I've been a TopLace customer for years and I too have experienced problems with fraying these last couple of years... I never had fraying problems in the early TopLace years so I thought maybe it was the material used by the new factory... Well, I discovered something interesting... I was cleaning my office and I found a product I used to use on all my lace pieces. It's called TDi Knot & Tape Tab Sealer. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.hairdirect.com/store/Tdi-Knot-Tape-Tab-Sealer-4Oz.aspx">http://www.hairdirect.com/store/Tdi-Kno ... r-4Oz.aspx</a><!-- m --> I decided to use it on a piece I was having serious fraying issues with and it solved the problem... I sprayed the underside and used a blow dryer to dry it. The next day I trimmed the frayed edges and washed and styled the unit. (No more fraying)

Back when I first started wearing lace pieces I used this stuff and I never had a problem with fraying, but then Debbie stopped selling it and I never searched for a new supplier. I thought it was just good for sealing knots. I had no idea this stuff was good for preventing fraying.

Great tip!!! Thanks so much for your post - I will definitely try this stuff out

Btw, I directly compared an SFS lace front purchased in 2007 with one purchased in 2008 over the period of 3 months. The one from 2007 looked like new after the three months and hadn't frayed at all. The 2008 system had frayed a lot more after just 1 month, and after 3 months it was very frayed. I don't think I treated the systems any differently... but the lace looked slightly different so perhaps it was a different type of SFS. Both were equally undetectable.

Something else I've notice is over bleaching knots weakens lace and that causes fraying too... Every piece I've ever received with perfectly bleached knots were always very fragile... I just wish I would have found my TDi Knot & Tape Tab Sealer sooner.

yes, knot sealing definitely helps with fraying. I do not sell the TDI tape tab and knot sealer anymore because it smells like acetone, is extremely flammable and cannot be shipped by air. therefore I switched to the new non toxic knot sealer that works just as well and can be shipped anywhere, it not only seals knots but stops fraying. I find it is much safer to have something totally non toxic lay against the skin than an acetone based product.
I did like the results of the TDI product, just not the chemicals.
DebbieS.

Fraying was solved a long time ago with Debbie's knot sealer.
I posted long time ago about this and swear by Debbie's sealer even made a video on how to apply correctly.

My current all swiss is 7 months old without the least bit of draw and looks like a new piece.

Must not have seen my many posts.

...and I have not had hardly any shed whatsoever.

I'm not sure that I understand at all the problem that so many seem to have with fraying and shedding.
This last, SFS, unit that I just switched out of (and the only reason I changed out of it is I'm wearing my hair longer now), I wore for 10+ months with NO fraying and NO shedding.
I also have very, very little color fading or color change (1B with 30% synthetic gray).

There are things that I don't do and do that others here do differently, for sure




Fred