never require cutting again, unless of course you would like a style change.

When recruiting a stylist, essential tools required to cut a system effectively are, a straight feather razor and thinning scissors. Please ensure the stylist you employ has one or preferably both of these before you select them.

Before your hair is cut, make sure you have bonded your system using either tape or adhesive so it remains firmly in place whilst your hair is preened.

The biggest mistake a hair stylist can make when fitting a hair replacement system is cutting the hair system hair too short, which can be disastrous. It is much safer for your stylist to err on the side of caution and leave a little extra length. This will allow for possible future adjustments. It is actually a very good idea to book an appointment with your stylist one week after your initial cut, which you can always cancel if needed. That way, minor tweaks can be made without having to wait several weeks for an appointment.

Something, which is perhaps more familiar to our female customers, is the use of photographs and magazine clippings. Sounds obvious, but it is very hard for a hair stylist to read your mind and give you ‘something modern’ without seeing a picture of your ideal look. Arm yourself with several pics of the style you’re after. Although, be realistic too. If you haven’t ordered a hair replacement system with a delicate and undetectable lace front, you can put away that photo of a slicked-back Gordon Gekko!

Watch your stylist closely; inquisitively. You may be able to replicate their scissor-hands at home. Whilst I’m not suggesting you cut your hair system with the kitchen scissors and a trifle bowl, there is no reason why you can’t use hair clippers yourself, if your stylist did. Find out which grade clipper was used and watch closely whilst your natural hair is being trimmed. We know many customers who trim their own growing hair (at the sides and back) and so save time and money on salon visits.

We recommend that your own hair is trimmed regularly (approx. every 3-6 weeks depending how fast your hair grows) to ensure the system hair always blends perfectly with your own hair. Please do not wear your hair replacement system during a trimming, as if accidentally snipped, the blend will be affected.

Delicate hands and patience are the most important criteria for fitting and styling hair replacement systems. Whether this is a professional stylist or yourself. Ensure you have allowed sufficient time to ensure the perfect cut and blend. Typically, an initial fitting and cut-in appointment will last from 1-2 hours.

Hopefully, these few simple tips will ensure you achieve the perfect style and cut-in of your hair replacement system.

Instructions for the stylist

Hair systems are designed as a blank canvas, with hair all one length and long enough to give you the creative flexibility to design a multitude of styles. To create a natural look, we recommend texturising and thinning the hair. To achieve this, take small partings and go over the entire system with a straight feather razor. You can also remove length during this process. We also recommend using thinning scissors by holding the hair straight up and biting small chunks out of the hair. The more de-bulking you do, the more natural the end result will be.

Please follow the guidelines below:

1. The hair at the sides and back of the hair system must be cut and thinned using a gradual blending technique. Start 1 inch from the base of the hair system, and thin away approx. 10% of the hair using thinning scissors.
2. Continue further away from the base and thin the hair another 10%. Repeat this process until at the very ends of the hair there is very little hair remaining. IMPORTANT: Using thinning scissors to feather at the back and sides of the system hair will ensure that there is NO DISTINCT LINE where the system hair ends, and the clients’ own hair begins.
3. The top and front of the hair system can be cut exactly the same as natural growing hair.

IMPORTANT POINTS

• Do not cut the client’s own hair too short at the sides and back. This will help make it easier to blend the system hair with the client’s own natural hair.
• Leave the system hair slightly longer at the sides and back to create a good blend with the client’s own hair.
• Start thinning an inch away from the base (approx. 10%).
• Progressively thin more as you move away from the base.
• Thin even more near the ends.
• At the very ends, continue to thin until there are just a few strands remaining at the tip.
• Cut front and top like a regular hair cut.
• The system hair can’t grow back, so err on the side of caution. It may be advised to leave the hair slightly longer than the client usually wears their hair and adjust the length at the end if required.