Why do hair systems go bad over time?

Wouldn’t it be just perfect if a hair system could last forever? You spend top dollar on one that fits your exact needs and requirements and it lasts for life! Unfortunately, this is not possible and won’t be possible for the foreseeable future. It’s not some marketing ploy to get customers to keep buying more and more hairpieces either. It just isn’t possible. So what is the exact reason why hair systems go bad over time? We’ll dive deeper into the topic in this blog.

Why can’t hairpieces last forever?

To use an analogy from a Reddit user, your hair replacement system goes bad for the same reason your shoes don’t look as good as they did when you first bought them and that’s wear and tear. The more you expose your shoes to the outdoors, the sun, various other weather conditions and just by walking in general, the more it will run down, eventually come apart and look old. On the other hand, if you just leave your brand new shoes in the closet and don’t touch them, they will remain new for the most part.

The same applies with hair systems. If you just leave a brand new order in your closet, it will remain new. But as you keep wearing it, exposing it to the sun, hair products, your pillowcases, it will eventually degrade. Even if you’re maintaining it with the utmost care and are gentle as a whole, there will still be wear and tear on the system even when you’re cleaning it. For example, tape has less wear and tear on a system than glue when it comes to the removal process. However, even removing the tape will affect the lifespan of the hairpiece.

With that said, even if your system is in tip top shape, it’s not always usable to its full lifespan. That’s because of one major factor.

Hair shedding is the main culprit

Hair shedding is the main reason why hair systems eventually go bad and it’s also linked with wear and tear. Everybody sheds hair. The daily average for a human is 50 to 100 hairs per day. The problem with hair systems is that when the hair sheds, it’s not growing back. And because your system’s hair is connected to a base rather than your scalp, it’s not receiving the benefits of all the scalp oils and nutrients that could hydrate it whenever it becomes dry, prone to breakage or exposed to chemical services. The end result is more shedding.

“It’s not hair that grows out of your scalp so it doesn’t naturally produce oil,” says Superhairpieces stylist Christina. “It tends to be a little more drying over time. And obviously, with being out in the sun or blow drying it — that dries up the hair and changes the color of the hair. So people end up doing chemical services like recoloring their hair just to brighten up the color. That’s a chemical process that also plays into the effect of how well a system can last. Chemical services also damage a hairpiece.”

Going back to the point of wear and tear, the more you use your hair system, the more it will naturally shed. You could still wear a hair system if it’s shedding, but the point is ultimately defeated if there is a bald patch in a certain area as a result of shedding.

“Just like human hair, hair systems also shed,” says Christina. “It’s wear and tear. So if you’re constantly maintaining it whether you’re doing it professionally or doing it yourself at home, [there will be wear and tear].”

In most cases, hair shedding can accelerate because of how the wearer is handling their system. While there are some who are extremely gentle with their units, a good majority are either rough, not following the right procedures or using the wrong products which can all expedite how quickly the hair sheds.

How to prevent hair shedding

We now know that hair shedding is the main reason why hair systems go bad over time. So with that in mind, your goal in maximizing the lifespan of your unit is to prevent as much hair shedding as possible. So what are the ways you can do this?

Don’t over maintain or overwash your hair - Maintenance is always encouraged with a hair system. This keeps your system clean, your hair looking healthy and shiny, and will prolong its lifespan as a whole. However, too much of anything is bad, and overwashing your system will ultimately affect the lifespan as well. Remember what we mentioned about wear and tear? Eventually, too much maintenance will result in hair shedding quicker than you’re expecting. You will need to find the right balance and at Superhairpieces, we recommend washing it twice a week at the most. The same applies for

Correct maintenance and proper products - Whenever you are maintaining your hair, you should make sure you’re doing it the correct way. That means not brushing your hair in a way that can cause more hair shedding or using the correct wig shampoos and conditioners. “They could be really rough with the hair or they’re not using the correct paraben and sulfate-free products,” Christina adds. “They’re really rough on brushing the hair, they don’t have the proper care of shampooing the hair like how you can’t go up and down and vigorously scrub the hairpiece. It creates knots and when they try to comb out the knots, it pulls the knots out and sheds.”

Don’t comb your thin skin poly system when wet - This is a follow-up to the previous point, but it’s extremely important not to comb your thin skin poly system while it’s wet. Poly material tends to expand when it’s wet and this loosens the knots holding the hair together. Combing your hair, particularly in the roots, will result in hair shedding. Instead, dry it off with a towel and apply leave-in conditioner before combing.

Avoid too much sun and heat exposure - This is an important step to follow. You shouldn’t be out and about in the sun for too many hours. This not only results in your hair color fading, but can also cause your hair to become dry, weak and brittle which will result in it shedding. The same applies when you’re using too many heat styling products such as straighteners, curling irons and blow dryers. If you absolutely have to use these products, try to use a lower heat setting or a cold air setting while you can also possibly reduce the number of times you use them a week.

You can also refer to our Expert Talks episode on the topic if you prefer a visual explanation of some of the ways you can prevent your hairpiece from shedding:

----------------------------------------

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

Don’t forget to tag us at @Superhairpieces and #Superhairpieces on your social media channels to get a shoutout! And make sure to like us on Facebook, follow on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel!