Replacements for Hair
Loss - Wigs and hair pieces
They
call it "hair replacement systems". When you
get down to it, it really means 'wigs". Hair transplant
surgery is available to replace hair but many are fearful
of surgery, or it is simply too expensive. For these
subjects, the use of wigs is a perfectly acceptable
alternative. It is also a way to provide temporary cover
for the head after temporary hair loss due to chemotherapy.
The
modern wig
Modern
hair systems can be completely undetectable. They are
well anchored and there is little danger of strong winds
or a sudden shake of the head sending a wig flying off
the head.
How
to shop for a wig
This
page covers the following topics:
Finding
a wig that fits your needs and budget
A
wig is a sizeable investment, and needs to be replaced
every year or two. Therefore the financial outlay is
a primary concern. The price of a wig depends on the
material. It could be made from the following materials:
- Human
hair:
Naturally, human hair makes the wig most like human
hair - natural and feel like the real thing. Wigs
like these start at around $1,200 and average maintenance
costs average a comparable amount per year.
- Animal
hair: Goat, horse and yak hair are popular
cheaper alternatives to human hair costing in the
low hundreds of dollars.Unfortunately they also require
maintenance similar to that of natural human hair.
- Synthetic
materials: Often used in costume parties
and show business, such wigs are the cheapest option,
and they are available for around $50. Wigs made of
synthetic materials are the easiest to care for and
the color and shape also last longer. The main disadvantage
to wigs of this type are that they are least natural
to touch and to see.
- Combination
of human hair and synthetic materials: Often
wigs are made up of human hair and synthetic materials.
The challenge is that the human hair needs maintenance
that is separate from that for synthetic materials.
Wigs
can be machine-made or hand made:
- Machine-made
wigs: These wigs are a cheaper option. Strands of
hair are sewn into a net base singularly or in groupings
tied to a netting. They can look very realistic but
when the wind blows or when the hair is lifted, the
netting below can be visible and obvious. These wigs
are often used in costume parties rather than as hair
replacement systems.
- Hand-made
wigs: These wigs are normally more expensive and more
realistic looking. Each strand is sewn individually
rather than in strips to make the hair fall and mmove
more naturally.
Should
you buy wigs online through the internet and how
The
main advantage of buying a wig online is the cost savings
and saving the embarrassment of showing your face at
the hair replacement shop. You can do many things online:
choose a design, fitting requrements, etc. However,
a wig is a big investment and requires customization.
This is a hard thing to do online. There are certain
hard issues about shopping for a wig online:
- Unlike
a brick and mortar shop, you cannot really see and
feel what you are buying. A picture may be worth a
thousand words but in this case, seeing and feeling
it is still better.
- Internet
businesses are far easier to put up and to shut down.
It is no where near the comfort of knowing that you
can go back to a "real" shop for advice
and even to return the product.
- Measuring
your head is far better done by a professional than
to measure on your own and hoping that the final product
comes in the correct size.
- Adjustments
and modifictions are far better handled in a shop
than online.
- It
is also easier to style, wash and maintain the hair
piece in a local shop than to send your hair piece
back and forth through the mail.
The
Human Hair Wig
The
quality of the human hair wig depends on the following:
- Hair
thickness: Thick hairs are cheaper than finer
hairs but cover better. Finer hairs look more natural,
softer to touch but do not always provide adequate
cover. Wigs made of finer hair inevitably becomes
more expensive because more are needed to provide
the same cover. Often 3 or 4 fine hairs are combined
together to increase the thickness of the hair and
reduce labor cost. However this practice does not
make the hair piece feel natural. Thicker hair often
come from horses and goats. These help to keep costs
down.
- How
the hair is attached:
Each hair is either glued to the foundation or sewn
into a mesh, one hair at a time. The former is found
in cheaper wigs and the latter is found in higher
quality ones.
- How
the knotting is done: The number and style
of knots used to attach the hair contribute to the
security of the hair staying attached to the mesh.
Single strands of hair with single knots tend to come
apart more easily than those with multiple knots.
The type of knots and stitch techniques are important
to the quality. Sometimes 3 or 4 hairs are tied together
at the base to reduce labor cost. More hair tied to
the base may be visible upon close inspection. The
good quality ones are fine human hairs placed one
by one in high density and knotted with at least 2
knots to secure them to the mesh, making them feel
natural too.
The
Synthetic Wig
Today's
synthetic wigs feel more natural than ever before. They
are made of monofilament like those used in fishing
lines. More knots are needed to hold them together.
The
advantages of synthetic wigs are:
- Cheaper
than hair wigs.
- You
get what you see.
- They
are virtually off the shelf - no need for customization.
- You
can afford to change your look by buying several wigs.
The
disadvantages are:
- They
don't look as natural.
- You
cannot fit exactly to your head.
- You
cannot style it without risking damage.
- They
feel unnatural.
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