Wig Help

[Guest Nikki R]

I am looking for some tips about wigs , care and maintenance ( getting knots out , keeping it fresh looking ) and how to keep it securely in place.

Thanks and Hugs

Nikki R

[Charlize]

Hi dear. I may not be the person to ask. I use a relatively short wig of non human origin. Spooky? Its easy to maintain. I use a very open brush to keep it untangled and human shampoo and conditioner to clean it. Tis is as in normal hair more necessary in the summer. I don't use a form to dry just wear it or hang it up. I'm bald as a coot so its my life but have found this to be all i need to do. I've been wearing the same one for 4 months now full time and wish i had bought a backup. I'll miss it when it gets too thin but then there will be a new search.

Good luck,

Get some female help choosing your wig.

Enjoy.

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest Nikki R]

I have a wig now a little pass my shoulders in length , my wife helped me pick it out its not a real high dollar wig but a nice starter one , the biggest problem is tangles

[Charlize]

Tangles are best worked out from the bottom up. My wife has hair to her waist. I brush and braid it every day. Start at the bottom gently and work your way up. Its the best way to tease out tangles without breaking the hair. Try a tangle remover which is just slippery stuff. It can help. You will find however that if you let your hair go it will be a mess. That is why it is often braided and tied back or styled in a controlled fashion of some type.

So glad you have your wife's support!

Hugs,

Charlie

[Carolyn Marie]

Good advice so far, Nikki. I have a short synthetic wig also, and I use a nylon brush with widely spaced bristles to comb it, or when its wet I'll use a comb with wide bristles. I use wig shampoo every week during the winter months, and every 3-4 days in hot weather. I wear a mesh cap over my real hair. I also have a duplicate spare so I can switch off while one is being washed or gets dirty.

Mine fits pretty snugly, but I suppose I could use a bobby pin to hold it down in windy weather. I can't think of much else to tell you, except that when you are ready to get one, try to do so in a store if you can. Getting professional help and advice really makes a difference, as does being able to try on different colors and styles.

HUGS

Carolyn Marie

[VickySGV]

1) The major wig makers all agree, DO NOT comb or brush a WET wig!! When washed it should be allowed to AIR DRY over night. No hair dryers allowed unless you are a master wig stylist. Put the wig on top of a tall hair spray can or a flower vase while it is drying to get it aired out nicely. The shampoo deal the Charlie and Carolyn mentioned is fine. Do not use a leave in conditioner on it though.

2) As said above, comb it from the ends to the cap with a very wide spaced nylon bristle brush. We call it combing, but do not use a regular comb. Also, DO NOT use a brush you use on your hair. Dedicate one brush to your wig, your hair oil does not help the wig.

3) For the length of wig you say you have, get some kind of a stand that you can use to style it on. I use the foam heads, and I can pin the wig onto the head to hold it there. Since you say this is a moderate price synthetic wig, also get some "T" pins to use in the styrofoam, and it will make working on your wig much easier. I pin mine one on top, and one pin in each ear tab. Grip the fiber above the place you are combing so you are not putting strain on the cap weft. You will pull some fiber out, but do not worry, most wigs have about five times more fiber than you need before it will start looking bad.

4) To keep the wig on, in your early days of using one, get a wig cap which looks like a short nylon stocking. Make sure your hair, and particularly at the back of your neck is inside the elastic band on the cap. There is an adjustable set of elastic bands on the wig at the nape of the neck. Adjust it so it is snug but not giving you a head ache. I put some pictures in my gallery to answer another members question about where to place their wig on their head http://www.lauras-pl...lery&album=1573 since too many trans girls try wearing their wigs too far back or too far forward. There is no hard and fast rule of putting the wig on back to front or front to back. Do make sure the back elastic is BELOW your wig cap or put up hair. With the elastic snug, and the wig centered on your forehead properly, you will rarely need any thing to pin the wig on your head, but in real high wind, use a cute scarf tied under your chinl Have fun.,