Breathable VS Full Skin Hair Pieces
Whats the Best Hair Replacement for You?
There are many hair system options available for both men and women experiencing hair loss. As a company specialising in bonded hair systems, we focus on poly (skin) bases, as well as breathable hybrid bases that combine lace and poly for comfort and durability.
When hairpieces—often referred to as toupees—first became popular, they were typically made with a thicker poly perimeter and were sewn or clipped into the client’s natural hair.
This was exactly the type of system Replique founder Scott Hickman used when he received his first hairpiece in Brisbane, Queensland, back in 1991. At the time, tapes and bonding glues were rarely used, and most systems relied on clips, which over time would pull out natural hair and often worsen existing hair loss.
Full Skin Hair Pieces
It’s rare for a single innovation to have such a transformative impact on an industry, but the introduction of full poly, or skin, bases did exactly that for hair replacement. These bases became available in various thicknesses and hair densities and, importantly, could be cut to size, allowing for in-salon customisation and far quicker turnaround compared to traditional custom hairpiece orders that often took months to produce.
​
One of the most significant advancements was the ability for wearers to bond the hairpiece directly to the scalp for several weeks at a time. When paired with modern adhesive glues and tapes from brands such as Walker and Pro Hair Labs, skin bases represented a major improvement over clip-in hair systems.
​
Bonding with glue or tape gave wearers the freedom to sleep, work out, shower, and even swim while wearing their semi-permanent hair system.
Breathable Hair Pieces
For anyone experiencing male pattern baldness, alopecia, or other forms of hair loss, a hair replacement solution can be truly life-changing and restore lost confidence.
​
For Replique founder Scott Hickman, simply no longer seeing hair loss in the mirror was a huge relief. However, early breathable systems made from traditional poly and lace blends were thick and often felt heavy and wig-like to wear.
​
It wasn’t until the introduction of skin bases that styling truly evolved. Skin bases allowed the hair to be styled up and away from the face, something that wasn’t possible with older breathable bases, which needed extra thickness to accommodate sewn-in clips.
​
While lace-front options were also available, they came with their own set of challenges, including glue and tape seeping through the lace.
In more recent years, Replique has adopted thinner poly perimeter bases combined with a lace top, delivering the advantages of both base types in one system.
​
The Replique Breathable Base features a durable yet discreet 0.08mm poly perimeter, allowing the hair to be styled back and away from the face. The poly edge is also wide enough to accommodate multiple strips of tape applied widthwise, creating a secure and long-lasting bond.
​
While skin bases remain the most popular option overall, we’ve seen a significant rise in clients choosing the breathable base—particularly in warmer regions serviced by our Brisbane salon, including the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and parts of Far North Queensland.
