Daily Care for Wig Wear - Hair Loss - Health

Treat Your Wig as an Investment in Looking and Feeling Great

If you've spent all that money on a beautiful wig, don't skimp on the special care and products you need to help it look its best.

Once you've gotten over the hurdle of deciding on wearing a wig and choosing the perfect wig just for you, you'll want to get the most wear out of it, right? Well, you'll need to thoroughly learn how to care for exactly your type of wig to help it look beautiful for as long as possible. Terri Johnston, owner and hair replacement specialist of The Inspiration Salon in Rockford, Ill., and Dave Barker, owner of International Hair Restoration Systems in Jacksonville, Fla., have joined forces to put together the definitive wig care instruction list.

Since only the person from whom you bought the wig can tell you exactly how to care for it (and he or she should give you precise written care instructions, plus show you how during a visit), obtaining that information is the first step in proper wig care, explains Barker. Johnston adds, "But if you're wearing a bonded human hair wig, it's just like your own hair -- you wash it in the shower and style as usual, and nowadays the cap membrane is so thin that if it itches, you can scratch it!" But they both agree on something important: If you've spent all that money on a beautiful wig, don't skimp on the special products you need to help it look its best

What do I need to know about my wig?

•What type of hair and cap my wig is made from
•The schedule for cleaning
•Special products I may need
•Special care dos and don'ts

Caring for your wig -- easy as 1-2-3:

1.Schedule: You'll wash your wig, depending on what it is made from and your daily lifestyle, on average one to two times per week. If you are very active, work out, partake in sports or live in a hot, humid climate, you may want to wash it more often. If you're wearing a bonded human hair wig (permanently attached to your head using adhesive), then you may wash your hair as you shower -- and the water and soap go right through to your scalp and rinse out easily.

2.Washing instructions:

a.Start by gently combing your wig with a wide-tooth comb, starting from the ends and working your way toward the scalp or cap to detangle as you go before you wash.

b.Always use cool water on synthetic wigs, but if yours is made of human hair, you may use warm water.

c.Fill a bathtub, sink or bucket with enough water to submerge your wig.

d.Dunk the wig through the clear water and swish in one direction gently, then the other.

e.Dissolve the recommended amount and type of special wig care shampoo into the water (it distributes throughout the wig more evenly this way) and swish your wig through it the same way as before. As much as possible, try to keep all the hair going in one direction at a time to avoiding tangling.

f.To rinse, hold the wig under the faucet so the water flows down the direction of the hair. Or, dunk it in another bucket of clear water for rinsing.

g.Fill up the sink, tub or bucket again and dissolve conditioner throughout and repeat the swishing and rinsing steps until the water runs clear.

h.Lay your wig on a towel and gently roll it up inside to dry. Don't rub -- it will tangle your wig's hair!

i.Again, gently detangle your wet wig with a wide-tooth comb, starting from the ends and working your way toward the scalp or cap to detangle as you go.

j.Put your wig, if synthetic, on a head stand to dry. If your wig is made of human hair, gently blow-dry it or style it as desired, using only styling products recommended by hair loss specialists.

3.Night care: If your wig is removable, we recommend removing it every night and placing it on a head stand. A synthetic wig needs to be removed at night so it will retain its shape and style as well as the integrity of the hair. Friction from the pillow at night will fuzz the ends. For a human hair wig, however, especially if it's bonded to your head, it's not necessary to do anything different at all.

The bottom line on wig care

Basically, the biggest care issue involves being gentle. You'll want to avoid tangling your wig hair as much as possible -- that's how you'll get the best, most beautiful wear out of your wig.