Hair Club For Men Reviews
Thinking about Hair Club? Read this post from one of our visitors and learn about his experience and the cost associated with buying into the club.
The below post is directly from John one of our visitors and does not reflect the opinions or experiences of BaldRus.com
Hair Club for men review by John
Love your site! I thought I should share my story too… I kindly ask that if you post my letter that you omit my last name, thank you. Recently, I saw an advertisement for the Hair Club for Men on television and it struck me funny because I had actually gone to the Hair Club for Men (or “HCM”) about two years ago and had dramatically different results than advertised. Hence, on this cold and rainy Saturday afternoon and recovering from a nasty flu, I feel compelled to share my story of what went on with that place.
Backstory
I started to lose my hair around 19yrs old…slowly thinning over time and the hairs on the front of my scalp would just stop growing after a certain length (about 1″). I saw my barber regularly and one day I recalled him telling me, “Well… you better get married early…” which ended up being the last time I went to him. I decided if I was going to go bald, I was going to do something about it at least. A few days later, I called the Hair Club for Men here in Orange, California and set up an appointment for one of their “free consultations”.
The Consultation
Walking into the consultation I saw two other men sitting in the lobby with baseball caps on, looking nervous. I thought, “Hey, I may have a friend or two here after all.” Ironically, I was called ahead of both of them, and was asked to sit in a comfortable room and watch a video.
After the 10min video about who HCM is, what they do, and how it works, I felt confident that they may be able to do something about my ::ahem:: problem. I met with a very friendly older woman who discussed the options with me, what they would recommend, and what it would cost (roughly). After all was said and done, the procedure was to cost $1,300.00 and would involve routine hair appointments to adjust/cut the “matrix” (a glorified toupee that is glued to the scalp..literally). After deciding to go ahead with it, I was scheduled to return for the procedure.
Showtime
Two weeks had passed and I arrived for the start of my procedure. I was soon after escorted into a special room and sat down in a room reminiscent of a dentist’s office (chair and all). My head was measured, a hair sample was cut, and they took pictures of my head from both sides, front, and back. Soon after, I left, and was ready to return in two weeks.
I counted every day on my calendar and when two weeks rolled around, I was ready. I even went so far as to shave my facial hair (go-tee) to try out the “new look” for all it was worth. I went in and with little-to-no wait, I was escorted to a room that looked like a beauty salon.
The top of my head was shaved, leaving the sides. They put the Matrix on top, with unusually long hair still attached to it. They would begin to cut the hair shorter and shorter until a semi-reasonable, desired look was achieved. About 30min later, I was done and it looked a lot different than I was used to. Three days later I was set to return and make sure all is going well. If any adjustments needed to be made they would make them.
Arriving home, I saw my family and was greeted with smiles and congratulations. Considering I had been struggling personally with the reality of my own hair loss, I thought it was a relief of having to deal with one less insecurity.
Problems Started
The first night was the most difficult time I had ever had sleeping. The matrix itched horribly and would pull on my scalp if I laid on the pillow in any direction except facing straight up. I was starting to get stir-crazy until I finally learned to sleep on my back the whole time. What an ordeal, but I figured it was a small price to pay at the time.
Probably the first thing I began to notice is that the hairline in the front (and I saw this in the commercials, but carefully photographed) of the hairline is unusually thick…and not natural looking at all. I remember saying something to the girl who was fitting/cutting it, and she said, “Oh, just put some more glue on it..” and was handed a bottle of skin adhesive.. I was starting to have doubts at this point.
A day or two go by, I’m of course noticed at work, but sensitively of course. Later on, I started to feel the itching coming back; I found relief in the sharp end of a letter opener and would periodically poke at spots that would cause me to itch. On the way home, I noticed that the Matrix was starting to come up off my scalp…peeling back. I panicked and didn’t know what to do. I called HCM and told the receptionist what was going on. I was advised to wait until my appt. in 3 days and to just press down on it with a comb if it continues.
When I got home, it was a nightmare… the glue that they applied was actually causing me to itch more. I promptly headed over to HCM and told them what was going on. I was seen right away and they re-applied the matrix w/ a different type of glue they had. It didn’t help, the next day I found the matrix on my pillow almost completely peeled up. Mortified, I called them again and advised them of my problem. I was told, “Well, you’re just going to have to work it out somehow.”
Went from Problems to Nightmares
I went down to HCM and they took another look at it and did another re-application. Again, the next morning…same problem. I followed every instruction they gave to the letter and was having worse and worse luck. The last phone call I had with HCM was strictly, “We can’t do anything…sorry…just bad luck..”. I asked for a refund, even a partial one, and was told in a staunch voice, “No Refunds, period.”
After I got off the phone, I started to cry… I felt both taken advantage of, ugly, and just plain screwed. I took a walk to the medicine cabinet and proceeded to remove the matrix myself. IT HURT! It took about 20min and a pair of small hair-cutting scissors to get through the glue and hair that was trapped underneath the glue. I think this was the worst nightmare I had ever gone through, and ended up feel so ashamed of myself for this.
Not a religious person, I even began to think this was sort of God’s punishment for vanity. Regardless of what it was, it sucked, and I started to think that I couldn’t be the only one going through this. I took a Bic razor to my head and after a good shaving, I was completely bald.
I called my credit card company and explained to them, briefly, my situation. The lady I spoke to at BofA was more than sympathetic to my situation and felt that I had a compelling reason to get a refund if for nothing more than dissatisfaction. I have to say that BofA was pretty cool about the whole thing and seemed to work pretty hard at trying to get my money back.
After I called BofA, I contacted the BBB and submitted a formal complaint against HCM for the whole thing. After a few letters were sent, both the BBB and BofA decided on my behalf and I received a full refund from HCM providing I sent the matrix back to them. I suppose I was very lucky because I was told early on to contact both the BBB and my credit card company by my family–I didn’t even want to think about it at the time but they pushed me to fight it.
Finally relief
It is now 2, almost 3 years later and I still see the commercials on the television every so often. I can’t help but remember those two guys in the lobby, waiting nervously as I was to see if they can fix their hair problem. I’m here to say that I neither thought better of myself or my looks by going through that whole ordeal.
Perhaps by writing this I give someone else considering HCM some perspective to what I went through with it. It’s exactly as advertised procedure-wise, but the results are not at all what you see on television. After a while, I began to notice other men and the hairlines they had and would think to myself, “there’s a Hair club job”. Later on, a girlfriend of mine said to me, “What’s up w/ that guy’s hair over there?” I looked and noticed it was a HCM job. I then told her the story of it all and even though we aren’t together anymore, it really calmed my insecurity, “Why? It’s not the only thing we look for, ya know… I’d rather you be bald and who you are.” I guess it’s just hard to know that ‘inside’ and no one can really tell you when you have your mind set on something.
My advice is to just do the best with what you’ve got, save your money, and just stay in good shape and health. Try Rogaine but I found it to dry my scalp, and would cause flakes. I stopped using it after a year or so and didn’t notice much, if any, difference. I’m not saying it didn’t work or that it won’t work for you, but I didn’t have any positive or negative reactions to it other than the dry scalp.
I don’t think the HCM is a bad organization or anything, but I do believe they fill a niche of preying on peoples’ insecurity with a service that (at least in my opinion) isn’t very successful at all. I think the real pity is how many people who have had experiences like mine or worse and not been able to do anything about it.
Best of luck to you all… be confident in yourself–everything else will follow
If you are struggling with Hair Loss and looking for options then checkout our hair loss guide.
Cheers..
John P.
Hello john P.
I got screwed by HCM in Canada and Sure Hair International. I would not recommend any of these companies, they are just scammers praying on insecure people.
HAIR CLUB FOR MEN SUCKS.!!
Where do I start? well, I started loosing hair at an early age. I am from Bangladesh and people in Indian subcontinent are not that picky about their looks, usually. It did not turned out to be the case later on. When I came to Canada I started loosing hair, and when I was 25, my hair from crown and front are totally gone, gone with the wind. Ha ha. I never felt insecure about my looks and baldness nor did it bother me to approach to girls. As it turned out, while being in a society where arranged marriage is still prevalent, girls do ditch any proposal from a bald person despite his career, family and other things to offer. So I went to HCM in Halifax.
I was taken to the “DOCTOR” who put a camera on my scalp and showed me the horror in close up on a big screen TV. it was just horrible. As I did not show any motion to jump into their trap, the “DOCTOR” started by telling , ” you know what , you have very beautiful eyes. I wonder how gorgeous you would look if you had hair.” My friend who came with me started to laugh after hearing this. The woman continued her charade and I enjoyed it.
So eventually, me and my friend understood the whole BS and came out of that place laughing out loud. I am glad that I did not spend any money. The whole bio-matrix BS did sound like a big joke.
I am who I am and if someone does not accept because I am bald, well I deserve a better person.
I was 25 when I decided to get a “hair system” at Appollo in Knoxville TN. It was a horrible NIGHTMARE! I had naturaly curly hair which allowed me to camolauge it somewhat until I got the fake toupe glued on my head! I went in and an older guy had an awesome piece on! It was not too thick (which made it more natural) and it was white to match the rest of his hair! I got excited bc it looked so natural. Apparently the base of the hair piece was ultra thin… I did not know what that meant. So I am taken back to a back room where clear saran wrap was placed over my head and the guy marked my bald spot with a marker. Cut a piece of my real hair and said he was sending it off to get it matched with color and density! Sounded great… I was set to come back in 4-6 weeks when ever it came in. So I ended up calling everyday after 5 weeks to see if it was in. I had to borrow 1300.00 dollors from my mother ( whom was the only one to know about it) in my family to pay for it. During the first consult I was informed that I had to buy two hair pieces bc ‘they shed’ and when one gets to thin… they have to send it back to have more hair put back in it… and during that process I would have another one to wear. So I go in for it to be put on and it was AWEFUL!. A country old red headed woman sits me down … cuts my real hair very short and then brings out my see through hair piece with extremely long dark curly hair on it. She shaves the top of my head where any remaining hair was and glued it on my head with medical glue! She then cuts the hair pieve to “blend”. The hair piece was soooo rediculously THICK! That it was obvious a hair piece! I never had hair that thick! It was so thick that it resembled a kitchen rug or carpet! Once I got home I was so embarressed I ran in so no one could see me into my own bathroom. I took thinning shears and scissors and tried to thin it out as much as poss! Still too thick! I put lots of gel on it to get the mass size of it down to a min. I worked on it a LONG time and even ripped a small spot in it to make a look a like crown on it! It was so bad. So my family said they liked it and I went to work and pple in the office said that they liked my “hair cut” I was always paranoid about it. The glue would wear out and the toup would shift off center often. I was so unhappy. The first night that I had it on… I could not sleep bc it itched sooooooo bad! I had to go bad and had the woman working there readjust it and put double sided tape un the scalp part of the piece and then glue it on bc the fake synthetic hairs on it were stabbing me! So I wore the piece for about three months until it shedded to the poing of balding! I went back for the second piece that I bought to be replaced on my head while the balding one was sent back to the “factory” to be rethreaded! The woman glued the piece on my head… and she put it on too low! My hearline was way too low! No one has a hair line like that!!! So I made her RIP it off my head and replace it! It tore my skin! This was bad. So after wearing that piece for a month I had to get it re-glued on my head bc it was comming off again! This same idiot who put the piece on too low the last time does it again! This time I left with it… I went homw and looked in the mirror and felt threatened bc of it all again! Yes my self esteem was pretty bashed by then even worse then ever. So I had a major mental breakdown … crying like a victom… I got angry and a good grip of my self and got brave. I ripped the super glued hair off of my head with the help of my mother. It took 30 minutes to rip it off. It pulled pieces of my scalp off! My pictures are horrible!!! I saved my botched scalp and began the healing process. 6 years later I still shave my head and am in freedom. I dont care who does not like it…. I am a very handsome man. My bald head is very complimentary of my attitude about this sort of thing! This whole experience was unnecessary and could have been prevented. My scalp did heal back with no scares (thank you GOD) and suggest no one get a hair piece glued on their head. It looked fake. It was constantly itching. It caused me to be more paranoid than ever and people did know it was a hair piece regardless of what they said! When I called to tell these idiots that I was not coming back they could not understand why after me telling them what had happened. So I went back to Appollo to pick up my second hair piece ( because I paid 600 bucks for it) the woman that glued it on my head too low… said how good I looked bald! OMG! Never Again. Learn from my nightmare experience.
Where are all these bald men???? I love them! I can never find any!
I currently am a hair club memeber. When I initially joined I started on the “gold” program which is a slightly thicker base. When my order came in the color match was perfect but the density was way too thick “medium”. When i saw myself in the mirrior i was horrified. I decided to try the piece out and actually wore it in public. Unfortunately the density was so thick evrryone noticed it right away. I was disgusted and demanded a better hair piece. I upgraded to the “platinum package” instantly and when it came in I saw a huge difference. The base of the platinum system is a fine french lace, which is extremely thin. With the gold package I couldn’t feel the water on my head when taking a shower or the wind when it was blowing. With the platinum package, the system was so light I was actuay able to feel the water dripping on my head in the shower as well as the wind blowing on my head. The initial density was also a medium light which was extremely natural. When I began displaying this system to friends and family they were shocked as to how real it looked. Not only was the hair from this system much finer, which made is feel and look much better, but the density matched mine perfectly. I actually had a few friends who are going bald state that when they saw my first hair piece they were amused at how fake it looked. However, after seeing my platinum system they were contemplating joining too. I just signed up for the executive plan which runs a swiss lace system which is a higher quality system than the french lace. The hair is also much finer, making it even more silky and smooth. The thing people have to remember is that you pay for what you get. Fortunately, there are ways you can make even the cheaper systems look more natural. You can request lower densities on the non lace systems (anything less than diamond system) in extra light, light medium light, medium, Ect. For lace systems medium light is the highest density and you can order down to extra light. You can also order different densities in different areas of the system. Ex: medium light for the entire system except for 1/2″ of front hairline which could be ordered in a lighter density. You can also have the knots in the systems bleached, making the hair look as though its growing from the scap. You also have to remember that you get what you pay for. The hairstylists at my hair club personally told me anything below the diamon system is crap and anything above the platinum system wasn’t worth the steep price. However, they also told me they couldn’t see why I was paying a mortgage payment on a hairpiece. So for those of you contemplating joining hairclub just remember its costly and unless you order a higher end system (platinum plus) you may not be satisfied. If you do join, during the consultation ask to see the systems that the hairclub carries and ask for the types of bases each uses. The systems run from bronze all the way up to premium. Youur going to notice a huge different between not only the quality of the hair but the bases as well as you progress up to higher level systems. Also, remind the people are hairclub to order a light or medium light system if your ordering a lower end system as medium density wlil make it look like a bear is hibernating on your head.
ANYONE whos thinking of HCM… just go bald. Women really dont care.. I did HCM when I was 26 till 29.. honestly… you can wash your hair as much as you want, its still going to feel like your wearing a cast on your head.. I mean this by.. its super oily underneath, then feels grose, then some days its over dry.. im talkin about your scalp. YOU WILL find things to run underneath it just to scratch your insanely itchy head. LISTEN TO ME YOU CANNOT DRY YOUR SCALP AFTER A SHOWER.. IMPOSSIBLE.. so when you grab that pricey hair products and the mouse or styling stuff.. your basically adding it to the wetness under the HCM. They say BLOW DRY.. but some days you dont have time to blowdry.. and your doomed for a day of insane torment. And while you lost your hair.. it was in fact the reasonong of DRY SCALP… to what are you doing with HCM everyday.. blow drying it more and more.. something you never did before. ALSO!! The sticky tape that usually goes on the front.. on your forehead ends up being a pain in the summers.. can become a rash.
No offence for HCM.. but seriously I ripped that crap off my head when I was 29.. and said who cares anymore. Its more of a pain to “think” who can see it, somedays in the summer.. who can smell it!?!?… its just a waste of your life. Try shaving your head.
Also you know the rumour wearing hats can make you bald… well if you get HCM and you still have hair on top.. just thin.. guaranteed in 2-3 years its gonna be gone by wearing this thing.
DONT DELETE MY POST OR THINK ITS A SLAM TO HCM… its just THE TRUTH.
When you get HCM.. they colour it to match your hair.. then it lasts till next visit.. then they colour it again… then the next and the next.. and trust me.. each and every visit.. this colours comes out quicker and quicker per month. I dunno maybe they have better setups then yearly “systems” like they did 15 years ago… maybe they dont I dunno.
But honestly this is just a novelty… you will enjoy it for 6-8months.. but when the day comes you find its a huge pain in the ass… its like going bald in one single day.. which you wont really want happening… and you may become a recluse for a few months. lol.
****DONT DO IT. If your concerned about women?? dont be. You get that hot girl with the HCM and eventually your going to have to explain why during sex your tape is sliding.. or coming off. Id rather be turned down by a gorgeous girl for being bald… then be in bed with one and she smells the sweat under your HCM, or your tape unattaches, or she catches your nail in your system while running her hand through it.
Dont be depressed with hairloss. You’ll be MORE DEPRESSED WITH HCM. its fkn grose.
DEAD SERIOUS. have a great day. Just saved you thousands. 😉
I just read a few posts up…. thinking my post was going to be DIFFERENT… wow everyone knows what HCM is like.
I WISH I HAD THIS WEBPAGE 15 years ago to read.. would have saved me ALOT of hassle
Any guys on here thinking about it.. read read read!! we are not lying to you.. its a nightmare.
One guy above mentions the “digging in”… YES MAN!!!!!!!! I forgot about that!! when I went in for regluing. ( i feel more stupid explaining “regluing ” today then ever!!!) Anyhow REGLUING.. you could see the line of the front of it near the temples.. where it dug in all month. Also when you leave HCM it feels like you have some chinese torture device on your head. Ever see those girls at the clubs with their hair tied back soooo tight they look oriental almost.. This is what you feel like the very first day you leave HCM.. BUT!! not a pony tail tied back.. but like your hair is tied to the ceiling!! straight up!!..
Anyhow wow like I said NOVELTY.. for 6-8 months.. trust me you’ll get sick of it .. sick of the driving to a special location every month.. using a major city.
“Hey can I buy 3 rolls of tape this week” WHAT THE FK!!! WERE WE THINKIN???
and the… ” would like our precut tape??” WHAT THE FK kind of racket was THAT!!! precut toupee tape.
Donald Trump or Howie Mandel? which appears cleaner?? you got it !! DONT DO HCM
Saved me some money.
Scott
I’m sorry about everyone’s bad experience. I was one also “suckered” by believing that wearing a rug would restore my confidence and being bald was unattractive. At first, the euphoria of having hair again never seemed to wear off. After a while, though the maintenance and discoloring became a nightmare and it took an extra 10 minutes just to get the hair to sit right after showering. Plus, at times the itch was unbearable and while I’m sure people “could tell”, I was not ready to stop hiding under my rug. Additionally, the tape and glue would ooze out and on hot days, It had a musty smell. During my time wearing it, I rarely took it off, except to wash it by hand once in a while.
Finally over 10 years ago, I finally got the courage to toss the wig for good. It felt great not only having the water hit your head while showering, but the freedom of not having to worry about being found out, etc. People don;t care if you are bald. However, I have found that most people respond in a negative way to hairpieces and coverups.
PLEASE!! if you are thinking about getting a piece, don’t! The maintenance, itching, aggravation and embarrssment are not worth it. Don’t let HCM let you feel worthless because you are bald. Learn to love yourself.
Just go bald and enjoy it no one cares for ur baldness,trust me.
Sure hair international is a scam and so is Hair club for men. There are a lot of complaints about Hair club, but guys sure hair is even more of a fraud. They will bad mouth hair club and then do the same thing themselves and give you crapy product or better yet not give you the product at all, only take your money
last year i went to HCM for supposedly 250$ scalp analysis appointment, waiting in a room, This guys shows up, starts talking about HCM and bla bla, took a picture of my scalp, and i guess that was the 250$ free scalp analysis, @ that time ill be honest i was very upset with my hair loss, i need to do something, and ill admit i was getting excited to have a full head of hair again, i showed him a picture of me when i was 21 with full head of hair and hes like yea we can def get u to look like that again in a matter of weeks, and we have a promotion right now, so i said ok ill think about and ill get back to you, hes like o but the promotion ends in couple of days, if u can put some money down to lock in the prom, so anyhow as naive as i was at the moment of excitement i gave him 100$, long story short the next couple days i had done more research and read stories like these, and i made up my mind i would rather go bald than f*#&n put sum bs rag on my head, i had gone back in 2 days to get my $ the D bag claimed that the 100$ was acquired by the company, so it took me more than 3 weeks to get my $ back, ridiculous, the guy total scammer, he made up sum bs promotion up, just to make a sell!! very bad experience, i decided to go with bosley hair transplant, @ least i know its my own hair, not some kitchen rag glued on my head…
WOW!!! This truly amazes me…. I thought i was the only one who got scammed. I was 24 years old when i went to them…. My hair loss wasnt bad but it was getting there so i wanted to cover it up before people noticed. Spoke with the sales guy and he assured me that that was all i had to pay was that one time $3500 and id be done with it… Only thing i was supposed to pay after that was for the hair cuts that wer $90 which was fine… But that was it no 290 a moth to get new systems never mentioned that once… Long story short place Sucks dont spend your money….
It is mind boggling that HCM or the other clubs are still in business. Honestly, those $3,000 pieces are made in factories in China that you can source direct over the Internet for $150. Same hairpieces. Same quality. Same everything because that is where HCM and other salons buy them. And the amazing thing is, there are much, much better pieces out there that cost a fraction as much. Many guys here mentioning the terrible hairlines (too low, too much hair, “wall of hair”), well yes. They DO look obvious and very dated. The new pieces have graduated fronts with low density so they look very natural. All human hair. Very lightweight. Maintain it yourself for the most part with some practice to save $100’s a month. You can find half a dozen sites (hairdirect, toplace, et cetera) that will sell you a piece as good and very likely better than the garbage HCM sells for $200. Look into it or just shave it off.
It seems the only thing keeping these places in business is men’s insecurities and inability to accept the flow of nature. Most men will lose some or all of their hair and there isn’t a damn thing wrong with that. Build your intellect and self- esteem through more productive means and stop trying to be something you’re not. Being who and what you are, whatever that may be, is the most attractive and sexy things you can ever do or be. Loving yourself no matter what is the answer to all of these issues. ENJOY YOUR LIFE!!!
Lift some weights. A shaved head looks good on an in shape body. Deal with what you have been delt. Im 21 and bald! and oh ya QUIT being pussys!
Well I am a former employee of HCM and what can I say other then the obvious; They are a large corporation bottom line is money. Its’ ironic because hairloss is such a personal issue and should be treated as such. I still do hair pieces on my clients because honestly if you are able to afford maintenance some people just simply like the way they look with hair. I have also seen alot of transplants gone bad and these poor guys were butchered have scars all over their heads.
More women are coming in too who just don’t want to feel like their mom’s generation and wear a wig, it reduces alot of activities that you are able to do. I feel good about what I do my clients have been coming to me for years. I don’t lie to clients I am a firm believer in Karma. I work out of a spa in Burbank and anyone that wants to wear hair you are welcome for consult. Most important its what’s inside your head not on top that matters. Life is short love yourself!
i am SERIOUSLY thinking about getting out of HCM> Had it for 11 years and have paid enough during that time to fund a nice college for my kids. need to think of them over my head of hair! maybe a few beers will talk me into it! will keep you posted.
hey guys, love this site, it has put all things in perspective. Im 24 currently on hair club, have been there for 3 years and man it has come to a point that I hate wearing a hairpiece really. They ripped me off with the “matrix” thing and these 3 years have been horrible. I want to end this by cancelling my subscription of hair club and buzzing it all off like bruce willis. My only fear is the impact this will have when I see myself in the mirror again, cause right now I look really young, without hair I know i’ll look a lot older. Plus the reaction of people seeing me one day with a full head of hair, and the next day with a bald head. I’m scared if this will impact me in a negative way psychologically, cause im currently depressed as hell right now. But something tells me If I accept myself bald I’ll be free and be myself again. What do you guys think I should do?
ok guys i did it! so happy and my wife loves it! if you’re on the fence about this, just do it! you’ll feel so much better after… and do the math. i figured if I put the cost of hmc into a mutual fund earning 5% over the next 20 years, I just saved myself $138,000!
I’m happy for you. Welcome to the bald club jejeje, I also got out of hair club last week, best decision I’ve ever made in my life, feel so free and happy, no more insecurity no more thinking about the wig, awesome really, cant describe the feeling. Proud to be bald for life !
I was with HCM for few years and I went through the hell, I spent more then 8000.00 $ a year for the ugly rug and was very unhappy. It never look natural, the color did not much with my own hair and I was slave to it. Finally I lost my job and could not afforded there for I shaved it off and that was the best thing that I did. Now I am free as a bird, no Insucurity, no itching amd discomfort and no worry when I travel……My advice to the others who are thinking doing it DO NOT ..YOU WILL BE SORRY AND BROKE AND GOD HELP YOU IF YOU ARE ON A DATING SENCE … You will be miserable and have to say goodbye to your social life and dating.
All the best
REMEMBER THIS NAME Jernigan’s Hair Replacement Clinic, Raleigh, N.C. Also remember the owners name Susan.
I started my journey a month ago and it has been a journey of hell. After the consult my unit came in many weeks later and I questioned the color and the density of the unit and they kept saying it was the color of my hair. OK D/A I can be I let them glue this thing to my head and tape it in the front. When they taped I said, how am I to swim in this with the tape? I was told you could. So I got this THING on my head and I head out to run some errands well two hours later the tape had peeled off. Swim sure hehehehehhe!. I get up in the morning and I wash it with their shampoo and put their cream rinse on this THING. Get out of the shower and pat this THING with a towel to somehow dry it. When I looked into the mirror, I SCREAMED SO LOUD THAT THE DOGS STAYED UNDER THE BED THE REST OF THE DAY. I had the biggest Afro for any white man.
I got dressed and was at their door when they opened. Guess what? I didn’t have to wait 7-8 weeks for another unit after measuring my head that very first consult, they had a unit on hand that was exactly my size. I gave them a second chance and the color was almost perfect and really loved the cut in. Washing it wasn’t a problem until one morning it matted so bad a hand full of the hair pulled out and once again I am at their door to fix the problem. They told me my new unit would be ordered and in about 6-7 weeks and I shall see a difference. The owner Susan was really rough with me as this was twice I had complained. I asked for my money back and was told we don’t do refunds but I will give you half back. I should have taken it but the D/A in me decided to give them another chance. Two nights ago I woke up in pain; half of the unit was peeled back along with my own hair being pulled with it. I thought, ok, I have an appointment tomorrow I will just deal with it until then. The morning of the appointment it had peeled all the way back and had jerked a bald spot where I do have hair. I called and left them a message as to what happened and that I wanted a full refund. After many calls and many e-mails, since Yesterday, August 2, 2012, I have yet to hear from them. Also once I had this THING off my head it was nearly bald and I was told a unit would last from 6-12 months. It made me feel good as it softened my looks and made me look younger but from what I have read on here it does not matter any longer. I will fore go the itching and worry about other problems. I plan to put this out to the news stations here in the Raleigh Area so that they hopefully will stop other men making such stupid decisions. JERINIGAN’S YOU SUCK RAW DOG POOP.
I have been with HCM for several years and I am now in my early forties. I try not to think about the money I have spent doing this since I was 25. However, it has come to a point where I am considering ending it. As the costs have gone up, the service and quality of the experience has gone down. I have had several of the same issues everybody else mentions here. When I have complained to the manager at my HCM location, she gives me all of the corporate responses. For me, I’m sort of fortunate because I have a great relationship with my stylist who I have been going to the entire time. She has let me in on “inside information” and not that I needed it but it’s good to hear it from her. It truly is all about the money to them. If you have done this, guys….you know what I am talking about. You’re sitting in the lobby with other guys and you can tell each one of them is wearing something. For some, I have even wanted to go up to and tell them and make a suggestion. Then it made me wonder, are they saying the same thing about me? Do I look like that? I truly am scared to death to shave my head but I have been thinking about it so much. Hair was important to me at 35, but it’s not at 45. I really don’t care any longer. All of a sudden, I feel like I am living a lie. I just don’t know what to say to people when I show up the next day bald.
Do what you have to do, Rob! The only way the ripoffs will stop is if these people are exposed for what they do –prey on people’s (mostly men’s) vulnerabilities!
AND PREYING ON VULNERABILITIES REALLY SUCKS!
Hey there website is great thanks everyone !
Been a Hcm member for 4 years it has boosted my confidence in some areas however in others it has weekend . I feel trapped 3800 bucks a year come on!!
And not to mention how the “system ” moves once your hair underneath grows yuck
Iam just really concerned about going from hair to bald . Any further advise ??
Thanks
HCMW in Houston sucks blood clot. They messed up my initial measurements, ordered a half fro, and before I knew what was up the stylist glued the half fro on my head and said “blending” a half fro with my hair makes an full fro. Really? So she proceded to ‘blend”. Forgetaboutit. I told the stylist to take it off and give me my money back. She soaked the glue for a some minutes, snd painstakenly took the %#^@! off my head. I took pictures of my head with my cell, so I have those.The “manager came in and tried talking me into trying another program and offered me 3 months free. He said ” think about it and let me know next Friday. If u still want a refund, I, MANAGER, guarantee 100% refund, since we dropped the ball”. So I went back next Friday and went through the rigomorow of filling out “refund within 30 days agreement” paper work. I knew he was a liar then, but I didnt want to accept the fact at the time. 30 days have since come and gone, and as usual, the evasion of my telephone calls continue. Really? HCMW really? what is ur problem. People out there, I am telling u, u can’t make this up. This is real. These HCMW need to be prosecuted…they should be in jail just as if they had run up to u and snatched ur pocket book.
Hey John,
I just wanted to stay that I stumbled onto this article and was touched by what a kind and thoughtful person you sound like. Very positive. I’m glad you took care of yourself and were generous enough to take the time to let others know about your experiences.
Warmly,
Danielle
In Pennsylvania, we have an Office of Consumer Protection which operates under the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office. I am assuming that other states have such an entity, too. If so, it would be wise to file complaints with these offices. Our Office of Consumer Protection in PA is excellent. Calling on your own, and not having a legal entity behind you is like a waste of time.
Dear John P.,
Your testimony has made all the difference to me. I was being constantly called by a Hair Club for Men about going for a consultation, I finally agreed but before making an appointment I did some research and found you. I appreciate your advice, I will be confident in myself and not go to HCM for anything. Thank you John.
Kel
I’m just pissed off. I want to know how can I take legal action on this, the bio matrix crap does not work at all. Please, if someone can give me some advice I will be very thankful.
I have been a member since 1992, it’s now Sept 7th 2012, OMG I have been doing this for 20 years?
I have spent more money with HCM then I have in my savings and equity!
I have more experience with HCM then most stylist and branch managers, I have seen it all, good systems, bad systems, and the best and worst of the HCM management teams.
I was 30 yrs old when I started and was only thinning, so I didn’t want to wait and get an overnight fix when I was bald, I figured if I do it while I was thinning it wouldn’t be a drastic change and I could just go with it. I will admit at 30 I was interested in looking young as I was a “player”, night clubs, meeting different girls every weekend and such, so I needed to have the look especially living in LA, my biggest problem was women wanting to run their fingers through my hair because it was so full. I would tell them I was in a car accident and still had stitches in my head so they could not grab my head. (surprisingly this worked) I also became an expert of knowing exactly when and how far to let a woman run her fingers through my hair before I stopped them. I also learned how to manipulate my systems to look better then the stylist could ever do, I also invented the perfect camouflage to fix a bad system and it’s simple, sun glasses, yep sunglasses, just put them on your head (A cool pair of glasses, Ray Bans worked great), pushed down toward your front hairline and BOOM, you look cool and it helps with the hairline.
OK, here is the deal, I am now 50, and the only thing stoping me from shaving my head in the extra 30 lbs over my belt. I have made a deal with my wife, I lose the 30 and then shave the head.
Guys, if your going to shave your head, you have to be in decent shape and a little tan, and hopefully you have a well shaped head.
OK, speaking of weight here is the skinny on HCM. Years ago the systems were much better, because of economic times obviously the product has suffered. The prices are ridicules and to be honest the stylist and mangers have no choice but to protect their jobs and try to appease us just to get to the next client.
They don’t understand that when you leave the center after getting a bad system that your nightmare is just starting and theirs is over. For 30 days, we still have to wear hats, spend countless hours trying to camouflage an awful system, it will make you scream and get so frustrated that you become irritable and sensitive to anyone talking about your hair. It’s an AWFUL experience.
If I was to do it all over again I would never have done it, there are exceptions, if you have a really bad shaped head, scars, or maybe you just look awful bald then by all means do something that makes you happy, but check your options, HCM is now just a factory and they want you in and out of the center and have no choice to care less how you feel or look. Their job is to make you look half way decent while in the center, and then kick you out, so you can go home and see within the daylight and decent lighting how bad you look.
Jan 1st will be my shave day or should I call it my liberation day! John Stathem is now my new hero (see online) I just read an article in GQ, bald can be very cool, read the tips and change your attitude and just go with it.
This is an honest assessment of my 20 years, I am still a member, and I can’t wait to be free of this handicap and hardship I have had to endure.
Thanks for letting me vent, no pun intended 😉
Michael
Hi there,
When you look at possible solutions to keep or regrow your hair there are tons of different offers available – and of course a lot of them are scams.
I was looking for a more reliable company and went to the Hair Club for Men (in Boston). I leave it up to you to decide if you want to also do business with them or consider them as scam – below is an extract of the file I claimed with the General Autorney of MA:
9/1/12 I singed an agreement for a 1 year contract to receive the EXT Extreme Hair Therapy worth $3182.95. The contract states: “I may cancel the agreement by notifying the company, in writing, postmarked within 3 business days from the date of this agreement.I will be entitled to a full refund of all money paid by me to the company under this agreement”. I cancelled the agreement on 9/5/12. I also handed back all products that I received from the hair club (e.g. Hair Shampoo, Hair Conditioner, Vitamin Pills). All products had not been used by me,the Vitamins were still sealed. Unfortunately the Hairclub refuses to give me my money back. They first wanted to have a further consultation with me. After a phone call today (9th) I was told that I need to sign first another agreement to get my money back and that I will be charged $500(!) for the returned products as their policy is to not take products back. The contract does not state any clauses like this, nor are the prices for shampoo etc. stated.
I received the feedback that this is not the first complain about the Hair Club in Boston.
So in the meanwhile my lawer is involved… Their products might or might not help – the doctors I consulted said that only Rogane etc. can help – but the business practice of the Hair Club shows that you are not dealing with a trust worthy partner.
Best,
cst
I’m embarrassed to say I was a member of Hair Club for too long. After being treated like a second class citizen by their staff for the last two years I was with them, I cancelled my last appointment and took a shaver to my head to remove the fake hair and then a razor to take it down to the scalp. I have not been happier! I can’t believe how freeing it was to see my shaved head in the mirror–and I LOVED what I saw. I haven’t ever regretted getting rid of Hair Club. They preyed on my insecurities, gave me trainees to work on my hair who were incompetent because I couldn’t afford their Platinum service (something like $4,000 a year plus products).
I feel more masculine, am more confident knowing that what people see is just me, and I have more positive feedback about my new look than I ever did wearing the fake thing on my head. Anybody considering Hair Club should first consider whether they want to be tied to something that will drain their bank account, provide anxiety on a regular basis, and take up hours and hours of their time for frequent appointments to maintain the hair piece. For me, shaving my head was the greatest feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually!
CST — all those claims of “hair regrowth” are scams — except for Rogaine!
Please don’t let fear or vanity rob you of the money I am sure you work very hard for!
I just received my HCFM hair piece. I drive from Westfield Mass, to Farmington Connecticut. so far they have put it on twice. It will NOT stay on. I am frustrated and upset. I have talked with the manager who tells me they will make it right. However, the more I do this, the worse I feel. If you are thinking of going to Hair Club for Men, think again. Remember, what are you going to do with this one, two, three years down the road. I can almost guarantee it will not work. I have spent almost $5000.00 dollars for nothing. My head itches, it doesnt feel right and now I am stupid for being so vain. Basically I have a toupee glued to my head that wont stay on. If they had brought out the socalled MATRIX mesh when they first talked to me, I would have walked. But they make you think that the fusion process is actually going to be with your follicles. DONT BE STUPID lik me.
Hello,
I am currently a HC member, I am 31 i have been with the club for 6 months now and i hate it. I feel more unsecure now than ever before. the piece i currently have doesn’t even fit so they had to leave the hair in the back long to cover the bald area.
I really want to get rid of it but i cannot seem to find the courage to shave my head completely. It is sucm a mission the upkeep and the products you need to use. im in new orleans so the heat and humidity here just makes me feel like i am always dirty and gunky up there.
For those of you going bald DONT! go to HCM they sell you dreams through tv it will not at all be what you expected.
Hi Everyone, If im not happy being a young man with a shaved head and not a candidate for a transplant, any suggestions? everyone seems so pissed at these hair piece ompanies. Im sure they have some happy customers. any of them out there can comment please.
Dear Anna T. There is no happy customer when comes to hair replacement, whoever claims that is happy with the ugly,costly and disgusting hairpiece which makes him to look like a clown either is in denial or delusional. Believe me I been there and done that. I feel shaved head looks and feels ways better than fake hairpiece. I suggest that you should work on your insecurity and try to love yourself the way you are. Also keep in mind that any type of hair replacement in any shape or forms is very costly, inconvenient and looks fake, when comes to hair replacement no one has been able to copy the Mother Nature so far.
Good luck and all the best
Unhappy former customer
As Soon as I faxed a “Letter Demanding Fix Or Refund,” There was no “bio matrix” but a WIG at the cost of almost $2000.00 that lasts six to eight weeks but then you need a new one at same cost unless you agree or are fooled to become a full member with monthly payments of hundreds and thousands yearly. Hair club deliberately and purposely hide these facts. Also they don’t tell you the procedures involving use of liquid glue and tapes, which is quite messy, dirty, itchy and the WIG shifts side to side hours after fitted to your scalp. At first they make it sound like it involves only one payment up front and just $100.00 to maintain. All you get is one visit per week, warm water shampoo wash, a couple of misrepresented products and few new hair pieces per year at the cost of one’s mortgage.
My advice to those who like to wear a WIG like myself is that to go on line and do all your shopping and do it yourself and it will save you hundreds monthly, thousand yearly.
Hair Club is a rip off nationwide and does not honor their contract. Take it from a person currently in battle with them. This club is run by people who don’t have a shred of decency and manages to ignore all which is good and decent.
I was a member since 1990. I was 20 years old and very insecure about my hair. It starting thinning when I was 18 which is too young. I was a shy guy and I was very good looking with my former full head of hair. Looking back now, I see how foolish I was in so many ways, and this being one of them. I let my so-called friends define me as they noticed my thinning hair, saying things like you will be “bald by 30.”
I had mostly good experiences with the system. It did look good on me, and it fooled most people most of the time. Even my wife was fooled for several months when we first met. The things I didn’t like was the maintenance and the itching people describe here. Bu the itching for me came because I wouldn’t wash underneath the mesh but once every two weeks. The system always stayed on good. I was on the lowest tiered plan, the bronze system, but that’s really expensive. And one thing I never realized when I was 20 was inflation. The rices only kept creeping up. At the end, I was paying a little over $300 a month, and that’s buying shampoo from the dollar store. I would go once every 6 weeks for service to keep the costs as low as possible, but after 6 weeks your “system” gets loose and discolored some from the sun.
I wish I was happier in my own skin back then. I finally took it off last year, in the year 2013. I could have bought a house and more with all the money lost on HCM, and all the compounded interest I lost out on. It was financial stress for over 20 years and I have nothing to show for it. I decided to shave my head bald like so many action heroes in Hollywood these days. And I look good. I’ve had many compliments. I would have done this ten years earlier, but my biggest fear was the drastic change my co-workers, friends, etc. would see the next day. How would I explain it? I felt trapped for so many years, being a shy person. It was the fear of explaining wat happened to the hair I had the day before.
The funny thing is, some people didn’t even notice what was different about me. Most did, and most asked why I shaved my head. I said it was hot, and I just wanted change. Some people as me to this day if Ill ever let it grow back again, but those comments are getting very rare and few between. Some said, “grow it back,.” Some said, “you look awesome.” Some said, “You look mean now, Mike. I don’t want to mess you with you.” LOL But I’m soo FREE. And NOBODY realizes that it was a system. They all think I chose to go bald, which is cool. I like the entire shaved head. Actually, i don’t like having to shave every day, but I like it more than the system. And I LOVE not having to spend over $300 a month anymore. I actually walked out of HCM with a shaved head my final day, and I stiffed them on the last payment i owed them. I feel like they got enough money from me over the last 20 years that I kept my last payment.
The end.
Please don’t go to HC…this is a rip-off. I have spent over 5000 dollars in less than a year. After a month wearing this “wig” I started to loose all the hair….Yes… I was almost bald again. I had to wait until my new arrival……and the front part of the lace OMG…….. I have to put glue everyday and spend the day pushing it down..My suggestion is shave your hair and use your money on a trip to Mexico or Europe. ONE word to describe HC is NIGHTMARE!!!!!!
Hi,
I am sick and tired of Hairclub and want to come out of their clutches. Appreciate any advice on the problem I have. I have been a slave of Hairclub for the past 3 yrs from the moment I was fooled 3 yrs. ago. I have white colored marks on my scalp where those idiots glued the hairpiece (probably becos of lack of sunlight). I took the hairpiece off at home and the marks look very embarrassing. Am not sure at this point those white colored marks will eventually go off or are they going to remain on my scalp permanently. I am finding it difficult to go to work with these white marks. Please please please advise.
Regards
Sam
Stop with the nightmares! Just shave your head. Try your best to get in good shape. My story in a nut shell is as follows.
Current age 34 Age at the time of Hair Piece 25
I had a hair piece put on in Knoxville TN off of Park side. NIGHTMARE!
The older woman was terrible that put it on me! The hair piece was WAY TOO THICK!
She glued it on my head WAY TOO LOW! No one has a hair line that low! Not even Theresa Guidice from RW of NJ! lol…hahahhaha. It itched so terribly. Yes, I cried like a fool when I got home. I was in college at the time. I ripped some of the hair out of that piece bc it was so ridiculously thick. It was humiliating at that time. So, I did the best thing I could have. And that was finally pull that damn thing off my head. I had too bc the idiot ( red haired older woman ) put that hair piece so low. It was ( again ) terrible. I ripped it off my head after my duplicate piece was put on ( while sending my first unit back to be refilled or “serviced” by people in India who get paid 0.01 ( one penny ) an hour to hand sow the fake hair back in the system. I could not live like that. I had my mother help me pull it off. It ripped skin off of my head! wow! Since, then I shave my head and just go on in life. I keep my body in shape and that would be the advice I give others. Go natural and take care of yourself. The only way I would consider trying that again is if I ordered one online for much less and putting it on my self only when I get some more gray in my hair. I noticed gray hair pieces look more natural. Anyway, God Bless you guys. It is not easy but you can do it! Be confident.
WOW!!! thanks Johnny…
I M AN ARTIST OF SKIN, I HAVE BEEN WORKINGLOCALLY WITH A GENTLEMAN (PAUL), THAT HAS TERRIBLE SCARING BECAUSE OF HAIR TRANSPLANT PROCEDURE. after CONSULTING A FEW ARTISTS AND EVEN HAVING SOME OF THEM TRY TO HIDE SCARS HE WAS NO BETTER OFF THEN BEFORE. PAUL AND MYSELF HAVE SPENT UNCOUNTED HOURS RESEARCHING A SOLUTION USING INK TO HIDE SCARS. !
WE FEEL WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DEVELOPING A 4 SESSION PROCEDURE IN HIDING THESE HORRIFIC SCARS ! W USE 2 TYPES OF MACHINES [TATTOO AND MICROPIGMENTATION] TO CREATE DULLING OF THE REDNESS ASSOCIATED WITH SCARS, AND CREATING FAUX HAIRS.
fO RTHE FIRST TIME IN HI LIFE , PAUL FEELS CNFIDENT IN PUBLIC AS HIS SCARS ARE ALMOST INVISIBLE . CALL ME FOR MORE INFO MICHAEL LUDOWISE 712.642.9066
I was with HCM when I first started wearing hair 3 years ago. It was a nightmare. Their pieces were extremely poor quality and they never got it right. I’m surprised I managed to stay with them that long.
As soon as my “contract” ended with them, I began researching ways to do it myself online. For the past year I’ve been ordering my own custom hair pieces, and putting them on the way I like it. It’s actually a great feeling to have full control over your hair piece, and since my scalp is always so oily I take the piece off and clean my scalp twice a week.
Don’t bother with HCM, they’re just in it for the money. If you do it yourself you could have a great look for just $150 a month.
All I have to say is, thank God for the internet. How many people went through nightmares like these because of infomercials like Hair Club for Men. It’s just not Hair Club for Men, how many thousands of infomercials of products and services have come on and gone over the last 30 years? Most of the years being pre-internet era. No matter how you feel about the internet, this is one of the major perks of the internet is that you get to see REAL and HONEST reviews (which might not last long, so take advantage of it all now before big brother and big corps take over and censor the heck out of everything!).
Let’s all take a minute and thank God for a blessing like blogs, comments and review sections. It really is a true gift. Please God let them remain uncensored and untouched by anyone.
I was suckered into a hair system. I thought it would only cover the bald patch on top of head, but when I received the system it covered the whole head except the lower back of the head. They had me to return in thee days and for whatever reason painfully removed it and pulled out all my hair where glued. Now, I was stuck, I had no choice but to wear a system for life, at least that is what I thought at the time. I wore a system for six years, then I decided to take my hair in my own hands. I purchased the glue remover and removed the system to find my whole head of hair had thinned. I started a re-growth my hair journey. Washed my hair twice a week, massaged daily, moisturized daily. In less than three months I saw new regrowth and my hair started to get thicker, but I had a deep itchy scalp, so I went to a dermatologist and he gave me a prescription for a steroid solution to apply twice a day. The itch is gone and my hair is still growing. My baldness was caused from severe stress and not hereditary ,so I did not need a system Please do your research before taking for granted you need a hair system. If you are a lady, wear a wig and if you are a man shave it all off because a bald man is sexy.
Whatever you do, do NOT a Hair System. It is a scam and the price is more that it is worth.
I am not a member of HC and never will be.
I do wear a hairpiece and I am happy with it. My cost? Approx. $ 500 a year. How? Go online and find out how things work. You can find a descent hairpiece for less than $300. Take a 50% real hair and 50% synthetic, this will help maintaining the color and it will fade slow. The secret is to go to an experienced hairdresser how knows how to cut a hairpiece. It doesnt matter if the hair is to thick, he/she can thin it out. It takes me less than an hour a week to take it of, clean my head and put on the tape and put it back on. My wife cuts my hair ones every 6 weeks and she is not a hairdresser. Just wear your hair a little messy. I dont like swimming but I have no problem putting my hair under the shower. I train martial arts a couple of times a week and sweat a lot but I never was afraid of losing my system. I felt very insecure when I started wearing them, 10 years ago, but after a while you get familiar with it and that makes it a lot easier. I wear my system for a year, sometimes longer depending on the wear. Of course it can happen that you have small bald spot but so far nothing a marker couldnt mask. I have scars from previous hair transplants that shaving is, for now, not an option. Be innovative, tape cost me approx. $60 a year, I use regular mild shampoo, and to clean the tape residue of my head I use a mix of 99% rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover. Together 10 bucks. There are enough instruction videos online how to do things, good luck.
I was duped into getting a system HC made it sound like a one time thing not something that you have to keep paying on a yearly basis. Got a FUE HT last year in Istanbul I couldn’t be happier
john thank you my friend. u explained it so nicely and first of all you took time……i really appreciate it and all your enthusiasam.,….i am going to just love me for whom i am and not get into this fucking scam. i visited them today and was so convinced, but being a smart ass i am i told them straight up i need time to think and to fuck off for now.,…i cant wait to call the lady tomorrow and tell her she should be looking for a new fucking job.,…shes an embassment to the society we live in. i am successful and hopefully nothing changes that…..i dont need this crap to feel good bout myself. thank you, Sir John 🙂 wish you the best my friend. im gona make another drink and count on my money that you saved me.. 🙂
Anuj
Guys – I dont have anything else to say apart from what John has mentioned. I cud see myself in every sentence John has written except that I was infact duped into wearing it for 2 years. Finally I said, enough is enough and am proud to have made the decision to peel the matrix off and live free.
thanks
I started losing my hair in my 20’s. It bothered me. Saw a commercial, made an appointment, and got the system. I was well aware that it was going to be a hairpiece. I had a hard time managing it the first few months, and had trouble when a new system was ordered, but I have to admit, once I got the hang of it, It changed my life. People treated me differently, which I saw a report on Dateline years earlier that guys balding at a party were treated differently at the same party when they applied a hairpiece. I started lifting weights and put on 40lbs of muscle in one summer ( i was severely underweight, and balding). After a year of wearing the hairpiece and learning the ropes, I moved onto another system Omni Hair and had a different Barber. People I worked with forgot I wore a hairpiece, and my life was so different then it was previously. I highly recommend wear a hairpiece if you are in your 20’s and 30’s. Go to a hair stylist instead of a barber to get the cut you want. There are many places that have great hair pieces in larger cities like LA, NEW YORK, SAN FRAN, SAN DIEGO, etc. It will change your life once you know how to wear it an make it look natural. When I turned 40 I decided to take it off and shave my head. That actually made me look younger and hotter with my new muscle body, however, as I get older, having no protection on your head can cause dark sun spots. So if you take it off and shave ur head, ALWAYS wear sunscreen. Go for it, but learn how to take care of ur system and style it at home, dye it so it looks real when needed. Remember that people forget after a while, and if someone ask u if its a piece, own up to it. Lying makes u look foolish.,
My name is Terri Rink and I have a hair replacement company in Studio City California I have read your comments and I understand the predicament. I was employed by the hair club for men many years ago. I have had my own hair replacement Center for the last 30 years and I’ve had the majority of my clients for the last 30 years. All of which would tell you that they are very happy with their decision. It’s certainly not for everyone and I’m not taking away your experience it sounds terrible. I am a very empathetic woman I understand the feelings you are having and how uncomfortable it is sometimes to be out in the world and feel different. Not every place is out for your money, however it is a business but it takes a lot of skill to make this look natural. It is something I really enjoy and I do my best to help people who really want to service. Honestly over the past 30 years and 150 clients I’ve had maybe 25 people decide that they’re not going to wear it anymore. some people who have worn it for years decide to remove it. They got to the point in there where it made more sense to take it off shave their head get that tattoo hair that they’re doing now days and that’s fine because peoples lives change. I help them through their transition with that as well. All I can say is that it’s an individual decision and you need to find the right person for you that is the road you’re going to go down. I have had the good luck and blessings to have had the most amazing clients who I consider family for the past 30 years. Please reach out if you ever want to talk to me at terrirink1@sbcglobal.net I have a wealth of knowledge and would be happy to assist you. Have a great day Terri Rink
I started to lose my hair back when I was 28. Started losing in on the back of my head. I was constantly teased espacially by one co-worker who would say, “Hey Rick, you’ve got a blad spot, don’t woory about it”. I don’t know what kind of insercurity he was trying to project on me but he was expecting a child he couldn’t afford so I would remind him of that whenever he’s try to bother me about my hair loss.
There were other instances too at my work. There was one guy who was about 5’6 who again would project his own insecurities onto me. Whenever a female co-worker would compliment what I was wearing he would always say “Too bad he can’t keep his hiar” I would come back with “This from a guy who needs a booster seat when he goes out to eat” I would just have a comeback for them each and every time.
The teasing about it continued for years and years. I would watch the commercials with these 40+ guys with these 20 y.o women and think yeah right. I always knew these clubs, products and systems were too good to be true. The trick for me was to be comfortable in my own skin and not worry what people thought about me. People can like me, love me or hate me the only important thing in my life is my ability to get up each morning and go to work, contribute something to society. What people think of my appearance is their problem. I’m sure they have many issues of their own.
I am married (17 years now) no kids and run my own business. The trick is to be happy with what you have and don’t worry about what you don’t or the way people think about you.
Like everything else in life, everyone can have different experience. I have been a Hair Club member for 4 years now. John describes the initial meetings accurately. However, I can tell you my experience with them has been completely different. I pay about $500 per month and I go there every 3 weeks. Every 6 weeks I get a new “matrix.” I started off with a cheaper matrix and was going every 4 weeks and getting a new one every 8 weeks. I have now settled into the 3-6 weeks. I can honestly tell you that it has changed my life. I am 48 years old and I look like I am 35 years old. It took me about 2 years to really get it. If I had one advice, it would be to experiment with the hair style, until you find the style that not only looks good for you, but it looks natural. If you have to color your side burns like me to make it look natural do it. I guarantee you that, if you saw me, you would never know that I have a fake hair piece on. Even during the first two years when I really did not know what I was doing, women would tell me how much younger I look. Now, everything about it is awesome. I have become a master at getting out of the shower and styling my hair. During the first two years, I would look in the mirror and wonder if anyone can tell it is fake. Now, I NEVER EVER look in the mirror and think that it looks fake. My own mother even says it looks awesome. I have had some problems over the past 4 years with the matrix coming off or seeing some glue. That has happened only 3 times. The key is to find a stylist who is very good at putting on the matrix. If you experience it coming off, ask the center to change you to a different stylist. Keep changing until you find one that puts your matrix on good every time. Once you find the one who does it well, make your appointments only with him or her. I have a brother who is also a client of Hair Club. He will tell you the same thing: he loves it. We both have said I will pay that $500 per month for the rest of my life.
I feel so sorry for you, I hope that you are well and all has worked out for you. Can you give us an update?
Hey i just wanted to comment on the hair systems. I didnt go to hair club for men i did however did a lot of online research and the bbb told me not to go to the big chain companies so i talked to my friend who has a salon explained what it was that i wanted to do. So i bought a piece from hairpiece warehouse which was cheap enough but wasnt very good quality but i figured it was my tester piece and it worked out ok it only lasted about a month but during that month i got very good at applying it myself. And it does totally change your life makes you feel younger and more confident and in turn happier. The last piece i purchases was from superpieces.com the quality seems much better than the last and it was a better price.
I have paid and scheduled an appointment to have my hair replaced by the non surgical system. I understand about the monthly payments and feel fine about that. What’s beginning to make me nervous is that I’m not really sure I even need it that bad. I went in to see if they could help prevent my hair from getting thinner. It has thinned with age. But it actually covers my entire head with no bald spots. When I signed I did not realize that they shave your hair off and glue a piece on. That’s my fault for not asking enough? So know I wonder, do I try to get out of it? Or just go through with it and try it until my contract runs out? I’m scheduled soon and very nervous
I was scheduled to have a non surgical hair replacement procedure. After reading comments on this site, I started having second thoughts. After reading Terry’s comments above, I e-mailed her to ask additional questions. After further consideration I decided to not have the procedure. Thank you to Terry and all others who took time comment and tell their story
some of these comments you act like you lost a leg or your penis or something. its hair. some guy have hair and keep a shaved head. try being in a wheelchair for 12 years then see whats important in life. before you spend hours and hours visiting a hair place and maybe spending money just grab an old wheelchair if you can and make yourself sit in it all day trying to live as a paralyzed person has to. you cant reach anything hardly. try and open the oven to put in something to cook. the chairs in the way. back up………..now you cant reach to put it in cause your to far back. enjoy having good health and who cares about how much hair you got.
RE: HAIRCLUB, MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, CANADA
The HOROR stories on this site are TRUE after my experience. Some of the HC people I was exposed to were deceptive and not entirely honest. The whole process is a scam and not what anyone would expect. They have all likely be to the same scam school to get all the catch phrases, masked expressions and controlled answers down pat. The initial cost is high enough but the unknown costs of maintenance after the initial deal runs out in a few months is horrendous. I was told it would be about $85. every 4 to 6 weeks which I was prepared to pay. However, when the time came the quote was approximately $275. to $350. PER MONTH. In addition of course you have to buy all their different hair care products of which I have at least 8 different bottles. If this is the quote no doubt the actuals will be considerably more.
BE AWARE of these sweet talking scamsters in Mississauga Ontario Canada
It is probably better to get yourself a toupe.
I was a client of HCM for almost 4 years. I to went through the shock of having my head shaved the day I got my “new hair”. I felt I was mislead. I wear my hair long (about 5″ over my shoulder). I was thinning quite a bit on the crown, that was all, I wasn’t bald. I was just very self conscious about it. I found myself wearing hats more and more often. It’s still hard for me to believe that I actually went through with it and that the HCM salesperson was morally “ok” with letting me go through with it. Like I said, I wasn’t bald, just thinning on the crown. I did the shave your head/matrix process for 3 years. By a complete stroke of luck (right at the third year) my regular stylist was out sick and I was put with Tim, a male stylist. He removed my matrix and noticed I had just a thinning spot on my crown. He asked me why I was shaving my head each time and not using the clip method? I simply told him that I had no idea what that was. He proceeds to tell me ” Oh ya, lots of the woman use the “clips” so they don’t have to shave their head. He asked if I was in a hurry, I said no, he said ok, let me have them put in clips and tell your regular stylist (Brenda) that u are on the clips now and don’t need to be shaved. Needless to say, I used the clips for roughly another 7-8 months until my hair grew out enough and then I called HCM and told them not to renew my contract for the up coming year. Tim had turned me on to products like hair fibers and the spray in fibers. I use Rogain now and the spray in fibers. Let me tell you, it works fantastic!!! I never did any research on any of that kind of stuff. I wish I had because I would of saved literally thousands of dollars and would of never had to wear a wig.
If you loose your hair go through it , some people loose hands , legs etc … you won’t be less , these HC ads make people look like they are worthless , be happy friends you are alive . If I ever lost my hair it would be ok , there are lots of good reasons to just look into that …
Hello John P! Thanks for sharing your story with us…I laughed so hard!!! Wow!!! Guys, just be who you are and live your life…just be thankful you have your health and a sound mind. Things could always be worse. This is coming from a female.
Scl
BS, if you want to loose your money is all you going to get, I was under their treatment one year, didn’t work,,
Been a member for 30 years after today not sure if that’s going to stay the same after having this thing fall off time and time again I finally had a pow-wow with them they tried to brush it off as I must be something wrong with my head or my hair or my skin 20 years ago Hair Club for Men with a pretty decent company but since system sperling sold the business and it became franchised they have gone downhill no respect for the customer only concerned with profit margins my advice to anyone thinking about Hair Club for Men don’t do it even if you’re happy with it you will pay thousands of dollars over the years to maintain buying new hair pieces excuse me wigs although they don’t like you to call them that when I first started they preferred system now with the Matrix no it’s still just a wig in addition to all this BS what my original salesperson Joe Corso enter the room and found that I was displeased tried to tell me that I could no longer go to Hair Club I told him fine I’ll call my lawyer needless to say after cooler heads prevail they decided to let me continue to be a client they’re in for a big damn surprise when I find a replacement for their ass
My husband had the same “horrible” experience at the Beverly Hills office. These people lie. They offer a lot of false hope for a really big price. They are deceitful and evasive. All they did on my husband head was glue on a hair piece, never matched the color and texture nothing similar with his natural hair. They took almost $5000 out his pocket. They have hidden cost that never explain to the customer before they start the procedure. I would not recommend them to anyone, I would only recommend that no one else get caught in that trap.
were do i go to get my hear to grow back in ont canada
12-19-16 Re the negative remarks- I was a Hair Club client at the Indianapolis, IN location for approximately 12 yrs. Only reason for stopping was advanced age (75) made monthly 6 hour round trip very tiring. Had NO adverse experience. Entire staff very professional and always made me feel valued. As for system – water skied with no problems. Being from town of 4200 & working daily with many people it was no secret I had the system but spent 3 & 5 day golf trips with new friends who had no clue until I told them. Wife of local wearer of very obvious toupee told me she “wished husband would go where I do”.
Larry Dutton
Lawrenceville, IL
Thank you so much. I almost got screwed. After reading this, noway i want to do it. My dad was bald. Like father like son. Now I appreciate my baldness.
I was looking at the HCM website thinking about it then googled reviews.
THANK YOU for stopping me from clicking that the button !
Thank you John P. for sharing this insightful account of your experience. I am really happy to hear that you managed to get a refund.
After a good ten years of continually thinning hair, I did not have any fully bald spots but had thin enough hair in irregular places that one can easily see through. God forbid there was a strong breeze. Though I was physically fit and healthy, I looked sick (or at least that’s how I felt I looked). I had tried all types of over the counter products, including various forms of Rogaine, but nothing seemed to really do anything. So I got fed up and decided to try something more substantive. I went to HCFM back in 2010 to try it out. Stupid decision on my part.
To me, that organization is designed to take advantage of insecure people like myself who were hoping/wishing for a solution and naive enough to believe something that’s too good to be true. I met with various “hair loss specialists” who were really just attractive salespeople with zero medical experience trying to sign you up for anything they can persuade you to buy. I ended up signing up for a $2,500 “plan” over 12 months that consisted of EXT products and therapy treatments. Nothing happened, other than me getting a lot more dandruff and them getting some easy money. I am not surprised to hear the negative stories on this post from people doing other types of treatments at HCM, as well as their “rip off the customer” attitude. They’re downright predatory!
I ultimately did some surgery in 2014 where I got thousands of hairs from the back of my head transplanted and inserted to various spots on the top of my head. It was performed by a surgeon in a medical practice. It was VERY expensive but I look and feel great today!
Please do not waste your time going to the Men’s Hair Club. First they will take you into room 1, that I named, the room on gloom, they try to make you feel so bad about yourself you will do anything, then there is room 2, that is the room if they did not finish you off in room 1, you go into room 2 and they finish you off feeling even worst about yourself. Then the least expensive treatment is the shampoo, that cost $5000.00. There is no guarantee to any treatment. The consultant probably took a 7 day online class. Very bad.
Best place for hair transplant is UK and Turkey I am not a doctor nor any website or clinic owner to post a fake opinion or promote any particular clinic, it’s my own experience, I personally did my hair transplant in 2014 it coast me 2500$ because I got done the upper forehead area and bit of sides, of course you can’t get 100% satisfaction like your natural hair yet it’s between 70 to 80% natural look especially if you let them grow a bit where you can shape and style your hair, one more point is that if your hair is thin and unhealthy then my friend don’t expect magic because it’s just like a transfer from an area to another, however, there is a medicine to take for getting them thicker but that will have serious side effects on your sexual life so watch out.
Thanks for sharing all of your stories! I’m convinced more than ever to just accept what little hair I have and let nature take its course! 👍🏽