How do you know when the hair system is ready to be replaced?

Each stock hair system offered at Superhairpieces is made with a certain construction that can affect how long its lifespan is. Ultra thin skin poly systems last four to six weeks, but can last longer with the right maintenance and care. Monofilament hair systems, meanwhile, are very durable and can last as long as over six months.

Superhairpieces provides general estimates for how long each system lasts, but again, these are just estimates. Just because a system is said to last three months, it doesn’t mean it will last three months. Nor does it mean it won’t last over three months either. This is because there are a number of factors that come into play, most importantly, being how well the wearer is maintaining and taking care of the system. So when do you know when you are finally done using a system and ready to replace it with a new one? We will look at exactly that in this blog.

Hair shedding and bald patches

The first major sign you need to replace your hair system is when you start to notice more hair shedding and bald patches. No matter how well you maintain your unit, non surgical hair replacement systems are just like human hair. They will shed. The difference is any hair that is shed won’t grow back with new hair follicles because it’s connected to a base rather than your scalp.

“Every client is different,” says Superhairpieces stylist Christina. “It depends on the client. You’ll notice when there’s bald patches, it needs to be replaced obviously because you won’t be able to hide any of the hair.”

No matter the condition of your base or how properly maintained your hair is, if there is excess shedding or bald patches, you will need to replace your system. Ultimately, it defeats the purpose of wearing a hair system if you continue to wear yours while it’s shedding.

Hair quality declines or looks dry

Another major sign you need to replace your hair system is when the hair quality starts to decline. Over time, you’ll start to notice your hair not only feeling, but also looking dry and straw-like. It’s also normal to expect your hair to start tangling a lot more. Just like with hair shedding, it’s normal to find your hair quality eventually decline as the system takes on more wear and tear.

This wear and tear comes from daily use, the hair being exposed to the sun and other weather conditions, maintenance, and much more. Using the right products like wig shampoos and wig conditioners as well as following the right maintenance practices will help prolong the lifespan of your hair, but in the end, it’s important to remember that the hair on your system is essentially “dead hair” with no nutrients or oils being supplied to the follicles. That means it will always end up declining in quality and will have to be replaced.

Hair color fading

Your hair quality may stay the same in that it feels soft, silky and smooth. However, one problem that can rear its ugly head is the hair color fading. This is when your hair starts to lose its color and tone because of overexposure to the sun in a process that is called oxidation.

There are ways to prevent hair system fading as well as ways to get your hair back to its original color that you desire. Chemical processes and the use of color conditioners and shampoos such as the ones Back2Natural carry may get the color and tone back, but will also result in the wear and tear of your hair which goes back to our first point of your hair eventually shedding. If you’re experiencing hair color fading, it’s probably best to have a replacement in mind in the near future.

Base more prone to ripping

All of the above aforementioned points are related to hair. But once you’ve gone beyond that point, the biggest indicator that it’s time to replace your hair system is when the base starts to become brittle and more prone to ripping. This is usually the case with poly skin systems or poly perimeters, and is the last thing to happen. Once it does, you should really think about replacing your hairpiece.

You can always cover any cracks or rips with tape, but you will definitely feel it. Not to mention the fact that when you’re combing your hair, you might be pulling it further, causing it to rip or tear even more. Worst case scenario? Your hair system rips to the point that it falls off while you’re wearing it. Instead, be on the safe side.

Cleanliness and the client’s mindset

All that said, you may decide to replace your hair system on your own well before the hair quality or base has been affected. Why? Simply because you want to be clean. Hair system bases can get extremely dirty and gunky over time as you keep removing and installing it. Eventually, it’ll be hard to completely clean it.

“Some people change it more frequently than others because of cleanliness,” says Christina. “It’s not because it’s shedding or anything — people want to be clean with their hairpieces.

“It depends on the type of base, type of client and how clean they want to be. I know clients that want to change it often because over time, it gets gunky and gross and you can’t clean the system completely.”

Conclusion

You should now know what to look out for to know when it’s time to replace your toupee and get a brand new one. Of course, in a perfect world, we would never need to replace our hair systems. But until we get to such a world, we will have to make do with replacing our units every now and then.

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Interested in learning more about getting started with hair systems? Browse through our website at www.superhairpieces.com (US & International) or superhairpieces.ca (CAN)

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