Is it All About the Base?

Well it’s certainly a large part of selecting a hair system best suited for your needs.

What’s most important to you?

Is it ease of installation?

Is it an undetectable hairline that gives you the most realistic appearance

Is it comfort and breathability?

For this article we will be highlighting the polyurethane base. Let’s look at some of the variables and options and determine what’s best for you and your lifestyle.

Let’s say ease of installation is the most important feature.

A poly base is the easiest option. Included in this category are systems that contain either a full polyurethane base or a base with a portion of polyurethane incorporated with other materials such as lace, or monofilament. The latter is sometimes referred to as a “hybrid base”

Another term used for poly material is thin “skin” . The polyurethane works best with adhesive tapes. These tapes will adhere well to this material and will remove easily without causing damage to the system.

Liquid adhesives can also be used but note that they cover more area thus requiring more detailed and time consuming cleaning efforts.

Full polyurethane bases come in a few different thicknesses. Most commonly 0.03mm often referred to as Ultra Thin Skin and 0.08mm, known as Super Thin Skin. Hybrid bases containing poly components are most often 0.08mm. Different vendors may offer different variations or ranges of what constitutes ultra thin skin versus super thin skin. The names of the bases can also differ among vendors.

Let’s touch on some of the key features of these bases. Aside from the ease of cleaning, poly bases offer different benefits that will appeal to users on an individual basis.

The 0.03 polyurethane or Ultra Thin Skin base will offer wearers one of the most undetectable hairlines available. The transparent material all but disappears into the scalp. Wearers that prefer hair styles where the hairline is exposed will appreciate this particular option.

There are however a few cons related to this base. A) this base is very fragile and delicate. Great care needs to be taken to avoid rips or holes in the material. The hair on this base is installed via a process known as "v-loop". This process is one of the reasons that the hairline is so undetectable. The hair is not “tied” or “knotted” into the base as they are with lace based systems. Instead it is slipped into and back out of the base. No knots appear in this process and this helps to provide a real scalp effect.

A small dab of glue is applied to the base of each v-looped hair to reduce shedding.

Care must be taken when using hair conditioners on the poly base system. They will make the base and the hair slippery, which can allow the hair to slip out of the base easily.

An ultra thin skin base will only accommodate lighter hair densities. This is due to the fact that the base is fragile and won’t withstand the weight of higher density hair.

For wearers that choose a style that doesn’t have an exposed hairline, the more durable 0.08mm poly base is preferred. This base is thicker. Therefore if left exposed at the hairline a slight lip will be visible. You will have to get really close to see it but the thickness of the base is visible. The same process is used to insert the hairs into the base . Higher density volumes may be offered with this particular base.