A wig rarely tells you when it needs servicing. It simply becomes gradually a little heavier, a little duller, and sits a little worse than it did last month, until one morning you realise you no longer want to put it on. You can catch the signs much earlier. Here are the seven most common signs, and what each one actually means.
1. The hair tangles immediately after you brush it
Wig hair receives no sebum from a scalp. All moisture must be added from the outside, and when it is not, the cuticle layer lifts and the strands catch on one another. If the hair tangles again within an hour of brushing, it is almost always dehydration combined with residue from styling and washing products.
A deep cleanse followed by a conditioning treatment solves the problem in most cases. If you wait too long, however, the dehydration becomes permanent and cannot be washed away.
2. The lace has turned yellow or darkened
The transparent edge at the front is meant to blend into the skin. When it starts to take on a yellow or grey tint, it is usually due to glue and tape residue that has not been dissolved properly, sometimes combined with skin oils and makeup.
If the discolouration is in the residue, it can be cleaned. If the net itself has changed, the material has aged, and then it is the front edge that needs replacing rather than the entire wig.
3. You can see the cap through the parting
Density is lost where wear is greatest: at the parting, along the hairline, and where you attach the wig every day. If you start darkening the parting or avoiding putting your hair up, that is a clear sign.
Hair can be re-knotted into the existing net, strand by strand. It is time-consuming craftsmanship, but considerably 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 is almost never the size. The elastic band at the nape loses its stretch after about a year of daily use, and when it does, the wig starts to move around.
Pull the band and feel whether it springs back. If it does not, a new elastic band is enough. If the measurements do not fit either, the cap needs to be taken in, which is included in Custom Fit.
5. Small holes or tears in the front edge
Lace is the thinnest part of the wig and the part exposed to the most wear. A small hole grows, especially if you pull at the edge when removing the wig.
Individual tears can be sewn closed, and new hair can be knotted into the repaired area so that the repair is not visible. If the front edge is fragile across its entire width, however, it is time for a new closure or frontal. A repair in brittle material will not last.
6. The wig feels heavy and hot
This is not wear and tear, but how the wig was made in the first place. Most wigs are made with more hair than a real head has because it looks full in the packaging. On the head, the same density becomes heavy, hot, and a little too much.
The hair can be thinned from the inside so that the length and shape are retained while the weight is reduced. Many people are happier with their wig after this than after anything else we do.
7. The hairstyle has lost its shape
When you need increasingly more product and heat to achieve the same result as before, it is the shape that has been lost, not that your styling has become worse. The ends wear unevenly and the layers become less defined over time.
Reshaping the cut is often what makes a wig feel new again. It is included in Custom Fit, together with fitting and trimming the lace.
When is servicing worthwhile, 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, while the band, lace, and cap are replaceable components that can be replaced - even the entire cap. A simpler synthetic wig that has been worn daily for more than six months is rarely worth the work.
If you are unsure, send us a picture from the front, back, and inside. We will honestly tell you what is needed and what is not worth the money. You can find all our services under wig services.