am i doing someting wrong?
i spray adjust a bond onto the front part. lift the lace. spray adjust a bond onto whatever glue is remaining on my scalp. clean it off with microfiber cloth. then put glue on head agin. wait for it to dry and push lace back on top? i dont know if this is correct.. are touch ups not supposed to last long?
can someone with experience tell me how they do their touch ups? i know theres a thread on it. but it didnt help me. maybe a reply to this will be better

Here's an interesting thread on what to do.
You might find it interesting to read:
http://forum.toplace.com/showthread.php?tid=4945

Here's another thread about lifting & retouching:
http://forum.toplace.com/showthread.php?tid=4898

Here is another post about touch ups:
http://forum.toplace.com/showthread.php?tid=4815

In your other post you ask about what cleans Ultra Hold.
Here is a thread that has the answer:
http://forum.toplace.com/showthread.php?tid=4848

none of those threads answered my two questions. thanks for the help though

Adjust-a-bond is only used by some guys when they are ready to do their bond and they need to `buy time` before the glue/tapes stick fully.... it allows you to `tweak` your system`s position..basically keeps the glue / tape `tacky`for an extra minute or two. Don`t know why you`d be using it for any type of `clean-up`situation, however minor.....it`s only designed to delay adhesive materials from `setting`. Any time I ever did a small touch-up, I just lifted the loose area gently [it would be easy enough to possibly tear lace if you were too `rough`with it] and I had a soft cotton cloth which had some solvent on it, which I rubbed the `loose` glue with.....if you over-moisten the cloth, chances are the solvent will `travel/seep` onto surrounding `good`glue and debond it....I always found it `fiddly`to be doing in one small spot... I used to end up re-doing the whole front hairline, for instance --- couldn`t be bothered trying to do a little half-inch strip and `avoid`the rest, but then I`m not the most patient when it comes to these things ! I`ve never used Ultrahold...it`s an acrylic glue as far as I remember, and supposed to be one of the strongest.. I`m wondering why you need to do touch-up`s at all ? Is it maybe a case that either an extra layer/coat is required when doing the bond or are you leaving it on too long.....every bond has to be re-done as you know, the frequency depends on various factors [type of glue, your body-chemistry, weather conditions etc] but if insufficient coats were applied at the start, you`ll get lifting here and there, early on. I`m just wondering do guys who use Ultrahold all the time, have to do touch-up`s regularly ?

thats a good question.. paul.. my bond is oing strong. its just that before i left we re did the front hairline and she cleaned it up and put mity tight on it i think. dont know why she didnt use uh again.. but its ok. i can use this as an opportunity to learn. i just assumed there might have been some uh left under the mity tight. il just use davlyn on the parts that lifted to rebond it.. thanks for all ur help in my journey of hair wearing paul. uve been like my guiding angel lol.

Well elvis,`` mity tite`` is not nearly as strong as U.H. ..only for bonds of about a week or so... most glues when applied from `scratch` [at re-bond stage] are usually applied in at least two coats and sometimes three... one single layer of `mity tite` in my opinion, is probably at the root of your problem... if it was applied over / on top of an `existing` layer of glue, the existing [U.H. ?] glue will most likely still be `good` [ I mean not breaking -down and needing removal]....just have a look..it`ll probably be `good`--just more likely that the lace has come free of the [weaker] layer of mity tite. If you`re using U.H for the touch-up, follow the instructions for `dipping-and-dripping` the applicator I outlined earlier..... if you try to rub-off the excess, you`ll end up with these long `stringy`bits of glue suspended from the applicator, and it can get stuck to things you don`t want it to...such as your hair ! Cheers for now.

(01-21-2012, 02:28 PM)elvis Wrote: am i doing someting wrong?
i spray adjust a bond onto the front part. lift the lace. spray adjust a bond onto whatever glue is remaining on my scalp. clean it off with microfiber cloth. then put glue on head agin. wait for it to dry and push lace back on top? i dont know if this is correct.. are touch ups not supposed to last long?
can someone with experience tell me how they do their touch ups? i know theres a thread on it. but it didnt help me. maybe a reply to this will be better

Hey Elvis,

I thought I'd try to add the benefit of my experience as well, though it is limited compared to Paul, Hersute and other veterans here. But sometimes one little random tip can make a big difference.

I guess a "touchup" can have a broad meaning ... anything from a little glue on a toothpick to tack down a small area .... to an almost complete redoing of the front. My touch up is more the latter. I'm one of those guys that, no matter what glue I use on what base, the front will lift after 3-4 days. And no, a touchup is not supposed to last long ... it's a stopgap measure to get you through to the next de/re. How could it last as long as a fresh attachment which involves completely removing all glue and oil residue from scalp and base? Any touch up is going to be a "patch job," leaving some oil and adhesive residue to compromise the bond's strength.

Adjust-a-Bond, Lace Release, etc. ... my understanding is that these are all alcohol in varying strengths w/ a few additives. I use 91% alcohol and I try to be very surgical in my use of it for touchups. I de/re once a week, with a frontal touchup at the 3-4 day mark.

I had begun to give a detailed account of my process, but realized this might not help and would be long. So I'll just pass on 2 little tips that were very helpful to me:

1. I do my touchup after a shower (shampoo or just rinse of the hair), so the touchup can cure w/ no exposure to water for a while afterwards. I also try not to do this frontal redo when I have a deadline to be somewhere. I do it at a relaxed pace during free time. And this relaxed pace actually makes the result better, and the job quicker than if I'm under pressure to get it perfect right before a social event.

2. Super helpful tip: some use a magnifying mirror to get a detailed view. My variation of this is to wear a pair of reading glasses that are too strong for me ... so the front detail work is magnified, and with HD clarity. If the hairline stands up to this scrutiny ... magnified, close up in a well-lit bathroom mirror ... it will pass muster in any public situation.

These little tips give me peace of mind, so I can wear w/ a relaxed confidence ... the secret to success in this game for me, since no one else is paying as much attention to my hair as I am. It's all about how I feel about it.

~FB

Thanks a lot! that really helped me. i wonder what it is though. i dont understand why i cant get my touch ups done correctly. i put glue where the lace has lifted. but it comes right back up. maybe im not putting enough glue? or maybe im not pushing the lace down hard enough. do i have to do ANY kind of scalp cleaning where the lace has lifted? or just make sure there no dried up glue there? there never really is.

Well-put there furball.... really nailed it.... just to point out though, in relation to myself, yeah I`m wearing a few years now, but to be honest, some of you guys have actually more `experience` than me, in that you use various adhesives and tapes, have very active lifestyles involving things like swimming, have tried all kinds of base-materials...I`m relatively limited in that I started out wearing All-poly [ relatively thick too] toppers, with full-head bonding with glue.... I then went to monofilament with poly perimeter, then onto all-mono with a scalloped front [ I didn`t really like it-- I see some guys wanting scalloped front on skin systems now--I wasn`t too keen on it , but then the mono was more `rigid`than skin is so maybe that`s why I didn`t like it...it was detectable to touch] When I got my first TL it was lace with poly perimeter [topper] and I really really liked it... hair texture, wave, density etc. -- spot-on. Wore a few of those before going all-French lace Fullcap last May. I used to leave everything to the hair-club/salon...never got too `involved` with the nitty-gritty of it, until I had my first problem/s [ like elvis is having now] of lifting during hot weather...but this was worse because it happened towards the `end`of my normal bond and the glue had gone gooey literally overnight and was getting onto my own hair ..it was kind of seeping out...you can imagine how it looked/felt and I hadn`t any products at all. Obviously I had to get in A.S.A.P. for a de-re bond. It was then that I began to get little bits of `supplies`---to have to hand so I wouldn`t be caught out so badly again..... as time went on, I paid more attention to how things were done.....I could never see exactly how they cleaned/re-coloured hair etc. as they took the system to a different room. With these `clubs`they rotate systems....take one off your head, and replace with the one they debonded the previous visit... they clean your head etc. and pop on the clean system. All the money I was shelling out too..a fortune !!
So I eventually got thinking that I`d go the D.I.Y. route...long story short--here I am !
I`m quite lazy in terms of bonds.....can`t remember the last time I used glue...I have a bottle of white glue here if I need it.... I only use a few small strips of Walker `No-shine` daily ....nape ,front and in front of both ears...... some of you guys go for longer bond-durations, and try different glues and combinations of tapes etc. so you`d have more practical experience than myself---DO please chip -in on here and share your knowledge--- it can be really useful to others..... I`m honestly now, no `Guru`.... just happy to share what I DO know, but aware there are things I don`t know..... I can give tips like `` positioning`` your system, and how to apply glue [ thinly, and several coats] and cleaning etc...... also what care-products I find good/work for me....... this game can be very daunting for newbies...I think it`s very easy to `imagine` all sorts of scenarios and issues....naturally there are issues and wearing isn`t perfect--it never will be to my mind--perfection is having all your own hair, but that`s not an option for most of us.... I`d prefer this to things like transplants etc....but that`s me...anyway, at my age, it`s not an option I have.
The main things to `worry`about as a noob, are make a decent representation of the shape and size of the area of the head requiring coverage, with a Template. A decent cut-in from a stylist is the next `hurdle`to jump.... after that, your de-bond, cleaning of head and system and re-bond.....getting the positioning can be tricky at first....after a while, like most things in life, you breeze through it.....even the most experienced wearers can sometimes have a `bad hair day` !! Don`t expect to get it all bang-on on day one..it can be a steep learning-curve, especially in terms of what bonding products work/don`t work well for you....perseverance pays off.... .you have to `prepare`for this mentally too, as has been well-thrashed out on other posts/threads...... it may not be everyone`s cup of tea.... I think the younger guys can have more concerns over it ...mainly because they are more active in the dating-game and will always be conscious of being busted by a potential new partner....again, it`s a very `individual`thing, but very `real`.
Back to elvis [after my `ramble !! ] I`m thinking that you may just possibly have to shorten your average `wear`.... I think you are using a strong glue....you may be better going for the likes of this : Make sure your lace itself is well-clean and free of scalp-oils /glue residues etc...... make sure it`s bone-dry ,as Antywanty has pointed out before. It`s simple enough to actually apply shampoo directly to the lace base,when it`s wet, giving a light rubbing with the fingers, then rinse it off...you don`t have to actually shampoo the hair if you don`t want to---in my view, it`s often more important to clean the lace than the hair...lace will have `dirt`on it much more than hair--all the hair may have on it is some styling -products build-up ! Use maybe an extra layer of glue above what you are presently using.....there has to be a proper `foundation` for the lace to bed into.... DON`T spread it on thickly...just normal layers, but one more than you are presently using.
If you are presently getting, say 2-week hold, and then you`re getting some lifting, I`d go for a 10-day hold...remove/replace it before you get lifting. However, you may avoid the lifting by simply going for that extra layer of glue at your next bond...try it and see if it works.... if your glue isn`t actually `failing`/breaking down, it means the lace is simply coming free of it, and that would suggest to me, that there simply may not be enough `foundation`at the start to hold the lace on for as long as you`d like. Like most things in this game----it`s a case of try it and see.!

(01-22-2012, 04:13 PM)elvis Wrote: Thanks a lot! that really helped me. i wonder what it is though. i dont understand why i cant get my touch ups done correctly. i put glue where the lace has lifted. but it comes right back up. maybe im not putting enough glue? or maybe im not pushing the lace down hard enough. do i have to do ANY kind of scalp cleaning where the lace has lifted? or just make sure there no dried up glue there? there never really is.

Sorry, this is long ...

There are a lot of variables that could cause this, and all of these have been mentioned before, so forgive me if I'm being repetitive or stating the obvious, but we won't leave anything to chance, and maybe having all this in one place would be advantageous for you.

If the piece is newish, and the lace is releasing from the glue, w/ the glue still solid on your scalp ... then there might be factory residue (silicon, etc.) on the underside of the base. Solution: shampoo the lace, w/ some direct rubbing on the underside of the lace. Dawn dishwashing liquid might be even better.

[[[ be advised, I've had a random lace piece that must have had way more silicon, or other factory residue on it than usual ... wouldn't stick, even after a casual dip in soapy liquid, and a few shampoos on my head! ... I had to remove it, clean the piece, spray alcohol on the underside of the lace, then use shampoo w/ some scrubbing on the lace to get it solved. ]]]

The lace being wet could cause your touchup to fail in this way too. Make sure it's dry ... blow dryer on cool, or low heat if necessary.

If glue is gooey and stuck to the underside of the lace at the lift spot, then it's breaking down, and your oily scalp is the culprit ... old glue or oil residue that was never properly cleaned could cause this too. Solution: take Paul's advice and shorten your bond time. And in this case, cleaning residue from lace and scalp w/ alcohol, and applying fresh glue may be necessary for the touch up.

If you are getting over a week without lift, then your glue IS likely breaking down (your body chemistry), and you'll HAVE to shorten your bond time ... maybe experimenting w/ some other glues could allow the longer bond, but shortening the time is the best advice.

[[[ btw, I concur w/ Paul, Mighty Tite is not that strong, it's basically watered down Ultra Hold, if I recall correctly. Also I'm not really sure how long the front is holding for you before it lifts ... but I don't think I've read one post in which a wearer has gotten the advertised bond time from ANY glue w/ no frontal lift. ]]]

It is possible you are not using enough glue (and I like Paul's advice on adding layers on the initial bond). The glue obviously needs to dry and go tacky, and the lace must sit IN the bed of glue, not lightly on top of it. The dry glue should just start to "fill in" the holes in the lace when it's pressed in. This makes the lace disappear as well ... this is why it CANNOT be wet, cuz it'll be a mess in the roots of the hair.

It is possible you're not pressing the lace in hard enough. Use a fine tooth comb w/ a LITTLE alcohol on the teeth. Angle the comb parallel to the scalp, glide the teeth into the hair at the root, close to the base, so that the hair is going between the teeth, and press firmly into the scalp at the touchup spot(s) ... the sides of the teeth are pressing the lace, not the points. This keeps the hair from being mashed down into the the tacky glue, but lets the lace get firmly embedded.

Wild Speculation ...

Could there be too much tension on the lace ? ... do you stretch it much on application ? If the lace is stretched and pulling back from the hairline, this could cause it not to sit, or create some buckling in spots.

Is it possible your glue is not totally dry, but you are using so little, you don't notice it getting up into the hair ? I generally find touching up small spots of lift at the hairline w/ clear glues a giant PIA It's very hard for me to lift enough of the edge up to work, and to keep it out of the new glue while it dries. Like Paul, I end up lifting up more lace so I can clip it back, and have a decent area to work in, and then I often end up redoing most of the front.

Here is a test to see if your solvent based (clear) glue is dry enough ... but this is impossible to do with a small touch up of the very front edge. But you can do this on an initial bond, or if you lift a decent amount of the edge up and clip it back ...

... when you think it's dry enough, take the "spine" of a comb, or something similar, and gently tap/bounce it into your glue. If the comb pulls ANY strings of glue off, it's not dry enough.

Sorry for the novel, but perhaps you'll find a solution buried in here somewhere ...

~FB