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Does Wearing a Wig Prevent Hair Growth?

By: Ann Koch

Posted on July 29 2020

Does Wearing a Wig Prevent Hair Growth?

While there are many positives about wigs, there are certain myths associated with the same, one major myth that I will address today is does wearing a wig prevent hair growth? 

No, wearing a wig will never prevent hair growth if some important steps are taken. It's imperative to make sure your natural hair underneath your wig is properly prepared in order to create the best environment for your natural hair to thrive. 

Luckily, properly preparing your natural hair before putting your wig on doesn’t have to be complicated with these five easy steps I have outlined below.

How to Keep your Natural Hair and Scalp Healthy Under a Wig 

Now that I have busted the myth associated with wigs preventing hair growth, let's talk a little about some easy tips and tricks to keep your hair under the wig healthy. If you have a decent undergrowth of hair and you use a wig when you are not in a mood to do your hair. The tips mentioned will come in handy to keep your hair healthy.

1. Cleanse your hair on a regular basis

An important step in keeping your natural hair and scalp healthy is to keep your scalp clean. Since wearing a wig covers your scalp throughout the day, chances of accumulation of sweat are high and can give an unpleasant odor.

Tip: Washing your hair at least twice a week will ensure the removal of dead skin and sweat that may have started to amass. 


2. Use a lot of Moisturizer 

When using a wig cap there is a high possibility that it will suck the moisture present in your hair, so it becomes very important that you moisturize your hair and scalp at least three to four times a week. One important thing you should be doing once you take off the wig is wet your scalp with some water, this should be done every day as it helps the scalp and hair retain moisture. 

3. Tie up your natural hair

If your hair gets knotted (it is that long), use a comb with a wide-tooth to detangle your hair, always braid your hair before wearing a wig cap. This will prevent your hair from getting matted by the wig cap, secondly it will also reduce the bump under the wig.

4. Take care of your scalp

When using a wig regularly that last thing you would want to do is ignore your scalp. Dry scalp promotes dandruff growth, you may also want to use an anti-fungal oil to prevent dandruff. Regular use of anti-dandruff shampoo is also an alternative.

Massage your scalp regularly, two to three times a week is recommended. This will help stimulate the scalp and aid healthy hair growth, regular massaging also prevents bacterial growth on the scalp.

5. Let your hair and scalp some air

Though you do take off the wig at the end of the day, you must pick a few days when you do not wear the wig at all. It is important to know that the scalp needs oxygen, depriving it of oxygen by wearing a wig will harm the scalp and the hair. There is a high possibility of bacterial undergrowth leaving a foul smell on the scalp, also your hair will be dry and blunt.

 

Let Us Also Look into Some Other Myths Associated with Wearing a Wig

african american woman wearing curly wig

In the world that we live in today, stress, illness, pollution and erratic food habits have brought us to a stage where hairloss is seen at a very early stage of life, people tend to get bald as early as their late twenties.

People generally tend to opt for wigs, simply because it helps in keeping the morale high, normally people shy away if they are bald and are low on confidence. Wigs play a major role in giving back lost confidence.

The wig is not something that is a new trend, wigs date back to William Shakespeare when it made its first debut. They are normally made of animal or human hair; synthetic fiber wigs are also available these days.

Wigs can be a great way to promote or protect your natural hair from the elements and excessive thermal styling. The hair cells that promote hair growth still function under the wig; surprisingly wigs help hair grow by protecting it from all forms of natural or artificial pollutants that may hamper hair growth.  

Myth 1: It is difficult to maintain a wig

When equipped with accurate facts, taking care of your wig is easier than real hair. All you need is different kinds of products to maintain the wig 

Myth 2: Wig won’t fit my head

Finding a wig that fits your head right starts with getting your head measured. Once you are done with that, you have two choices, either you get a standard wig that fits your head measurement, else go for flexible wigs that range from comfort fit to tight fit depending on your usage (these wigs allow you to adjust the size with grooves provided in the inner side of the wig).

Myth 3: Wearing a wig will make me hot and uncomfortable

It is not true, some wigs provide you a customized cap with breathable material, this helps the airflow inside the cap allowing the head to be cool. Another way is to wear a wig cap (made of bamboo fiber) before wearing the wig. This bamboo cap takes away the moisture and keeps heat from reaching the scalp giving a cool feeling.

Myth 4: Wigs are old-fashioned and not stylish

Wigs are available in various styles and designs. Every design offers different features and benefits, for example, wigs made of human hair or synthetic material that is heat resistant. These wigs can be twisted and turned to style as per your requirement, using salon equipment.

Wigs caps also provide options to add on the styling aspect of wigs, some caps allow you to change a part of the wig, while some caps give you that hairline that is present in natural hair.

Myth 5: Wind can blow away my wig

If your wig is correctly fixed, it is very hard to come off or blow away in wind, even it be a strong wind. Should you still have doubts, you can go for various glues or grippers available in the market.

This ensures your wig sticks to your scalp in the toughest of conditions. Wig Clips is another option available if you have a decent undergrowth, just clip the wig to it. 

For more information check out this article I wrote: How Do Lace Front Wigs Stay On - Everything You Need to Know. 

Myth 6: Wigs made of human hair are better

Each wig type has a unique advantage. Synthetic wigs are made of quality fiber to stand the test of time, keeping the look as good as new. These types of wigs are often pre-designed and do not require much effort to style them.

When talking about human hair wig, it is quite obvious it will give you the human hair styling opportunities you want.

Myth 7: Wigs are costly

There are different types of wigs available in the market, wigs that come at a premium price offer a high level of customization in terms of styling, including changing the color of the wig using hair color.

Wigs are also available at a nominal price that fits a common man (or woman) budget and offers a natural look. The best way to buy a wig is to seek consultation from an expert, this will help you get the right wig at the right price. 

Myth 8: Wearing a wig looks obvious

The technology used to make a wig these days is so advance, it becomes practically impossible to differentiate a wig from natural hair. Weirdly shiny and artificial looking wigs are gone, high-quality fibers used in today's day are made in such a way that it looks like hair has naturally grown from the scalp. 

A few things that you need to take care of is to ensure the wig is tailored and cut to fit your face, also opt for coloring the wig with a hair color that matches your style. 

Myth 9: It is difficult to wear a wig

Wearing a wig is very easy, one needs to follow a few basic steps. When wearing a wig for the first time some customization is required like the area to glue, the point of the head where it needs to be fixed.

Once you wear it a couple of times, you get the hang of it, and then it becomes as simple as wearing your shirt every day. There are numerous videos available on the internet that can help you master the art of wearing a wig.  

Final Words

So I'm sure by now we are clear on what not to believe about the myths associated with wigs, also we have a fair idea of how to care for our natural hair and scalp under the wig. Wearing a wig can be as simple as an option to get a new look, or maybe the need of the hour because of hairloss.

There is nothing wrong in doing so, as per the statistics the wig market is estimated to reach earning in excess of $11 billion by the end of 2022. This market has a growth rate of approximately 9 to 10 percent per annum, interestingly men lead this market in terms of buying as compared to women.

So it is pretty evident that there are many like you out there buying wigs and putting them to regular use. In fact, people now are shaving off their natural hair and opting for wigs to get a new look every day.

So keeping in mind the basics of hair care while wearing a wig, and not caring about the myths, you can enjoy a new look anytime you want.

 

Ann Koch ann koch
Ann is the founder of ModelLaceWigsandHair.com. Living with androgenic alopecia for over 20 years after the birth of her children, she aspires to provide solutions and an invaluable guide to anyone suffering from hairloss.


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