Being 66 and balding, my only real choice for feminine hair is to wear a wig. Yes, Costco minoxidil is relatively cheap and while I might find some limited relief from the twice daily applications, I'm not encouraged. my hair is fairly thin, like my mother's, and she's been wearing a wig since her mid 30s.
So, like the first time I tried to transition, I've purchased a few wigs from Paula Young. I do like them, but I can't say they work as a permanent solution. For those of you who do wear wigs, what brands, wig types (synthetic, real, etc), or companies do you prefer for a natural look?
Thanks.
I do synthetic. My 2 short hairs are Rachel Welsh. My long hair is a Gabor but the absolutely nicest one is a Noriko. It it light and soft and so close to real hair
Thanks so much, Donna. I'll check them out.
I'm not sure if this is helpful but, when I was trying to make myself feminine (possible NB or FTM here) and had thinned hair with a few balding patches from an anti-epilepsy medication...
I also liked Noriko. And in general especially with synthetics I found that you definitely get what you pay for, in the sense that cheaper ones tended to be more "wiggy" but that said I was surprised by some of the pricer ones that didn't look good either. If you have the money, get the ones with the monofiiment (is that the word?) scalp/hairline. Or if your face shape suits it and you like it going with a fringe/bangs can hide the obvious hairline.
My best wigs were two human-hair ones that I bought from the website of a on-street store that was aimed at black women. My main one was a lovely mid-long, wavy, layered reddish-brown thing that resembled my real hair back when I was 16-22ish.
Just my personal experience but those stores tended to have a reasonably wide range and still be cheaper even with the human-hair and higher-end ranges and lace-front wigs. Though sometimes the range of colours can be more limited/different, but not always.
(Lace-front: where you glue the lace bit along your hairline/forehead but for me I couldn't do that due to allergies so I carefully cut off the lace and sewed some snap-combs into the underside near the front to secure it. In fact I'd recommend that for any wig! I also tweaked the parting/hairline because I have a bit of a widow's peak - literally plucked out some of the front hairs and trimmed the lace to match my own hairline.)
I'd also say some powdering can help with reducing the shininess.
Also if you are able to afford it, if you find a wig that you really love, buy a 2nd one - easier to have one to use while the other is washed then drying.
But it was of course also a case of finding the particular wig that worked for me.
Full time wig wearing is not an easy thing to get used to, but plenty of folks do it. I don't yet, but probably should and will eventually. Some of the best advice I've found has come from the web forums for women with alopecia and similar hair loss issues. Most women start with toppers and go to full wigs after hair loss is more advanced.
Everyone is a bit different as to how wigs fit and wear, so it's hard to recommend anything in particular. Synthetic wigs are generally considered to only last a few months of daily wear, while a human hair wig can last a couple of years or more. You really have to become an expert at caring for them and grooming them to suit your appearance, though. I've seen ladies who were so skilled they could make almost any wig look good on them.
The best way to find out how different caps and types of hair feel is to go to a wig shop and try a few on. If you only wig shop online you need to be prepared to spend a lot of extra money on wigs that you later decide don't work out for you, though that may happen anyway. That said I learned about some good online wig dealers with excellent support services from a great YouTube wig reviewer, HH Haven. One is Model Lace Wig and Hair Online Superstore (in Las Vegas). The other is Milano Wigs, which sells pricier items, but they quality seems to exceed all the more widely sold brands like Raquel Welch and Jon Renau.
She's right. For the best results go to a wig shop. If you can afford it a human hair wig is the best. I had one client who lost her hair from chemo. She had an expensive human hair wig and a couple of cheap wigs she wore just around the house. You can have a wig styled at a salon. Usually a wig shop has a wig stylist. One word of warning, make sure anyone who styles your wig is skilled at wig styling. Wig styling is kind of a different skill set. Kind of like cutting curly hair. It would suck if someone ruined an expensive wig by styling it wrong.
One reason you need to have a wig fitted is so it doesn't come off easily. That can be quite embarrassing. I once saw a woman's wig fly off in windy weather and she went chasing after it until it blew under a car. My brother and I almost died laughing. Don't let something like that happen to you.
As others have said, your best bet is a wig shop. I went through quite a few before I settled on the hair I have worn the past two years, a mid-range synthetic lace-front, the Raquel Welch "Crowd Pleaser." I happen to like the cap design in these, finding it quite comfortable. I used a double-sided medical tape under the lace front to secure the piece. As a daily wear item, I had two of these on hand to rotate through, now 24 and 18 months old and starting to wear. That is a very long life for a synthetic wig.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180715/ee8ae1ea5eb212ca66d81569a044220c.jpg)
Recently, after a conversation with a friend on shorter and younger looking styles and inspired by Jane Fonda's look in "Book Club" I tried some layered pixie cut styles, eventually ordering a cheap 'try it out' Paula Young "Ryan" wig, large size cap for my skull. This turned out better than I and hoped. The feel is a bit different than the lace front, from the elastic along the front, but it stays well without needing adhesive and I felt it looked nice. And at the price, even if each piece lasts only a few months it is a good deal, much cheaper than that Raquel Welch. It passes well enough that people do not recognize it as a wig, and have commented on the haircut and new color, wanting to know what salon had done it.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180715/f628dbdb41a27679ef225782734697e5.jpg)
It's important to know how to clean and brush out the wig properly to avoid damage. A salon can provide you with the proper shampoo, conditioner/detangler, and wig brushes for a synthetic or natural hair wig.
I posted a bit on the construction and wearing of the lace front wigs here: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,219729.msg1946699.html#msg1946699
And a couple years ago I wrote a sort of short survey of wig types: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,212627.msg1883626.html#msg1883626
Quote from: Lyric on July 14, 2018, 10:25:58 AM
Full time wig wearing is not an easy thing to get used to, but plenty of folks do it. I don't yet, but probably should and will eventually. Some of the best advice I've found has come from the web forums for women with alopecia and similar hair loss issues. Most women start with toppers and go to full wigs after hair loss is more advanced.
Everyone is a bit different as to how wigs fit and wear, so it's hard to recommend anything in particular. Synthetic wigs are generally considered to only last a few months of daily wear, while a human hair wig can last a couple of years or more. You really have to become an expert at caring for them and grooming them to suit your appearance, though. I've seen ladies who were so skilled they could make almost any wig look good on them.
The best way to find out how different caps and types of hair feel is to go to a wig shop and try a few on. If you only wig shop online you need to be prepared to spend a lot of extra money on wigs that you later decide don't work out for you, though that may happen anyway. That said I learned about some good online wig dealers with excellent support services from a great YouTube wig reviewer, HH Haven. One is Model Lace Wig and Hair Online Superstore (in Las Vegas). The other is Milano Wigs, which sells pricier items, but they quality seems to exceed all the more widely sold brands like Raquel Welch and Jon Renau.
My first wig ( the rat) lasted less than 3 months. I love the Gabours and Rachel Welsh wigs. I know a lady with alopecia and she is why I am switching to noriko. She is getting two years out of a synthetic with proper care and conditioning. I have conditioner but liquid fabric softener works just as well for synthetics as they are really a type of fabric.
I would love a human hair wig but can't afford it especially in my work. I'm afraid I would ruin it. Hard hats and wigs don't get along. Lol
If you can afford it, better to go with human hair such as Remy (with a "Y" not "i"). Remy Human hair wigs have smoother hair cuticles and look like real human hair than the Remi (with letter "i"). I like Brazilian Remy hair. personally as the hair is softer.
Also, for a natural hairline, I recommend a lace front wig as recommended here by others.
Thanks Nina. I'll check them out.
Laura
I used synthetic that were heat resistant, and human hair. The synthetics are good for taking on more active days, and human hair for occasions. Both are able to be styled. The best way I found to get them to look natural is to get them fitted at a wig shop, and professionally styled. 99% of the time they're overly full and longer than needed, and will need to be trimmed for a proper look.
I have found synthetic wigs from Estetica Designs to be of very good quality. They are reasonably priced, easy to style, and I have received many compliments from ladies that didn't know otherwise.
Quote from: lauraelliott1951 on July 30, 2018, 11:08:51 PM
Thanks Nina. I'll check them out.
Laura
You're welcome! Also, if you can't afford a human hair wig (they tend to be higher in price), look for a blend of human + synthetic hair with Remy hair ("y" not "i").
Lastly, the lace front is the difference between looking "wiggy" or natural. I have worn wigs in the past that didn't have a lace front and the hairline always looked unnatural.
All the Best!
I use Estetica Designs, which I bought and was fitted for @ The Wigge Shop in Louisville.
Thank you to all of you who have responded with your wig experience. You've given me lots of options and I've been busy checking out various manufacturers and wig types. Obviously, for the long term, I'll want something leaning towards natural hair. For now, I'm awaiting a full monofilament to arrive to see how it looks. Strangely, getting a hair color that works is more difficult than I imagined. my current favorite wig is ash brown/light blonde, but as I look at other women my age, 66, colors run the gamut, from grey to full blonde. I'm going to have fun experimenting, but it's certainly not going to be cheap.
Laura
So something else I learned about from a local girl is weaves and braids.
She just had her head done and the results are amazing. They braid your hair into tight conrolls and then sew the real hair pieces to them. These can be cut and styled and anything else that you would do with your own hair. Her hair is fantastic and looks and feels great. As your own hair grows out they just tighten the conrolls and resew the hair to it. This can cost upwards of $1000 dollars initially but In my case I already spent that on 4 wigs.
That must be what they did for "AJ" on "Lost in Transition" episode (I think) 3. They called it a permanent hairpiece or prosthetic, and I saw them sewing it on. They only covered the bald part and matched the existing hair. Sounds interesting...thanks for the info!
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Yes they will do a circular conroll round the bald spot and sew to that. If it extends to the forehead they glue that part down. She has a picture of that procedure on the site
"Lady icy" in Calgary has some picture of that procedure on the site and the gurl in the last set
Of pictures is my friend Jess
Quote from: Donna on August 05, 2018, 11:34:48 PM
So something else I learned about from a local girl is weaves and braids.
She just had her head done and the results are amazing. They braid your hair into tight conrolls and then sew the real hair pieces to them. These can be cut and styled and anything else that you would do with your own hair. Her hair is fantastic and looks and feels great. As your own hair grows out they just tighten the conrolls and resew the hair to it. This can cost upwards of $1000 dollars initially but In my case I already spent that on 4 wigs.
the only concern is that by tightening the corn rows gradually, you eventually may end up with traction alopecia which is a thinning of the hairline cause by hair loss by wearing very tight braids for some time....
Row of my lady friends are doing his just until the regular hair grows out enough to style. I went for assessment and may do mine as well. It's less money than two wigs, it's real hair and I can have it any color I want and any style.
She will also custom make a human hair wig for a very reasonable price if I chose that route
I still have not been able to afford a nicer human hair wig. Have been wearing cheap synthetics for almost 5 years now because my own hairline is too receded. Mine are the Blush brand, $30. A local store sells them, but mine seems to be the most popular seller. I have several in the same style and a few different ones as well. I get called out on my wigs occasionally, but at this late stage of my transition I don't care! My older wigs get used for Romantic Times! To keep them on I use clippers every other month to keep my own hair in a crew cut! LOL! Hey, it works and I don't need a wig cap so they are cooler! My head is a bit larger so I cut the cap of my wig right behind each set of adjusters. The elastic bands with hooks go in the trash. Baby Shampoo works very well in a sink of lukewarm water to clean them. Comb, Comb, Comb! Once they get badly tangled they are ruined.
I'm still mostly closeted, but I have had success with cheep holoween wigs. Killed my first auburn colored wig by using standard spray conditioner and a normal comb. Remember, wide toothed "wig" comb, or fingers only(lightly bouncing through tankgles). Stretching out or heating up the fibres will frizz yo wig to no end. :)