Help me decide on full lace vs full poly

[noblesources]

I had a lace system before. I was miserable with the cleaning and the hairline lifts. However this was when I only used glue and not tape.

I switched to lace center and poly border - never showing hairline - and this is essentially the best a system can get in my experience.

However the systems are always very dense for some reason. Lace center poly border is always 130% density for who knows why.

For a more realistic density I am trying to decide on a full poly or full lace system.

I hated the maintenance and durability of lace. The hairline as mentioned always lifted. I couldn't get a good bond with the glue.
Cleaning the poly cannot be any easier. It is durable. It never lifts in the hairline like lace did.

However I exercise a lot and it's the summer. I feel like a full poly would be hard to bare with exercising.

So that is the dilemma.

However, I am thinking that maybe going full lace and using tape all around -- including the hairline -- would mitigate the usual issues with lace, of course while hiding the hairline.

So this is my question - how much would tape deal with all the usual negatives and cons of wearing lace? Would taping everything take care of the lifts, and make cleaning easier? Or should I just grit my teeth with a poly system?

 

[deg_dilemma]

I'm all poly - UTS 0.03mm - and would never change. I would not be able to deal with the high maintenance of lace.

UTS is just so comfortable and so easy to deal with. Yes there are some issues, mainly that it can be difficult in very hot weather (like on holiday at 35 degrees), or shine on the hairline at times so it's not ideal to expose at the front always. But these are relatively minor issues. If you look at some of my old posts you can see the results I've achieved with UTS systems.

Density: so I'm at a lower density, we call it 65% but all suppliers use different numbers so it's meaningless to compare I guess.

I actually want to try a lace/poly border, where I would glue just the poly and not the lace. It seems odd that you can't get a lower density. Maybe try a different supplier?

 

[Hair2019]

Why not go for a hybrid, i.e. poly on most of the base, lace for the hairline? I've found this gives the most natural look for me expecially with an exposed or partially exposed hairline.

 

[noblesources]

Why not go for a hybrid, i.e. poly on most of the base, lace for the hairline? I've found this gives the most natural look for me expecially with an exposed or partially exposed hairline.

I'd need to go custom for that, my dimensions are 6 x 9.5 -- I just don't think I'm experienced enough to go custom yet

 

[deg_dilemma]

Why not go for a hybrid, i.e. poly on most of the base, lace for the hairline? I've found this gives the most natural look for me expecially with an exposed or partially exposed hairline.

How do you glue the lace hairline? Is it easy to cleanup after (and how often) ?

 

[Hair2019]

How do you glue the lace hairline? Is it easy to cleanup after (and how often) ?

I use Ghotbond Platinum. Great hold and very easy to clean. Apply 4 thin coats to your scalp, not the lace directly.

 

[deg_dilemma]

I use Ghotbond Platinum. Great hold and very easy to clean. Apply 4 thin coats to your scalp, not the lace directly.

I've always worried/wondered that the glue would seep through into the lace and the hair, after a few days when the bond breaks down.

With my UTS the cleanup is so easy and I am a lazy / low-maintenance kinda guy so I use 1 or 2 layers of glue on my scalp and that lasts me a week or so.

 

[Hair2019]

I've always worried/wondered that the glue would seep through into the lace and the hair, after a few days when the bond breaks down.

With my UTS the cleanup is so easy and I am a lazy / low-maintenance kinda guy so I use 1 or 2 layers of glue on my scalp and that lasts me a week or so.

It doesn't seep into the lace and hair. That is unlikely, and would only happen if you left the glue on for weeks, but it would have already lost enough hold for you to redo the hairline bond by then anyway. But if UTS on the hairline is working for you, no need to change.

 

[mrdavies]

Love my swiss lace, the hairline is so amazing, but if I didnt expose the hairline (or in my case partially so) then I would consider something else....but never have as the lace is so good.

 

[noblesources]

Love my swiss lace, the hairline is so amazing, but if I didnt expose the hairline (or in my case partially so) then I would consider something else....but never have as the lace is so good.

how long does a swiss lace system last for you before you have to get a new one?

 

[mrdavies]

how long does a swiss lace system last for you before you have to get a new one?

I actually cut pieces out of a larger unit so its a little bit unusual. But i get a year out of 1 piece.

 

[Hair2019]

I actually cut pieces out of a larger unit so its a little bit unusual. But i get a year out of 1 piece.

A year?! Bloody hell! How do you make a system last a year?

 

[mrdavies]

A year?! Bloody hell! How do you make a system last a year?

Because I can cut loads of pieces out, the pieces are pretty small.

 

[Hair2019]

Because I can cut loads of pieces out, the pieces are pretty small.

What do you mean by cut loads of pieces out? So you put extra pieces over the bits that have shedded?

 

[mrdavies]

What do you mean by cut loads of pieces out? So you put extra pieces over the bits that have shedded?

No I fill in recession so cut small pieces out a larger piece.

 

[deg_dilemma]

SHP sell frontals and I was thinking of buying them to make my systems last longer. I can't cut out from a larger system because I wear UTS.

 

[noblesources]

I'm all poly - UTS 0.03mm - and would never change. I would not be able to deal with the high maintenance of lace.

UTS is just so comfortable and so easy to deal with. Yes there are some issues, mainly that it can be difficult in very hot weather (like on holiday at 35 degrees), or shine on the hairline at times so it's not ideal to expose at the front always. But these are relatively minor issues. If you look at some of my old posts you can see the results I've achieved with UTS systems.

Density: so I'm at a lower density, we call it 65% but all suppliers use different numbers so it's meaningless to compare I guess.

I actually want to try a lace/poly border, where I would glue just the poly and not the lace. It seems odd that you can't get a lower density. Maybe try a different supplier?

I know this is late but I do have some follow up with 0.03 UTS. I noticed on another forum you said your front base eventually started turning milky and never got clear again. I believe a few posts later you thought that maybe the culprit is C22. Have you ever figured out what the issue with the base turning milky was? And do you know how to handle the problem now?

 

[deg_dilemma]

Quite sure it was the C22 'orange' scented spray, which fortunately isn't available any more (I think the company closed down). Once the damage was done, there was no way to save the system

I haven't had the same problem since, but I note that UTS (obviously) deteriorates over time and is harder to make invisible after a couple of months. Something that helps is to wash the system properly so that the UTS softens, and then partly dry the base before bonding again.

 

[Hair2019]

Hair fibres or brush in concealer can be a temporary 'fix' to cover a few areas of a hair system that have shedded, if you don't have a fresh new system or you're waiting for your next one to arrive. This is something I've done, with varying results. The best bet is to always have a spare system or order your next system well in advance so it arrives before your old one sheds too much.