When men, women,
and children lose their hair, there are just two options they
have for solving their hair loss problem. These two options
are either purchasing a Wig or a men's hairpiece, or they can
now learn how to make and maintain wigs and hairpieces instead
of buying them.
Retail Synthetic
Wigs and Hairpieces can cost as little as $39.00 through various
mail order and online Internet catalogs.
Custom made Men's
Hairpieces or Women's Lace Front Wigs, made with human hair,
can cost over $5,000. What you need and what you can afford
may fall somewhere in between these two price extremes, however,
this web page may help you with some practical information that
should help you make the right decision regarding what wig or
hairpiece is best for you.
TYPES OF
HAIRPIECES AND LACE FRONT WIGS
Ready Made
Ready-made Men's Hairpieces and Women's Lace Front Wigs are
the most popular hair systems sold. Most hair systems are made
using a one-size-fits-all Hairpiece Foundation or a Lace Front
Wig Cap that is generally made in a medium size.
Men's Hairpiece
Foundation are simply contoured Monofilament caps that can easily
be used to design and create any size Men's Hairpiece desired.
Women's Lace
Front Wig Caps have a front lace Monofilament section that allow
you to design and create your Lace Front Wig exactly the same
way as a men's hairpiece.
At the back
of a Women's Lace Front Wigs there are a configuration of hooks
and eyes, or Velcro, and a thin elastic band that can be adjusted
to make the wig fit snugly. Machine produced ready-made Lace
Front Wigs with synthetic hair, offer low cost, ease of care
and fast delivery often within 3-4 days. Many various styles
are available through the catalogs businesses and prices range
from $39 to $300.
Hand-tied ready-made
Lace Front Wigs provide a more natural looking scalp appearance.
They can be made of synthetic or processed human hair and they
allow individualized hair styling. Hand-tied ready-made Wigs
range in price from $400 to $800.
Semi-Custom
Some Wig Salons or Wig Shops offer semi-custom shaped Monofilament
Wig Caps. This is achieved with a series of different cap sizes
and shapes that are fit to the client's head. Both the circumference
and the shape of the dome can vary. Semi-custom versions offer
the advantage of a more secure fit and can be made and delivered
within 4-6 weeks. The hair is usually hand-tied to the Monofilament
Wig Cap to provide a more natural appearance. These types of
Hairpieces can range in cost from $1,200 to $1,800. Some allow
for fitting while the client still has hair and can be worn
trough hair loss and regrowth patterns common with alopecia
areata or chemotherapy treatments.
Custom-made
Custom designed Hairpiece Foundations are usually used to create
Men's Hairpieces and Wigs for client's suffering from permanent
and total hair loss loss. Creating a custom base is done by
creating a plaster mold of the client's head. Next, the base
is formed from the mold that is created. The exact fit creates
what is called the suction or "vacuum" type fit. These Hairpieces
can be worn with or without tape or adhesive and they are very
secure and natural looking. They can take from 6-8 weeks to
make and range in price from $2,000 to $5,000.
TYPE OF HAIR
You also have the choice of purchasing your hairpiece or wig
with either synthetic or processed or unprocessed human hair.
Each type has advantages or disadvantages depending on your
life-style and desired hairstyle.
Synthetic Hair
Synthetic
Wigs may be your best choice if you have a short hairstyle,
a limited budget or have little time to work at doing maintenance
on your hair piece. The foremost benefits are easy care, reasonable
price, permanent color and usually quick availability. Most
synthetic Wigs today are made with Kanekalon fiber of which
holds its shape and color fairly well. On the disadvantage side,
some synthetic Hairpieces tend to become stiff and less flowing
that natural human hair. The base may also become itchy or irritating
to sensitive skin and synthetic fiber can not be highlighted
or colored. Most synthetic Wigs range in price from $39 to $800
depending on cap design and construction and method of securing
of the fiber to the base.
Human Hair
Human hair systems are considered to be the best choice for
longer hair styles, when you have a more flexible budget and
when you desire a natural look and feel. The major benefits
of human hair systems are they flow and move like normal hair,
feel soft to the touch and provide the most natural appearance.
These pieces may also be premed and colored and they last longer
than synthetic systems when maintained properly. The disadvantages
are that they need regular maintenance just like your own hair
does and they are generally more expensive than synthetic systems.
Processed Human
Hair
The term "processed hair" is used to describe human hair, and
it characterizes that the hair has had chemical processes in
an attempt to change its appearance. Processed hair is used
in the manufacturing of Hairpieces in countries such as Indian,
Indonesian or Chinese origin because of it's availability and
affordable cost. These ethnic sources of hair are mostly black,
course and straight, are chemically processed to achieve the
appearance of natural unprocessed hair for Caucasian nationalities.
First the hair
color is lifted using bleach; next the color is applied (dyed)
than it is styled (permed) and then finally it is stripped of
it's outer cuticle layer.
Unprocessed
Hair
Unprocessed Hair (European quality) is the finest quality hair
available because it is not chemically processed. This hair
is harvested in the form of Ponytails and are blended and matched
accordingly to color, length, texture and curl pattern.
Quality European
hair is the most expensive hair used for wig making because
it has a long life expectancy. The European quality hair is
carefully blended without removing the cuticle, resulting in
tangle free styling. Less maintenance and chemical processes
is needed because the hair shaft is naturally healthy.
Blends
Some companies offer a blend of human hair and synthetic fiber
Hairpieces or Wigs. Sometimes this provides an advantage both
in hair movement and the natural feel of human hair as well
as easy styling and maintenance. However, there are times it
can present problems with maintenance and require different
processing methods for styling.
ATTACHMENT
METHODS
There are a variety
of attachment methods available depending on your individual
hair loss pattern, personal life-style and desire for safeness.
Hair weaving or bonding (using gluing or securing a hair piece
to existing hair) is generally not recommended because it can
place too much stress on the existing hair. Full Wigs can be
attached to your own hair with mini clips or snaps, or to parts
of the head without hair using double-sided toupee tape or bonding
adhesive. When Hair Clips are used they should be repositioned
periodically to avoid putting prolonged stress on the same area
of the scalp. For those with total hair loss, a custom molded
"vacuum fit" or suction cap will require no tape or clips.
MACHINE-MADE
VS. HAND-MADE
Machine-Made
Machine-Made Wigs are almost always less expensive and they
are usually available in most styles. Hair fibers are machine
sewn onto a "Weft" in a fixed pattern and they are then assembled
together on an open net base. This type of wig design is meant
to be worn when you have hair and when the wind blows your hair
remains visible through the wefts.
Hand-Made
Hand production methods involve hand knotting on net base Hairpieces
or hand inserting on custom molded base Hairpieces. Hand construction
methods usually provide a more random and natural appearance.
Most hand knotting or implantation is done overseas as the process
is tedious and very labor intensive. On some type Hairpieces,
there is over 140,000 individual hair shafts that need to be
inserted. There are a wide variety of price and appearance options
with hand production methods that is explained in the following
section.
HAND TIED
OR KNOTTING METHODS
On almost all Women's
Lace Front Wigs and Men's Hairpieces, hair is attached to the
Monofilament base with "Ventilating Needles". Ventilating Needles
come in various sizes and have a small hook at the end designed
to pull a specific number of hairs from the hair supply while
being tied to the foundation material. Needles with the smallest
hook will pull one hair shaft in relationship to the needle
size each time. The larger the needle hook the more hair can
be pulled each time. Single hair shaft knotting or implanting
is the most natural looking but also the most expensive.
Hand Implantation
on Molded Bases
Hand implantation is a process use to create suction or "vacuum
fit" Hairpieces. Once the base has been formed, the hair is
implanted into the base either one at a time or more when necessary.
The single hair method resembles the natural hair pattern of
and provides the more desirable results.
The multi-shaft
implantation in less expensive, but it looks less natural especially
at the part line or crown. Hair is implanted at an angle over
the surface of the base to duplicate a natural hair pattern
of the scalp. Special treatments are usually provided along
the front hairline and neck depending on the style of the hair
piece.
Hand-Tied Knotting
Methods
With Monofilament Men's Hairpieces and Lace Front Wigs, the
hair is tied onto the base using the ventilating needle. The
Ventilator Needle is pushed through the base material (with
the hair is to be tied); next the designated hair(s) are picked
up from the hair supply and pulled back through the material
and knotted. Most Monofilament base Hairpieces have more than
one hair shaft applied at a time outside the front hairline
and part areas. Normally, only one hair at a time is tied along
the front hairline and part areas and 2 or more are applied
outside these areas.
BASE MATERIALS
AND DESIGN
Monofilament Lace Front Wigs and Men's Hairpieces come in variety
of styles. The best quality use the fine nylon material called
"Monofilament". The fine designs allow the hairs to be tied
closely together to provide a more natural "human-like" appearance.
Some Monofilament foundation designs have with a polyurethane
section that provides an area where tape or adhesive can be
applied for securing the hair piece for wearing.
The vacuum fit
or suction type Hairpieces are made of several different materials
ranging from fiberglass (hard) to silicone (soft). The soft
bases generally are lighter and slightly more comfortable. The
hard bases are durable, however,they can be slightly warmer
to wear than the Monofilament base Hairpieces.
HAIRLINE
The most important segment in wig design is the front hairline
and part areas. Many Hairpieces do not have a very natural looking
front hairline and this forces the client's to choose styles
with bangs or with the hair pulled more forward over the face.
For the most
favorable appearance, it is recommended to consider styles with
wispy bangs or hair styled slightly over or off the face. You
should always ask about styling limitations before purchasing
your hair piece. Some Wigs come with special features where
hair is hand-tied and "under-vented" along the edge to provide
the most natural appearance. Creative styling techniques can
also be used to give the appearance of a wispy natural looking
bang hairline.
COLOR & STYLING
If you are selecting a hairpiece or wig for a temporary hair
loss condition your first decision may be whether you want to
duplicate the style and color of your own hair or to use this
opportunity to experiment with a different look.
Synthetic Hairpieces
and Wigs can be purchased in a wide variety of colors and styles.
The main advantage with synthetic Hairpieces and Wigs is that
the fiber will hold most of its color even though prolonged
exposure to sunlight. Many ready made synthetic Hairpieces come
ready made in highlighted colors and blends. Some custom made
synthetics can be ordered with several color blends mixed throughout
the hair piece to provide a more natural highlighted appearance.
Styling of synthetics should be done using only steam, using
a hot blow dryer or curling iron is not recommended.
Human hair Wigs
and Hairpieces can be colored and highlighted like your own
hair to achieve your desired look. The drawback is that the
color will oxidize or fade with time or prolonged exposure to
sunlight just like your own hair would. Human hair can be recolored
or highlighted using coloring chemicals. Coloring a human hair
wig or hairpiece does take special training and can easily be
done at home to save money.
Styling a human
hair Lace Front Wig or men's hairpiece is done similarly as
with your own hair with the exception of special techniques
around the hairline. Human hair Wigs and Hairpieces tend to
hold a perm considerably well because it does not "grow out"
like your own hair.
HOME CARE
All Wigs will require some maintenance in order to keep them
looking good .
Synthetic Wigs
and Hairpieces may require being washed about every 7-10 days.
After being washed in cool water, they can be left to dry on
a towel overnight. They can easily be "fluffed" or styled back
to their original style. Hot water, hair dryers or curling irons
should never be used for styling.
Human hair Lace
Front Wigs and Men's Hairpieces require shampooing and conditioning
about every 7-10 days. They can be air dried overnight or a
hair dryer may be used on low heat setting for faster drying.
If your human hair wig or hair piece has been permed you may
then manage it like live permed hair.
All Hairpieces
should come with recommended care instructions of which should
include any special shampooing and conditioning procedures.
Always follow the manufacturers instructions carefully or ask
your hair stylist or a cosmetologist for specific instructions.
REPAIRS
Almost every hair piece or wig will eventually need periodical
maintenance to keep them looking fresh and natural. A human
hair Lace Front Wig or men's hairpiece will normally looses
hair at the hairline or part line and crown area(s) as a result
of normal combing and brushing. On many styles, hair can be
added in these areas to maintain their natural appearance. Processed
human hair Wigs may need to be decuticalized at various times.
The cuticle is the outer surface of a human hair shaft, which
consists of 5-10 layers that resemble overlapping roof shingles.
Repeated handling and blending of the hair causes the reversal
of cuticle direction, resulting in extreme tangling, especially
at the nape of the neck. By dipping the hair into an acid bath,
the shaft is stripped of its cuticle layer leaving the hair
slick. A loss of color caused by normal elements (oxidation)
requires the frequent reapplication of chemical hair color.
Processed human hair will need to be recolored more frequently
than unprocessed human hair.
Hand-tied synthetic
Wigs or Hairpieces can be steamed and reset when they need styling
or need to be eliminated the "frizzys." This must be done under
very controlled heat conditions and we recommend you use someone
who is trained in this technique. In general, machine made synthetic
Wigs are crimped at the base to provide fullness and to camouflage
front hairlines. This technique makes subsequent repairing or
restyling very difficult. With both human hair and synthetic
hair Wigs the overall appearance and life span will be greatly
affected by the type of maintenance provided.
BACK-UP Wigs
Regardless of the type of wig you choose, it is always a good
idea to have a back-up hair piece. With synthetic Wigs, an unplanned
exposure to sudden heat may cause frizzing that a professional
will need to do any required repairing. While the hair piece
is being repaired, you will need an alternative hair piece to
wear. With human hair Wigs you can expect them to last from
2 to 4 years with proper care, however, they will need regular
periodic repairs several during the life span of the piece.
Some repair services can take from 4 -6 six weeks while other
may take up to ten weeks. Your back-up hair piece will allow
you to take advantage of this time situation.
INSURANCE
Insurance coverage for Wigs is generally unpredictable. Payment
is usually obtained only on appeal after initial claim rejection.
The insurance industry views Wigs and Hairpieces as cosmetic
even though many states now exempt them form sale tax as a necessary
prosthetic item when hair loss is caused by alopecia areata,
chemotherapy or other medical causes. To have a good chance
of receiving an insurance settlement if you keep your sales
receipt, along with the description listing your hair piece
or wig as a "full cranial prosthesis" and it is helpful to have
a prescription from your doctor. In some instances it may be
necessary to include a letter indicating that the hair piece
or wig was needed to maintain emotional well being too.
As difficult
and sometimes humiliating as the process may be, insurance reimbursement
is sometimes worth the battle. There are several hair piece
companies and women's support group organizations who are actively
fighting the battle for better insurance coverage. Check with
the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (415-456-4644) for additional
tips in filing a claim.
COMPARISON
SUMMARY
Advantages Disadvantages
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Machine-Made
/ Man-Made
- inexpensive
- often stiff and itchy
- fast-availability - can see through
"wefts"
- wide range of styles and colors - often looks "thick"
and unnatural
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Hand-Tied
Hand-Tied
- natural looking
part line - more expensive
- colors can be blended - usually
4-8 weeks to make
- natural looking density - will shed hair
overtime
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Synthetic-Hair
Synthetic-Hair
- least expensive
- may look stiff and unnatural
- easy to maintain - low resistance
to heat
- wide variety of colors - can not change color
- minimal color fading - may frizz to due to fiction
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Human-Hair
Human-Hair
- provides the
most natural look - generally more expensive
- moves and
feels like growth hair - requires upkeep like growth hair
- easily styled, colored and permed - will require periodic
repair due to normal shedding
- last longer
If you have
a question, please call: 1 800-540-8905
Please call
800-540-8905
for more information.
