Is A Long Lasting Hair Replacement System Always Better

Have you ever been asked, “How long do toupees last? Is non surgical hair replacement permanent?” How did you answer? Today let’s talk about it.

First let's take a look at the composition of the wig. Hair systems and wigs both have two parts: the base and the hair. When you ask how long a hair system should last, you should think about the two parts of a wig. The lifetime of human hair replacement systems is affected not only by the base, but also by the hair. The base has many different types of materials. Different base materials have differing lifetimes. Some base materials are durable and strong, while other types are not. There are many different types of hair, such as Indian hair, Remy hair, and Virgin hair. As with bases, the different types of human hair have different lifetime expectations. The purpose of this post is to provide the latest detailed information on both durability of the base and human hair. After reading this article, you should have a very clear understanding about how long toupees and human hair wigs last.

Let’s first talk about the base material.

Our factory produces the most popular material for human hair replacement systems and wigs. These are: French lace, fine mono, clear poly or clear PU, poly with gauze, poly coated, integration net, silk mono, fine welded mono, etc.

Click here to view our lace base systems

The first one is French lace. It looks like a mosquito net, a kind of net with holes. This is a good, breathable, and very natural base, but not that durable because it is very thin and with holes. It can last about 3 months with normal use and maintenance. Since it is very thin, has a natural appearance, and is breathable, French lace is the most popular material in hair replacement systems and wigs. The natural effect of French lace is produced not only by the thin base material but also by bleaching knots. French lace is the only material that allows knots bleaching. As a result, French lace becomes the most popular material.

Click here to view our mono base systems

The next base material, Fine mono, looks like cloth. The cloth is both very durable and strong. Fine mono’s holes are very small. The hair tied on fine mono is tied with double knots and we don’t bleach knots. The hair can last longer. The fine mono material base hair systems and wigs last longer than French lace. A well maintained fine mono material can last as many as 8-12 months even years.

Of course there are many other materials. They all have their own features and have different lifespan. Generally speaking, the more the materials are thin, natural and invisible, the less the lifespan is. Like extra invisible material Swiss lace can not last over 1 month. Other mono base materials, such as German net, Mono lace and Integration base are all durable ones. They can last over 6 months and with good care even over a year or years.

Click here to view the skin(poly) base systems

Let’s take a look at the poly material that is easier to attach tape or glue to. We have three types of poly: clear poly, poly with gauze and poly coated. Clear poly allows for different thicknesses of the base. Most clients prefer thin poly because of its softness and natural look, but thinner clear poly means shorter lifetime.

The model HS25 v loop is a good example. It has an ultra-thin clear poly skin of only 0.03mm thick. The thin skin requires hair attached with a V loop; there are no knots. This model lasts about 3-4 weeks. There are two reasons for its short life. First, the clear poly skin, though its natural look, is just so thin and soft, that it is just not as durable. The other reason is v-loop. The hair are not tied on the base, so the hair is prone to shedding. Although not as durable, this ultra-thin skin toupee is becoming more and more popular because of its natural look and softness. It is so comfortable that when worn it seems like it is truly not there. In addition, the perfect amount creates the most natural effect. Last but not least, it requires far less maintenance because the customer wears it for 3-4 weeks and then changes to a new piece. This is the most important reason why this ultra-thin skin system has become so popular. Not just ultra thin skin, other thickness clear PU also don’t last longer than the other two poly materials because of their soft and thin characteristics. Of course, different thickness clear PU will have different lifetime. The thicker the clear PU is, the longer the lifespan is. We made four different thickness clear PU units in stock which are also the most popular thickness in the market. Below are their around lifespan. It can help you choose the right one for your clients.

• HS25: 0.03mm ultra-thin skin. The most natural and thinnest of all the skin bases. It has an expected lifespan of 3-4 weeks.  
• HS1-V: 0.06mm super thin skin. (2-3 month lifespan)
• HS1: 0.08mm thin skin. (3-6 month lifespan)
• INS: 0.08mm injected hair. (2-3 month lifespan)

 

Poly with gauze is next. From the name, we can see a layer of gauze in the middle of poly. This gauze increases the strength of the poly, so it is very durable. It can last longer than clear PU. But because of the gauze, it cannot be made as thin as clear PU. This material can last over 6 months and with good care even over a year.

Poly coated is poly applied on material directly, and will add another layer of material. So there are sometimes three layers. It is the thickest poly and the most durable. It can last even years.

Above all, you can see if clients like high density (big volume of hair) and long life hair units, in that case poly coated material and fine mono material are absolutely a good choice. Differently, if clients like lower density and most natural effect, then suggest French lace and clear thin poly material.

The base material is like the foundation of a building. If the foundation is strong, so is the building. Likewise, if the base material of a hair system is not strong, the hair systems cannot last a long time. However, the durable base material is only one part of a hair system's lifetime.

Having addressed the types of bases, let’s talk about human hair. There are normally three types of human hair: no remy hair, Remy hair, and Virgin hair.

Let's see the below picture, which makes it easier to understand. 

 

Natural hair have cuticles, which are part of the reasons why they get tangled all the time. Non remy hair has different directions, so the cuticles do. When cuticles are not in the same direction, they will make hair tangle easier. To avoid this, hair needs to go through a heavy acid treatment to remove the cuticles. This way even with different hair direction, the hair will not tangle because of the different direction cuticles. If the hair piece has a thin and natural base which won’t last long time, this hair is good. But if the hair pieces is supposed to last over 6 months, better choose healthier ones.

Remy hair is healthy hair which has been cut from the head directly. The hair direction are same. It does not need to go through heavy acid treatment. However, we call it remy hair not virgin hair, because this hair are dyed or permed when making the hair unit. It is healthy enough and strong to last longer time.

Virgin hair is the same as Remy hair, has same hair direction. And for virgin hair, it means there is no chemical treatment, even coloring or perm. Like European Virgin hair, the raw hair material are ponytail and we will not do any coloring or perm or acid treatment on the hair. Just knotting it on the base and do basic washing. This one is the most healthy and strong. But it also needs the wholesaler or especially the salon owner to know what to use for their clients. Or it can not show out its benefits.

The third consideration in how long hair replacement systems last is the knotting method. Single knots are weaker than double knots. A single knot is more durable than the V loop and injected skin knot. Notably as well is different base materials use different knotting methods. HS25V model only uses the V loop. The front hairline of French lace must use a single split knot to create a natural front effect. But the remaining materials and areas use double knots to make the whole piece last long enough.  Also for all the skin hair pieces, we do v-looped hair on front to make a front hairline without any knots and single split knots everywhere else to make a strong and natural piece. There is also injected skin. It is not as strong as knotted skin though. In fact, the hair is injected to the skin base without knots, so it is easier to loosen.

You should now be able to answer your clients 

• How long do toupees last?
• Is hair replacement permanent?

 

Next, let’s look at the relationship between lifetime and the natural effect. When people use a hairpiece, the first requirement is that it must look natural – not like a wig. They don’t want others to know that they wear hair replacement systems. To achieve this natural effect, the piece should use small knots, no knots or bleached knots. Because these knots are small, people will not notice that it is a hair replacement. Well, small knots, no knots, and bleached knots are not strong knots, so the hairpieces are not as durable. In contrast, big knots, non-bleached knots are strong knots and hair systems are more durable. However, these larger knots are not invisible, and more importantly, not natural. From this point of view, lifetime and natural effect are opposite. It is not always true that the more durable hair system with longer lifetimes the better. The point is which one is more suitable for your clients, durable or natural.

Finally, how the customer cares for the hair systems also influences its lifetime. Each time your client removes the hair system, it should be cleaned. Remove the glue or tape residue, wash hair with hair conditioner, and rinse the hair system totally especially the hair knots. Do not comb hair when it's wet. We will post a blog about how to take care of the hair system in next few days. If you’re interested, please keep on paying attention to us at www.newtimeshair.com