CHOOSING A WIG
A wide range of factors will influence your choice of wigs: 100 human hair wigs or synthetic; short or long; custom- or machine-made; and price (which can range from $40 to over $4,000).
Synthetic vs. Human Hair
Most people prefer synthetic hair. It's easier to maintain and less expensive. Most synthetic wigs have their style molded into them, but some can be reset. The advantage to style-able wigs is that you can change their look, just as with real hair. The disadvantage is that they have to be reset every time they're washed. Synthetic hair also dries faster than real hair. Well-made synthetic wigs may look real, but they never totally feel or move the way real hair does. Nor can you treat them like your own hair -- they literally fry when exposed to heat. So no curling irons or blow dryers unless they are specifically designed for wigs. Hot rollers can be used, but only at low settings. And avoid exposing the wig to any intense heat sources such as an oven. The blast of heat will cause frizzing.
Wigs made of human hair will obviously look and feel more like your hair, but are expensive, starting at $1,000, and are far more time consuming. You can use heated appliances on them for touch-ups, but you'll probably want to take them to a professional to be washed and styled. There are three types of real hair used in wigs: Asian, Indonesian and European. The most readily available and least expensive is Asian. It is also the heaviest and least like the hair found on Western Europeans. Indonesian is slightly finer and considered a mid-grade hair. European is the finest and most rare, and is priced accordingly. Since all these wigs are cleaned, stripped, dyed and possibly permed, it is often difficult to tell what type of hair a wig is made from by the color or the curl alone.
Wig Construction
The way a wig is made affects how it looks just as much as, if not more than, the type of hair used. A quality synthetic wig is preferable to a poorly made human one. There are three different types of wig constructions: custom, hand-made and machine-made.
Machine-made wigs are the least expensive and most widely available. If you've ever worn a wig, this is probably the type you are familiar with. Wefts of hair are sewn together in a straight line, cut and assembled into a wig. (When you look inside a machine-made wig you can see the lines.) Many look extremely realistic as long as they are not parted, pulled back or otherwise altered. Some people find these wigs more comfortable because the construction creates vents that allow air to circulate to the scalp.
Hand-made wigs look the most natural of the prefabricated choices because individual strands are knotted on to a skullcap rather than wefts of hair being sewn together. These wigs can be parted and styled with accessories because there is no chance the vents will be exposed. The hair also falls and moves more naturally.
Custom-made wigs are almost indistinguishable from natural hair. They are usually not a viable option for cancer patients, as they are extremely expensive and generally take more than two months to complete. Make sure that you have final approval on the choice of hair and style. And unless you have prior knowledge of the shop, call your local chapter of the American Cancer Society to double-check that you are working with a reputable establishment.
Recommend Links: African American Wigs, Wigs for Cancer Patients
A wide range of factors will influence your choice of wigs: 100 human hair wigs or synthetic; short or long; custom- or machine-made; and price (which can range from $40 to over $4,000).
Synthetic vs. Human Hair
Most people prefer synthetic hair. It's easier to maintain and less expensive. Most synthetic wigs have their style molded into them, but some can be reset. The advantage to style-able wigs is that you can change their look, just as with real hair. The disadvantage is that they have to be reset every time they're washed. Synthetic hair also dries faster than real hair. Well-made synthetic wigs may look real, but they never totally feel or move the way real hair does. Nor can you treat them like your own hair -- they literally fry when exposed to heat. So no curling irons or blow dryers unless they are specifically designed for wigs. Hot rollers can be used, but only at low settings. And avoid exposing the wig to any intense heat sources such as an oven. The blast of heat will cause frizzing.
Wigs made of human hair will obviously look and feel more like your hair, but are expensive, starting at $1,000, and are far more time consuming. You can use heated appliances on them for touch-ups, but you'll probably want to take them to a professional to be washed and styled. There are three types of real hair used in wigs: Asian, Indonesian and European. The most readily available and least expensive is Asian. It is also the heaviest and least like the hair found on Western Europeans. Indonesian is slightly finer and considered a mid-grade hair. European is the finest and most rare, and is priced accordingly. Since all these wigs are cleaned, stripped, dyed and possibly permed, it is often difficult to tell what type of hair a wig is made from by the color or the curl alone.
Wig Construction
The way a wig is made affects how it looks just as much as, if not more than, the type of hair used. A quality synthetic wig is preferable to a poorly made human one. There are three different types of wig constructions: custom, hand-made and machine-made.
Machine-made wigs are the least expensive and most widely available. If you've ever worn a wig, this is probably the type you are familiar with. Wefts of hair are sewn together in a straight line, cut and assembled into a wig. (When you look inside a machine-made wig you can see the lines.) Many look extremely realistic as long as they are not parted, pulled back or otherwise altered. Some people find these wigs more comfortable because the construction creates vents that allow air to circulate to the scalp.
Hand-made wigs look the most natural of the prefabricated choices because individual strands are knotted on to a skullcap rather than wefts of hair being sewn together. These wigs can be parted and styled with accessories because there is no chance the vents will be exposed. The hair also falls and moves more naturally.
Custom-made wigs are almost indistinguishable from natural hair. They are usually not a viable option for cancer patients, as they are extremely expensive and generally take more than two months to complete. Make sure that you have final approval on the choice of hair and style. And unless you have prior knowledge of the shop, call your local chapter of the American Cancer Society to double-check that you are working with a reputable establishment.
Recommend Links: African American Wigs, Wigs for Cancer Patients
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