Lace system attached with glue only... really that bad?

[doubleindemnity]

I'm wearing my first system. It's 0.04-0.05mm poly, Lavivid Mirage. I've gotten the hang of removing and reattaching it and I can do it 30-40 mins each one (including cleaning when I remove it), which I think is pretty good. I am a bit unsure about the ingredients of the various adhesives and tapes so I only use the purportedly most gentle one, Ghostbond. I don't use tape or scalp protector at the moment. I want to try a lace system, either a full Swiss lace, full French lace or some kind of hybrid. I see that almost always, people like to use tape on a lace system. If I continue the way that I'm doing with the lace, using Ghostbond and doing a full bond, will the cleaning and upkeep really be that bad?

 

[Hair2019]

Glue is a nightmare to clean off lace. I wear an all Swiss lace system, but only use glue on the front of the hairline (where the front of the parting is 'exposed'), and that's enough work to clean at time. I personally would never do a full bond with glue. Tape is much easier and provides a great hold, and is far easier to clean. Constantly having to clean glue off lace is bound to wear it out faster too, plus glue is more likely to seep through lace than tape adhesive.

That said, it's entirely up to you. Try an all glue attachment and see what you think.

 

[Hair system talk]

Glue is a nightmare to clean off lace. I wear an all Swiss lace system, but only use glue on the front of the hairline (where the front of the parting is 'exposed'), and that's enough work to clean at time. I personally would never do a full bond with glue. Tape is much easier and provides a great hold, and is far easier to clean. Constantly having to clean glue off lace is bound to wear it out faster too, plus glue is more likely to seep through lace than tape adhesive.

That said, it's entirely up to you. Try an all glue attachment and see what you think.

Is it still a nightmare to clean up even when you keep on top of it and remove it before the bond can break down and become messy?

 

[noblesources]

Glue is a nightmare to clean off lace. I wear an all Swiss lace system, but only use glue on the front of the hairline (where the front of the parting is 'exposed'), and that's enough work to clean at time. I personally would never do a full bond with glue. Tape is much easier and provides a great hold, and is far easier to clean. Constantly having to clean glue off lace is bound to wear it out faster too, plus glue is more likely to seep through lace than tape adhesive.

That said, it's entirely up to you. Try an all glue attachment and see what you think.

What glue do you use for the hairline? Ghostbond lifts constantly for me and I'm hearing acrylic ruins lace fast...

 

[Hair2019]

Is it still a nightmare to clean up even when you keep on top of it and remove it before the bond can break down and become messy?

To be honest, I haven't tried a full attachment with glue only, however I have used it for the entire front/hairline before and it was a fair bit of work to clean that area with the rest of the system still attached. The best thing is to try glue yourself, then you can decide if it's ok or not for you.

 

[Hair2019]

What glue do you use for the hairline? Ghostbond lifts constantly for me and I'm hearing acrylic ruins lace fast...

I use Walker Tape Ultra Hold glue - it works fine for me, and doesn't seem to ruin the lace. I'm always pretty gentle with lace though, due to its delicacy, and I don't put ridiculous amounts of glue on either (1 coat usually, sometimes 2, I apply it to my scalp not the lace, and I always give it about 8 mins or so to dry before pushing the lace down onto it). I used to use white glue too, but it didn't give a good or long enough hold.

 

[cottonReville]

Lace + White Glue is a total nightmare.

@doubleindemnity: Are you doing a full head bond or just perimeter? How many layers & how long does your bond last?

 

[doubleindemnity]

Lace + White Glue is a total nightmare.

@doubleindemnity: Are you doing a full head bond or just perimeter? How many layers & how long does your bond last?

Full head bond. I put 2 or 3 layers (usually 3) on the scalp. On the front I put some on the base as well but not on the back because it's difficult. The front and back lifts every 2 days but the middle stays solid for a week. So I think that if I only bonded the perimeter, I'd have trouble with the lifts.

So it seems like if I am sure that I want to use glue, I should get a hybrid poly & lace with lace front and poly everywhere else. That way I only have to go through the lace + glue trouble for the sake of the hairline.

 

[cottonReville]

Full head bond. I put 2 or 3 layers (usually 3) on the scalp. On the front I put some on the base as well but not on the back because it's difficult. The front and back lifts every 2 days but the middle stays solid for a week. So I think that if I only bonded the perimeter, I'd have trouble with the lifts.

So it seems like if I am sure that I want to use glue, I should get a hybrid poly & lace with lace front and poly everywhere else. That way I only have to go through the lace + glue trouble for the sake of the hairline.

This is the exact problem I have w Ghostbond, which I've used both w lace & poly.

The MIDDLE STAYS - the front, back & sides all begin to loosen after 2 or so days. It's just a hassle.

You should just switch to lace & tape & avoid the hassle?

 

[doubleindemnity]

This is the exact problem I have w Ghostbond, which I've used both w lace & poly.

The MIDDLE STAYS - the front, back & sides all begin to loosen after 2 or so days. It's just a hassle.

You should just switch to lace & tape & avoid the hassle?

Maybe... but I'm scared about ingredients so I want to use the one that has the fewest ingredients. I am also paranoid about having a flammable adhesive sitting on my head. Also, on YouTube, I see that guys have red marks on their scalp after using tape there. So for now I am going to stick with the Ghostbond. I am ok to redo the back and front every few days but I don't want the cleaning to be much more difficult than it is now. With my current system, the hairline is unsatisfactory. It looks like another option for me would be an ultra thin skin. It looks like a very good hairline, only spottable by somebody like us who knows about hair systems and hair restoration. On the other hand it sounds like lace would be completely undetectable at the hairline on day 1 and then a few hours or days later the problems would begin and it wouldn't look good anymore.

 

[Fanjeera]

Am I the only one using only liquid adhesive? Seem like everyone is either combining or using just tape.

 

[cottonReville]

Am I the only one using only liquid adhesive? Seem like everyone is either combining or using just tape.

No, I'm using Ghostbond exclusively (unfortunately).

I would love to use tape, but it causes a very bad reaction on my skin...

 

[cottonReville]

Maybe... but I'm scared about ingredients so I want to use the one that has the fewest ingredients. I am also paranoid about having a flammable adhesive sitting on my head. Also, on YouTube, I see that guys have red marks on their scalp after using tape there. So for now I am going to stick with the Ghostbond. I am ok to redo the back and front every few days but I don't want the cleaning to be much more difficult than it is now. With my current system, the hairline is unsatisfactory. It looks like another option for me would be an ultra thin skin. It looks like a very good hairline, only spottable by somebody like us who knows about hair systems and hair restoration. On the other hand it sounds like lace would be completely undetectable at the hairline on day 1 and then a few hours or days later the problems would begin and it wouldn't look good anymore.

So when your front and back start flopping up, like mine do, doesn't the hair in your system sustain damage?

I can't STAND when my hair comes into contact w the adhesive on my head. The amount of cleaning required to deal w/ it is obnoxious.

The hairs in your system don't get stuck together, knotted? What's your exerpience?

 

[doubleindemnity]

So when your front and back start flopping up, like mine do, doesn't the hair in your system sustain damage?

I can't STAND when my hair comes into contact w the adhesive on my head. The amount of cleaning required to deal w/ it is obnoxious.

The hairs in your system don't get stuck together, knotted? What's your exerpience?

No i don't think so. Firstly, my hair is kind of short so even if it flops up and down, the hair doesn't easily touch the base. Secondly when it is flopping like that, the adhesive on my head is 'inert' so it won't stick or come off on anything. If you're thinking of while I'm sweating and there is moisture, I am always wearing a cap to keep it down.

 

[cottonReville]

No i don't think so. Firstly, my hair is kind of short so even if it flops up and down, the hair doesn't easily touch the base. Secondly when it is flopping like that, the adhesive on my head is 'inert' so it won't stick or come off on anything. If you're thinking of while I'm sweating and there is moisture, I am always wearing a cap to keep it down.

You mention the glue on your head is "inert." I understand it's not fresh, white, drippy glue, but it's still sticky; and the hairs that get rubbed into that matter do get affected, in my experience. Not beyond repair - but in a way which warrants intervention.

Also, when you re-do your front and back after they lift, do you clean your scalp first or apply the glue on top of what's there?

 

[Hair system talk]

After how many days does it start to lift with ghostbond?

 

[njtimer]

Damn. Front and back lifts. Is that common? All I read about is 2-4wks of hold based on what glue or tape you use.

 

[cottonReville]

To answer both tape and WG are entirely different beasts, the former being highly effecicacious.

I hate doing trials WG/Ghostbond Platinum because the cleanup is difficult, annoying & taxes the system - but I've never had satisfactory results.

Edges lift fast.

 

[doubleindemnity]

You mention the glue on your head is "inert." I understand it's not fresh, white, drippy glue, but it's still sticky; and the hairs that get rubbed into that matter do get affected, in my experience. Not beyond repair - but in a way which warrants intervention.

Also, when you re-do your front and back after they lift, do you clean your scalp first or apply the glue on top of what's there?

I just lift up the system and put more glue on the scalp. Multiple layers,, let it dry etc. I don't clean the scalp first. When I clean my head I use C22. The process is C22, shampoo, C22, soap, shampoo to fully clean off the adhesive. Anyway, all of that stuff would get messy and I probably would end up taking off the adhesive on the rest of the head. If I did that, I would need to line up the hairline again and it takes so long. I typically do a full removal and reattach once per week so whatever gunk builds up with my touch ups will be cleaned soon (trying to keep it on for 2 weeks for the first time right now).

After how many days does it start to lift with ghostbond?

Two days. But I'm an atypical example. There are people out there who don't do a removal and reattachment themselves, but return to the salon every 2-4 weeks for it and many of them use Ghostbond, and it sticks for them. I sweat when I work out and I sleep on my back. So the back of the head, where the bonding is likely to be weakest, because it's most difficult to glue the back of the head, gets friction during the night.

 

[cottonReville]

I just lift up the system and put more glue on the scalp. Multiple layers,, let it dry etc. I don't clean the scalp first. When I clean my head I use C22. The process is C22, shampoo, C22, soap, shampoo to fully clean off the adhesive. Anyway, all of that stuff would get messy and I probably would end up taking off the adhesive on the rest of the head. If I did that, I would need to line up the hairline again and it takes so long. I typically do a full removal and reattach once per week so whatever gunk builds up with my touch ups will be cleaned soon (trying to keep it on for 2 weeks for the first time right now).


Two days. But I'm an atypical example. There are people out there who don't do a removal and reattachment themselves, but return to the salon every 2-4 weeks for it and many of them use Ghostbond, and it sticks for them. I sweat when I work out and I sleep on my back. So the back of the head, where the bonding is likely to be weakest, because it's most difficult to glue the back of the head, gets friction during the night.

You are making your life so difficult by avoiding tape, my friend; and, evidently, Poly is hazardous to health too...

I don't see how your hair isn't getting adhesive on it during these lifts, no matter how short.

Is that your process for cleaning your head w C22 or your piece?

I just spray C22 on my head, let it work a bit, & wipe w a towel. I usually have to do it another time or 2, then I jump in the shower and wash my scalp w Dish Detergent.

Removing the junk from my toupee is much more cumbersome. What's your process?

Even w/ poly, I'm finding the glue removal process to be a quite destructive to my pieces. Saw a video in which Rapid Release was used and the way the adhesive literally fell of the poly system was astounding. It's a low-oil formula.