All things must be replaced eventually. Nothing lasts forever after all. You may be confused about the life expectancy of your wig. There isn’t exactly a hard deadline for hairpieces. You can own a wig for two years but only wear it twice. An everyday wig will deteriorate faster than a special occasion piece. What about when you aren’t wearing it – are you storing it properly? That’s an important piece of the longevity puzzle.
Without a set time, how exactly do you know when to replace your wig? Much like food beginning to spoil, you will spot signs your wig should be retired. If you notice one or more of the below indicators, it’s time to say goodbye.
Time To Replace Your Wig
1. Your wig no longer maintains its style.
Synthetic wigs are expected to keep their style wear after wear. If it’s a curly wig, it should stay curly. If it’s straight, then that style should be straight. If you wash your synthetic wig and it no longer holds its original style, then it’s time for a new wig. Likewise, if your human hair wig can’t hold the day's style anymore, consider replacing it.
2. If it doesn’t shine, it may be time.
With biological hair, shine is a huge factor in signaling health. Shiny hair signals a nourished head of hair. You can apply products that add shine to your wig like the Shine Serum from BeautiMark. But, if you're applying these types of products too frequently, it could be a sign that it may be time for a new wig.
3. The ends are frayed and beyond repair.
“Beyond repair” is the main takeaway for this point. Minor fraying is fixable with steaming or a small trim to the ends. However, if the fraying reaches midway or throughout the entire hairpiece, it is beyond repair.
4. The fiber of the wig is now dry and frizzy.
Remember how luxurious your wig felt right out of the box? The fibers were soft and silky. Now, the wig is dry and frizzy and gets tangled and matted easily. If you spend hours of your week detangling, put down the comb... it’s time for a new wig.
5. The wig cap is stretched out and no longer fits snugly.
A wig should fit snugly without being too tight and squeezing your scalp. If your wig cap has become stretched out and can’t provide a secure fit, it has to go. A sign of this may be that you have to adjust your piece's placement frequently throughout the day.
6. The wig has experienced a significant loss of fiber.
All wigs shed with normal wear and combing. This shedding should be minor. If your piece experiences some loss of fiber, you can see an expert at your local wig salon. They may be able to add additional fibers back to your piece. If they can’t fix it, treat yourself to a replacement wig.
If it’s time for you to say goodbye to your wig, don’t just throw it in the trash. Many places accept wig donations for cancer patients. Check local cancer centers in your area to see if they accept wigs.