Hair systems are more popular now than ever, and thanks to the advent of the Internet, men all around the world are able to purchase their hair systems privately and easily. One common question men have when purchasing a hair system is whether stock hair will work, or if custom hair is necessary.



There are many differences between stock hair systems and custom hair systems. The first difference is price. Stock hair systems are much less expensive than custom hair systems because they are physically stored in an inventory and ready to ship when a customer places an order. Another difference is delivery time. Stock hair systems are usually ready to ship right away, or if sold through a 3rd party, it could take up to a week. On the other hand, custom hair systems are made to order. This means that when an order for a custom hair system is placed, the hair replacement company then passes the order to a manufacturer and the custom hair system is produced from scratch. This process can take as little as 4-6 weeks, but as long as 8-12 weeks, depending on the time of year. The last main difference is that custom hair systems are made with specifications that are specific to a single customer, so that the fit and appearance will be 100% natural. Stock hair systems are made to fit general specifications that a good percentage of all men will fit into.

So how do you decide? The first and most important thing you need to know is your base size. Generally stock hair systems are around 7 inches wide and 9 inches long. Give or take an inch on either. This means that if your base size is equal or less, you’ll have a good chance of being eligible for a stock system. Another issue is color. Some colors are less popular than others, and thus less likely to be carried in a physical inventory. If your color is jet black or medium brown, you’ve got a more common color and you can likely find a hair system that will match. Hair systems can be dyed to change color if absolutely necessary, so it isn’t quite as important as base size, but if you find that you wear a more uncommon color, you may want to consider custom hair systems as a long term solution. One other thing to consider is your desired longevity of the hair system. Stock hair systems typically do not last as long as custom hair systems. Although many custom hair systems may have a short lifespan as well, depending on the material, usually if the client is concerned about longevity it can be easily addressed when producing a custom hair system by simply using a more durable base construction.