A wig rarely tells you when it needs servicing. It just gradually becomes a little heavier, a little duller and sits a little worse than last month, until one morning you realise you don't want to put it on. It's possible to catch this much earlier. Here are the seven most common signs, and what each of them actually means.
1. The hair tangles right after brushing
Wig hair gets no natural oils from a scalp. All moisture has to be added from the outside, and when it isn't, the cuticle lifts and the strands catch on each other. If the hair tangles again within an hour of brushing, it's almost always dryness combined with residue from styling and washing products.
A deep cleanse followed by a conditioning treatment solves it in most cases. Wait too long, however, and the dryness becomes permanent – and then it can't be washed away.
2. The lace has turned yellow or darker
The transparent edge at the front is what should blend into your skin. When it starts turning yellow or grey, it's usually down to glue and tape residue that hasn't been properly dissolved, sometimes combined with skin oils and make-up.
If the discolouration sits in the residue, it can be cleaned. If the mesh itself has changed, the material has aged, and then it's the front edge that needs replacing rather than the whole wig.
3. You can see the cap through the parting
Density is lost where the wear is greatest: in the parting, along the hairline and where you attach the wig every day. If you start colouring the parting dark or avoid wearing your hair up, that's a clear sign.
Hair can be knotted in again into the existing mesh, strand by strand. It's time-consuming craftsmanship, but far cheaper than a new wig when the rest of the hair is in good condition.
4. The wig slips even though the size is right
The first thing people suspect is the size. It's almost never the size. The elastic band at the nape loses its stretch after about a year of daily wear, and when it does, the wig starts to move.
Pull the band and feel whether it springs back. If it doesn't, a new elastic band is enough. If the measurements are off too, the cap needs to be taken in, which is included in Custom Fit.
5. Small holes or tears in the front edge
The lace is the thinnest part of the wig and the part that takes the most strain. A small hole grows, especially if you pull on the edge when taking the wig off.
Individual tears can be sewn closed, and new hair can be knotted into the repaired area so the repair doesn't show. If the front edge is fragile across its full width, though, it's time for a new closure or frontal. A repair in brittle material won't hold.
6. The wig feels heavy and warm
This isn't wear – it's how the wig came from the start. Most are made with more hair than a real head has, because it looks full in the packaging. On the head, that same density becomes heavy, warm and a bit too much.
The hair can be thinned out from the inside so the length and shape stay but the weight disappears. Many people end up happier with their wig after this than after anything else we do.
7. The style has lost its shape
When you need more and more product and heat to get the same result as before, it's the shape that has been lost – not your styling that has got worse. The ends wear unevenly and the layers blur over time.
Recutting the shape is often what makes a wig feel new again. It's included in Custom Fit, together with fit and cutting the lace.
When is servicing worth it, and when should you buy new?
A simple rule of thumb: a human hair wig is almost always worth repairing. The hair is the expensive part, and the band, lace and cap are wear parts that can be replaced – even the whole cap. A simpler synthetic wig that has been worn daily for more than six months is rarely worth the work.
If you're unsure, send us a photo from the front, the back and the inside. We'll tell you honestly what's needed and what isn't worth the money. You'll find all our services under wig service.