Fixing Issues with Adhesive Holds.
Imagine this: You’ve sat for hours in your stylist’s chair, getting your scalp ready and your hair system installed. Then a few days later, the bond weakens and the hold of the adhesive loosens from your scalp.
Nightmare scenarios like that can be frustrating to deal with. That’s why we created this guide to help you through the most common adhesive hold issues and the best solutions to help fix them.
Issue #1: Short Hold Times
Short hold times – such as a max wear tape lifting a week or two early, or the system lifting within just a few days – can be a frustrating nuisance for both wearer and stylist. There a few potential causes for shorter-than-wanted hold times:
- Oily scalp
- High humidity or sweat
- Incomplete preparation
Fortunately, this is an issue that has solutions that can help remedy the problem. Those solutions are:
- Full & Clean Preparation: A complete and well-rounded scalp preparation is key to achieving the hold that you want with your system. Use our “Getting Ready for Install” blog to read more about full preparation.
- Using Scalp Protectors: Scalp protectors (such as Walker Scalp Protector or Max Hold Sport) are one of the best tools to help improve hold times. They provide a clean and clear surface for the adhesive to stick to, while also protecting against sweat, skin oils, and other outside factors that could affect bonding.
- Using Stronger Adhesives: Occasionally, a stronger adhesive (such as Ultra Hold tape or Great White liquid adhesive) can help overcome shorter hold times. Maximum
Issue #2: Lifting at the Edges or Hairline
Out of all of the issues listed in this blog, lifting at the edges or hairline may be the most painful/terrifying to deal with as a wearer, especially in public. Some possible causes of lifting include (but are not limited to):
- Incomplete adhesive application
- Outside factors such as heat or water
- Not waiting for the tape/adhesive to fully adhere
But just like issue #1, lifting has quite a few solutins that can easily help fix the problem. Those are:
- Scalp Protectors: Just like we mentioned above, scalp protectors are a great tool for bonding. They help guard against outside factors such as sweat, skin oils, and more that can affect negatively
- Allow the Adhesive to Fully Adhere: Adhesives need to both be activated and allowed to adhere. When bonding, press and hold the system onto the scalp for at least 10 seconds to activate the adhesive. Then, wait at least 24 hours after install before participating in any strenous
- Use a Touch-Up Adhesive: Walker Tape’s Mity-Tite liquid adhesive is our adhesive made for touchups and fixing lifting. Simply apply at the lifting area, then press and hold to rebond.
Issue #3: Skin irritation
Skin irritation is another common problem for hair system wearers, because, well, not everyone’s skin is the same. Some causes of irritation include:
- Sensitive skin
- Incompatibility with hair system products
Dealing with skin irritation is a bit trickier than the other issues in this blog, but there are great solutions for dealing with skin irritation, such as:
- Using Sensitive Skin/Medical Grade Products: While nearly all of Walker Tape®’s products are safe for skin, we offer products specifically made with sensitive skin or medical grade gentleness, such as Pro-Flex II or Ultra Hold Pro liquid adhesive.
- Performing a Patch Test: A patch test helps determine skin compatibility of a product and reduce the risk of adverse reactions or discomfort to the wearer. Performing a patch before hand will help prevent irritation.
Other Tips to Fix Holding Issues
- Do a full preparation routine.
- Choose adhesives that match your client’s skin and lifestyle.
- Replace tape every 4–6 weeks to avoid breakdown.
- Find and use products that work well for the client and their skin.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected], or by phone at 1.800.759.5150
