Hair Tape/glue Health Problems And Risks?

[TooBad]

Is there no safe alternative then? My first piece (second if I count the first one with the bad color match) arrives in a couple of months and now I come across this thread which is scaring the crap out of me. Noah posted a recipe for a liquid adhesive that sounds all natural. Has anybody tried it yet?

Ghost Bond is the safest option we have that performs well..

I wouldn't hold much faith in Homebrew kitchen concoctions. There are companies in business that do this professionally such as pro hair labs....who makes ghost bond.

 

[Leduc]

Ghost Bond is the safest option we have that performs well..

I wouldn't hold much faith in Homebrew kitchen concoctions. There are companies in business that do this professionally such as pro hair labs....who makes ghost bond.

Thanks TooBad. I will log on to their website and do some reading. Do they also make tape? I was hoping to do tape on the sides and back for easier cleaning, but now I'm not sure anymore. Sounds like the tapes are even more harmful than the liquid..

 

[TooBad]

Thanks TooBad. I will log on to their website and do some reading. Do they also make tape? I was hoping to do tape on the sides and back for easier cleaning, but now I'm not sure anymore. Sounds like the tapes are even more harmful than the liquid..

No tape which is a shame... Its a great company run by the founder and his 3 sons... very helpful guys which don't hesitate to spend a half hour on the phone with you discussing their products and advise.

I am now curious why they don't make a tape. All tape is is the liquid adhesive applied to two sides of a thin piece of plastic. There's no reason to worry that it's more dangerous... it's exactly the same thing when it's made by the same manufacturer.
To split hairs it might actually be even safer because we tend to put a lot of adhesive on and they do it uniformly and very thin..... plus it is in more of a liquid form when we use it versus a more solid form on the tape.

There must be a reason though....As I've never heard of a water-based system tape.

 

[Leduc]

If you want to go with glue, and not tape, GhostbondXL, that's just my opinion.

Hello BaldBearded. As I'm planning to use tape around the perimeter and glue for the hairline could you recommend a good tape for me to try? Thanks.

 

[firewatch9999]

Is there no safe alternative then? My first piece (second if I count the first one with the bad color match) arrives in a couple of months and now I come across this thread which is scaring the crap out of me. Noah posted a recipe for a liquid adhesive that sounds all natural. Has anybody tried it yet?

Something can be safe yet not harmless. In large doses it is toxic but there is no indication of any long term health effects of using the product with such low doses as seen in these products. The only thing we can do is speculate without any long term clinical data. Also, if these products had at any point be linked to any illnesses we would have heard it by considering how long glues and tapes have been on the market for hair systems.

 

[Leduc]

Something can be safe yet not harmless. In large doses it is toxic but there is no indication of any long term health effects of using the product with such low doses as seen in these products. The only thing we can do is speculate without any long term clinical data. Also, if these products had at any point be linked to any illnesses we would have heard it by considering how long glues and tapes have been on the market for hair systems.

That's kind of what I'm thinking, that something would have turned up by now if these tapes and liquids were dangerous. TooBad also makes some very good points, it could be a denial issue like with smoking, or the medical community hasn't made the connection yet between adhesives and health problems. I'm committed to go ahead with this so it's a matter of finding the "friendliest" products.

 

[TooBad]

That's kind of what I'm thinking, that something would have turned up by now if these tapes and liquids were dangerous. TooBad also makes some very good points, it could be a denial issue like with smoking, or the medical community hasn't made the connection yet between adhesives and health problems. I'm committed to go ahead with this so it's a matter of finding the "friendliest" products.

Research is done to protect the masses, Public Safety. The percentage of people using hair systems in the United States is astronomically small and irrelevant in the grand scheme of disease.


With 325 million people in the United States and under 17% are men between the age of 30 and 60 .... what percentage of those are bald? What percentage of those bald ones are wearing Hair Systems?

A number like 325 million can easily be knocked down to about 5,000 realistically and that may be a stretch...

So that's my point. 5000 people in a country of 325 million is like a grain of sand in the Sahara.

No one is paying attention to such small groups.... and for the most part they are hidden groups at that.

 

[Leduc]

Research is done to protect the masses, Public Safety. The percentage of people using hair systems in the United States is astronomically small and irrelevant in the grand scheme of disease.


With 325 million people in the United States and under 17% are men between the age of 30 and 60 .... what percentage of those are bald? What percentage of those bald ones are wearing Hair Systems?

A number like 325 million can easily be knocked down to about 5,000 realistically and that may be a stretch...

So that's my point. 5000 people in a country of 325 million is like a grain of sand in the Sahara.

No one is paying attention to such small groups.... and for the most part they are hidden groups at that.

I hear ya, even if you added a zero to make it 50K it would still be an insignificant number compared to the total population. You really think the number is that small? I'm in a city of 1.2 million and there are 5 vendors that provide men's hair systems. I thought the number would be larger than 5K, especially with all the systems being sold online.

 

[TooBad]

I hear ya, even if you added a zero to make it 50K it would still be an insignificant number compared to the total population. You really think the number is that small? I'm in a city of 1.2 million and there are 5 vendors that provide men's hair systems. I thought the number would be larger than 5K, especially with all the systems being sold online.

Yes I think the number is extremely small.

Five vendors is nothing how many Walmarts are in your town? Walgreens, CVS?

At the astronomical rates they charge they don't need a ton of clients to make a great amount of money.

Think about this, not saying you're in a bad area but how many drug dealers are there? How many prostitutes? Do you hear things on the news all the time about all the drug dealing going? Does it mean it doesn't happen it's just a very small amount in the grand scheme of things. It goes unnoticed in your day-to-day life

 

[Leduc]

Yes I think the number is extremely small.

Five vendors is nothing how many Walmarts are in your town? Walgreens, CVS?

At the astronomical rates they charge they don't need a ton of clients to make a great amount of money.

Think about this, not saying you're in a bad area but how many drug dealers are there? How many prostitutes? Do you hear things on the news all the time about all the drug dealing going? Does it mean it doesn't happen it's just a very small amount in the grand scheme of things. It goes unnoticed in your day-to-day life

I see what you mean, even if each vendor has 20 clients that's only 100 total in my city.

Found this stat in Wikipedia. Back in 1950 there were an estimated 350,000 wearers out of 15,000,000 "potential wearers". That translated to 2.3% back then, but I imagine it would be a lower percentage men wearing these days when so many are shaving their heads.

 

[firewatch9999]

That's kind of what I'm thinking, that something would have turned up by now if these tapes and liquids were dangerous. TooBad also makes some very good points, it could be a denial issue like with smoking, or the medical community hasn't made the connection yet between adhesives and health problems. I'm committed to go ahead with this so it's a matter of finding the "friendliest" products.

It is not even about how many people wear hair systems. The ingredients themselves have been tested and found out to be safe in specific doses. The thing with denial issues is that eventually the truth boils to the surface no matter how much suppression is used, for example like cigarettes as you mentioned previously. I think firstly there is no concrete evidence that these glues cause any sort of health risk in the long term. It doesn't seem to be an issue to even be concerned about. Also just because the population who uses this is small doesn't mean you can sell harmful products just because. There are laws and regulations for products for a reason.

 

[TooBad]

It is not even about how many people wear hair systems. The ingredients themselves have been tested and found out to be safe in specific doses. The thing with denial issues is that eventually the truth boils to the surface no matter how much suppression is used, for example like cigarettes as you mentioned previously. I think firstly there is no concrete evidence that these glues cause any sort of health risk in the long term. It doesn't seem to be an issue to even be concerned about. Also just because the population who uses this is small doesn't mean you can sell harmful products just because. There are laws and regulations for products for a reason.

Please provide me with documentation to substantiate your claim of tests that proves that they are safe with regard to using on human skin.

Why would they put on their material safety datasheet not to get on your skin if it's been tested and proven safe?

This is much like the masses... thinking because a product was sold to put on your body, it must be cleared by the FDA as safe. These items are NOT FDA regulated..... they are not required to do any testing and they are not required to provide any documentation of human risk.

It absolutely has to do with how many people are exposed to those chemicals... and no, the grain of sand in the Sahara never Rises to the top and exposes itself........

The total number of people using hair system tape and glue in the United States is an insignificant fraction of the population. It's like saying the needle in the haystack is always found. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Again I refer back to Zantac that has been sold for 40 years and is now pulled from all stores as its shown to cause cancer. This was a medication that had to meet the most stringent Federal guidelines.

Talcum powder that has been sold for many more years than that is now found to be a cause of ovarian cancer. Talcum powder is still sold and it does not have a warning, yet it is been proven to be a factor in cancer.

Lead paint, asbestos, many things we're sold and deemed ok that were not.

The difference is the chemicals we're putting on our bodies have never been deemed safe, quite the opposite. They have no regulations, most are treated the same way as cosmetics.

I welcome the documentation showing me the contrary.... that they have in fact been deemed safe via standardized clinical trials.

I mean come on, some of these chemicals are used in octane booster and acetone for cleaning paint equipment. They are the same chemicals used in industrial adhesives. How could you ever assume it is safe to leave on your scalp which is the most vascular part of your body?

 

[Fanjeera]

I'm sure there's literally hundreds of things administer transdermally oh, just a few that come to mind are testosterone, nicotine, estrogen..... they are all very powerful drugs and hormones that gain access to the bloodstream the same way.

Because they are fat-soluble. Fat-soluble hydrophobic molecules pass transdermally, whereas hydrophilic water soluble thing do not. Water based adhesives use water as a solvent and therefore have hydrophilic water soluble molecules inside them which cannot absorb. You cannot absorb water nor acrylate polymer through skin. Yet using solvent based adhesives makes absolutely no sense: all these things should go straight into bloodstream yes.

 

[TooBad]

Because they are fat-soluble. Fat-soluble hydrophobic molecules pass transdermally, whereas hydrophilic water soluble thing do not. Water based adhesives use water as a solvent and therefore have hydrophilic water soluble molecules inside them which cannot absorb. You cannot absorb water nor acrylate polymer through skin. Yet using solvent based adhesives makes absolutely no sense: all these things should go straight into bloodstream yes.

I'm glad you agree. My whole position has been in regard to acrylic based adhesives. I've repeatedly said the safest option is Ghost bond which is water-based. So we are in agreement.

But in response to your comment regarding water-based, I assure you water is absorbed into your skin.

Are you not aware of magnesium baths?

Also the concern has never been that oh my that we're letting water into our body, it's the chemicals. Even if one component cannot absorb into the body it certainly doesn't mean other chemicals are prevented from being absorbed.

For example there are many variations of isopropyl alcohol.

Let's take 91% isopropyl alcohol. The other 9% is water. If you wipe your body down with 91% isopropyl alcohol...the 9% water does not prevent the 91% isopropyl alcohol from being absorbed into your bloodstream.

 

[Fanjeera]

What adds to the suspicion is that they actually do not even list the ingredients. There is nothing on the bottle itself. MSDS-s often just says all the components are safe and that's it. Only a few of them have ingredients listed. In Europe on cosmetic products you are required to have a label where there is "ingredients:" and then there are listed all the components in decreasing concentrations.

I think I was able to get the ingredients from atleast Prohairlabs when I sent them a few e-mails. This is why I only buy adhesives from them.

You say we are able to read the ingredients specifically and do our own research, but to me it seems we can't even do that.

 

[TooBad]

What adds to the suspicion is that they actually do not even list the ingredients. There is nothing on the bottle itself. MSDS-s often just says all the components are safe and that's it. Only a few of them have ingredients listed. In Europe on cosmetic products you are required to have a label where there is "ingredients:" and then there are listed all the components in decreasing concentrations.

I think I was able to get the ingredients from atleast Prohairlabs when I sent them a few e-mails. This is why I only buy adhesives from them.

Well that's the thing, the MSDS does not say that it's safe.

Material safety data is like OSHA information. That's just basically a reference for if there is an exposure that's why they lifts inhalation skin ingestion and so forth...

That's very apparent when you read on a hair adhesive msds not to get it on your skin

Here is the MSDS on lace FX that I did not share because I was tired of the childishness of one member..... And was accused of not being able to find it myself haha

just in case anyone uses it.

Hey maybe we can start a collection of all MSDS sheets this way all the members have access to all the products for reference.

Again I'm here to help not fight

 

[Fanjeera]

This sounds serious. In the Safety Data Sheet in the link above it states "avoid contact with skin". Maybe I am naive, but how are they allowed to sell this if it is as dangerous as described? Avoid contact with skin? What do they suppose hair pieces are bonded to if not the skin?

View attachment 132040

Why does it have to have this vinyl acetate I don't understand.

 

[Fanjeera]

No tape which is a shame... Its a great company run by the founder and his 3 sons... very helpful guys which don't hesitate to spend a half hour on the phone with you discussing their products and advise.

I am now curious why they don't make a tape. All tape is is the liquid adhesive applied to two sides of a thin piece of plastic. There's no reason to worry that it's more dangerous... it's exactly the same thing when it's made by the same manufacturer.
To split hairs it might actually be even safer because we tend to put a lot of adhesive on and they do it uniformly and very thin..... plus it is in more of a liquid form when we use it versus a more solid form on the tape.

There must be a reason though....As I've never heard of a water-based system tape.

It may seem logical that tape is safer, but actually it may not be. There is still adhesive on it. If Prohairlabs only produced tape I would so happy to use it, but I am afraid you cannot produce tape with water based safe adhesives. Tape is probably toxic and that's the reason why.

 

[TooBad]

You know what I'm going to make a call right now to them to find out... they're only about 30 minutes from my home not that that matters over the phone though....

 

[Fanjeera]

It is not even about how many people wear hair systems. The ingredients themselves have been tested and found out to be safe in specific doses. The thing with denial issues is that eventually the truth boils to the surface no matter how much suppression is used, for example like cigarettes as you mentioned previously. I think firstly there is no concrete evidence that these glues cause any sort of health risk in the long term. It doesn't seem to be an issue to even be concerned about. Also just because the population who uses this is small doesn't mean you can sell harmful products just because. There are laws and regulations for products for a reason.

That might be the problem: the ingredients are also used for different cosmetic purposes which are far from skin contact 24/7 50 years. So they've already concluded that all is fine on wrong application, that's documented and then forgot. When knowledge is 40 years old already and no new studies have been done, I think that's a reason to doubt a little as well.