Hair System Base Not Sticking? Here Come the Solutions (Video Guide Included)

Hair replacement systems are a popular, non-surgical solution that helps men and women tackle hair loss or thinning. Hair systems provide instant volume and style. Even celebrities wear them.

As a stylist, however, you may face situations where you find it hard to stick tape to the underside of the base. This can be frustrating, especially when you don’t want to keep your client waiting in the chair, bored and restless.

In this post, we have identified all possible reasons a hair system base might fail to adhere, along with professional solutions. These industry tips are based on valuable client feedback and the expertise of our craftspeople. Let’s dive in!

Please read our related articles as well to ensure a hassle-free installation.

Men’s Hair Piece Installation Tutorial: From Beginning to End

How to Get Glue or Tape out of Hair Pieces or Wigs

Why My Human Hair Wig is Shedding and How to Stop it Effectively

1. The Base Surface Has Greaze or Dust

When transporting or storing the hair systems, their bases may come into contact with oil or dust, which forms a layer on the surface of the base. This thin layer will prevent the tape from sticking to the actual base surface.

Solution: Thoroughly clean the base surface, getting rid of the grease or dirt that is stuck to the surface. Alcohol and mild cleaning products can be used. Also, make sure to clean your client’s scalp thoroughly with alcohol. Make sure the scalp is absolutely clear of oil.

2. Greasing Process Results in Weak Adhesion

New hair systems usually have a greasy base. Before dispatching hair systems from the factory, we usually grease the hair with oil to ensure the strands are smooth. This greasing step usually results in a greasy surface of the base. Surely no tape can adhere to a surface with oil residue.

Solution: For new hair systems, wash it properly with lukewarm water, using sulfate-free shampoo to get rid of the oil. A step-by-step guide is provided in a later section on how to wash new hair systems.

3. Tape Quality Determines Its Stickiness

If you have stocked up a lot of subpar tape rolls, too bad. They won’t stick the way you want them to. Out-of-date tapes won’t stick, either, as the tape adhesive just won’t last forever.

Solution: Get rid of all subpar tapes from your stock. Stick with the best toupee tapes like Walker that are strong, and designed particularly for toupee and hairpiece attachment. Also, it is essential to keep an eye on the expiry date of the tape you use.

4. Humidity and Temperature Impact Tape Adhesion

Extreme temperatures and humidity can make the adhesive slack. Cold temperatures reduce the activities in the adhesive, so it becomes less sticky. In high humidity, the adhesive absorbs moisture from the air, which also weakens its grip.

However, if the storeroom temperature gets too high, let’s say over 28 Celsius (82 Fahrenheit), the adhesive of the tape will melt and spill. That’s why at Newtimes Hair we always keep our air conditioning on in the storeroom, making sure the room temperature is no higher than 26 Celsius (78 Fahrenheit).

Solution: Keeping the room’s humidity level and temperature under good control is essential for hair system attachment. Ensure that your air conditioning and dehumidifier are functioning effectively. Set the room temperature between 18–25°C (64–77°F); you may also heat the tape up using a hairdryer for extra stickiness. Set the humidity level between 40%–60%. However, if you are going to stock some tape rolls and keep them for quite a bit of time, do what Newtimes Hair do—make sure the storeroom temperature is no higher than 26 Celsius (78 Fahrenheit) or the tape adhesive will melt and spill.

5. Skin Base Is Overly Smooth

If the surface of the PU skin or lace is too smooth, to a degree that it is slippery, then, unfortunately, it won’t stick.

Solution: Use fine-grit sandpaper to sand down the surface of the skin or lace base, so it becomes a little coarse than before. However, this must be done very carefully, as it may tear the base. This method might not suit ultra-thin skin hair systems.

How Do I Wash a New Hair System?

When washing new lace or skin hair systems with a greasy base surface that’s overly slippery and doesn’t stick, follow these steps.

Step 1: Wash the hair system (works for both lace or skin bases). Apply shampoo to take off  any grease.

Step 2: Rinse it with lukewarm water before applying some hair conditioner to make the hair smooth and soft.

Step 3: Dry the base (works for both skin and lace base) with a blow dryer.

Step 4: To further remove any grease and microparts, spray some 96% alcohol on the base and dry it.

Step 5: Apply correct and good-quality tape to your client’s preference and attach the hair system following professional recommendations.

How Do I Sand Down a Base?

If it is required to sand down the underside of a hair system base for being too slippery, follow these steps:

Tools: a fine-grit sandpaper, a clean and soft cloth, and a sanding block (optional). Make sure the tools are clean and free of oil and dust so they won’t damage the base.

Step 1: Gently wipe the hair system base surface with the cloth, removing dust or other residue. Make sure the base surface is clean and dry.

Step 2: Wrap the sandpaper around the sanding block or simply hold it firmly with your hand.

Step 3: Gently start sanding along the edges of the adhesive areas in a consistent direction, applying light and steady pressure. Focus on areas with adhesive residue or areas that need extra adhesion. Continue sanding, and as soon as the surface feels a little rough, stop.

Step 4: After sanding, remove all tiny little shreds with the cloth, ensuring the base is clean and tidy, making sure the base surface is absolutely clean.

Tips on Attaching the Hair System

Now, the job is yours to attach the hair system.

First and foremost, use high-quality professional hair system tapes that have not passed their expiration date. Ensure that both your client’s scalp and the area for attachment are clean and free of oil.

The surface of the tape should also be clean and dry. Press it down firmly, squeezing out any air bubbles to ensure it makes proper contact with the client’s scalp.

Newtimes Hair Is Here to Help You Out

Get ready to take your hair game to the next level with Newtimes Hair! We’ve got the clean-up steps down to a science, ensuring your brand-new hair system base is free of grease, so the tape adheres securely for a flawless finish.

As a leading manufacturer of men’s hair systems with over a decade, Newtimes Hair offers a premium range of high-quality hair systems in a wide variety of sizes and colors to meet your client’s needs. We have a large inventory of 80,000+ items ready for immediate shipment, as well as everything you need to run a successful salon business.

Have questions or looking to place an order? Don’t hesitate to reach out at info@newtimeshair.com. Newtimes Hair is with you every step of the way!

Contact us today!