No matter how fancy a hair unit is, it’s nothing but an ill-fit decoration if it doesn’t fit your head. Getting a hairpiece in a suitable size gives you a pleasant and comfortable wearing experience while making you look your best. Learn how to get one that fits you well, and you can make every penny worth it while making the best out of your hair system.
Measure your hair loss area
The shape of bald areas varies from person to person. It’s essential to figure out yours before buying a hair system. You need a wax pencil and a flexible measuring tape for the measurement. If you don’t have tape, replace it with a string and a straight ruler.
① Find your front hairline: Put 3-4 fingers above your eyebrow and mark your front hairline point with the wax pencil.
② Front-to-back length: Place the measuring tape at the backmost spot where you are experiencing hair loss, then bring it forward to meet the front point. Note the length.
③ Side-to-side width: Repeat step 2 to get the width of your hair loss area. Make sure to measure the widest part of your balding crown.
Purchase a bigger hair system
For example, if your bald area is 6”×8”, then you need a slightly bigger hair system, like 7”×9”. Every hairpiece needs some cut to fit the scalp exactly, except customized products made according to one’s template. Therefore, a hair unit bigger than your hair loss area makes it easier to size down by providing extra space for possible cutting mistakes. It’s more tolerant towards faults, providing beginners with a sense of security. Be careful not to pick a base that’s too big; otherwise, the crown can be destroyed when trimming it later.
Cut the base
As mentioned earlier, nearly all male hairpieces need a cut before fitting one’s head right. Let’s say your bald area is 6 inches in width and 9 inches in length, and what’s on your hand is an 8”×10” toupee. You need to mark a few points, connect them, and cut through the line.
① First, turn the hair system upside down to let the side without hair face you and put it on a mannequin head or the complimentary plastic dome that came with your unit.
② Use a measuring tape to measure 1 inch from the left side and mark it on the base. Do the same on the right side.
③ Measure 1 inch from the back edge and mark it on the base.
④ Connect these three points with a marker in a round shape and extend the side points to the front hairline to form a smooth outline. This line should be a big “U.” If you are a beginner, you’d better use an erasable pen like a China marker; if anything goes wrong, you can wipe it off and redraw it. Better still, go to a professional hair replacement stylist to do the job for you.
⑤ Measure the hairpiece again to check. If there is no problem, use very sharp scissors to make small cuts on this line.
⑥ And your hair system is ready.
No matter what kind of base material your hair unit holds, cutting in this way will make your hairpiece fit right in.
A pro tip: make a template
A template is usually needed when customizing a hair system. You can find several sizes online on the custom order page, but nothing is more accurate than your head model. Apart from benefiting the customization process, a template can help you cut your base faster and easier.
With a lovely template, all you have to do is place it on the base, mark its outline, and cut down the piece. You will need saran wrap, tape, scissors, and a marker to make a template. If you have someone to give you a hand, that would be great. If you don’t have anyone, just prepare it with a mirror and a hand mirror. That works out well, too!
① Stretch the saran wrap over your head and ensure there is enough pressure to guarantee no bubbles on it.
② Secure the plastic on your chin to ensure it doesn’t move while you mark it.
③ Before starting to mark the balding area, mark your front hairline. Put 3-4 fingers above the eyebrow to find your hairline start point or front hairline.
④ Once you mark your front hairline, continue to mark the front and the back. Then, go over the outline of your hair loss area, which is where you want the hair system to cover. Later cut along this line.
⑤ Take the tape and start taping it all over your head. Make sure you tape over the line that you marked before. They should overlap each other slightly to form a solid cap that accurately matches your measurements. You can do as many layers as you want to so that the template is solid enough.
⑥ Once you have done taping, you can mark F for the front and B on the back on top of the template.
⑦ Remove the plastic of the head and cut the outline.
⑧ Make sure that the template fits correctly on your scalp. If yes, your template is done!
Knowing how to measure and cut the base, and what to buy, you are now a pro in choosing men’s hair systems. Focus on the styles and colors you like since the size is no longer a bother for you. Dive into the world of excellent hairpieces at Superhairpieces, for the best hair systems for men.
