 a toupÃ©e ( ) is a hairpiece or partial wig of natural or synthetic hair worn to cover partial baldness or for theatrical purposes. while toupÃ©es and hairpieces are typically associated with male wearers, some women also use hairpieces to lengthen existing hair, or cover a partially exposed scalp. the desire to wear hairpieces is a response to a long-standing bias against balding that crosses cultures, dating to at least 3100 bc. toupÃ©e manufacturers' financial results indicate that toupÃ©e use is in overall decline, due in part to alternative methods for dealing with baldness, and to greater cultural acceptance of the condition. == toupÃ©es and wigs == while most toupÃ©es are small and designed to cover bald spots at the top and back of the head, large toupÃ©es are not unknown. toupÃ©es are often referred to as "hairpieces", "units", or "hair systems" by those seeking to avoid the negative connotations that the word "toupÃ©e" conjures up. many women now wear hairpieces rather than full wigs if their hair loss is confined to the top and crown of their heads. ==etymology== according to various sources referenced by dictionary.com,toupee - definitions from dictionary.com toupÃ©e is related to the french words "top," or "tuft;" tuft as the curl or lock of hair at the top of the head, not necessarily relating to covering baldness. toupÃ©e is related to the diminutive toupe more recently (as of the 17th century)."toupee." dictionary.com unabridged (v 1.1). random house, inc. 13 aug. 2007. ."toupee." online etymology dictionary. douglas harper, historian. 13 aug. 2007. . ==history==  while wigs have a very long and somewhat traceable history, the origin of the "toupÃ©e" is more difficult to define, but one can reasonably infer that the first toupÃ©e was a piece of hair, worn on the head, with the intention of deceiving the viewer into believing the hair was natural, rather than a wig worn for decorative or ceremonial purposes. ===use and attitudes in ancient history=== the desire for men to wear hairpieces is a response to a long-standing cultural bias against balding men that crosses cultures. between 1 bc and ad 1, the roman poet ovid wrote ars amatoria ("the art of love") in which he expressed "ugly are hornless bulls, a field without grass is an eyesore, so is a tree without leaves, so is a head without hair."[h
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