Still trying to get that iron-clad attachment? I've talked to so many women who are new kids on the hair replacement block and make rookie mistakes that leave them with a less-than-desirable bonding time. To help speed you along the learning curve, below are the three most common issues that can affect bond time and quality, best practices to follow, and a few tips. Chances are improving one or a combination of them will help lock down your bond.
For the record, by "iron-clad" I mean that the bond is secure to the very edge of the base, all around the perimeter of the head, and there is absolutely no lifting at all. That being said, it's highly unusual to KEEP an iron-clad bond for more than two weeks. By two weeks it's likely you will have SOME lifting and this varies greatly from person to person based on body chemistry alone. By two weeks you'll likely want to remove your unit and give your head a good scrub down anyway.
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1. Proper scalp cleaning
The first thing to to a look at is the procedure you use clean your scalp. It seems that in nine times out of ten, improper scalp cleaning is the culprit yet it's such an easy fix.
Are you following all of these steps perfectly?
• Clean ALL of the adhesive off of your scalp with a good solvent
• If you're just clipping your hair on "0" with hair clippers, trying shave the bonding area with a razor
• Make sure you get all the solvent off of your head with a good grease cutting dish soap that does not contain hand softening lotions (Original Dawn is a commonly preferred brand. Fairy Liquid is Dawn's golden European cousin for those of you in the UK). This is usually the step people miss or skip that compromises the bond.
• Get rid of dry or loose skin by exfoliating your scalp. Get an exfoliating glove and scrub your scalp with the dish soap to save time.
• Use a scalp protector like ProTouch No Sweat to ensure a sweat-free/oil-free barrier between your scalp and the adhesive.
Tip: After washing and exfoliating your scalp, don't dry your head with a towel if you can help it. Let your head air dry or pat it dry with a microfiber towel. Regular bath towels are likely to leave behind lint on your head, and even if you can't see it, this will certainly compromise your bond.
2. Proper base cleaning
If you're sure that you are keeping with best practices for scalp cleaning and you are still having bonding issues, check in with your base cleaning procedure.
• For the best bond of adhesive to base, be sure to clean ALL of the adhesive off of the base. There are a variety of methods to do this-the mirror slide, a solvent soak or the microfiber towel pickup are the most common. Regardless of how you are doing it, get all of the adhesive off.
• After you remove the adhesive, especially if you are using solvent, break out the Dawn again and thoroughly clean the base with the dish soap BEFORE rinsing the solvent out. The dish soap will cut the oils from the solvent so that your tape or glue gets optimal stick.
Tip: I prefer the mirror slide followed by a light spray of solvent to remove adhesive from my base. The reason I like the mirror slide, besides the fact that it works so darn well, is that even when I can't see or feel any adhesive on the base, there is still plenty that slides off. To me, that's just extra assurance that the base is getting super clean. I use the solvent just for good measure.
3. Body chemistry
If you are sure you are following all procedures for a perfectly prepped scalp and base, your problem may lie in a simple (but often frustrating) case of body chemistry versus adhesive type. In this case, be patient and prepare for a few weeks (or months) of testing and experimentation. Don't roll your eyes-finding a great bond and the perfect adhesive is SO rewarding in the long-term. It's worth the effort.
If you have particularly oily skin, you'll want to start with adhesives that are known to work well with oily skin like Supertape, Safe Grip white adhesive or Ghost Bond white adhesive. If your attempts with those don't fare well, move on to some other adhesives. Whether your skin is oily or not, the same process of elimination applies. If you make your way through a myriad of adhesives, both tapes and glues and still can't get an iron-clad attachment that lasts for as long as you'd hoped, well, that MAY mean that you just need to detach your unit more often than you'd prefer.
Tip: With oily skin, you definitely want to use a coat or two of a scalp prep like Pro Touch No Sweat. Let it dry in between coats. It works similar to an antiperspirant and is well-respected for allowing your favorite adhesive to work even better.
Don't forget! Especially in the hot summer months or if you are experiencing hot flashes, do NOT attempt to do an attachment if you are sweating. This will compromise the bond and cause the bond to take a lot longer to cure.
Most women usually require experimenting with a few adhesives before finding the best fit. Like I mentioned, most people find a great improvement in attachment time simply by faithfully maintaining the proper procedures for scalp and base cleaning.
Hair Replacement Bonding - The 3 Best Ways to Ensure an Iron-Clad Attachment
Susan Falcone
Founder, Crowned Beautiful
Certified Personal Development Coach
http://www.crownedbeautiful.com
The Basics of Hair Replacement for Women™ Training Program is a comprehensive educational series that teaches women with hair loss how to independently order, maintain and wear partial or three-quarter bonded hairpieces. The program's 5-week teleclass series is supported by a private online forum, monthly Q&A calls, personal consultations, an exhaustive manual, and more. The instructor is a hair wearer who empowers women struggling with permanent hair loss by giving them the tools, tips and techniques they need to transition into wearing hair with great confidence, while preparing them emotionally and logistically to be successful right from the start.
http://www.crownedbeautiful.com
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