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Mandy

Wigs 101

Okay I felt that this discussion was much needed. I'm looking through various blogs and discussions to find wig info...thought it would be helpful to start a discussion that could help keep it all in one place.

I know NOTHING about wigs! And I think it's time to start looking. I hear things like...lace, vaccuum, monofilament...I don't know what these things mean! Can someone please help with sort of a Wigs 101 intro to different terminologies like these?

Also, let's all list good websites to go to, brand recommendations (with links), etc!

This will be sooo helpful to me, and I'm sure to many others. Thanks for helping!

Tags: terminology, wigs

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Hi Mandy,
Although I can't say I know THAT much about wigs either, especially when it comes to all the names and specifics and stuff like that, I do own 3! =) I love my wigs, and I seriously don't know what I would do without them. I think the most important thing is that you find the one that suits YOU. Who really cares what brand or whatever..if it's real hair, or not. For the most part, I think wigs look really great, and people usually can't even tell when you're wearing one. People can NEVER believe that I have one on. Anyway, just go to a wig store and try a bunch of different ones on. It's kinda weird at first, but once you get comfortable, you'll love it! And it's kinda like what they say about wedding dresses...once you try on the one you're supposed to have, you'll just know it. lol. But just keep your options open, try different styles, lengths, and stuff like that. You will find the one (or more) that you feel best suits you and that you feel the most comfortable in. Your options are really endless. So, good luck and please let me know if you have any questions! =)

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HI,

I have had AU since I was 7 and have tried all the wigs out there. The type that lets you lead the most normal life possible is a vacuum wig. They are custom made and tend to be more expensive but are worth every cent! They do not come off unless you take it off, so you can walk in howling winds, swim, hand upside down and it wont come off! Mine is from http://freedomwigs.com/ they supply their vacuum wigs to agents all over the world. On the site they will have agents contact details somewhere near you. They are real hair so you can cut, style, straighten them as you would normal hair. They don't look "wiggy" like some acrylic wigs look like and they come in a variety of colours, thickness etc. Other wigs sometime come very thick and can look too heavy. Take al look at my pics on my page, they are all freedom wigs I am wearing. Good luck!

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Fitzy... I have a few questions about vacuum wigs. Is it difficult to care/maintain them? On average, how long would you say each wig lasts? Thanks! :-)

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Hi, It varies on how well you look after them, and they are rather low maintenance, I just get lazy. haha. I have wigs that are 5 years old and are still fine to wear! You only need to wash the hair about once a week, but I do this once every 3 weeks and my hair looks great. The only other thing you must do is wash the inside of the cap out every night so the bacteria in your sweat doesn't break down the inside of your wig. Thats it really. Pretty easy.

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http://www.headcovers.com/wigs/eyebrows-lashes/ for fake eyebrows made form real hair that are very good! I hate penciled eyebrows because they look fake close up and are one dimensional. These are the best alternative I have found. I love mine. hope these tips help.

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Thanks so much for the links and info!

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The real eyebrows on a silicone base from them (headcovers.com) are great. My daughter also uses them. They can last several months if cleaned and look pretty real.

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Hi Mandy,

I am looking into getting a vacuum wig just because I am so active and want the freedom. I do think that the Amore Wigs made by Rene of Paris are some of the better wigs you can just purchase. Most people that I meet can't guess that it is a wig. At least that is what they tell me. I like human hair wigs because they last longer and also they look more natural. You want to find a source that sells remy hair if you opt for that. The remy (spelling?) is not treated so the cuticle lays right. However with a synthetic wig, your hair will look great day after day, rain or shine. Keep smiling.

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l think lace is more link human hair am not so sure mayb some here does. there is hair sisters.com
they do offer some wigs of all types. but if you google it up you can come of good one too.

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You should join Wig Support: groups.msn.com/wigsupport/

I've been a member for years. The women on there are very knowledgeable, many of them post pictures. They're all there to help! It might take a few days to get approved for membership (they do their best to avoid spammers). You can post specific questions and someone will answer.

I'm planning to get a vacuum wig in a couple of years. They're expensive (I think about $3500-$5000 each), but I think it will be worth it since they don't come off unless you want them to and they last 3-5 years. You have to be completely bald to wear them, but I shave my head anyway. I just wear synthetics mostly. I got a recommendation recently for this site wigs.md and their prices are fantastic!! They have the wig I currently wear at half the price I paid for it, and they have a great selection. I'm going to buy Revlon's "Impressive" next.

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Hi Mandy,
I know alot about lace wigs and monofilament wigs because I've owned mono wigs for years, and have been researching the heck out of lace wigs, trying to decide if I should buy one. I'm not an expert, but here's what I know:

lace wigs: Usually made with human hair, they are hand made, each hair attached one at a time to the cap. The wig cap is a very fine "lace"- a gauze-like material that you usually would glue or tape to your head and, depending on the strength of the adhesive you use, wear for days/weeks at a time. It looks as though the hair is growing out of your scalp because the lace seems to disappear when it touches your skin. You can put these up in a ponytail, braid them, part them where you like, etc. A good website to check out is www.missmymy.com, just for the photos (check the gallery) - much more self-explanatory. You can get lace wigs in many lengths and types of human hair. They're usually fairly expensive and depending on who you ask, will last anywhere from three months to five years (with proper care). These are the wigs Beyonce and Tyra and Paris Hilton wear (I know, I know, but they're the only examples I could think of).

Monofilament wigs: Monofilament is the type of material that hair strands are sewn onto. Monofilament material is a thin, nearly transparent mesh material . Hair strands are attached by hand-knotting them to this material, one strand at a time. Most mono wigs have a mono section on the top crown of the wig, and then regular wig construction on the sides and back. This allows you to part the wig on either side. Click this link to see an illustration of what a mono wig cap looks like: click!

As for synthetic vs. human hair... I've had both. Right now my wig is synthetic. Synthetic wigs keep their style, so you aren't styling them every day, and when you wash them (usually once every week or two) the style just bounces back when it dries. One problem I find with synth wigs is that after a few weeks, the ends tend to start frizzing up - especially if you're going for a longer wig, one that touches the shoulders or anything longer. I wrote a (long) article about how to de-frizz a synthetic wig over at my blog, which you can check out here: CLICK!


I hope this has helped, and that you're finding all the answers you've been looking for1

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Dumb question: Is monofilament the same as monotop?

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