I'm still pretty new here, but I thought I would share what I have learned so far. I have tried HairSoReal, Nanogen, Dermmatch and some spray on stuff (I think it was Jerome Russell Thickener Spray). Nothing I have tried was a dramatic change. So far the best I have been able to achieve is a nice improvement.
Thickener Spray- This was the first product I tried. I found it in local retail shop. This stuff was ridiculous! It made a huge mess! It was basically spray paint. The affect was not subtle or believable.[/*:m:9vjphivo]
HairSoReal- This stuff works. It is best for the crown of the head. It isn't great for the hairline, especially if you are thinning in front. You have to use it sparingly up front, or you can see it. If you have blonde hair, don't bother. Matching the color of blond hair is extremely difficult. My hair was dyed blonde the first time I tried HSR. It was very easy to see the HSR. I let my hair grow back to it's natural color, then I tried medium brown. I was much happier with the result. However I do have one problem with this product. If my hair is clean, it will not stick to my hair. 90% will immediately fall to my scalp. I dont know why. Maybe I have hard water. Hair spray doesnt help either. It doesn't stay on my hair at all, so by the time I apply hair spray, it's already on my scalp. Maybe there just isn't enough static in my hair, but it wont stick if my hair is clean. If I dont wash my hair for a couple of days, it works great! Especially with a little minoxidil residue. However, after a shower, I'm S.O.L.[/*:m:9vjphivo]
Nanogen- This stuff works exactly like HairSoReal, except it is a smaller fiber. It tends to stick better and look more natural than HSR. However it has the same problem with clean hair (it wont stick). It is much more expensive than HairSoReal for less than half the quantity. If these products stuck to my hair better, I would use HSR for my crown and Nanogen to touch up the hairline. When these products work, they look great![/*:m:9vjphivo]
Dermmatch- I was reluctant to try this because I suspected it would be similar to the spray on product I had previously tried. However after reading so many positive reviews, I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised. With a little practice, dermmatch is a significant and believable improvement in my appearance. After reading other peoples techniques and experimenting, I started to get good results on my 3rd try. The key seems to be less-is-more near the hairline. If your hair isn't too thin, spread it heavy on the crown and the areas away from the hairline. Near the hairline fade it until it is barley visible. Brush it through your hair. You will notice your hair has a dull flat look. No shine. To fix this, blow dry your hair, then step in the shower and rinse your hair until the water is clear. Then towel your hair dry. Most of the Dermmatch will rinse from your hair, but not your scalp. Your hair will have it's natural color and some of it's shine back.
It's not going to fix your hairline, but if done correctly it is definitely an improvement. For me Dermmatch has had the most consistent results. If I could get HSR or Nanogen to stick to my clean hair, I would use them together with dermmatch.[/*:m:9vjphivo]
Most of this info isn't new, but hopefully it will save someone some time. I still want to try COUVRe.
If anyone has had the problem with clean hair repelling hair fibers and knows how to solve it, please let me know.
I really just started using it myself, so I dont have all the answers. I also have a thin receding hairline. I haven't found any concealer that is good at the hairline if you are thin. I am receded back about 2" on each side above the temples, however my window's peak reaches the original hairline, but very diffusely thin (easy to see my scalp). The affect is a very diffusely thin strip in the center leading down to my original hair line (not a good look). I am moderately diffuse all over the top of my head, but more diffuse in the front. Because my hairline is receded and the hair in front is very thin, it is difficult to conceal without people seeing the concealer. Concealers are very noticeable at the hairline (especially of you are thin). Even more so if you have light colored hair. If your thin in front, you may not be able to achieve the results you are hoping for, but you should be able to achieve some improvement. I still have not mastered products like Toppik or Nanogen, though I can see the potential. This is mostly because the stuff wont stick to my hair when it's clean. I think this problem is unique to me (maybe is my water). I get more consistent results with Dermmatch. The first step is matching your color. The first time out, I would buy 2 or 3 colors that could be a good match. I read that you can request a free one if the color doesn't match. Some people will mix them or use two colors for blending. Concealers work best for diffuse thinners. They work best for people with dark hair. They work best away from the hairline. If your hair is too thin, people will notice the concealer.
My current method:
I wash my hair. I towel it dry.[/*:m:379908c4]
I get some filtered water from the fridge in a paper cup[/*:m:379908c4]
I dampen the applicator in the filtered water and shake it off in the sink.[/*:m:379908c4]
I rub the damp applicator in the Dermmatch using a circular motion until I don't see any water.[/*:m:379908c4]
Starting 1-1.5 inches back from my hairline, I use my fingers to separate my hair. I rub the Dermmatch directly on my scalp. I put it on generously so that the color completely covers the color of my scalp.[/*:m:379908c4]
I follow my hairline staying 1 - 1.5 inches back. If there is an area where your hair is very thin, do not include this area. While following the hairline with the thick Dermatch line, go around the very thin areas. You will do those areas later. For me this is my widows peak. I go around the very thin area by creating the dark Dermmatch hairline in the less thin area behind the windows peak.[/*:m:379908c4]
Continue to apply the Dermmatch generously to the scalp moving away from the hairline until all thin areas are covered.[/*:m:379908c4]
Now you can do your hairline. Rinse the applicator in the filtered water. Then use your fingers to squeeze out most of the water. Rub the applicator in the Dermmatch in a circular motion. The water will be more quickly absorbed into the Dermmatch. The goal is to get less Dermmatch on the applicator and have the applicator a bit dryer.[/*:m:379908c4]
As a test apply Dermmatch to the back of your hand. You want to achieve a very light transparent coverage. Experiment with more or less water/Dermmatch until you feel confident you have the right shade for your hairline. I find a dabbing motion works well to achieve a very light coating. If you have an extra lighter color Dermmatch, you may want to experiment with mixing colors.[/*:m:379908c4]
Beginning at the front edge of the previous Dermmatch application, begin to apply the Dermmatch moving gradually toward your hairline. You want the color to gradually blend to your natural skin color as you approach the hairline. You should stop 1/4 - 1/2 inch from the hairline. You are not trying to completely restore your hairline. Less is more here. If people are able to see the concealer, you will regret it. [/*:m:379908c4]
Now cover the very thin areas you skipped earlier using a very light coat of Dermmatch. Because the scalp is so exposed in these areas, you will have to use a very thin amount of Dermmatch. If you use too much, people will see it. The most you can achieve here is an improvement, so dont over do it. Again blend gradually toward the hairline.[/*:m:379908c4]
Starting at the hairline, brush or comb your hair backward. The excess Dermmatch will coat your hair fibers, giving your hair a more thick appearance. [/*:m:379908c4]
At this point I may add additional Dermmatch to the hair at my hairline. Steal an old eyeliner brush from your girlfriend/wife. That works well for applying Dermmatch to your hair. Completely coat the fine hairs near your hairline. Avoid getting it on your scalp. You will see that this really helps thicken the appearance of the hairline.[/*:m:379908c4]
Use the corner of a damp paper towel and/or q-tip to remove any excess Dermmatch from your forehead and hairline.[/*:m:379908c4]
Blow dry your hair until the scalp is completely dry. Now the Dermmatch on your scalp will stay put.[/*:m:379908c4]
Inspect your hairline again. You may need use a q-tip to remove excess Dermmatch.[/*:m:379908c4]
You may notice that your hair has a very dull color. This may look unnatural. Hair normally has many color variations that create a textured appearance. While Dermmatch thickens the hair, it creates one uniform hair color. If this bothers you, proceed to the next step. If your hair is very thin, you may want to stop while your ahead. While the excess Dermmatch gives your hair a dull appearance, it does make the hair thicker which provides better coverage. [/*:m:379908c4]
To get back some of the texture and shine, we will need to remove the excess Dermmatch from the visible surface of our hair. I have tried two methods. [list:379908c4]
Method one: Use a damp towel and forcefully wipe the surface of your hair. Do not scrub. Move one direction. You will see the excess Dermmatch on the towel. Continue until you dont see very much Dermmatch come off on the towel. Dont worry about accidentally removing the Dermmatch from your scalp. After your scalp is dry the Dermmatch will not easily come off. [/*:m:379908c4]
Method two: Step back into the shower and rinse your hair. Do not use shampoo. You will see the excess Dermmatch as brown water running down the drain. Being careful not to touch your scalp, run your fingers through your hair until the water becomes clear. Use a towel to dry your hair. You will notice that your hair has returned somewhat to it's natural color and shine while the Dermmatch on your scalp has remained intact.[/*:m:379908c4]
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The above method isn't necessarily the best method. It's just the best method I have discovered so far. The more you mess with it, the better you will get at it. You will discover techniques that work for you. At first this will seem like a hassle and you will spend way to much time doing it, but with practice you will achieve better results in less time. Good luck.
