Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rose - shaving and wigging on February 10, 2012 at 4:04pm

You're doing it right, wig hair is just often bad quality, I'm afraid. It's very good service of the salon to order a replacement (if it's at no added cost). The problem is, the hair will be coated in silicone at the factory, and the salon cannot check this without washing it a few times. If it's straw by then, the factory won't take the unit back. So salons usually put it on the client to find out. Some salons advise to wash only once a month, but in my experience, hair needs to be at least rinsed of the dust and dirt every week to keep its movement. Besides, the cap is close to your head and it's a bit like lingerie, which also needs frequent washing. Bras wear out less by washing them after 1 day of wear, because the sweat affects the stretch materials more than washing does. It's sort of similar with wig caps.

I condition more heavily and longer than you. I put hair repair mask directly on the hair (not the cap), and leave it on for at least half an hour. It is much softer afterwards than regular conditioning. But, this effect doesn't last long I have to say. The bleach bath is another method. It can make a difference which shampoo you use, I read that clarifying shampoos are a no no, as are any products with lanolin.

I wonder about these instructions, I haven't tried them but they seem to make sense (copied from www.shuangyewig.com).

2. Before washing the hair, spray mixture of conditioner and water and brush the hair from bottom up. You must gradually wet the hair down and brush it gently before you completely wash the hair. If the hair is very dry and a lot of water is added at once, hair will swell up like sponge and tangle! Therefore, it is important to gradually wet the hair and brush it.

3. After wetting the hair, add shampoo and conditioner and brush thoroughly. Be sure to wash and brush the hair in one direction. Rinse the hair completely with water and towel dry. It is best to air dry the hair but you can also blow-dry with low to medium heat.

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Permalink Reply by cathy clark on February 11, 2012 at 10:20pm

Rose, thanks for this information-I think it is very important to follow this when dealing with hair that is processed, as is most hair that is Asian in origin, especially if it is no longer the original dark color. I have read before about this processed hair swelling when immersed in water-I think for a non scientific mind it is hard to grasp this, but it is very very important. And your suggestion of wetting and conditioning gradually, before washing, so that the hair doesn't swell so much when washed, is a very good one. Sometimes, on a very dry wig, I give an overall conditioning with Moroccan oil, sometimes called argan oil,before washing- this is extra work, but makes a difference.Thanks for this tip.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle on February 12, 2012 at 2:06pm

Unfortunately wigs whether human hair or not do not last long. Unless you have purchased one of those wigs that cost thousands of dollars you will have to change out every 3 to 4 months especially if your using it for everyday use. Sucks but this is the ugly truth. The things we have to go through.... grrrr!

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Permalink Reply by Julia S on February 13, 2012 at 10:05am

Thanks for the advice. I dont have a new wig coming in at no cost to me as the original mfr of my current wig didnt make a good product and my wig shop is standing behind their 1 year warrentee so they are going with another mfr and getting me a new one. I didnt pay $1400 for this one so it better last more than 4 months, they said I should get 1-5 years out of it.

I will try the conditioner and water trick. I did put conditioner directly on the ends and let it sit for 30 minutes and that seemed to help a little. Since I have "bad" hair I did have to trim it also. It is still crazy tangled but we will see what the new wig hold also I guess.

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Permalink Reply by NearlyNatural on February 14, 2012 at 10:58pm

Hi Julia,
It is very important to include natural oils back into your hair system along with a once weekly deep conditioning. The ultimate issue is that wigs can't utilize the natural scalp oils that normally lubricate scalp hair. Most individuals concentrate only on finding a specific wash out or leave in conditioner to add moisture . Most importantly you must find the proper balance of both moisture AND natural lubricating oils to keep a system healthy. That is the ONLY way to maintain a healthy wig. Several key steps are necessary to restore dry brittle hair. Use a pre conditioning solution to drive your conditioner deeper into your hair / and use conditioners that contain natural oils (specifically Argan Oil) and jojoba oil. Once the hair is allowed to air dry always use a light application of Argan Oil or other natural oil combination to repair split end and damage. Also use only finishing/syling products that contain botanical extracts and oils that aid moisture balance and repair . Wig hair is starving for this proper balance.

You should also apply a deep conditioning masque with light heat application once weekly for deeper conditioning.

I find so often that individuals invest in their wigs without knowledge of the proper maintenance to maintain natural look and feel . There is NOTHING worse that a dry / tangled system that is essentially unusable.

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Permalink Reply by neen on February 15, 2012 at 10:47pm

hey julia sorry to read about your issue with your unit. i've been doing the wig thing for a number of yrs and through trial and error i've found a few things that have helped me. most of the wigs i wear are curly so they can become matted very easily over a period of time. the quality of the hair has alot to do with it (sucks i know). some of the things i've done are use a conditioning shampoo. i like cream of nature's conditioning shampoo for dry/brittle hair. then i've used a leave-in cream conditioner and/or a non-frizz serum(like frizz-ease) on the ends. it does help. i apply the styling products while the hair is wet, use a cushion brush to work it through(start at the back and work up), then allow it to air dry. when the weather is warm i've even sat it outside behind a chair on my patio..lol..if i do a deep condtioning i'll use olive oil and place my wig in a ziploc bag overnight then do the whole "shampoo thing"..lol..the products i like are "cream of nature" and "mixed chicks"..i'm confident that with a little tweaking here and there you'll be fine. i hope this helps. good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Leonore on February 29, 2012 at 7:35pm

I am experiencing the same thing right now with my european hair lace wig. One day the texture just changed... now it mats and tangles and I must brush it regularly. I am trying coconut oil on my unit as we speak. I combed it through, wrapped it in a wet towel and have it on the radiator - not very hot, of course. I am hoping it will do the trick. Will keep you posted.

I have also thought about treating it with a clear coat/glaze... like coloring your hair but with no color. I wonder if anyone has tried this. My real hair was always nice and silky after I colored it...

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Permalink Reply by Leonore on March 2, 2012 at 7:09pm

Big "thumbs-up" for the coconut oil treatment. After the second application, "my hair" is soft and silky again. After the application, I lightly shampooed and conditioned.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on March 13, 2012 at 5:01pm

Any special kind or brand to use? I am having the same issue with mine.

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Permalink Reply by caroline on February 29, 2012 at 7:51pm

i know how you feel ha the same problem!!! i tried everything in the end my best rutine is.....ARGAN OIL shampoo + conditioner (im using capitals to say argan oil becoz it is a lfe saver for my wigs haha) when i wash i ALWAYS hold the wig with 1 hand and spray the water down the hair shaft only!!! followed by ARGAN serum drops while wet/ this can also be applied to dry hair as it actually soaks in!! then every night + mornin i spray with aussi miracle leave in conditioner sumtimes a few drops of argan oil serum if a bit dryer. i spent a fortune on other products these have bein the best especially as my hair is heavilly processed to bloned hopr this helps :@)

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Permalink Reply by NearlyNatural on March 3, 2012 at 11:45am

Caroline is so right! Argan Oil is truly one of the best products that you can use for the maintenance of your hair systems. So many wearers concentrate only on conditioning the hair and getting moisture back - BUT the one downfall that the majority of hair wearers make is the CRITICAL step of putting back NATURAL OILS into the system as Caroline has described with her routine. Virtually the only way to prevent breakage/split ends and tangling and keep the hair shiny/healthy is to include products with natural oils while styling. And with Argan Oil it only takes a very small amount (typically a dime sized amount) in the palm of your hand to provide nice protection and shine.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on March 13, 2012 at 5:02pm

Hello, is there a specific brand or kind you use? My hairpeice mats up after about 2months and I cannot find anything to help it.

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