Are hair fibers a viable solution for hair loss?

For most people experiencing hair loss, they would prefer to deal with the solution in the quickest and most affordable way possible. That means non-surgical hair replacement is what they usually tend to drift towards.

One hair loss solution that is slowly increasing in popularity is the use of hair fibers or hair building fibers. What are they and can they be the solution for your hair shedding or balding concerns? We will take a deeper dive into all things hair fibers in this blog so you can determine whether it’s the right option for you.

What are hair fibers?

Hair fibers are little fibers made of a protein called keratin. This is the same protein that makes up your real hair follicles, but can also be extracted from other materials such as wool. The main goal of hair fibers is to add volume to your existing hair and essentially camouflage any bald spots or thinning areas on the scalp. The end result is the illusion of a fuller and more voluminous head of hair. Alternatively, they can also be used to colour or conceal any unwanted grey or white hair. Fibers are able to achieve this as they contain static electricity charges which allow them to stick to the wearer’s remaining natural hair.

How do you apply hair fibers?

The most popular brand for hair fibers is Toppik where you can get a 12g can for under $25, and they come in many different colours. You apply the product by either spraying it or shaking it on top of your desired area depending on what type of applicator you are using. Following that step, you will gently pat the hair so that the fibers can disperse over the area more evenly. Finally, you can comb, brush, style and set your hair to get the desired look you're going for.

So whether you have a receding or thinning hairline, a couple of bald patches and spots, or you simply require more volume in a certain area, hair fibers can help you achieve a fuller look with less visible hair loss.

What are the benefits of hair fibers?

Now that we have a basic understanding of hair fibers, let’s take a look at the main pros that are associated with using them as a hair loss solution:

• Provide coverage for certain areas of thinning or baldness
• Provide illusion of fuller and more voluminous hair
• Affordable short-term hair loss solution
• Relatively easy and quick to apply
• Gives the user confidence and self-esteem

Can women use hair fibers?

Hair fibers are generally targeted towards men and while they do use it more often, women can and certainly do wear hair fibers as well. Women tend to deal with hair loss in specific areas more so than men and so, fibers can be a great temporary solution to conceal these areas.

With that said, there are better and more semi-permanent options out there for women if they want to conceal bald spots or thinning areas in the form of hair toppers. You will find out why in the next section.

Are hair fibers permanent?

Hair fibers offer a great solution and are super convenient for the right person. However, they are not perfect. For one, they are not permanent. In fact, they are not even ideal for weekly wear as they are more suited for daily use or for a special occasion. The main reason? They will wash off the moment you wet your hair and apply shampoo. Your voluminous appearance could also be affected if you perspire, sweat or are exposed to rain which means regular touch-ups will likely be necessary.

You could decide to not wash your hair and sleep with your fibers on if you prefer not to apply it everyday in the morning. However, that could result in the fibers falling on your pillow and bed which can be a hard mess to clean up entirely. Of course, there may be ways you can prevent this from happening by setting your hair in a certain way or using extra hair spray. However, this is not ideal for your natural hair or scalp on a daily basis.

What are the side effects of hair fibers? Are hair fibers bad for your hair or scalp?

Hair fibers don't inherently have any side effects in the same way that hair loss prescription medicine does. However, they can still be harmful. If they're not using 100% natural ingredients and contain ammonium chloride for example, it can be very bad for your scalp. Fibers can also clog the pores on your scalp which can cause even more hair loss. That's why it's important that you opt for extremely lightweight fibers so they don't end up clogging up your pores.

Not to mention, there's always a risk of allergic reactions, itching or irritation that can arise from fibers on your head. To prevent this from happening, you could perform a skin patch test by applying a very small amount of fibers on the inside of your forearm or the area behind your ear for a couple of hours. If you don’t experience any problems, it should be fine to apply on your scalp.

What are the disadvantages of hair fibers?

Now that we know a little more about them, let’s sum up the cons of using hair fibers below:

• They aren’t permanent
• Can be washed off easily
• Require daily application and/or touch ups
• Not ideal for large areas of hair loss
• Can damage scalp/hair

Should I go for hair fibers?

After reading all the above, you may still be wondering whether hair fibers are the right option for you. We’ll make things easier with the following list so you can see if you’re a suitable candidate to start using fibers:

• You have thinning hair and parts of your scalp are visible
• You want to cover or conceal grey/white hairs as well as color differences between your hair and scalp
• You don’t have significant or extreme hair loss
• You don’t mind a temporary stopgap solution

Remember, hair fibers are most effective when they have a good amount of hair to cling on to. If you have significant balding or a huge bald spot with no thick hair in the area, using hair fibers will be redundant. You could certainly try, but it will just look like a bunch of fibers on your head rather than an actual head full of hair.

You should also consider how often you want your hair loss concealed. If it’s just for a special occasion such as a friend’s wedding or a party, hair fibers can be a great option. But if it’s something that you want to conceal everyday at work or school, it can become a hassle as you have to not only apply it everyday, but also regularly touch it up.

Alternative to hair fibers

If you’re still on the fence for any particular reason, why not consider a hairpiece instead? If you have thinning or balding areas and only want to conceal that, a hair topper is more ideal as it not only blends with your natural hair, but also can be worn on a more semi-permanent basis.

And of course, if you have a larger area of hair loss, there’s always the option of wearing a toupee or a full cap wig. Take it from Superhairpieces client Hector who tried hair fibers in the past, but only found his ideal solution in the form of a hair system:

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Interested in learning more about getting started with hair systems? Browse through our website at www.superhairpieces.com (US & International) or superhairpieces.ca (CAN)

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