WIGS AND HAIR
ADDITIONS
Ch #19
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Explain the differences between human hair
and synthetic hair

Describe the two basic categories of wigs

Describe several types of hairpieces and their
uses

Explain several different methods of attaching
hair extensions
KEY TERMS
Block
Fallen Hair
Integration Hairpieces
Bonding
Fusion Bonding
Machine Made Wigs
Braid and Sew Method
Hair Extensions
Semi-hand-tied wigs
Cap Wigs
Hair Piece
Toupee
Capless Wigs
Hand-tied-wigs
Turned Hair (Remi)
(hand knotted wigs)
Wefts
Wigs
WHY STUDY WIGS & HAIR ADDITIONS
In today’s fashion conscious world, wigs and hair additions play an
incredibly important role. Working with hair additions can be either
a simple retail effort or a highly specialized field. Most clients buy
wigs off-the-shelf or on the internet, and rarely have them custom
fitted anymore. Faux hair is an extremely lucrative business!
HUMAN VS. SYNTHETIC HAIR
Fastest way to tell is the Match Test
Human hair will burn slowly and give off a distinctive
odor
Synthetic fiber will ball up and melt, extinguish itself, or
continue to flame and burn out quickly and give off no
odor
ADVANTAGES OF HUMAN HAIR

More realistic appearance

Greater durability

Same styling and maintenance requirements
as natural hair

Can be custom colored or permed

Can tolerate hear from a blowdryer or
thermal tools
DISADVANTAGES OF HUMAN HAIR
o
Hair reacts to climate
o
After shampooing the hair needs to be reset
o
The color will oxidize
o
The hair will break and split if mistreated
ADVANTAGES OF SYNTHETIC HAIR

A modacrylic like Kanekalon is strong and
durable with a natural lustrous look and feel

Great value

Ready to wear

Usually is designed to the latest fashion

Colors are limitless and will not fade or oxidize
DISADVANTAGES OF SYNTHETIC HAIR
•
Can not be exposed to high heat, making it
difficult to alter the style
•
Can not custom color
•
Sometimes it looks too shiny and therefor
unnatural
QUALITY & COST
Bottom lines is you get what you pay for
•
The more expensive hair are those made of
human hair
Pricing varies as follows:
•
European hair is the top of the line; virgin is the
most expensive and color treated is second in
cost
•
Hair from India and Asia provide the most
commercial human hair. Indian hair is usually
available in lengths from 12-16 inches and Asian
from 12 -28 inches. Indian hair is usually wavy
and Asian straight
•
Human hair mixed with animal hair is next in
expense. It may be angora, horse, yak or sheep
•
Human hair mixed with synthetic hair finishes the
list
•
QUESTIONS FOR SELECTING HAIR ADDITIONS FOR
CLIENTS:







What is it made of? Human, animal, mix,
synthetic, or synthetic blend
Is the hair color treated or virgin?
If the hair is human is it graded in terms of
strength, elasticity and porosity?
Is the cuticle intact? (Remi or Fallen)
Will the hair match the client’s hair?
Can the hair be permed?
Will the hair last a reasonable amount of time?
REMI = TURNED HAIR

Cuticle intact hair is the most expensive

Hair in which the root end of every single
strand is swen into the base, so that the
cuticles of all hair strands move in the same
direction: down

Very time consuming process
FALLEN HAIR = OPPOSITE OF REMI


Hair that has been shed from the
head and gathered from a hairbrush,
as opposed to hair that has been cut.
Fallen hair is not turned, so the cuticles
of the strands will move in different
directions causing it to tangle easily
REMI REFINED

Hair that has had the cuticle partially
removed so that it will not lock and mat.

This hair is less expensive than true Remi
WIG VS. HAIRPIECE

Wig-Artificial covering for the head consisting
of a network of interwoven hair, where the
client’s hair is completely concealed (100 %
coverage)

Hairpiece- if hair addition does not fully cover
the head; a small wig used to cover the top
or crown of the head, or hair attachment of
some sort
2 MAIN TYPES OF WIGS
Cap
Capless
CAP WIG
•
Constructed with an elasticized, mesh-fiber base to
which the hair is attached
•
Made in several sizes
•
Require special fittings
•
Usually hand knotted
•
The front edge is made of a material that resembles
the client’s scalp and wire supports at the temples for
a snug secure fit
•
Hair is hand-tied under the net (under knotted) to
conceal the cap edge
CAPLESS WIGS
•
Aka “caps”
•
Machine-made
•
Hair is woven into wefts
•
Rows of wefts are sewn to elastic strips in a circular
patter to fit the head shape
•
Frame of connected wefts with an open area
•
More popular b/c they are ready to wear and less
expensive
•
Extremely light and comfortable to wear
•
Healthier because they allow the scalp to breath
WEFTS & BUNDLES
Wefts-Long strips of hair with a threaded edge
Bundle- lose strands of hair
METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
HAND-TIED
•
Aka hand-knotted
•
Made by inserting individual strands of hair into mesh
foundations and knotting them with a needle
•
Usually done around the front hairline and at the top
of the head
•
Have a natural and realistic look
•
Hair has no definite direction and can be combed in
almost any direction
METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
SEMI-HAND TIED WIGS
•
Constructed with a combination of synthetic
hair and hand-tied human hair
•
Reasonably priced
•
Natural appearance
•
Good durability
METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
MACHINE-MADE WIGS
•
•
•
Least expensive
Made by feeding wefts through a sewing machine then
stitching them together to form base and shape
Wefting directions could causes a disadvantage however
this is a quality known as bounce back to others
WIG MEASUREMENTS
•
Use a soft tape measure
•
Keep it close to the head without pressure
•
Each manufacture has its own form to fill out
•
If the wig is ready to wear no measurements will be
needed because they are adjustable via tightening
and loosening straps or elastics
BLOCKING THE WIG
•
Block- head shaped form usually made of
canvas covered cork or Styrofoam on which
the wig is secured for fitting, coloring and
sometimes styling
•
However today most wigs are cut and
finished while on the client and then cleaned
and stored on a drying rack
PUTTING ON THE WIG
•
One of the most important parts of the
service
•
Educate the client on the importance of
securing their natural hair under the wig cap
and making it flat and even will determine
how well the wig sits on the head
WIG ADJUSTMENTS
•
If the wig does not have tightening straps you
can create a small fold or tuck and sew the
wig along the inside seam
•
To shorten & remove bulk- create a horizontal
tuck or fold across the back
•
To remove width at the back create a
vertical tuck and sew it in place
CUTTING WIGS
•
Goal is to make the hair look more realistic
•
Most effective way to do this is to taper the ends
when cutting the wig
•
The more solid the shape the more unnatural
•
Wig should be placed on the block for cutting
•
Free form cutting on dry hair is the best for wigs
•
Combouts and finishing should be done while wig is
on client’s head
STYLING THE WIG
•
Don’t lose sight of the big picture- a great stylist works with the
total person
•
Most wigs have chemically treated hair so you need to be
gentle with the hair
•
Styling tools should be set to low
•
Choose styling products that have been formulated for color
treated hair
•
If the wig does not have a natural looking hairline or lace front,
backcomb gently around the hairline the fluffy effect softens the
hairline
•
You can also release some of the client’s hair around the hairline
and blend it with the wig
•
Try not to make it look perfect – this will cause it to look artificial
CLEANING THE WIG
•
Always follow the mfr’s instructions
•
Use gentle shampoos formulated for
chemically treated hair or specially
developed for wigs
•
Avoid harsh shampoos especially with a sulfur
base
•
Soak then gently squeeze and use the drying
rack
•
If it is human hair then it should also be
conditioned
COLORING/PERMING WIGS / HAIRPIECES
•
Use hair that has already been decolorized and not
previously treated with metallic dyes
•
Check with mfr or do a strand test
•
Check to see if cuticle is intact- if it’s not the hair is
extremely porous and will react in an extreme way
•
Remember that the hair you are working on did not
come from one head bur from many heads this
makes the results unpredictable
•
Perform all chemical processes while wig is off client’s
head
WIG TEST / WIND TEST
•
Best way to gauge how realistic the wig
looks
•
Gently use blow around the client’s
face with a blow dryer and observe
how the hairlines looks
HAIRPIECES
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sit on top of client’s head covering a portion of it, or are
clipped onto another area, such as the nape.
Temporary method
Some like wiglets that conceal a thinning top can be
attached with a braid and sew technique
Types: toupees, integration piece, falls, half wigs
(headband), wiglets, chignons, bandeaus, cascades,
ponytails, bangs and fillers
Many clip on with pressure sensitive clips
Hair can be blended with the hairpiece or serve as a base
for it
HAIRPIECE
INTEGRATION
•
A hairpiece that has openings in the base through
which the client’s own hair is pulled to blend with the
hairpiece
•
Recommended for clients with thinning hair
•
Not recommended for clients with total hair loss at the
scalp because it is likely to show through
HAIRPIECE
TOUPEES
•
•
•
•
A small wig used to cover the top and crown of
the head
The fine-net base is usually the most appropriate
material for the client with severe hair loss
Two methods of attachment temporary- tape or
clips
Two methods of attachment semi permanenttracks or adhesive
FASHION HAIRPIECES
PONYTAILS, CHIGNONS, CASCADES, STREAKS,
BANGS, HALF WIGS, CLIP INS, FALLS
•
Great salon product for special occasions
•
Usually attached temporarily with hairpins,
clips, combs, bobby pins or elastics
HAIR EXTENSIONS
•
Hair additions that are secured at the base of the client’s natural
hair in order to add length, volume, texture or color
•
Can be human or synthetic
•
Either wefts or strands(small bundles)
•
General rule of thumb stay 1 in away from the hairline at the front,
sides, nape and part line
•
With very thin hair you must be careful that the base does not show
through
•
Curly hair tends to expand and gives the illusion of being thicker so
you may not need as many extensions in curly hair as in straight hair
•
Methods of attachment: braid –and –sew, bonding, fusion, linking,
and tube shrinking
MOST PROFESSIONAL APPROACH & ALWAYS IN
THE FOLLOWING ORDER
Safety for client’s own hair
Comfort
Security
Style
BRAID – AND - SEW
•
Extensions are secured to client’s own hair by sewing braids or a
weft onto an on-the-scalp braid which is commonly referred to as a
“track”
•
The angle of the track will determine how the hair will fall
•
Tracks can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal or curved lines that
follow the contour of the head
•
Partings are determined according to the style that you have
chosen
•
When sewing extensions use only a blunt needle C curve is
recommended
•
When done correctly very safe technique for client’s natural hair
•
No special equipment needed
•
Drawbacks – too much tension can cause traction alopecia
BONDING METHOD
•
Method of attaching hair extensions using an adhesive or
bonding agent
•
Natural hair should be at least 4 inches
•
There is a certain degree of slippage
•
Generally last from 2-4 weeks depends on frequency of
shampooing, oiliness of scalp, dryness of scalp and quality of
products used
•
Client needs to be on a maintenance schedule
•
Use a consistent amount of bonding agent
•
Care must be taken to avoid working to close to the crown and
partings or the weft will show through
•
Removed by using a dissolving agent
•
2 advantages: offered at affordable price & quick service
•
Drawbacks: allergic reactions to bonding ingredients because
most are latex based
•
Bonding should not be used to attach wefts longer than 12 in
FUSION BONDING
•
Method of attaching extensions; extension is bonded to the client’s own hair
with a bonding material that is activated by heat from a special tool
•
This method while expensive and extremely time consuming harmonizes with
the client’s natural hair with no uncomfortable or unattractive attachment
sites
•
The bonds are lightweight and comfortable
•
Hair moves like real hair
•
Easy to maintain
•
Lasts up to 4 months
•
Removal is quick and painless
•
Usually requires manufacture certification in order to purchase
•
Most strands are pre-tipped with a keratin bonding that you attach to
natural hairs isolated with a hair shield
•
Extensions are positioned under the natural hair and near the base
•
Bond is heated and then rolled between fingers creating the bead that
captures and holds both the natural hair and the extension fibers
•
Drawbacks: time consuming and expensive; can cause damage if done
incorrectly
LINKING
•
A hook is used to pick up a small amount of hair off a
parting, a link is slid on near the scalp with a special
tool. Then extension is inserted then link is pinched
closed with special pliers
•
If removed properly with special tool extensions can
be reused
•
Natural hair must be at least 5 inches
•
Make sure to follow a natural growth pattern
•
Advantage: no chemicals
•
Drawbacks: expensive, time consuming, metal links
oxidize
TUBE SHRINKING
Same as linking but a tube is used in place of a metal link, it is
heated so it shrinks to the hair
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1.What are the main advantages and disadvantages of human
and synthetic hair?
2. What are the two basic categories of wigs?
3.What are three types of hairpieces and how are they used?
4.What are five methods for attaching hair extensions? Describe
each one