Wigs Types – Men’s and women’s hair pieces

 

Types of Wigs | Men’s & Women’s Hair Pieces

 

Be Wig Wise

 Our hair is our best accessory. It can make or break our look. Hair has been associated with beauty and power. That is why a bad hair day brings our spirits down. A hair cut or a different hairstyle can greatly alter the way we look. A simple thing like wearing your hair differently can give you the appeal of a makeover. You feel more confident.

 Hair is thus a very important aspect of our personality. It also expresses how the person is feeling. If your hair is tied back or if you let it loose, these actions convey different meanings. It has symbolic properties. It is object that conveys established order or a refusal to follow that order.

 Thus it is a horrible feeling to have to lose your hair, be it due to some genetic or medical condition or due to any other reasons.

 So to escape this feeling, the easy alternative is wigs.

Here is some trivia about wigs:

• The ancient Egyptians used wigs as a protection from the rays of the sun and also to easily bifurcate and identify people according to their social class and positions
• Wigs were popular with the Romans, Greeks, and Assyrians as an object of everyday use
• In some countries they were worn by both men and women whereas in others, they were used only by woman
• In some cultures wigs were used only in theatre and performances, to depict different characters by the performing actors and artists.

 Wigs and Hair pieces are less invasive and have absolutely no side effects. They are more affordable in terms of cost as compared to any other hair treatments. They also require minimum attention and following simple steps for maintenance. A lot of varieties are available in the market to cater to every want and whim of the consumers. They also come in a variety of colors and styles.

 

Types of wigs and hair pieces

Based on the use of hair, wigs can be classified into these three distinct types:

• Human Hair Wig – These types of wigs are made from human hair. They are the most natural looking wigs, the closest one can get to the real thing; so much so that many a times to the untrained eye, it is difficult to ascertain if it is indeed a wig. These are more expensive. Based on hair types Human hair wigs can be classified further into these types. These are

• Chinese or Malaysian Human Hair Wig
• Caucasian or European Human Hair Wig
• Indonesian or Brazilian Human Hair Wig
• Indian Human Hair Wig

 While the Indian Hair is more popular amongst consumers due to its texture and strength, the European wig is the most expensive of the lot. The European wigs are also a little rare.

• Animal Hair Wig – As the name suggests these wigs and hairpieces use animal hair generally from a goat or a yak.
• Synthetic Hair Wig – A synthetic hair wig is manufactured with fibers. These fibers are extremely similar to real human hair. These wigs are highly economic and low maintenance.

 Depending upon the weft and the method by which hair is secured together in a wig, wigs can be classified as:

• Machine stitched weft wig – These types of wigs and hair pieces are made by stitching together hair strands by using a hair sewing machine. There are two sub classifications in these,

• Double wefting: This is a regular weft.
• Single wefting: This is relatively new. It is also called as a light weft or a thin weft.

• Hand tied wefts: These are made by tying together the hair strands around a strong and durable weaving thread. Since this is labor intensive they are relatively expensive.

 These are the major classifications of wigs. There are other types of wigs and hair pieces too. Some of them are listed below

• Medical wigs

 Medical wigs are mainly manufactured for people who lose hair due to some medical condition like chemotherapy or alopecia and so on. They are more suitable for such patients

• Lace Front Wigs

 These give an appearance of a natural hairline. They are popular amongst celebrities and fashionistas. Individual strands are knotted along the mesh, generally of a polyester or nylon material in the frontal area of the hair piece thus creating an illusion of hair growing naturally from the scalp. These have become extremely popular in the 21^st Century. There are many varieties available like:

• Swiss lace
• French Lace
• Thin Skin
• Stretch lace and so on.

Each of them differs from the other in a singular aspect like Stretch lace is easy to detect whereas Swiss lace is extremely undetectable when used.

• Lace Frontals

 These are half wigs or hair pieces. They are secured using skin adhesives. The important thing to remember is to use skin friendly or skin safe adhesives to secure these lace frontals in place

• Monofilament Wigs

 These types of wigs are slightly less expensive. A monofilament is sewn in the wig. This is generally sewn in only one part of the head in a monofilament part wig, depending on the choice of the consumer, left, centre or right. Once sewn the position of the monofilament cannot be changed. They too give the illusion of hair naturally emerging out of the wearer’s scalp.

• PU Skin weft

 This is specifically for those people who have a very sensitive scalp. People with a sensitive scalp find the cloth based wefts itchy and uncomfortable. Thus they substitute it for polyurethane. Polyurethane or PU is a material which is used as a base and this material is highly agreeable to people with sensitive scalps.

 

Important tips to remember while choosing a wig

When there are so many options available, the choice becomes difficult. Therefore one must choose a wig after careful consideration and thought. Keep in mind the following:

• Purpose: What is your purpose of using a wig? be clear, is it for fashion, a performance or a clinical condition
• Budget: How much are we looking to spend?
• Some types of wigs require more care than others; will you be able to provide the high maintenance some of the wigs require?
• Maintaining a wig properly enhances its life span. This can be achieved by using specific products developed for proper keeping of wigs and hair pieces
• Before purchasing a wig find out if it can be exposed to heat i.e. whether it can be curled or styled. Most wigs suffer a disastrous effect when exposed to heat.

The most important factor is to feel comfortable, confident and to enjoy this experience!