Latex head pieces - blending to skin

[Guest Duck]

I am currently doing a Twi'lek and she has a headpiece that only comes to her ear cones. The headpiece will hide where the latex lekku cap ends at the front of my head but I have nothing to hide the latex edge of my Lekku at the back of my head, nape of neck. Whats the best way to have a seamless transition from latex cap to skin so the line where the cap begins is undetectable?

[Allfather]

I have always used some good quality liquid latex like RD407 or something. I have heard good things about a new(ish) version of prosaid that is more like a thicker foam and fills seams very good. I've never used it, though, so I don't have a first-hand review of it.

[Nefthys]

I use Pros-Aide for almost all my prosthetic work and really love it. Been using it for over 2 years now and it is fantastic! It's easy to use, great for anyone with sensitive skin, sweat resistant, fairly inexpensive, and comes off with a remover. It's better to use then latex because latex will stick to itself permanently, so each time you use it to blend the edges down on your latex lekku, the edge will grow bigger. So you will have to keep trimming it back, but it will get a thicker ridge over time and be harder to blend. Latex also has no remover, so you just have to peel it off your skin at the end of the day (and will also take any hair with it that it has attached too). Lastly, latex does shrink a small amount when it dries, giving you a "tight" or "pulling" feeling on your skin.

 

Pros-Aide comes in its original adhesive form for sticking down the prosthetic, and then it comes in a Creme form for blending the edges down. To start you would paint a thin layer of Pros-Aide Adhesive along the edge of the latex lekku where you want to stick it down, let it dry to clear. This is important, Pros-Aide is one of those rare adhesives that becomes sticky AFTER it dries. Once the first layer has dried to clear, put a second thin coat on the latex lekku and let it dry to clear again. Now the edge of your prosthetic should be nice and sticky, so go head and put it on pressing down for a few seconds along the edge. As this is the back of your neck you will probably need someone to help you.

 

Once the lekku are glued in position, you can use the Pros-Aide Creme to start blending down the edge where the lekku ends and your skin starts. I usually use a small make-up spatula for this part, or a silicone tool from Ben Nye (OMG best tool ever!) but you can use a make-up sponge too. Stipple small amounts of the creme along the edge in thin layers. Let each layer dry to clear in between (you can use a hair dryer to speed this up) until you have enough layers to cover the seem between the lekku and skin. It will be sticky when it dries, so just use any make-up power (I use Ben Nye Translucent setting powder) you have handy and powered over the creme to take away the stickiness. Then you can put what ever make-up you need over the top.

 

It is very strong stuff and will last days if you don't take it off. I've slept with a prosthetic on my arm and it was fine the next morning. That being said, since it is strong, you will need a good remover to take it off with. There are a number of different products out there you can use. I use either Ben Nye Bond-off or Telesis Super-Solv. In a pinch you can also use Isopropyl 99 alcohol (not highly recommended) but this is very hard on your skin so make sure you moisturise afterwards.

 

I always tell people it takes just as long to take make-up off as it does to put it on. Give the remover time to work away at the Pros-Aide, it is not an instant process. Put some remover on a cotton pad or tissue and gently wipe over the Pros-aide creme until it starts to soften and you can begin to work the edge of the lekku back. Use a q-tip soaked in remover to start working your way under the latex edge to get at the Pros-aide underneath.

 

It sounds like a long process to take off the Pros-aide, but it is well worth it. Mainly you don't have to rip it off your skin, as you would with latex, so that is a bonus. Also you can use the remover to clean off any excess Pros-aide so the original edge of your lekku remains the same.

 

You can get info on Pros-aide website ( http://www.pros-aide.com/index.htm ) as well as a list of retailers that sell it.

 

Pros-aide is ideal for sticking down prosthetic pieces, but it is also really great stuff for creating your own skin effects. I use it with tissue paper or cotton to do scars, cuts, wounds and all sorts of other nifty stuff.

 

Hope this has been helpful! Feel free to ask any questions if you need more info.

 

Cheers,

Nef

[Guest Duck]

This is awesome - thank you Nef!