Whether it’s a human hair wig or a relatively cheaper synthetic wig, after they have been worn for a long time, they can often experience issues such as dry hair or frequent knots and tangles.
Synthetic wigs need to be maintained with the correct synthetic haircare, and they shouldn’t be treated or maintained like human hair wigs.
Here we will cover some great tips that can help you to maintain your synthetic wigs!
1. Synthetic wigs can’t take the dye
Synthetic fiber can’t easily take dye like human hair. As synthetic hair does not have natural pigments in the fiber, regular hair dye cannot color the fiber. To dye a synthetic wig, only dyes specially designed for synthetic hair can be used.
2. Cut carefully
The good news is that synthetic wigs can be cut. Although synthetic fiber is harder than human hair, and so it is more difficult to cut. To trim your synthetic wig or change its style, it’s recommended to go to a professional stylist.
3. Ditch the hair products
Too many hair products, specifically hair lacquer-based products such as hairspray, hair gel, and hair wax can make synthetic fiber sticky, resulting in more frequent tangles. Once these hair lacquer products get on synthetic fiber, it’s difficult to get them off.
4. Go for synthetic-friendly shampoos and conditioners
As synthetic fiber is not like human hair, they need special shampoos and conditioners designed for synthetic fiber to wash and maintain. And for haircare, non-oily maintenance products are recommended to maintain the hair rather than regular hair oil or serum.
5. Not all synthetic fibers are heat friendly
Although they are all called synthetic wigs, there are several different types of synthetic wigs. There are many different synthetic fibers made from different materials that are used on different synthetic wigs. Some synthetic fibers, such as Futura, Tru2Life, RealTress, and Henlong are heat-friendly to temperatures under 350°F/180°C. In contrast, synthetic fibers such as polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylic, and Kanekalon are not heat-friendly and can’t be curled or straightened with heat tools.
6. Wash correctly
The less washing, the better for synthetic wigs. It is recommended to wash a synthetic wig every 10-15 wears or every 1-4 weeks. Go for synthetic shampoos and conditioners and use lukewarm water to soak the wig for 2-3 minutes with shampoo before washing. After washing, do not rub or wring the wig. Instead, gently squeeze the water out and blot dry.
7. Air dry
Like mentioned before, synthetic fiber is not like human hair. Some synthetic wigs are not able to be styled with heat. Frequently using hair dryers also makes synthetic wigs more likely to become frizzy or tangled. So, the best way to dry synthetic wigs is to air dry them on a wig stand (not wig heads as they can cause the cap to loosen out of shape).