What exactly is a wig?



A wig refers to a head of hair processed and designed by skilled hair technicians so as to provide an artificial crowning glory for people. It may be made out of real human hair, horse hair, buffalo hair, wool, animal fur, feather, and/or other synthetic materials.

Who uses wigs?

Unlike other hair replacement options, wearing wigs is not only a choice for those people who are simply going bald because of old age, those who have pattern baldness (common for men), and people who are losing their hair because of medical treatments (ex. Chemotherapy) . Rather, wigs have become a popular option for people who simply want to create a fashion statement or be in style.

As observed nowadays, wigs are often used by models for fashion shows; theater actors and actresses for their stage performances; and Hollywood stars for various pictorials, public appearances and movie performances. Indeed, wigs have become significant components of the fashion industry in most fashion-and-style oriented countries.

Which is which- conventional or customized?

Basically, there are two main methods of wig making. The modern method uses machines to make wigs. These machine-made wigs are what we see in many department stores and fashion outlets. They are mostly affordable than the customized wigs.

On the other hand, customized wigs are those that have undergone the traditional method of wig manufacturing. Wigs done through the traditional method of wig-making are usually more specialized than the machine-processed wigs, primarily because they are products of a more tedious process.

Traditional wig-making starts with getting the right measurements of the head of the subject. Most of the time, hair technicians derive hairline patterns directly from the subject's head. In some cases, they even make a replica of the subject's head for reference purposes during the development of a "wig form". Wig forms signify the blueprint of the potential wig. After making the wig form, the hair technicians then produce wig laces. These are the synthetic fibers which represent the artificial hair strands for the wig. The wig laces should blend with the subject's scalp and trimmed accordingly so as to fit the subject's head measurements and expected hairlines.

After implanting the wig laces into the wig form, the "draft" wig is then styled in accordance to the wishes of the subject. The wig stylist designs the wig according to a specific hairstyle, trims the wig laces to a desired length, and tints the wig in conformity with the subject's desired color and shade. However, it should be noted that various wig styles demand complementing synthetic materials used for the wig laces and wig form. Final styling is made when the wigs are placed on the subject's head.

Customized wigs come in various colors, length, and hair styles. Because of the tedious process in making such, they are far more expensive that the machine-made wigs. As a result, machine-mad wigs are more recommended for conventional use.