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Love me, love my hair – what better reason to treat yourself to a hair replacement system!

Image of a woman who loves her hair

February is the month of love, romance and Valentines Day but what actually attracts one person to another?

There can be many reasons, but the first initial attraction is often a physical one, we like the look of someone. Research shows that a person’s success often has a direct correlation to their physical attractiveness, but interestingly, if that same person also believes they are attractive, their success often increases. Self esteem is very often bound up in the way we look and hair comes high on the list of attractive features. No hope of love for baldies then? Not the case thankfully.

Although there are many beautiful and bald men and women out there, most of us feel more attractive with a good head of hair – so thank goodness for the many reputable companies providing top quality hair replacement systems for both men and women to help those who are follicley challenged! Wearing a good hair system can really boost self-esteem and make you look and feel more attractive.

A hair replacement system is not a wig

There are similarities – they both conceal hair loss and create the illusion of a head of healthy hair but a hair replacement system is considerably more sophisticated and advanced in their construction and appearance. This pain free and surgery free method of hair enhancement is suitable for anyone, at any stage of their hair loss journey.

So you now have a wonderful head of hair and look and feel fabulous, but let’s not forget that beauty is not by itself what attracts us. There is something more vibrant and meaningful that brings two people together, an almost innate primitive attraction that one person sees in another that goes beyond the surface. The sexiest person in the room is not necessarily the one who is the most physically attractive; it is the person who projects self-confidence and happiness.

Love is a many splendoured thing, the greatest of which is ‘self love’. Love yourself and the rest will follow.

Treat yourself to some of our Hair Care Products

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IT’S CHRISTMAS – Keep your hair on!

Image of a woman with a Christmas hat on

Everyone likes to look their best for Christmas, so like me you might have treated yourself to a lovely new hair system.

But how do you keep the hair in your lovely new hair system from falling out and keep it looking it’s best for longer?

Friction and bacteria are a dangerous combination that can wreak havoc on your hair system as together or on their own, they can cause physical trauma to your hair. The good news is you can fight back against this dangerous twosome and by limiting the trauma will help prevent the hair in your system falling out and looking good for longer.

Cut down on Friction: Hair replacement systems are vulnerable to friction because they lack a substance called sebum which is a natural oil secreted by the follicles of your growing hair to lubricate and protect the hair shaft against friction and static.

A major cause of friction comes from sleeping with a pillowcase made from coarse materials. The constant contact with linen leads to hair breakage. Most times, simply using a satin pillowcase will dramatically reduce the level of friction and extend the life of your hair system.

Avoid wearing hats (Christmas or otherwise) or helmets for extended periods of time. This will also help to lengthen the time bonding adhesives stay effective.

Friction is also caused by excess combing and brushing. Using a moisturising product like Nearly Natural Moisture Mist will help reduce friction while youre in front of the mirror styling your hair.

Keep Out Bacteria: Bacteria build up will destroy hair structure and cause it to weaken and break. The knots where the hair is tied into the system are most vulnerable as they tend to hold and retain moisture.

It is better not to use rinse type conditioners that contain hydrolysed proteins like panthenol (pro-vitamin B5). Instead spray on leave in conditioner such as Walker Tape Leave in Conditioner may be a better alternative as it will not collect in the knots of hairs that have been tied in to a hair system base.

However, using a shampoo that contains these hydrolysed proteins is recommended. This is because the hair in your hair system will absorb the proteins during the cleaning process and the excess is more likely to be rinsed away.

Use a Knot Sealer: Everyone knows that styling products are a great way to keep your system looking great, but did you know these products can also weaken the knots in your base over time? Stuff like shaping creams and hair sprays seep into the knot, loosen them and cause the hair to fall out. Using Walker Tape Knot Sealer can slow or even stop hair loss by locking the hair knots to your base with a thin, silicone-based layer of protection. With regular use, a knot sealer could virtually eliminate hair loss in your unit.

You can find all the products you need to keep your hair system looking amazing in our online shop.

Have a peaceful Christmas and we hope to hear from you soon. Were here throughout the festive season and will be dispatching products every day except on official Bank Holidays, so whatever you need to keep your hair system looking and feeling fantastic this Christmas – were here for you!

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Choosing the right hair system – Let’s Keep It Real

Image of a woman who didn't choose the right hair system

Whether you are a seasoned hair replacement wearer, a newbie, or just contemplating getting on board with hair replacement, the most important thing to remember when choosing the right hair system is to ensure that it looks real, natural and age appropriate.

Nothing screams ‘wig’ more than the density of the hair. The aim is to achieve a realistic head of hair and for the hair to look age appropriate. As much as we would all love to be in our twenties again, wearing hair as thick as rope may draw attention: you don’t want to look like you have a sleeping cat on your head! It is preferable to select the density to match any existing hair on the sides and back. Be aware too, that you will be used to styling your hair in a certain way and so when choosing a new hair system, make sure the direction of the hair suits your desired hairstyle. Options range from freestyle (where the hair can be brushed and styled in any direction) to set partings, crown positions and breaks in the hairline. If in doubt, just repeat the mantra “less is more”.

It is vitally important to choose the correct hair colour for your age, complexion and existing hair. Be sensitive to any greying hair you may have and to choose a blend of colours that compliment rather than contrast your overall appearance. Looking like Morticia Addams at a Halloween party may be fine, but taking that look into your day-to-day life may result in a few unwanted sideways glances! Many reputable hair suppliers will be happy to custom match your existing hair to make sure you have a natural look and avoid any mismatched colour nightmares.

Getting the right hair type is imperative. Whether you choose synthetic hair or human Indian hair, Indian Remy hair, Chinese hair or European hair will be largely dependent on your lifestyle and budget. Most hair system wearers go for the human hair option as this gives the most natural and realistic look, but synthetic hair will never fade and lasts much longer. Consider carefully why you are wearing a hair replacement system before making this important choice.

Finally, and in a way the most important of all, is to get your hair system cut-in properly by an experienced stylist. Never forget that a haircut disaster on a hair system CANNOT be rectified as this hair will never grow back and you may end up with a very costly mistake. Research your hair stylist carefully before the first snip is made!

So there you have it, a few basic tips on how to achieve a realistic hair system that even your nearest and dearest will have difficulty detecting.

Keep an eye on our blog posts for more useful tips and hints on how to keep your hair system looking good all year round. You will find all the products you need too in our online shop.

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Proper Prior Preparation – removing and attaching your hair replacement system

Image of a beautiful blonde woman removing her hair replacement system

There is really only one rule to follow when it comes to removing and attaching your hair replacement system and that is proper prior preparation.

When removing and attaching your hair replacement system, first of all you need to remove your hair system for clean up and re-attachment. You may damage your hair system if you don’t take proper care at the removal stage. Firstly apply an adhesive remover such as Lace Release directly to the scalp where the hair system is attached starting from the back of the unit. Removing back to front is essential to protect the front hairline so peel up from the back and gradually lift forwards. Continue to peel forwards spraying or dabbing with your adhesive remover as you go. Once the hair system is removed you can start to clean your scalp and hair system separately.

Before attaching your hair system you will need to make sure you have completely removed any of the adhesive residue from the lace or poly on the base of your system. Use a good solvent such as C22, Ghost Buster or Ultra Safe by spraying directly onto the base of your hair system and leaving it to penetrate – depending on the level of residue this can be anything from 15 minutes to an hour or even overnight.

Once the solvent has penetrated, start to remove the residue with a paper towel, a microfibre towel, a nail brush or even a spoon, whichever you prefer. It is imperative that once all the adhesive residue has been removed, you remove any of the oily solvent from the base of the hair system. You can do this by using a grease cutting washing up liquid – original Fairy Liquid is a good option.

You are now ready to shampoo and condition your hair system using a properly formulated shampoo and conditioner such as Walker Tape Bond Breaker or Professional Hair Labs Pro Series, making sure you apply the shampoo and conditioner base side up to ensure you do not push the hair back through the system.

Your lifestyle and hair wearing habits will largely dictate which process you use to remove and attach your hair system, but whether you take your system off daily or after several weeks, the key to a successful and long lasting bond is scalp preparation.

Scalp Preparation:

ONE
Remove all adhesive residue:
 Use a good solvent such as C22, Ghost Buster, Ultra Safe or the S3 Sensitive Skin Solvent if you have sensitive skin to remove ALL traces of the adhesive residue. You can use a paper towel with the solvent and rub vigorously until your scalp is clear of any residue build up.

TWO
Wash the scalp thoroughly:
Shower and wash your hair using an exfoliating Scalp Scrub with a good shampoo. Finish off using a good sulphate free shampoo. Repeat as often as necessary to remove ALL traces of residue.

THREE
Dry your head:
 Fully dry your head using a towel and and/or a hair dryer. This would be a good time to shave any hair or stubble from the bonding area. At this point you can also apply a medical grade alcohol to ensure the scalp area is pristine clean.

FOUR
Apply a water proof sealant:
 Use a scalp protector on the bonding area to protect your skin as well as encouraging adhesion, ensuring the sealant has fully dried before attaching your hair system.

Youll find more helpful advice and tips on which adhesives and tapes to use to attach your hair system here:
HAIR TAPES ADVICE
HAIR ADHESIVES ADVICE

The more care you take with your hair system, the longer it will last, the better it will look, and the greater you will feel!
You can buy any of the products you need for all of these procedures from our online hair care shop.

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Water, Water Every Hair: Why your water may be the reason that your hair system is drying out

image of lady with dry hair

Many people who wear hair systems, especially those with long hair, experience the annoyance at one point or another that their hair system is drying out. 

There are several factors that lead to a hair system is drying out such as harmful alcohols in hair products, heat styling and blow-drying. But there is one factor that is commonly overlooked: the quality of your water.

What’s in your water?

Hair system wearers take special precautions to protect their hair from swimming pool water because it is well known that chlorine dries out the hair. It also causes oxidation that makes the hair lighten or change colour, but did you know that most of the treated water that flows into your home can contain more chlorine than a swimming pool? Yep, that means we might as well wear a swim cap in the shower every day!

Although chlorine may be great for killing bacteria, it wreaks havoc on our hair: chlorine sucks all of the moisture (and colour) out of your hair creating tangling, frizzing and breakage. Conditioning the hair system using leave-in and rinse out conditioners, hair serums and oils can help reduce the drying effect of chlorinated hair but this isn’t always enough. Even if you even if youre faithfully conditioning your hair and avoiding heat styling and harmful alcohols, the chlorinated water in your home may be undoing all your hard work.

Filter out the nasties:

The best way to protect your hair from chlorine is to filter it out before it gets into your hair and scalp. Purchasing a water filter is a great way to remove the harsh chlorine in your shower. Although this can sometimes be expensive, the benefits – not only to your hair – can in many ways outweigh the cost. This could be the missing link that’s preventing your hair system from being smooth, soft and manageable.

However, if you cannot afford to install a water filter, and wearing a swim cap in the shower is not an option, you can find many other useful tips and hints on how to look after your hair system in our other blogs – here is a good tip for reducing tangles.

A full range of hair care products can be purchased from our on line shop.