What kind of wig cap construction is most suitable for me?
Whats the best cap base for me?
Most Suitable Wig Cap Construction
Video on How to Choose the Right Wig Cap Design by Jon Renau
Additional Information Below:
Wig caps today are made of very fine lightweight materials. They are no longer heavy or bulky as they were years ago. These types of caps apply to both human and synthetic fiber wigs and hairpieces.
Though wigs and hairpieces have become trendy, for most people, selecting a wig with so many options to choose from can be challenging and a bit confusing. It is crucial for anyone interested in purchasing a wig, hairpiece or related product to understand the different types available on the market today.
Quality construction can be the key factor when choosing any wig. Since there are so many types of wig cap constructions, Lori’s Wigsite is here to provide you the information pertaining to these wigs, hairpieces, integration pieces and related products to help you determine which will work best for you.
Machine Made Caps (or Basic Wig Caps): These caps are made using hair that is sewn onto wefts. Wefts are ribbon-like bands that the hairs are attached to by a machine. The wefts are then sewn into the wig cap. There is a small space between each row of weft, which allows for airflow. Machine made caps will be slightly lighter weight versus the hand tied caps. Besides the lighter weight, these wigs will also be less costly.
Monofilament Wigs: Monofilament is a translucent silk material that is thin & breathable and has become an extremely popular addition to wig caps. High quality monofilament give the appearance that the hair is actually growing from the scalp. Hair is hand tied into the monofilament material allowing you to direct the hair any way you desire, as well as create very natural part lines. Monofilament wigs are specially woven to allow for comfort and excellent ventilation. This helps to prevent irritation and itchiness. Chemotherapy patients often opt for these monofilament wig caps for this reason. It will “breathe” while being worn, thereby preventing heat and moisture build up. Monofilament is considered to be one of the most desirable of wig types, especially by those who wear wigs every day. Most wearers feel that its superior comfort and natural look more than justify the additional cost.
The majority of 100% hand tied wigsusually incorporate the monofilament material into the top section of the cap. Some machine made wigs are also made with the hand tied monofilament top, leaving the sides and back made with the open wefts (wefts are ribbon-like bands that the hairs are attached to by a machine). This basically combines the best of both designs; light and airy like the machine made wigs, but also hand tied top to allow styling versatility.
Hand Tied Caps: Top-of-the-line, hand-tied wigs are the most natural looking. They incorporate the monofilament material at the top and soft hand-tied mesh material throughout the rest of the wig cap. There are no wefts in these hand-tied caps. These are the softest caps and are ideal for people with extreme hair loss due to medical conditions such as Alopecia or hair loss due to chemotherapy.
All of the hair is individually hand sewn into the cap. This allows for a very natural flow of hair, and the hair can be styled in any direction. Should a brisk wind blow your through your wig and separate the hairs it would only show a natural scalp appearance underneath versus showing the wefts of a basic wig cap.
Lace Front Wigs: Some wigs are made with a lace material. The hair is individually hand tied into this lace material. It will have a very fine density at the very front, and become fuller as you go back. This allows you to wear the hair back off the face, and it will give the appearance of a very natural front hairline. Some lace caps are made ready to wear, where others are made with extra lace material at the front that does not have any hair sewn into it. This is done so you can have the lace material trimmed back to match your own natural hairline. This lace material is very delicate, so you must take care when taking wig on and off, as well as when brushing and styling.
There are two different types of lace wigs:
Full Lace Front Wigs & Lace Front Wigs.
Some human hair and a few synthetic wigs offer Full Lace Front caps. These wigs will look the most natural and will be undetectable. They are crafted to maximize breathability as well as added comfort. The special transitional density of the front hairline is done to replicate the natural pattern of growing hair.
Some highlights of a Full Lace Front wig are:
Natural parting is possible throughout the entire wig
Versatility (these wigs can be worn in up-do styles, low ponytails, as well as braids.)
Breathable, lightweight and very comfortable to wear.
A few cons with these
Full Lace Front wigs are:
You will have to be more careful, as they tend to be more delicate compared to other bases. (Most likely a Full Lace Front wig will need to be repaired within a year, depending on your usage.)
They will have to be glued around the entire perimeter for a natural look. This could be time consuming for daily wearers but will not be an issue if you wear these wigs for extended periods of time.
The Lace Front wig means that baby hairs are tied around the lace edges to appear as if the hair was growing directly from the scalp in the front hairline. Usually, these wigs have this lace (
French lace) along the entire front hair line from temple to temple while the back and sides of these wigs are often made of a more durable material (i.e. monofilament, stretch lace, or polyurethane).