Conditions & Diseases: Hair Loss & Hair Loss Treatment (Surgical & Non-Surgical)

Wigs for Hair Loss

If you are a woman with hair loss, wigs can not only provide a solution to your thinning hair, but also offer you something special: an instant change of style or color, from long to short or short to long, from straight to curly, from brunette to blond or red to deep brown.

Whether you want to purchase a wig for cosmetic or for medical reasons, there are a few steps you need to take before that: measure your head, in order to determine what cap size you have select the style you want to wear; you will probably find a limited number of colors for that style, this is why you shouldn’t choose the color first select the color of the wig.

Measuring your head is an important step, as there are several cap sizes: ultra petite (for children; they fit head circumferences that are smaller than 20 inches) petite (for a head circumference that is 21 inches or smaller) average (circumference between 21.5 – 22.5 inches) large (22.5 and larger). Your head circumference can be taken with a measuring tape, starting at the forehead, above the eyebrows, and following the hairline, behind the ears, all around the head and back to the forehead.

Choosing a Wig

When choosing the hairstyle of your wig, the first and foremost factor you should consider is the shape of your face.

Its best features should be enhanced by the hairstyle you choose, and the features that are not favorable should be minimized. Basically, as the oval face is considered the ideal shape, the best hairstyle you can choose should be as close as possible to creating the illusion of an oval shape.

As for color, there is something you need to pay attention to if you are buying over the Internet: most sites provide color scans and color descriptions. However, due to individual monitor settings, it is impossible to have an accurate color representation. Choose the sites that offer to match a swatch of your hair or a photograph with the color of your future wig.

A wig may have different cap construction types, from the typical machine-made caps, where hair wefts are attached to a pre-constructed base, to the typical hand-tied cap, constructed of monofilament or polyester mesh, with individual strands of hair hand-knotted into the mesh. The most appreciated and comfortable type is the one that uses a monofilament base. Hairlosslibrary.com gives a more detailed explanation on how they are constructed: “The individual grafts of hair are hand-placed onto the thin material at the crown and the special construction on their top and front makes the scalp look as if it were natural. The hair can be parted and brushed in any direction”. Women with total hair loss have an even better choice, the vacuum-type wigs; these wigs have a silicone base made by a plaster mold of the head, and thus provide a vacuum fit.

Human Hair or Synthetic

Another very important aspect to consider is the type of hair the wig is made of. If you want a human hair wig, you must know that it needs much more care than the wigs made of synthetic fibers. It has a much more natural flow, of course, it is heavier and shinier, and has a much longer life expectancy than synthetics, but due to all these qualities, it is also much more expensive.

Some specialists advise that only the experienced wig-wearers should easily choose a human hair wig, particularly because it needs the same care as natural growing hair: washing more often, restyling every time it is washed etc. Medical patients who experience hair loss are often in a poor condition, so choosing a synthetic wig could spare them the time and efforts needed to care for one made of human hair. Those who can take the time to care for such a wig will be happy to discover that they can style it almost in any way they want, as the hair will accept any change natural hair does, including perming or changing the color.

By comparison, synthetic wigs are much more affordable, so whenever you get tired of a particular hairstyle or color, you can easily change your wig; they usually come pre-styled and generally maintain their styling even when washed; their color is permanent. However, you’ll need to make sure your wig is made of quality fiber, because some fibers may frizz when they rub against the collar of your clothes or when exposed to heat. If you prefer a short hairstyle, they are usually the best choice, but for longer hairstyles, a human hair wig definitely makes a difference.

There are various qualities of human hair, as well as various qualities of synthetic fibers. The best quality human hair comes from Europe, and as such, it is also the most expensive; it usually does not need chemical processing. The hair that does not need any chemical processing at all is called “virgin hair”. Indian, Indonesian and Chinese hair is also used, but due to the fact that it is black, straight and coarse, it needs chemical processing – decuticalisation, dyeing etc. Japanese manufacturers have recently developed some quality synthetic fibers, such as Kanekalon, that have great resemblance to human hair, and cost less than a half of the price of human hair.

There are several types of wig attachments: double-sided adhesive strips (daily removal) semi-liquid wig adhesive, similar to tape (lasts 3-5 days) liquid adhesive (up to 5 days; needs solvent or alcohol to be removed) clips attached to the underside of the wig (daily wear or longer) extended hair bonding, with a medically approved product that lasts 3-6 weeks.

Cost of Wigs

Whether you choose a ready-made wig or a custom one, should depend on how fast you need to have it and on the amount of money you are willing to pay for it. Ready-made wigs can be delivered very quickly if in stock, and they are made of synthetic or human processed hair. They have prices up to $300 if they are machine-produced and between $400 and $800 if they are hand-made. If you’ve decided for a wig made of virgin hair, then you will most probably need to have it custom-made, but expect a price range somewhere between $2000 and $4000, and a manufacturing period between 4-6 months. Hand-made wigs will naturally take much longer to make than machine-made ones.

Caring for your Wig

The lifetime of a wig depends on how well it is cared for. Two basic rules are: 1- always follow the care instructions that come with the wig and 2- use care products specifically designed for wigs, especially if your wig is synthetic. These products will also help maintain its color and shine. Also, storing your wig when not in use on a wig-stand will help it keep its shape and style. Wig care tools and essentials include: shampoo, wig conditioner, a wig comb, wig stand, wig hair spray/mousse/styling gel. As general care guidelines, never use hot water to wash the wig and do not use hair driers or curling irons on synthetic wigs; if you do use a hair drier, use it on low-heat setting, but it is best to dry your wig by leaving it on a towel to dry overnight. Re-styling should be done by a professional stylist, as well as periodic repairs. more information.

Article by Staff
OmniMedicalSearch.com

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