First System - Tape Or Bond For Front Hairline

[OleGunnar]

Hi all, been lurking for a while here and have finally booked in for my first hair system installation on Sunday.

I have bought a couple of French lace systems from online. I was planning to use tape all the way around as I don't want an exposed hairline and I've heard tape is much easier for cleaning.

However, people often mention having to do hairline touch-ups every few days.

1. Would these touch-ups be easier if I used bond on the hairline area? I can imagine in being a hassle removing just the relevant bits of tape.

2. Does tape work well with lace systems? I've heard it mentioned that maybe tape provides a better bond with poly than with lace.

Thanks in advance. You guys have already been a great help on this journey.

 

[TooBad]

If it's a completely covered hairline, use tape. Exposed at all, use clear bond.

 

[BaldBearded]

I will just add that for an exposed hairline, you can use a hybrid adhesive/tape approach to make it cleaner, and minimize lifting.

Use a hairline contour tape about a cm behind the hairline, and then just use adhesive (whichever your choice). The tape anchors the front of the system, and the adhesive gives you that undetectable hairline you need.

I have also used walkers no-shine for an exposed hairline, and if you have a higher density, it also works ok. Depends on hair color, density, etc.

 

[matt0135]

You can get away with tape all around for non exposed and if you do things properly, even semi exposed hairline. It must be in the shade so to speak though.

A fully exposed hairline requires glue imo or that 3mil tape.

Either way for you what you want tape is the easiest and cleanest option for you.

 

[Noah]

Hi OleGunnar

You've got some sound advice above. I will just amplify what Matt said about Walkers 3-mil tape. It is not like other double-sided hairpiece tapes: it is really semi-solid glue sold in a tape format. Once you take the backing paper off, all that is left is glue - no plastic film. So 3-mil is a compromise between glue and tape. It has the convenience of tape, but it is fine enough not to be visible on an exposed hairline - the only type of tape that I would consider usable on an exposed hairline.

One other little tip: I have found that it is best always to buy the curved tape segments rather than the rolls of tape, even though they are a bit more expensive. The reason is that the curved segments have backing paper on both sides, but the rolls of tape only have it on one side. Consequently the roll tape is very difficult to handle - it sticks to your fingers, to your scissors, to itself - everywhere except where you want. You end up throwing half of it away. The curved segments work out cheaper in the long run.

Good luck
Noah

 

[BaldBearded]

I switched from the Walkers mini tabs (the curved pieces of tape that Noah referred to, above) to using roll tape, because I found it difficult to remove all the tiny pieces of paper backing while the unit is perched on my head. Removing long pieces of paper is for me much easier.

I found a trick to handle the rolls of tape. I made a tape "jig".

It's basically a small, rubbed cutting board. It has markings for 1-6 inches, and a hole for a pin.

I unroll the tape, taper side down on the cutting board. With a Xacto knife, I cut off a tiny bit of tape, and stick a pin through the paper. I then unroll the tape to the correct length, and with the Xacto knife, I cut the tape to length.

Holding the tape by the outside edges, I lay it along the edge from front to back slightly overlapping with either the front or rear edge tape (I use a contour tape for both the hairline and back edge. The edge of the paper is folded back and laid back to back along the middle of the system.

When the system is on my head (held on top with only tape), after being positioned, I roll the back of the system forward, and then only have three tapes to remove, and not 8. Same with the front.

It sounds complicated, but takes more or less the same time then putting lots of small tapes around the perimeter. And taking off the backing is a lot quicker.

 

[OleGunnar]

Thanks for the detailed replies, guys! I am based in a foreign country where I don't speak much of the language, so it will be interesting to see how I get on at the salon.

The photos and videos on their Instagram page are at least reassuring that they know what they're doing.

I found out today that the removal, cleaning, reattachment and cutting will cost about $30 a visit, which is manageable every 10 days or so. But I would like to learn to DIY just to have the option, flexibility and ability to salvage any nightmare situations!

 

[OleGunnar]

By the way, I have blue Walkers Lace Front tape. Is that the 3-mil tape referred to above? I also have Walkers Ultra Hold Tape and Walkers Ultra Hold Bond. But I guess if I go back to the salon every 10 days I shouldn't need to use that unless something goes very wrong.

 

[Hair Newbie]

1. Would these touch-ups be easier if I used bond on the hairline area? I can imagine in being a hassle removing just the relevant bits of tape.

2. Does tape work well with lace systems? I've heard it mentioned that maybe tape provides a better bond with poly than with lace.

I used Walker Ultra Hold , Ultra Hold Mini Tabs and Lace Front support tape when I first started wearing hair system 10 months ago (You can check my old posts for more details). The Ultra Hold and Lace Front Tape give me a good solid 2 to 4 weeks hold without worries about shifting or lifting. Since they are so strong, it got a lot of sticky residue all over my scalp and the base when I detached the system. The clean up part can be very challenging and time consuming especially for newbie. I don't use Ultra Hold and Lace Front tape anymore unless go swimming or travel to some muggy humid countries.

1. Would these touch-ups be easier if I used bond on the hairline area? I can imagine in being a hassle removing just the relevant bits of tape.

Cleaning the residue off from the lace base and scalp is always more difficult than touching up the hairline for me. I learned how to touch up my hairline from these videos when I was wearing the lace system :

2. Does tape work well with lace systems? I've heard it mentioned that maybe tape provides a better bond with poly than with lace.
This video show how to use tape for expose hairline.

Tape work well on lace systems and can be 100 % undetectable even with an exposed hairline too. I have a fully exposed hairline when I wear my lace system, I use tape on the hairline because it's more easy to clean up. These photos were taken at the beach in a very strong windy day so you can see my hairline in front of the sun. I use non residue Walker 1522 tape on the perimeter and hairline.
https://imgur.com/a/vFWf4mC

Hope this help.

 

[Noah]

By the way, I have blue Walkers Lace Front tape. Is that the 3-mil tape referred to above?.

Yes, that sounds like the same stuff.

 

[OleGunnar]

Thanks again, great info here!