Advice On Glue/tape And Glue Removal

[sm9690]

I'm in need of some advice of what is the best glue/tape combination. I got my full head fitted in August (french lace base with a poly rim) and have been self maintaining but even using supertape and then a layer of walker ultrahold I am finding the hold is lasting less than a week. I've looked into Ghost Bond XL but it's got mixed reviews

Also, I seem to have a glue buildup along the front lace - what is the best way to clear all this? Will something like 70% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol be ok?

 

[Noah]

Hi SM

Rubbing alcohol (70% concentration) is not very effective; you really need 99%, usually sold in the UK as surgical spirit. You can usually buy it cheaply in bulk from chemists and DIY shops, although you may have to order it. If you are getting build-up, put some alcohol in a shallow dish and put your unit into it, pressing the base down into the alcohol, but keeping the hair out as best you can, so that the base is covered, and then leave it to soak for 20 minutes or so. After that you should be able to scrape off any adhesive residue with the edge of an old credit card or just your fingernail. You need to be gentle near the hairline, to avoid creating fraying of the lace edge.

When you say you got your "full head" fitted, do you mean it is a full wig, with none of your natural hair showing, or just a full top hairpiece (a "toupee", in the old terminology)? Also, does the poly rim go around the front hairline, or just the back and sides? That is relevant to the type of adhesive I might suggest.

Noah

 

[deg_dilemma]

Hi Noah, does soaking the base weaken the knots?

Also, if you're just using perimeter tape then is there an easier way of removing this?

 

[BaldBearded]

I have been using C-22 to get the "goo" out of the base. I just ordered "Goo gone" from the USA, and it looks and smells similar.

The best way to get the tape off is 99% alcohol, don't be cheap, let it soak in. The tape should come right off.

 

[Noah]

Hi DD, no I don't think alcohol does any harm to the knots. The hair doesn't soak up pure alcohol (unlike warm water). It does dry out the hair itself though, which it is why it is best to try to keep the hair shafts out of the alcohol if you can.

If you are wearing tape, the best approach I think is to get a squeezy bottle with a long thin nozzle (like an American mustard bottle) so that you can get alcohol onto the base without getting it all over the hair. You use that to thoroughly soak the lace over the area where the tape sits, then you let it sit for 10 minutes. By the end of that 10 minutes the alcohol should have broken the adhesive bond between the tape and the lace, so that the lace can be peeled off pretty much cleanly, leaving virtually all the tape and tape adhesive on your head. You can then have a hot shower and the tape residue will come off fairly easily.

I agree with Baldbearded - don't stint on the alcohol. Apply plenty, and if you need a second application, use one. Better that than pulling the hairpiece off before it's ready, and pulling a bunch of hairs through to the underside of the base.

 

[sm9690]

Hi SM

Rubbing alcohol (70% concentration) is not very effective; you really need 99%, usually sold in the UK as surgical spirit. You can usually buy it cheaply in bulk from chemists and DIY shops, although you may have to order it. If you are getting build-up, put some alcohol in a shallow dish and put your unit into it, pressing the base down into the alcohol, but keeping the hair out as best you can, so that the base is covered, and then leave it to soak for 20 minutes or so. After that you should be able to scrape off any adhesive residue with the edge of an old credit card or just your fingernail. You need to be gentle near the hairline, to avoid creating fraying of the lace edge.

When you say you got your "full head" fitted, do you mean it is a full wig, with none of your natural hair showing, or just a full top hairpiece (a "toupee", in the old terminology)? Also, does the poly rim go around the front hairline, or just the back and sides? That is relevant to the type of adhesive I might suggest.

Noah

Thanks for the advice, I've seen some Isopropyl 99% on Amazon that I think I will order.

It is a full wig, I just have my back and sides that is my own hair. The poly rim goes around the whole piece with just the front and middle as lace.

 

[AxC123]

I just started using red liner tape for the poly surround and cleaning is 10 times easier. Put red tape on poly only, then once you remove the liner, apply your regular tape (SuperTape, no shine 3m, etc?). I know this makes 2 layers of tape ..somehow the glues from the various tapes was sticking on the poly and made it hard to clean, whereas the retape just peels off easily, it is still very secure...
As for the guck on the lace, I soak in googone.
Good luck

 

[Noah]

hi SM

My guess is that the problem is not the adhesives, but the preparation. Any of the adhesives you mention should be giving you a decent hold. If you want to try a new combination, I use Walkers No-Shine tape on the back and sides, and Davlyn Black glue for the hairline, so you could try those.

I also wonder if using glue on your tape isn't over-complicating the process. One or the other should be enough. I suggest you try just tape on your poly rim, and just glue on your hairline, and see how that works.

The hairpiece and your scalp need to be totally free of oils. You need to buzz the hair in your hairpiece area, then wash it with soap (e.g. have a shower), and then rub the hairpiece area with 99% alcohol.

The hairpiece also needs to be totally clean of oils etc. So do the soaking described above to get off any adhesive residues, then wash the hairpiece including the base with shampoo. Then condition the hair, but try to keep the conditioner off the base. Rinse the conditioner off thoroughly, again keeping the rinse water away from the base. Then dry the hairpiece (either air-dry or with a hairdryer).

Now you are ready to apply the tape to your poly rim. When you have all the tape in place, give your bald area a final spritz of alcohol, to give yourself a few extra seconds to move the hairpiece into position, and apply the piece.

That just leaves the front, which you are going to glue. I hold it down with one hand, and mark the position of the hairline by digging marks into my forehead with the thumbnail of the other hand (some people use a make-up pencil). I then flip the front up and clip it out of the way. I apply a coating of glue using the thumbnail marks as a guide; dry it with a hairdryer, repeat. Then I spritz the glued area with alcohol, and bring down the hairline and apply it onto the glue - middle of the hairline first, and then the sides. It is worth giving your head another spritz of alcohol when you do the hairline, so that you have extra time to smooth out any wrinkles. Then I press the hairline firmly into the glue with the teeth of a comb held sideways.

Try going through that procedure and see whether it gives you a better hold than you have been getting. If you are still getting lifting, an additional thing you can do is apply scalp protector to your head, underneath where the tape and glue go. It dries to provide an impermeable barrier, to stop sweat and oil interfering with your bond.

It is crucially important that the place where you apply your piece is cool and dry. A damp atmosphere (e.g. a bathroom where you have just had a shower) or sweating at this point can damage the bond, or turn the adhesives white and visible. An air conditioned room is best. Once you have applied the piece, you need to avoid serious sweating or getting the piece wet until the adhesives have fully cured - 3 to 4 hours. So no gym or swimming or dancing in the rain during this period.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Noah