Get Rid of the Wiggy Look!

Get Rid of the Wiggy Look!

(Wig shown above: PREORDER | Timeless Wig by BelleTress | Mono Part)

Do you suffer from wig-itis? No matter what you do, you still think your wig looks fake. This is most often a new wig wearer’s affliction. We are so used to seeing our fine, thin hair, that the wig just seems like too much hair. And to be honest, sometimes it is. Some styles and brands seem to pack a lot more “hair” into their wigs than any real person would ever have. This is where a bit of skill comes into play. I have no such skill, so I depend on my hairdresser to do a bit of thinning and shaping on some styles. Some think the permatease is the problem; that it makes you look as if you have a ton of hair on top. But some permatease does work for some styles and gives the wig lasting shape to support the style.

But then, we have an additional issue. Are you frustrated because no matter what you do, your wig still looks a bit fake? This seems to be a major concern, and for obvious reasons. You don’t want to spend the time and money on a wig to have it announce to the world that it is…a WIG.


In this case there are several things to consider. We can’t expect a cheap wig to look as good as one with all the bells and whistles. We do get what we pay for in more ways than one. A good quality and well-made wig can make all the difference in how real they look and how long they last. We have all come to expect that a human hair wig will look more realistic. We know that a lace front and mono top can give our wigs a more realistic look, depending on the style. We know that synthetic wigs can be helped if we tamp down that shine and choose rooted colors. We know to look for blended shades of color because flat colors scream fake.

And back to our original issue…density. For most of us, especially if losing our hair was a drawn-out process where we got used to thinning hair, any wig might look like too much hair at first, and that takes a while to get used to for most people. If a “real” look is a big issue for you, then time as well as money is a big player. We know that we can’t expect to pull a wig from a box, put it on our head, and have it look very realistic, in most cases. We must take time to customize the wig for us—our head shape, our coloring, and learn which styles suits us best. This includes seeking professional help like a hair stylist to maybe trim, thin, cut bangs if needed, and in general, shape it up to suit our face, if needed.

Some other issues in wig wearing that sometimes get overlooked or thought about too late are: wig fit (cap size), wig placement (does it sit at the natural hairline?) and wig security. Did you prep your bio hair if needed and find a method of securing the wig that is comfortable for you? Trial and error, and time will help with this.

In the end, we get back what we put into our wigs. They are an investment, so it’s worth learning all that we can to make them look great and last a long time.
Sometimes it is hard to be objective as we stand there looking in the mirror. That’s where a professional stylist comes in. Your mom, best friend, partner, etc., might not be the best person/people to ask when it comes to picking a wig color and style—for obvious reasons. A stylist has no, or at least little, emotional investment, and it’s her or his business. They do this for a living. Trust the experts.

Until next time, wishing you all a happy holiday season. Break out that new wig and show off a little.

Vickie Lynn

Does Wig Wearing Damage Bio Hair?

Does Wig Wearing Damage Bio Hair?

(Wig shown above: Anemone Half Wig by WigPro )

These are the considered opinions mostly agreed upon and what my own dermatologist told me. 

 1. Will constant wig wearing inhibit or permanently damage your bio hair? 

 Wearing a wig will not inhibit hair growth. The cells that allow hair to grow will still be able to function underneath your skin while wearing a wig. If you are worried about damaging hair that is growing back out underneath your wig, wearing a wig cap can help to protect the hair that is growing in. 

 2. Will the continued use of adhesives cause my bio hair to break or cause permanent loss? Maybe. 

 Some people use heavy duty adhesives when applying lace front wigs, and it is not uncommon for hair loss to occur with the repeated use around the hairline. The combination of irritating adhesives and tension on the hairline can cause damage, with receding hairlines occurring as an undesirable—but not uncommon outcome. 

 3. What can we do to help prevent damage to our bio hair and scalp? 

  • Massage your scalp. Having a wig sit too tightly on your head can cause the blood flow to your scalp to be reduced.  
  • Take your wig off before bed. Most doctors and wig experts recommend that you do not sleep in your wig – it can cause tension on your hair and cause breakages, tangling, clumping and other undesirable outcomes. 
  • Shampoo your hair--regularly. The key to healthy hair (and scalp) is keeping it clean. You don’t want your wig sitting on a dirty, oily scalp. Bad for your wig and your scalp and bio hair. 
  • Don’t forget your bio hair (see above). It might be that you choose to wear a wig all day, every day. However, we can’t assume that we don’t need to trim our own hair or care for it as well as before the wig wearing days.  
  • Avoid putting damp hair under a wig. Having damp natural hair under a wig is not only extremely uncomfortable, but can also promote the growth of nasty bacteria. 
  • Be careful when braiding your bio hair. Braiding can be an easy way to keep your natural hair out of the way under a wig. But be mindful of your technique. (Constant tension/pulling can damage fibers). 
  • Your bio hair can continue to lose moisture just like before. So, moisturize and condition your bio hair if you notice your hair feeling dry after wearing your wig. To combat bio hair or scalp dryness, try using hair oils, which can penetrate well, or other treatments you might prefer to restore its moisture and good health. 
  • Give your hair and scalp a break. If you have natural hair under a wig for a long period of time, it can be good to give your natural hair and your scalp a break for a few days from time to time. 

In summary: 

  • Wearing wigs brings its own challenges. While it is tempting to put our bio hair “on hold” and forget it longer than we would have before, that is a mistake.  

 

  • Anything we repeatedly do that causes friction will have a result: Including a poor fitting wig, too tight of a wig, bands, and twisting and braiding (if done poorly). 

 

  • The constant friction combined with adhesives can take a toll on the hairline. Try different ways of securing your wig so the hairline is not constantly irritated by the adhesive and tension.  

 

In conclusion, 

 

Take care of your bio hair, scalp, and wig…and you will continue to look fabulous!  

 

Until next time, 

Vickie Lynn 

NEW JON RENAU | GORGEOUS GREY COLLECTION | COMING SOON

NEW JON RENAU | GORGEOUS GREY COLLECTION | COMING SOON

With the signature hues in our Jon Renau Gorgeous Grey Collection, you’ll find your ideal shade of confidence. Three new colors flawlessly imitate the look of natural grey growth. Discover a striking salt and pepper style with Peppercorn, get a luminous glow with Mist, and opt into the ombre trend with the light and stormy Moonlight. These new color blends are available in more than 20 of our most popular short and medium-length styles, from pixie cuts to chic lobs and wavy styles. You’ll also experience the high-quality Jon Renau craftsmanship you know and trust. Light lace fronts offer the look of organic growth and the ultimate in comfort, making it easy to embrace your natural beauty.

January

PEPPERCORN This striking shade captures the natural arrival of silverstrands: a dark base sprinkled with luminous white. With a lighter lace front, this salt and pepper wig color helps achieve the look of natural growth. Find this shade in more than 20 popular styles.

Kristen

MIST Luminous and natural, this shade flawlessly blends pale grey with subtle, sunlit brown hues. The lighter lace front helps wearers achieve a natural look, mirroring organic growth and a smooth gradation of color. Find this grey wig color in more than 20 of our most popular style.

Jazz

MOONLIGHT Grey meets glamour with this trending ombre look, which gracefully marries light and dark. A cool, light flash front deepens naturally into a stormy, midnight shade toward the nape. This color is available in more than 20 styles, including our popular hand-tied, lace front designs

 

PRE-ORDER your new color today!

 

XOXO,

WIG STUDIO 1

 

 

It’s the Little Things

It’s the Little Things

Though we are all wig wearers, some for many years, some new, we are individuals with different likes, dislikes, and needs. This is as true in wigs as it is in life in general.

We all have different wig priorities. If you have no hair at all or little hair, or a sensitive scalp, the wig cap construction will be very important. If you can’t stand wig bands, clips, and pins, the kind of cap and the way it fits will play an even larger role in your choice. For me, it is the less on my head the better, so a good-fitting cap is very important to me. The better the fit, the fewer security measures I feel the need to use. Sometimes it’s just luck. Our heads are all a bit different and sometimes a “made to scale” wig manufacturer’s cap won’t fit as well if you have an in-between size head and can’t get that perfect fit. If that’s the case, you will need to make security decisions.

Getting a hand-tied cap with a mono-top and lace front will cost you more because it costs the manufacturer more to make. That’s easy to understand. And ideally, you’d think everyone would want or need this. But that is not necessarily the case. Many wigs that just come with a basic cap can work well for many people. A lot depends on the wig style. If the style one doesn’t have a part and may have bangs—then a mono top and lace front would not be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. Also, for the same price, you can often get two or three of the basic cap wigs compared to maybe just one of the wigs with all the bells and whistles. That is appealing to a lot of people, especially if you are hard on your wigs, or if you just like to change styles a lot.

All fibers are not created equal. This too, you may have already learned. Some look and feel better and seem to last longer. Every manufacturer seems to do them a bit differently. They have their own vendors, processes, and craftspeople. Human hair wigs are just that, so we all know how to take care of human hair, and the pros and cons of this. It is when you get into fibers that it is more of a challenge. Over time, the coating of the fibers, the color, and the strength of the fibers will change. Depending on how much you wear your wig and how you care for it, can shorten, or lengthen the life of your wig, but eventually, the fibers will show their age and wear.


The big tradeoff: So, we must decide, do we want the best of the best, the middle of the road, or some less costly ones but do the job just fine? Fortunately, we can have one of each if the budget allows. I seem to have landed in the middle of the pack with lace front, mono-top and hand-tied as my preference, but hand-tied is not a deal breaker if I can have the other two. I still have a couple of basic cap wigs that I bought early on and can still wear but I find them hot and scratchy now because I have lost more hair loss over time. My scalp is more sensitive now too, and I must be picky about my caps.


The little extras are important. I like to get a wig with those soft tabs on the side and at the neck, along with the ability to adjust the fit. I can live with a mono-part vs. mono-top, but I hate not having the ability to make fit adjustments or have that comfort of the felt tabs on the side and the one at the bottom of the neck. So, in the end, we all find our sweet spot, what we can live with or hope we don’t have to live with, as the case may be.


Until next time,
Vickie Lynn

NEW STYLES | AMORE COLLECTION 2022

NEW STYLES | AMORE COLLECTION 2022

Welcome Amore's four new styles! 

TATE WIG

Tate from our Amore Collection is a short synthetic wig. This straight ready-to-wear wig is a short bob. Tate is a stunning bob with soft layers that create body and shape. Tate also has a soft fringe that will accentuate the eyes. Our Tate cap construction is Double Monofilament and lace front. The lace front is a hairline fusion technology with minimal lace front for a natural look. Its Double Monofilament cap construction is combined with calibrated machine wefting along the sides and back. Tate cap includes polyurethane tape tabs along the front and adjustable tabs in the back neck area, to allow for comfortable fit. The result is a comfortable fit with a natural look that is both fashionable and easy to wear.
Braylen from our Amore Collection is a mid-length synthetic wig. This wavy ready-to-wear wig is a fun and playful wig with medium density. If you are looking for that beachy wavy curl pattern with fringe this is the wig for you. Our Braylen cap construction is Double Monofilament and lace front. The lace front is a hairline fusion technology with minimal lace front for a natural look. Its Double Monofilament cap construction is combined with calibrated machine wefting along the sides and back. Braylen cap includes polyurethane tape tabs along the front and adjustable tabs in the back neck area, to allow for comfortable fit. The result is a comfortable fit with a natural look that is both fashionable and easy to wear.

SYBIL WIG

Sybil from our Amore Collection is a short length synthetic wig. This straight ready-to-wear wig is a sophisticated long layered bob. If you are wanting a long side fringe with enhancing layers that shape and highlight your cheekbones, Sybil is the style for you. Discover comfort and beauty in the newest Advanced Lace Cap. Sybil’s cap features hand tied plus double monofilament cap construction along with an extended lace front. Its hand-tied wig is constructed by carefully stitching each hair fiber strand by strand. This meticulous design produces a lighter, more comfortable wig. The lace front is a hairline fusion technology with minimal lace front for a natural look. You will feel cool and comfortable with superior air circulation provided by this technologically advanced cap design.

 

LEVY WIG

Levy from our Amore Collection is a mid-length synthetic wig. This layered ready-to-wear wig rest on the shoulders with full fringe and a bouncy full salon look . Its Double Monofilament cap construction is combined with calibrated machine wefting along the sides and back. Levy cap includes polyurethane tape tabs along the front and adjustable tabs in the back neck area, to allow for comfortable fit. The result is a comfortable fit with a natural look that is both fashionable and easy to wear.

 

ORDER TODAY to get your new style!

XOXO,

Wig Studio 1

It’s All About the Wig Cap

It’s All About the Wig Cap

As lovely as your wig may be, and as beautiful as you may look in that style and color, it’s not a great experience if your head is uncomfortable. Is your head itchy after an hour, do you get a headache, is your head overly heated? This could be due to several things: how much helper hair is in your wig, the fit of the cap, the wig construction itself. What is touching your head? How is your wig secured?


You must be at peace with the wig you’ve chosen, and the cap plays a huge role. Maybe it plays a larger role than you thought, but if you are like me, you learned quickly that cap comfort can make or break your day.
When I first started on my wig journey, I was all about color and style. I didn’t know about permatese, the difference in fibers, what heat-friendly meant, or that all wigs with lace fronts were not created equal. Not to mention that I knew little or nothing about mono tops, partial mono tops, mono parts, or anything about the cap that I was going to be wearing on my head for many hours a day every day. Maybe you knew more than I did about wigs when you started, but I’ve since learned that so many people get discouraged about the very basics of wig-wearing—the cap, and how to keep the wig on.


As you can imagine, after wearing an uncomfortable wig for nine hours or more, I was unhappy with my first wig decision. Of course, the wig itself was fine. The color, style, and actual fit were good. My problem was that I had a sensitive scalp, and I needed a monofilament top, something easier on that area of my head that was most sensitive. I needed a lace front because I didn’t want to always wear bangs or worry about the wind blowing up and showing the edge of the wig. I needed a wig with a bit of stretch. Unfortunately, I just didn’t know what I needed until it was a problem. And worse, I had no idea what my options were. For fortunately for you and me we now have so much more information and companies like this that make a great effort to educate their buyers and help them make good decisions about what works best for them. We all have different needs when it comes to wig-wearing, just like we all have different tastes in styles and colors. It’s all about figuring out what we need to be happy with our wig. It’s a process.


After trial and error, I made peace with one of Raquel Welch’s wigs. It had everything that I had decided I needed to be a happy wig wearer. I have only strayed from the brand once and was disappointed. That’s not to say that there are not many other great options out there, and I will likely try others, but once I knew what would make me happy, I felt more secure in branching out with color and style. I came to see that a wig cap made all the difference. I’ve never made that mistake again.


If you are new to wigs, it is helpful to get some advice about wig cap structure and your options. Think about how you will be wearing your wig—many hours a day? What is your environment—hot, outdoors, moving around a lot? How sensitive is your scalp? How true to wig cap size are you—do you know how to decide between petite, average, and large and how to make adjustments to the wigs? How comfortable are you with wig security? Do you know the options available to you?


As you can see, and as many of you have already learned or are now learning, that cap that no one sees but you is just as important, if not more so at times than what everyone does see—the color, the style. Don’t shortchange yourself on the cap. You will never be entirely happy with your wig choice if you pick the wrong cap. And the one you want, or need might cost a bit more, but it will be worth it every single day if you can go through the day and not think about your wig. Trust me on this.

Happy wig days as we go into fall. I’m going to try a new style and color, how about you?

Vickie Lynn

Intervention: Box Hair

Intervention: Box Hair

At long last! You’ve been stationed at the mailbox, sitting on your beach chair waiting for the UPS driver’s impending arrival; the updated UPS text message informs you that the moment of unmitigated joy is just around the corner. And here she is! You cradle your next acquisition to your ever-growing collection and embark upon the process of disengaging your new hair unit from its packaging.



As you do so, there appears to be a slight issue. Something about the wig seems wonky. The lace front looks perfect, there seem to be no defects whatsoever as you thoroughly examine the piece. Ah, you now come to the realization, your wig has been asleep; more accurately, oversleeping in her box for way too long and now has suffered from the affliction we now know as the dreaded “BOX HAIR”.

Fear not, in this video we will view a Do It Yourself (DIY) Intervention to ameliorate this situation. Our subject for the video demonstration is Arrow by Ellen Wille in the color Platin Blonde Rooted 60.24, regular synthetic fiber. This method is applicable to heat-friendly fiber as well. Arrow was provided to me by Wig Studio 1. Additionally worn by me during a portion of this video is the style Scorpio, basic cap in the color Moonstone by Rene’ of Paris, also available from Wig Studio 1.

I hope you enjoy my intervention video, as I think outside the box on how to wrestle with the box hair challenge. And always remember; if I can do it, so can you.

Best,
MichelePearl

BRAVO WIG BY RAQUEL WELCH

Help! How do I make my wig less wiggy?

The whole point of wearing a wig for most of us is to feel just as beautiful and confident as you did when you had a full head of natural hair, and that is hard to do if you’re worried about strangers whispering, “Is that a wig?” at the office, the grocery store, party or worse still, when meeting someone new. When meeting someone new or preparing for a special occasion, you don’t want to be worrying about your wig.

A good wig is an investment so taking the time to learn before we buy is important. Here are some tips from the experts, information that I have gathered, read, and live by.  

1. Replace Your Wig Regularly

The best way to broadcast to the world that you’re wearing a wig is to wear an old ratty-looking wig. Unfortunately, no one has invented a wig that grows new hair yet, so we’re stuck with wigs that lose their quality over time. No matter how hard you wish, no amount of wig styling products or cap adjustments can save a wig that’s past its prime.

Plan to replace your synthetic wigs every 3 to 6 months and your human hair wigs every 6 to 12 months. Use your judgment based on your individual wear patterns.

 2. Rooted Colors

Unless you naturally have very dark hair, it’s unlikely that your hair is just one color. Most people have shades of color and gradients (dimension) throughout their hair.

Wigs with one flat color just look fake or look like a bad color job. Wigs with rooted colors, on the other hand, mimic the natural gradients in bio hair by blending several colors.

If you can’t find a wig that you like with rooted colors look for a wig that is a ‘blend’ of two colors or ask a stylist to give your wig highlights and lowlights two shades away from the wig’s base color. (Don’t try this at home if you don’t have training!)

3. Lace Fronts and Monofilament Tops

Lace front wigs create the illusion of a natural hairline, making it look like your wig hair is growing right out of your head. Monofilament tops do the same thing, but for the wig’s part. Each hair of a monofilament top wig is individually sewn into the wig, rather than being machine applied. This allows the wig hair to move freely and lets you part the wig anywhere you want.

4. Mess Up That Part

When something looks too perfect, especially with wigs, it’s usually a sign that it’s fake. Wig companies could and should do a better job with this in my view.

Most wigs come out of the box with eerily perfect parts. 

As soon as your new wig arrives, take a pair of tweezers, and carefully pluck out a few strands. Then, using baby scissors, cut a few strands so that they look like they’re just growing out. Last, choose a couple of hairs to place on the ‘wrong' side of the part. (Again, don’t try this at home unless you feel comfortable with your skills.)

5. Trim Your Wig

Or not—but take it to your stylist and get it shaped up to better flatter your face. Some of us have the skill set to do this ourselves, but some of us (uh, me) do not. 

6. Blend it Out

If you have some natural hair, try ‘blending’ your natural hairline with the hairline of a lace front wig—as follows: 

 

  • Place your wig an inch or two farther back on your head than you typically would, exposing your natural hairline.
  • Fully attach the wig to keep it steady and from moving too much.
  • pray a little dry shampoo into your hairline and along the wig part line and use your fingers to tease everything together.
  • Mimicking your own edges is one major key to achieving a flawless illusion. It keeps people guessing.

 

NOTE: If you’re going to try this trick, it’s important that your wig color matches your natural hair color.

 7. Know Your Size

We’ve all seen the instructions on how to do this and seen the charts on how to determine your cap size. If you are still in doubt look for videos that show how to do this. It’s easier than trying to read the steps. There are many good instruction videos out and cap size charts are easy to find. 

8. (For wig Newbies) ALWAYS—line up your wig with your natural hairline. 

If you don’t line up your wig with your natural hairline, your wig will never look natural. That’s why it’s so important that each time you put on your wig, you take the time to line it up properly.

To correctly line up your wig with your natural hairline:

  • First, put your wig on your forehead just above your eyebrows.
  • Next, slowly slide the wig back over your head, adjusting as you go, until the bottom of the wig hits the nape of your next.
  • Last, slide the wig forward just a bit until it hits your natural hairline, and secure it in the way you have chosen.

 

If you have been wearing wigs for a while you have your preferences in place most likely. You love or don’t love heat-friendly wigs; you can’t go without a lace front maybe; you must have a mono top or rooted color—the list goes on. Each wig type, fiber, cap, style, has its own footprint. You may well know the good and the challenges for each type. But whether you must have human hair, heat friendly or not, there always seems to be one question: How do I take the shine out of synthetic wigs without washing them so much? Also, know as: 

 

 How to Make a Synthetic Wig Look Real

  • In addition to the other things mentioned before (picking one with blended colors, rooted if you like that, there are some additional things you can do while waiting on that shine to go away through washing. *Apply some dry shampoo or talcum powder to the wig but use a light hand at first. You can always add more if needed but it’s hard to take it out without having to wash your wig if you overdo it. And of course, washing your wig more than necessary is something you will want to avoid. 

So, until next time --- keep your wigs looking “real” not wiggy. And stop & smell the flowers!

Vickie Lynn

 

It’s Summer and is the Wig Cap the Thing or is it the Length?

It’s Summer and is the Wig Cap the Thing or is it the Length?

Well, the cap is one big thing, for sure. Comfort, coolness, all of these things seem to be magnified during the summer. Unless we plan to wear a baseball cap or shave our heads and go natural, we will continue to wear our wigs. So by choice or necessity, we search to find ways to stay cool and comfortable. I have included some things here that might help us understand the cap and the cap construction so that we’ll be better able to make good decisions for our particular situation.
But summer comfort also includes the wig itself, the fibers, the length. Wearing a wig in the summer can pose challenges for many wig wearers. Certain wigs can leave you feeling hot, sweaty, and weighed down. However, there’s no need to sacrifice your wig altogether in the summertime. No!


A shorter wig for hot days would work well, especially if you change your style around daily. There are so many beautiful short wig styles for summer to choose from. I’m sure you have some already in your collection, but I’ll put links to a few of the newer ones at the end of the blog. But don’t think you must wear short wigs all the time, you can do some lovely up-do styles with the longer ones as well. Keeping your wig off your neck is key when it comes to preventing your head from overheating. In addition to opting for an up-do, if you have a longer length wig and your aim is to keep from sweating as much as possible, plaits and braids are the most effective styles to go for.


There are so many helpful YouTube videos from our wonderful ladies who do the reviews and offer helpful advice here and on our Facebook page. Check them out and get inspired! I know that I did.


As for fibers, synthetic versus human—overall, synthetic wigs are the winner during the summer months. Synthetic fibers are lighter than human hair so should keep you cooler. Also, human hair wigs will react to the hot weather in the same way natural hair would; it can lose shape and style or go frizzy with the humidity. Synthetic wigs, however, have ‘style memory’ and will hold their shape even when exposed to the elements.


Now, back to the cap—and cap liners: When it comes to wig construction, I’ve always been a fan of hand-tied wigs. I’ve got several that’s wefted at the back and hand-tied on the crown. I’m certainly finding that the wefted construction helps keep things a bit cooler as it lets the air circulate more. Watch out for fitting even more during the summer. Too tight wigs can restrict the airflow and make you very uncomfortable fast.


Wig caps are one effective method to help reduce sweating when wig wearing. For the summer, in particular, I recommend trying the bamboo caps and/or liners. The material moves sweat to the outer surface of the fabric and dries quicker, helping to avoid excess sweating.


Cap Construction types: Monofilament – more natural-looking and more versatile (top, part, crown options). Lace Front – natural-looking, more style options. Hand-tied – More realistic movement and styling versatility, softer on the scalp (lack of wefts), lighter, cooler. Wefted-open cap – most basic, not as expensive, open construction allows it to be lightweight, breathable. Permatease is a factor for some with these.

Until next time, take a peek at the links…
Vickie Lynn

 

Below is lace front, mono part and mono cap, both mine, both comfortable.

Please see the links below to help you learn more about caps, and what new short wigs are available right now. I have my eye on two. So many wigs, so little time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



WIG GRIP CAP BY GODIVA'S SECRET WIGS

The Scary Questions and Some Good Answers

Though you might find varying versions of these answers, these are the ones mostly agreed upon and what my own dermatologist told me.

 

  1. Will constant wig-wearing inhibit or permanently damage your bio hair?

 

Wearing a wig will not inhibit hair growth. The cells that allow hair to grow will still be able to function underneath your skin while wearing a wig. If you're worried about damaging hair that is growing back out underneath your wig, wearing a wig cap can help to protect the hair that is growing in.

 

  1. Will the continued use of adhesives cause my bio hair to break or cause permanent loss?

 

Some people do use heavy-duty adhesives when applying lace front wigs, and it is not uncommon for hair loss to occur with the repeated use around the hairline. The combination of irritating adhesives and tension on the hairline can cause damage, with receding hairlines occurring as an undesirable—but not an uncommon outcome.

 

What can we do to help prevent damage to our bio hair, and scalp?:

 

  1. Massage your scalp. Having a wig sit too tightly on your head can cause the blood flow to your scalp to be reduced. 
  2. Take your wig off before bed. Most doctors and wig experts recommend that you do not sleep in your wig – it can cause tension on your hair and cause breakages, tangling, clumping, and other undesirable outcomes.
  3. Shampoo your hair--regularly. The key to healthy hair (and scalp) is keeping it clean. You don’t want your wig sitting on a dirty, oily scalp. Bad for your wig and your scalp and bio hair.
  4. Keep on top of trimming bio hair. It might be that you choose to wear a wig all day every day. That’s fine but don’t assume that you don’t need to trim your own hair or care for it as well as you did before your wig-wearing days. Don’t forget about your bio hair.
  5. Avoid putting damp hair under a wig. Having damp natural hair under a wig is not only extremely uncomfortable but can also promote the growth of nasty bacteria.
  6. Be careful when braiding your bio hair. Braiding can be seen as an easy way to keep your natural hair out of the way under a wig. But be mindful of your technique.
  7. Your bio hair can continue to lose moisture just like before. So moisturize and condition your bio hair if you notice your hair feeling dry after wearing your wig. To combat any bio hair and/or scalp dryness, try using hair oils, which can penetrate well, or other treatments you might prefer to restore its moisture and good health.
  8. Give your hair and scalp a break. If you have natural hair under a wig for a long period of time, it can be good to give your natural hair and your scalp a break for a few days from time to time.

In summary:

  • Wearing wigs brings its own particular challenges. While it is tempting to put our bio hair “on hold” and forget it longer than we would have before, that is a mistake. 

 

  • Anything we do over and over again that causes friction will have a result. This includes a poor-fitting wig, too tight wigs, and bands, and twisting and braiding (if done poorly).

 

  • The constant friction combined with adhesives can take a toll on the hairline. Try different ways of securing your wig so that the hairline is not constantly irritated by the adhesive and tension. 

 

In conclusion, my view is that while there are challenges in wig wearing like there are in a lot of things we have to tackle, once we get past the learning curve, it’s more fun than fear. 

 

Take care of your bio hair, scalp, and your wig…

Until next time,

Vickie Lynn