what is toppik?

[Petchsky]

If you use minoxidil though it would be a right pain in the arse... Courve would reduce absorption. Pretty impressive though looking at Social Drinker's photo's.

Got some Toppick but rarely use it, but i find it to be effective once you get the technique sorted.

 

[not me!]

Well, it will reduce absorption if you put minoxidil on while you have the courve' on. I just put minoxidil on BEFORE the couvre and Toppik in the morning and then after i shower it out in the evening.

 

[outgrowth]

Toppek Hair Building Shampoo http://www.regrow.com/shampoo.asp
Do this work?? I mean, you use it when you take a shower, and can forget about your 'thin' hair for the rest of the day??

 

[ShedMaster]

toppik is good sh*t. I don't use it anymore because the big 3 has done me right...

 

[not me!]

Toppek Hair Building Shampoo http://www.regrow.com/shampoo.asp
Do this work?? I mean, you use it when you take a shower, and can forget about your 'thin' hair for the rest of the day??

Eh, take that stuff at face value. IMO L'oreal Vive is probably just as good.

 

[Rawbbie]

I don't see how Toppik can actually do that.

You sure the second photo isn't with toppik and courve, AFTER your transplant?

i mean, you were pretty well bald on top, with some thin hair- severe balding, if you ask me.

Toppik can give a full head of hair like that?

Why get a transplant if this product can magically put thick, full hair on an almost bald head like that?

Seems too good to be true, those photos seem too suspect

 

[Rawbbie]

Nah man, I just looked at the photos again and your hair isn't even the same colour in the same and after. I think you meant to say the second one is AFTER your transplant, not five minutes after the first photo.

 

[not me!]

Nope, suspect all you want, but those pictures were taken about 5 minutes apart a few weeks before my hair transplant.

Why get a hair transplant? Because both of them are pretty much useless if you don't have adequate hair at the hairline to provide coverage. In short, they only work if you have at least some hair and you have to be VERY careful at the hairline. My hairline back then (this was in June) was very receded.

I did take the photos with the dermmatch that I got. Tell me what you guys think. I actually like the Dermmatch better than Toppik and Couvre'




Before:

After Dermmatch:

Now these were taken just the other day...more than 5 months after my hair transplant of over 2,300 grafts to the hairline and forelock. I didnt recieve any transplants into the crown.

Hope this gives you guys an idea of what these concealers can do with a little patience and practice.

 

[Cassin]

WOW :shock: Very nice.

You look like you have actual hairs like mine. They get all wirey after they get too long. Maybe an inch or two.

Ever had any success with a shampoo to help straighten those things out? I know getting it done by a salon is a bad idea as the chemicals they use are very harsh.

 

[not me!]

Wow, its weird that you pointed that out.

My hair is naturally very fine and soft. However, I am finding that with the Dermatch that it will make the hairs a little wiry. I guess because it bonds with them to make them thicker.

 

[Rawbbie]

Well, then this Toppik stuff is mind-blowing. If it can 100% conceal a really thinning head (like the original two photos you showed) then there is nothing to worry about when we lose our hair. The results look God-like, sort of like a dream! Looks great, I guess that stuff must really sell well.

 

[not me!]

Well, you gotta remember that you need at least SOME hair in the area for it to work. If someone is "slick bald" it wont do anything at all.

Anyway, I moved from Toppik to Dermmatch. I think I like it better. My best advise is to just experiment on what works best for you.

 

[Cassin]

Wow, its weird that you pointed that out.

My hair is naturally very fine and soft. However, I am finding that with the Dermatch that it will make the hairs a little wiry. I guess because it bonds with them to make them thicker.

See the part I highlighted? Thats how my hair looks when it gets to long. That look a bit wirey to me but the rest of your hair looks normal so I guess it's a fluke that I think that.

 

[not me!]

Ah, gotcha.

Yeah, I guess it may be a little wiry, but to tell you the truth I had just come from the gym so I was more apt to chalk it up to "greasy"

 

[pleasehelpme]

wow... freakin dermatch looks fuckin awesome too! it looks great social drinker. man it looks like you just have some minor thinning at the temples.

also do the concealers make your hair look fake like a wig? or is it completely unoticeable by other people and yourself?

man can you explain to me what dermatch is? i know that toppik is a fiber shake on, couvre is some type of masking lotion/cream, what is dermatch?

also around how much do these cost you?

and after you apply couvre/ topikk, dermatch.. is it okay to apply other styling products?

and when you style, can you style your hair anyway you want? or does it have to be a style where you have to be very gentle on your hair?

thanks a lot

 

[Vinton Harper]

Wow, Social_Drinker, looks like you've really had some success with Dermmatch! Looks Great! I've had transplants too, but for some reason Dermmatch didn't work so well with me and I had such high hopes for it, even more than the Hairsoreal I bought at the same time, and I ended up using that(Hairsoreal) more.
What is your procedure for putting Dermmatch on, Social_Drinker, if you don't mind my asking? The main problem for me was "fading it forward" like they tell you to do. I would put on a small amount and try to fade it forward toward the hairline but it still wasn't enough to make my transplanted hairline look natural, so I would put on more and it just ended up looking like I had gunk on my scalp.
So any help you could give about your technique would be greatly appreciated! It's hard to experiment with Dermmatch because it is rather difficult for me to get out with washing my hair, sometimes not all of it comes out.

 

[Trent]

yeah the thing about toppik is, that it looks pretty good, but if someone were to go up to you and rub your hair it would feel funny. i think its best used when you have like one minor thinning area, it just fills it in perfect, let it dry some, then just kinda mess up that area so the non toppik hair mixes with the toppik hair. if you do that, its totally unnoticeable and can be touched too.

 

[Vinton Harper]

wow... freakin dermatch looks fuckin awesome too! it looks great social drinker. man it looks like you just have some minor thinning at the temples.

also do the concealers make your hair look fake like a wig? or is it completely unoticeable by other people and yourself?

man can you explain to me what dermatch is? i know that toppik is a fiber shake on, couvre is some type of masking lotion/cream, what is dermatch?

also around how much do these cost you?

and after you apply couvre/ topikk, dermatch.. is it okay to apply other styling products?

and when you style, can you style your hair anyway you want? or does it have to be a style where you have to be very gentle on your hair?

thanks a lot

I might be able to help you with at least some of that.
I think if you put it on right and get the right color, the concealers can be pretty undetectable. When I first put on Hairsoreal, which is like Toppik, I went to Walmart and went into the bathroom to look at it under the florescent lights there, and it looked pretty good!

Dermmatch is a powder that comes in what looks like a disk of makeup, which is basically what it is. You use these little spongey applicators to put it on your scalp and then brush it to mix it with your real hair, ideally.
Mine cost me $34.90 exactly for one disk, although they do let you pick a free second color in case you get the wrong one, so that is nice.

I would guess with Toppik, as it is with Hairsoreal, it is best to put on styling products before you shake it on(except for hairspray), although they don't recommend using gel, I put gel just on the sides of my head, then put on the Hairsoreal, and then lock it in place(as best you can) with hairspray.

 

[not me!]

Ok, so I wanted to show others exactly how I apply the Dermatch to help anyone out. If someone has a better way, then by all means, I would like to hear it.

First, I begin with towel-dried hair fresh from the shower.

Next, I wet the applicator per the instructions, make circular motions in the Dermatch and apply generously. I'm not really concerned about getting it on my forehead or if too much is in one area. I am only going for getting all the thin spots covered at this point.

Here is what it looks like all applied:

...and here is what my poor sink looks like:

Now, I brush through the hair to spread the Dermatch through and get it evenly distributed.

Here is where a little "forehead cleanup" takes place too. I just take a wet washcloth with a little soap on it and clean any bare skin parts. If there is any that is kinda "gunked up" at the hairline, simply use a dry part of the cloth and run it over the area. This will clean it up and give it that natural look.

Finally, I blow dry and brush my hair. I don't have any gel in in these pics, but I ussually apply the gel after I am totally confident that everything is nice and dry up there. It would make a hell of a mess otherwise.

Dry Crown:

Dry Top:

Dry Front (and back in the mirror)

Now, for anyone whos going to ask the obvious question: can anyone else notice? Well in short: no. These pictures were taken under harsh, bright bathroom light. In natural or regular room lighting it looks even better. The ultimate Dermatch test came this past Saturday night, though. I went on a first date with a girl and we ended the night by laying on the couch watching a movie. She was running her hands through my hair the entire time. Any differences in texture can just be chalked up to gel. She certainly didn't notice anything. I don't see why anyone else would.

Hope this helps!

 

[Vinton Harper]

Thanks for the in-depth tutorial, Social_Drinker! And with pictures even! I'll probably give Dermmatch another try, since you've obviously had good luck with it.
And that sink doesn't look half as bad as my whole bathroom after shaking on some Hairsoreal, especially when I was experimenting with it. But you probably know what I mean if you've used Toppik. :wink: