|
Send
us your stories...
|
Transplant
Terror Stories |
Hello,
I recently (about 2 months ago) decided to stop wearing the ridiculous
ârugâ that HCM was supplying at unbelievable prices.
Here is my story. I will try to keep it short because I could
literally write a book about my ten years of wearing the HCM âsystemâ
as they like to call it. I am 42 years old and like many people,
about 15 years ago I began very noticeably losing my hair, initially
with a receding hairline. It bothered me, I was self-conscious
and had low self esteem because of it. I was also in the music
and recording industry where image is everything and I felt out
of place around all the ârockersâ with long, great
looking hair. I was also naïve enough not to realize
how many of them had extensions or were wearing some form of hairpiece.
Finally after seeing the HCM commercials run endlessly in the
wee hours of the night I gave them a call and made an appointment.
I canât necessarily say it was a mistake because at the
time, being about 31 years old it did make me feel better and
at least gave me the confidence to be more visible and outgoing.
At that time it was not fashionable for men to shave their heads
so that did not seem like an option.
From the minute I joined Hair Club I had problems. When I went
to get my first âsystemâ I was informed about
how to tip the technicians and that bothered me. I barely had
enough money to pay for the hair. I remember is being around $1400
and back then you were not getting regular replacements. They
wanted you to purchase a second system so you would switch each
month while one was âin the shopâ. I could not
afford a second one so that really bothered me since there was
no mention of this before they made the sale.
The list of problems is too large to even discuss here but I will
touch on many of them briefly. Matching the hair in texture and
weight never worked. The front hairline was always changing, sometimes
looking better than other times but never natural enough to style
in such a way as to reveal the hairline. The haircut never worked.
It too had its good days and bad but you depend so much on the
technicians to style and play with it, and as most people know,
as good as it might look when you leave HCM, it rarely looks that
good or the same when you do it yourself.
They used several methods of attaching this monstrosity to my
head and after trying a few of them decided that the polyfuse
(might as well be rubber cement) worked the best for me. That
was not saying much though. I found that I could not wait for
my monthly visit and was running in for emergency repairs all
the time. I was always checking in mirrors to see if things looked
OK. You become so dependent on the advice they give and the products
they are selling that once you join you are a prisoner to them
in a way. Once you have hair and are showing the world, it is
even more devastating to think about taking this beast off and
becoming bald again. Most guys know that it is not just women
that we want to be comfortable with, but with our other male friends
that have hair and make jokes about others being bald.
Anyway, here I am about ten years later and I had gotten so tired
of glue and tape and the extra weight. I got tired of not being
able to splash water on my face and forehead without worrying
about messing up the hair or appearance of the hairline. I got
tired of waking up in the morning, not just with a bad hair day
but with this matted thing that was always shifting and moving
around. I got tired of how much time it took to shower and get
ready to go out, knowing I needed to redo the tape or bond in
the front and then having to style and carefully check it out.
I got tired of not being able to enjoy a windy day or a ride in
a convertible without being self-conscious. I got tired of not
being able to go swimming or out on a boat, always fearing what
it would look like when wet or if the hairline was coming up (which
it would do often if you were not careful). I got tired of everything
in the bathroom becoming sticky from the bond that I would clean
off my head and the underside of the system. The technology has
all changed but I rarely if ever saw someone leaving Hair Club
and thinking to myself âthat looks naturalâ or
âthat looks great. I canât tellâ. It was
not just that I knew they were members but it was so obvious.
You could see bad hairlines and mismatches in color or texture....and
everyone wants to look younger so some of the old guys with gray
hair would have a carrot-red piece on and I would laugh hysterically.
I was so controlled by HCM that I was really not happy. On top
of all of this I was adding up all the money I waste on something
that is so horrible, and that is unlike me in other areas of my
life. I never do that. I was wearing a hat again, just like when
I was originally balding, so I would not have to worry about all
these things but then the hat became an issue for me and was certainly
not comfortable.
One day, about two months ago, I decided to not only remove the
rug but too shave my head as well. I have to say, it was the best
thing I could have ever done and in a sense I have my freedom
back. I do what I want when I want and donât have to think
about any of those negative things I mentioned earlier. Not only
is it so easy to take care of but as other guys probably know,
the reaction from women is wonderful and truly a confidence booster.
âSexyâ seems to be the word used to describe my
appearance and I am told I am a good looking guy without hair.
I love it!!! So guys, forget the rug, throw the cat out..lolol.
Bald is cool, stylish, sexy, fashionable and easy.
Perhaps I will write that book after all.
Sincerely,
Robert Tetenman
|
| Thought of suicide I
just read on your comments page, "The worst mistake of my
life". How true his statement is! I started going bald in
my mid 20's and had a "procedure" done. God, if there
is one thing I could go back and not do would be a hair transplant.
What I would give just to have the luxury of shaving or buzzing
my head. I hate these doctors and these companies that pray on
a people's insecurities of losing their hair. What it really comes
down to is accepting ones self for who one is. Due to my hair
transplant, I too have thought of suicide as did my counterpart
who wrote those comments. I feel like a fool for letting someone
cut into the back of my scalp and then punch little holes into
my head. It doesn't look the same. Quite frankly I think it looks
like crap. Confidence, which this procedure was to give me, is
out the window until I get it done again and again and again....
Something should be done to stop this procedure or to make people
aware of the repercussions of it, like never having a buzz cut
again or being able to shave your head. Shine on, brothers!
Robert |
| Hello
Tony,
I'm another one of those people that got a hair transplant "procedure"
done and wish that it never happened. Gee, how could I be so stupid?
But unlike a lot of your other writers, I decided to try shaving
my head in spite of the scarring in the back of my head. It's
been two days now and I must say.....I like it. Sure there's a
scar; but the continual anxiety about my hair loss has been lifted.
And as you know, that can be quite a burden, especially if you're
only in your twenties. The fact is, I've decided to embrace who
I am rather that be ashamed of it. Your family and true friends
will love you no matter what you look like. Thanks for your time
and I hope this helps some people out.
Jim -- the guy whose head has "character".
Dear
Tony,
I had hair transplants and scalp reduction from 1987-1989 and
in the mid 90's.
The transplants were a disaster. Not only did I have less hair
on my head when the process was over, I had Lumps, bumps and white
scars all over my head, and I had
a nasty long scalp reduction scar, very ugly, and visible in the
back of my head.
The doctor who did the transplants lied about the results and
lied to me on every question I asked him. He had doctored videos,
doctored up brochures, and was a total fraud. His work gave me
a scarred up scraggly ugly 75 years old comb-over head that a
man in his mid 20 should never have. He locked me into this look
because the entire scalp was scarred in the donor area and the
recipient area.
If I shaved the head the thousands of scars would be exposed even
more.
New transplant technology couldn't help my look either because
the butcher doctor who deformed me, used up my entire donor area.
After 14 years of walking around with this butchers work, I finally
found a plastic surgeon to smooth the scalp with dermabrasion
and lasers. The surgeon however could not do anything about the
white punch scars in the back of my head or the white scars on
top. However this surgery allowed me to shave my entire head,
and with a little high quality makeup in the back, to cover the
white scars, I look like a champ. Even with the white scars I
look 1000 times better than the transplant scraggly, old man,
scarred up, unclean look. Yes I would have looked even better
if I never did anything, but in life you do the best you can with
what your situation is.
It is not even close. A shaved head with some exposed scars is
miles ahead of the fake, unclean, scraggly transplanted look.
The response is amazing. I am 39, and 23 year old women think
I am 25 and hot. 4 months ago the same aged women thought I was
39 and a dufus, with a loser comb over. This is not an exaggeration.
My life will always be affected by the transplant industry that
butchered me.
Every time I put make up in the back of my head I will think of
them. However the shaving of my head has finally freed me from
their lock on my life. I look and feel so much better it is not
even a comparison. I recommend for every one with old and new,
unsatisfied transplants to just shave it and look and feel so
much better about yourself. Not only will others think you look
better, but you will feel and look better to yourself.
Sincerely,
Eric
|
Hairpiece
Horror Stories |
| Getting back control
I just wanted to say to all of the hair wearers
out there. Get rid of the fake hair. I wore a hair system for
6 years 24-30 and about 6 months ago I went natural. I tell you
it was the best thing I ever did for myself.
I know what it is like to worry if people know
you are wearing a piece I know what it is like to be mad at Mother
Nature because it is "too windy or sunny. I know what it
is like to be with a bunch of people at a bar or out watching
the game and an HCM commercial appears on TV (and you feel so
uncomfortable). I know what it is like to be waiting between new
systems because you are hoping that the next one will look better
than the one you have on. I know what is like to regret every
starting with the fake hair thing and knowing that you have to
keep wearing it for the rest of your life even though you really
want to take it off and throw it in the trash. I know what it
is like to be scared to take the plunge and take the hair off.
What will people say? Will they laugh? The answer is, I dont
know. But what I do know is that after the 2 days or so of anxiety
that comes from seeing coworkers who had not seen the real me
or friends who have never seen the bald me comes a new sense of
freedom and pride in yourself that I know you have not felt in
a long time.
My advice is to get rid of it live your life
as you. Dont hide. Be proudremember you got the fake hair to
make yourself feel better about yourself and, if now you feel
worse, just get rid of it. Everyday that goes by is one day more
of feeling insecure. Get back control of your life. People do
not make fun of bald men people make fun of bald men wearing hair
or using combovers be free, be you, be bold, be bald
Jim
|
His hair in her hands!
My husband wore a hairpiece for over ten years
and I never did like it. Finally I told him to be natural and forget
the hair. He finally gave in and went with the hair he had which
was not very much. Little did he know what I had planned for him
later on. One morning when we were leaving on vacation I told him
I needed to clip his to make it look better.
He agreed to this so I clipped it as short as the clipper would
cut it. Next, to his dismay I shaved his head as smooth as a cue
ball. Looks great, and after a week he sorta agrees. I love the
look of men who are totally bald and most women would agree if they
told the truth. So men, be proud to be bald because nothing looks
better than a shiny bald head. Beth
|
| 10
YEARS AND NUMEROUS HAIRPIECES LATER
I am 35 years old, and yesterday, after wearing various hairpieces
for the last ten years decided it was time to give them up. Sure
technology has improved dramatically since my first one, which
was attached to the perimeter, but even my latest one (fully bonded
onto the scalp, very fine base, actual "growing" appearance)
became such a major controlling factor of my life. You always
feel great when you have a new one fitted, then a few weeks down
the line the color of your "New" hair will start to
fade, (a natural process). Soon your sides don't match your top,
and then you have it colored and due to the porosity of your new
hair it will take color very quickly and may even appear darker
than your own hair! Trying to match the color is almost impossible,
and if you do achieve it remember that it will only be a matter
of a few shampoos down the line before your in the same boat again.
Leaving on your deep conditioning treatments to improve the loand
condition of your abused new hair will also fade the color! The
only way around color fade is to go for a hairpiece that is not
human hair, but I have yet to see one that looks and feels natural.
The ends of the fiber will look frazzled in no time, and avoid
opening the oven door with your head in the way; your fiber hair
will melt so quickly right before your very eyes!
Yes, today I am very anti hairpiece.
When I got my first one it did give me confidence for a while,
but once problems start you really do become paranoid. I was so
controlled by mine that I would only sit at the back of the bus
or train whenever I went out because I hated people sitting behind
me. If people looked at my hair for what seemed like a long time
my heart would start to race and I would sweat like a pig. If
it was windy I would wear my baseball cap, Sunny, I would wear
my baseball cap (your hair colors worst nightmare), it seemed
that I spent so much time in my cap and only really relaxed with
my hair in a social environment when I was drinking with friends
at night when the clubs and pubs were softly lit!!
I never thought that after this much time I would have been able
to take off my hair, but yesterday I had had enough of trying
to match up the color, my hair went orange with all the attempts
I made of matching it up, I was so depressed (something I had
been suffering with over the last 4 years on and off medication)
that I decided to give it up. My head underneath 10 years of hairpieces
was so pale, so baby soft that I had to apply a tanning cream.
This morning when I woke I went straight into the bathroom to
check out my new 'self'. I do like it, in fact I feel so free
of all the hassle I used to go through.
For a long time I just wanted to be me, and now I can be, no more
pretending, hiding under my hairpiece, no more feeling oppressed,
self conscious that people might have thought that I was wearing
a wig. God! The things that I have gone through!
So, if you are thinking about taking off your hairpiece or maybe
updating your existing one with a new better technology one, remember
I have been there, yes the new ones look better, but at the end
of the day you are not being true to yourself or others, it really
is not worth the hassle that you will have to put up with, if
you are taking yours off, believe me, it's the best thing you
can do to boost your self confidence!
If you got this far, thanks for reading.
Bye
Paul
The
Evil of Hair Club for Men
Hi Tony.
Just wanted to describe the Evil scam that is Hair Club for Men.
If anyone is considering this option, for the love of all that
is holy, DO NOT!! This company preys (and makes huge profits)
on the insecurity of baldness. I foolishly went to HCM and essentially
gave them $1640 for a ridiculously fake hairpiece. The commercials
and video they show are in no way what they ultimately superglue
to your head. HCM relies on their "bio matrix" which
is described as individual realistic hairs fused within the "bio-matrix",
to suck the customer in. This is simply an outright lie, and because
of all the paperwork they make you sign, the customer never knows
this until the top of your head is shaved and a medical adhesive
"polyfuse" is applied and the customer has just a fake
hair piece attached to the head. HCM knows that they are deceiving
the public because of the separate contracts they make a customer
sign. The customer from beginning to end is always put in a position
of disadvantage. Their warranty is an absolute joke. The minute
you leave the location you waive the refund of only half of what
you paid. This is important to mention because I asked my 'stylist'
why the hair line looked so fake and his response was 'there is
just a lot of body and when you come back in for your follow up
the hair line will look more natural.' Another lie. I went back
the next day and demanded to have this monstrosity removed, and
at least half of my money back. I was told that was against their
policy. If i can prevent HCM from preying on others and financially
raping them my experience was worth it. Please print this!
Jim
P.S. I am considering legal action against HCM and was wondering
if they have ever been sued successfully? Thanks for any info.
I
wanted to start by saying Thank you for this wonderful web site.
I started Thinning when I was in my mid twenties. After years
of feeling inadequate for my balding I decided to get a hair system
four years ago. At first I loved it and then They start tracking
your head and the systems get bigger and bigger until you are
almost using a full wig. I new my bald spot had not grown that
much so I asked them to stop tracking and let my hair grow in
under the system. Sure enough the balding spot had not changed
much in 4 years. I had the company make my systems smaller and
then the quality started to change. First hair that was to course
then too curly then the wrong color. My self esteem had started
to falter even more I worried constantly about how my hair looked
and if people could notice the hair line. Day by day I started
to change I stopped going places where I could not wear a ball
cap ! ! or if the lighting was to bright when I had no hat. It
effected my personal and professional life. Then about two months
ago I started contemplating shaving my head. I worried what people
at work would say. Then about two weeks ago I discovered your
website and read some of the hair system horror stories, and it
seemed to match all the symptoms I was showing. I started my Vacation
This week and woke up on Saturday and decided enough was enough.
I removed the system took the clippers and cut off all my hair
and then got in the shower and shaved my head. I started to live
my life on May 25th 2002. I have to say this was the first time
in my life I took a chance on something this big and It felt great.
I have had my head shaved for four days and I feel so free I feel
I can start to enjoy my Life again. I will be 34 on June 22nd
and this is my present to myself. I am no longer restricted because
of a hair system I feel fr! ! ee to do The things I want to do
such as swim, camp, ride amusement park rides or water park rides
and not have to worry about my system being noticed or coming
loose. Once again thank you for this website and all the wonderful
stories. Special thanks to Paul in your horror stories section.
When I read his story I felt as If were written about me. Once
Again Thank you.
A. Lucero
Las Vegas Nevada
|
Trapped |
| Trapped What is the proper
and legal way to let "Hair Club for Men" know that
I want out of the monthly payments that Im paying
them. I signed a contract about a year ago when I got my first
"Glued on Rug", and entered this "silver program"
where, for about $250 a month , plus services, tipping and products,
it reached around $320 a month!! I joined this program thinking
.."wow" those guys on TV have a really great looking
head of hair and it looks so real, " girls run their hands
through it ", water ski, get it wet, ect..ect... I want everyone
out there to know...." All that stuff is pure " BULL----!!"
Ive tried dating a few girls and yes ..eventually they will find
out , and they will be so pissed that you never told them about
it. ....that is the bottom line fellas!!!! They will eventually
find out! Anyway.please tell me how I can get out of this contract
legally...I feel trapped to this glued on rug! Help!
Thanks , Roger
Dear Roger!
Any good attorney can get you out of that contract,
but for a small fee though!
Good Luck!
Tony
|
| Send
us your stories... |
|
