How to Care for a Synthetic Wig
Although it may be less trouble to look after than a human hair wig, a synthetic wig still needs a little care to ensure that it stays looking and feeling good. This is especially true if your need for a wig is related to hair loss as a result of medical treatment. Many women who find themselves in this situation may have had to hunt high and low to find the right wig, one that not only suits them but also gives them the confidence to go about their daily business without unwanted looks and questions from others.
Therefore, once they’ve found the right wig, these women will want to ensure that it lasts for as long as they need it. And even if your wig wasn’t purchased to help you cope with treatment-related hair loss, if you’ve paid a pretty penny for it, you’ll want to get as much wear out of it as you can. The following tips will help any woman maintain a synthetic wig so that it continues to look and feel good for as long as she needs or wants it.
A synthetic wig’s number one enemy is heat. Heat can damage the fibers in a synthetic wig, causing them to become frizzled and matted. Therefore, it’s important to always keep a synthetic wig away from any heat source. Never use a hairdryer to dry your wig, and never use heated rollers or a curling/straightening iron on it. Be careful if wearing your wig when cooking or in the kitchen as heat escaping from an opened oven door could damage it. Likewise, stay away from a barbeque grill when wearing your wig as this is another heat source that can leave your wig in ruins.
When washing your wig, treat it as you would a piece of delicate lingerie. Wash it by hand using a shampoo specially formulated to clean synthetic hair or a very mild shampoo. Gently agitate your wig in cool water for a minute or so and then leave it to soak for about five minutes before rinsing it in clean, cold water.
Once your wig is washed, use a towel to absorb excess water and then hang your wig up to dry on a wig stand or appropriate piece of apparatus that won’t cause it to stretch (e.g. the top of a large water bottle or can of hairspray). Apply conditioning spray once your wig is in its final drying position.
How often you wash your wig depends on how often you wear it and where. For example, you may find that if you wear it a few times each week in smoky or odorous environments, it will need to be washed more often than if you wear it only for the odd special occasion.
Don’t comb your wig while it’s wet as doing so may stretch and damage the fibers. Wait until your wig is completely dry, shake it out, and then style as required.
Following a few care tips should help to keep your wig looking good. And a good looking wig means a good looking you!