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 _______________________________ Human hair will___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 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 _________________________________________ o After shampooing the hair needs to be reset o _________________________________________ 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 inches and Asian from 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  ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________  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, ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

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- ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________  Hairpiece- is hair________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ; 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 WIG Constructed with an elasticized, mesh-fiber base to which the hair is attached Made in several sizes ______________________________________________ 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 ___________________________________________

WEFTS & BUNDLES Wefts-____________________________________________ Bundle- __________________________________________

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- ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ However today most ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

CUTTING WIGS Goal is to make the hair look more realistic Most effective way to do this is to____________________ when cutting the wig The more solid the shape the more unnatural Wig should be placed_______________________________ ________________ cutting on dry hair is the best for wigs Combouts and finishing should be done ____________________________________________________

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 ____________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________________________, 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 ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ 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 permanent- tracks 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 __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 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 __________________________________________

BRAID – AND - SEW __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 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 ______________________________________________________________ Natural hair should be at least 4 inches There is a certain degree of slippage Generally_________________________________ 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: __________________________________ to bonding ingredients because most are latex based Bonding should not be used to attach wefts longer than 12 in

FUSION BONDING __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 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 _________________________________________________________________

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