Wigs continue to become more popular with time. A good wig is a great confidence booster. With continuous demand for wigs, there is now a vast variety of them available. Wigs provide a great option for the wearer whether it is for styling, versatility, length, density, medical issues, convenience, preventing damage, or protecting your hair. Doing research is important to choose the perfect wig for you. The choice of the wig depends on individual needs. You need to know what you are looking for.
The material of the wig is a huge factor for deciding what wig you want. The base material is the foundation of your wig. Lace, mono, skin, and silk are the most common materials in wig construction. Below are what each base offers.
1.LACE
Lace is the most popular material for wigs. This is due to it being so comfortable and breathable. It is made of a finely knitted mesh fabric that easily blends with the scalp giving the illusion of a seamless hairline. Its high degree of natural-looking appearance makes it extremely popular. It is versatile owing to its natural appearance. The light-weight material makes it breathable and comfortable to wear. Because of its lightness, lace is delicate and has a tendency to tear easily, therefore, it needs to be handled gently. Sometimes the lace knot can be visible so one can bleach knots to make them seem less visible.
It is important to keep lace out of direct sunlight when not being worn. This helps prevent the color from fading.
There are 2 types of lace;
French lace–It is light, soft, and breathable. The front lace is made using single split knots. These knots are small thus giving the appearance of a natural look. It is very flexible and can stretch to fit the areas of the scalp needed. It is a light material and the breathability makes French lace extremely popular. Your favorite celebrity has probably rocked a French lace wig on the red carpet. This is because French lace is great for a warm or humid environment, so no sweating or your head feeling hot and heavy because of the wig on your head. It can take a medium to heavy density and has a lifespan of 3-4 months.
Swiss Lace-In comparison to French lace, Swiss lace is more breathable, more flexible, finer, softer, more natural, lighter, and more delicate. Due to its delicacy, only single split knots are used. Swiss lace is the most undetectable between the two laces. The material being so fragile means it is prone to tear easily and can only take a light-medium density. It does not hold as much as lace. Due to its delicacy, it has a lifespan of 1-2 months.
2.MONO
Also known as monofilament. It is made up of a fine-grade layer mesh base that is gauze-like nylon material. The material is somewhat translucent and gives the natural appearance that hair is directly growing from the scalp. It is the most durable amongst all base materials. The hair fibers are hand tied individually into the mesh. The sheer material which is made of polyester or sometimes nylon makes the base softer and more comfortable. This makes mono wigs great for those with a sensitive scalp, suffering from a medical condition, and cancer patients.
Being a hand-tied wig means the hair sticks up and falls naturally which ultimately gives the realistic appearance on the scalp. It also gives that additional natural hair flow movement as your hair would. Small holes are used which allows for the mono wigs to be more durable and take up medium to extra heavy density. These types of wigs are best for a very dense wig and you do not have to worry about the base tearing easily. Due to its quality and durability, mono wigs are pricier.
It is important to note that the small holes used on the monofilament material, make cleaning it slightly difficult. Not cleaning it properly can damage the roots of the hair and base, thus compromising its quality. Be careful when applying adhesive glue as it is not easy to wash off. Mono wigs are great for styling often thanks to its durability. This also means it has a longer life span of 6- 12 months.
3.SKIN
Skin is made up of a blend of thin translucent polyurethane material and this is what gives the appearance of human skin. The hair gives the illusion it is directly growing out of the scalp. Unlike lace and mono that are ventilated using hand-tied knots, hair is injected into the skin material. This is what gives the natural undetectable appearance. Skin material comes in colors that resemble human skin tones. This innovative technique of constructing the skin base gives that flawless realistic look. It is light and thin making it comfortable and it easily molds to the shape of your scalp. It is great for people suffering from a sensitive scalp, alopecia or undergoing medical treatment. It takes a light-medium density due to its lightness and has a lifespan of 1-5 months.
4.SILK
Is made up of a combination of silk and lace material. The knots are hidden between a layer of lace and, below the silk. Just like the skin base, the hair is injected into the silk material, therefore, knots are hidden and invisible giving the seamless appearance of hair growing from the scalp. One gets to enjoy the combination of these two pieces as the concealed knots are invisible thanks to the layering. Invisible knots mean no bleaching of knots or pre-plucking required.
Silk base enjoys all the benefits of lace and mono. Due to the extra attention to detail in its construction, silk base is more expensive. The silk base is a very soft material; so, the wig is much comfortable to wear. It is material layering, so it will not tear easily, therefore, more durable than lace or skin base with a lifespan of 5-12 months. 
