Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Topic started by: Shambles on January 24, 2018, 05:37:33 AM

Title: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: Shambles on January 24, 2018, 05:37:33 AM
So im going to need a wig at some point, when full time ill need one for everyday use. Male patter baldness has not been kind to me so my nateral hair will always need to be shaved off.

Ive been lookig at shoulder lengh human hair to match what my hair colour is but there are different options when it comes to caps. Whats going to be best for me?

Dont want tl spend ages putting it on each day but at the same time needs to look nateral. Are the front lace ones going to be best? Also will i need to wear a seperate cap or is it best to stick, strap and or glue it on?

If its glued would i need to take this off every day? Or is it something you can wear overnight or for a few days?

Ive never wore one before so i havr no idea!

Jo x
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: KathyLauren on January 24, 2018, 07:37:05 AM
I have several wigs, all of the lace front variety.  Putting them on is not a big hassle.

Right now, my own hair is longish (note to self: time to get it cut!), so controlling it requires that I wear a cap under the wig.  Tucking hair under a cap is easier than tucking it under the wig.

I don't use glue.  All my wigs have elastic around the edge and fit quite snugly.  In high winds, I have trouble keeping the hair looking tidy, but I have never had to worry about the wig coming off.  Hats are a different story, though.  I have one knitted hat that I can remove from the wig without disturbing it, provided I am careful to turn the hat inside out as I remove it.  Or, if I know I am not going to take my hat off (outdoors at the women's march, for example), I just wear a tuque over my own hair.

I find my wigs are quite comfortable, and I can wear one all day without it bothering me.  It feels natural after a while.

It is not a good idea to sleep in a wig.  It is likely to get damaged over time.
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: Tammy Jade on January 24, 2018, 01:00:28 PM
I don't ware wigs anymore but my experiences from when I was wearing them were:

You really get what you pay for, my initial wigs weren't all that expensive but also looked off, it wasn't long until I upgraded to better ones.

Lace front is a must

If ur shaving and have ones with elastic there is no need to glue

Never wear them at night, it 1/2 the wigs life span and can lead to horrible nots

Use proper wig cleaning products to clean it

Invest in a foam head to keep it on, a lot of high end wigs will come with one but if not make sure u have one.

And avoid small hair tires and bobby pins as they can lead to breakage and unlike real hair those broken ones won't grow back.

Hope this helps
-Mara


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: Shambles on January 24, 2018, 01:38:17 PM
Thanks for the info. Lace front it is. Good to no about not tieing it up, i saw myself doing that
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: Roll on January 24, 2018, 01:57:47 PM
While I can't offer any advice in terms of quality wigs, I will add that one thing I've been doing is getting some cheap ones off amazon to test styles and colors to hold me over. One marketplace seller, Mapofbeauty or something like that, has some that are comfortable and decent quality for the price. Many are definitely pure costume wigs, but there are tons of normal styles too.
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: Cassi on January 24, 2018, 02:11:22 PM
Quote from: Roll on January 24, 2018, 01:57:47 PM
While I can't offer any advice in terms of quality wigs, I will add that one thing I've been doing is getting some cheap ones off amazon to test styles and colors to hold me over. One marketplace seller, Mapofbeauty or something like that, has some that are comfortable and decent quality for the price. Many are definitely pure costume wigs, but there are tons of normal styles too.

I'm kinda hoping that once HRT kicks in and my hair grows out more to get something like a teepee (toupee) and have my normal hair.  It' almost over my ears now.  The question will be color.  I've always been a blond but my daughter noticed the grey creeping in and bought some dye which was somewhat of a light brown.  Blew me away how within a day or two my complexion kinda changed.

Thinking of going darker.  It would be easier if there was a hold head of hair, lol.  We'll see.
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: Claire_Sydney on January 25, 2018, 08:55:33 AM
Hi,

I used a wig every day for a few years - until my bald spot grew back enough that I could cover it reasonably well.  I have had all kinds of different styles and lengths.

For low maintenance, and a convincing hairline, it's hard to beat a lace front.

I found for anything long, synthetic hair is easy to manage and keep clean.  Human hair is slightly more convincing, but can be harder to maintain.  A high quality synthetic can look very convincing too, however.

Good luck.
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: 2.B.Dana on January 25, 2018, 09:21:05 AM
I will most likely be in a wig forever considering my bio hair challenges. I would echo what I have read so far.

I was highly recommended to go to a wig shop initially and get in person advice for my first wig. Like bras, I wanted some private time to try on and experience them before I went to a shop. I did lots of research and bought a modest wig to begin with. I took it to a salon to have it trimmed and the woman was amazing. She spent nearly an hour with me teaching me about wig life. While she felt I had totally the wrong wig for me long term she wouldn't sell me a new one. She felt I needed to spend some time in that wig to learn some things. Over time I have come to understand her wisdom. I plan to visit her soon to order a different wig and learn some more.

Even though I had the right size cap, my wigs tended to slip through my work day. I have a manual labor type job and all the jostling caused issues. I bought a wig grip and that tended to slip as well. In my initial purchase of supplies I had bought "It Stays" body adhesive. The salon person had recommended against it because most folks use it directly on the wig and it gums them up. Just means more washing.

To deal with my slipping issue I put some glue on and stick my wig grip to that. It does gum up over a few days use but its easy to rinse out in the sink and be ready for the next day. This has provided a secure band for the wig to grab on to and I feel much more confident at work. Not sure if I will have this issue with more expensive wigs but it was worth doing now with this one.

As in so much of transition, confidence is key. I would recommend youtube videos and various online wig sellers for plenty of knowledge. So many reviews available it's hard not to learn something. I found a fairly conservative wig in my natural hair color the easiest to begin with. I had tried some other varieties and just couldn't get to a point of being comfortable in them. Now it's no big deal to pop it on and out the door.

Most of all, have fun with it!
Title: Re: Advise on wigs needed please
Post by: Cassi on January 25, 2018, 10:03:10 AM
Quote from: 2.B.Dana on January 25, 2018, 09:21:05 AM
I will most likely be in a wig forever considering my bio hair challenges. I would echo what I have read so far.

I was highly recommended to go to a wig shop initially and get in person advice for my first wig. Like bras, I wanted some private time to try on and experience them before I went to a shop. I did lots of research and bought a modest wig to begin with. I took it to a salon to have it trimmed and the woman was amazing. She spent nearly an hour with me teaching me about wig life. While she felt I had totally the wrong wig for me long term she wouldn't sell me a new one. She felt I needed to spend some time in that wig to learn some things. Over time I have come to understand her wisdom. I plan to visit her soon to order a different wig and learn some more.

Even though I had the right size cap, my wigs tended to slip through my work day. I have a manual labor type job and all the jostling caused issues. I bought a wig grip and that tended to slip as well. In my initial purchase of supplies I had bought "It Stays" body adhesive. The salon person had recommended against it because most folks use it directly on the wig and it gums them up. Just means more washing.

To deal with my slipping issue I put some glue on and stick my wig grip to that. It does gum up over a few days use but its easy to rinse out in the sink and be ready for the next day. This has provided a secure band for the wig to grab on to and I feel much more confident at work. Not sure if I will have this issue with more expensive wigs but it was worth doing now with this one.

As in so much of transition, confidence is key. I would recommend youtube videos and various online wig sellers for plenty of knowledge. So many reviews available it's hard not to learn something. I found a fairly conservative wig in my natural hair color the easiest to begin with. I had tried some other varieties and just couldn't get to a point of being comfortable in them. Now it's no big deal to pop it on and out the door.

Most of all, have fun with it!

Thank you Dana, awesome experience and advice.  BTW, love your avatar.