Synthetic set of hairs worn for innumerable reasons like traditional, cultural, aesthetic and the most prominent one hair loss is called a wig. The word wig was culminated in English Dictionary in the year 1675. Wigs are generally worn in the theaters these days by actors, dramatists and most prominently by persons who become bald at young age. The usage of wigs has been prominent from centuries. It has been used from early Romans, Egyptians, Greek and Phoenicians.
Wigs became attire for man in the late 1650’s. They were prominently used by person who had extensive social status and political standing. Wig making became such an art that Wigmakers guild was recognized in France and grew exponentially in Europe. They became popular in the westernized world and were considered as an outline of the dress. Venice became the hub of the Wigmaker’s and wigs were specially designed for Venetian Ballroom dances.
Initially all Wigs were made up of goat and horse hairs. This was done because they were inexpensive and donating hair was not a customary activity. The use of human hairs to make Wigs started in the late 18th century and was quickly forgotten because of the extensive nature of the work and high price of human hair.
With the onset of industrial revolution came the use of machines for making wigs. Not only they worked faster but also gave cheaper wigs with better finish. They also did not need human hair but used goat and horse hair extensively. Since the horse and goat hair are generally black the use of synthetic fibers in the wigs began to grow.
This continued for two centuries. Fast forwarding to the 21st century. Although the machine made synthetic hair wigs are quite popular they don’t quite match the expectations of the customer. The quick wear and tear of these wigs led to the development of new type of wigs known as Monofilament Wigs.
Monofilament wigs are extremely comfortable and desirable and believe it or not they are hand woven. Although on the costlier side of the scale they are nonetheless worth every penny you will ever spend. So what makes the monofilament wig the costliest and the most luxurious wigs of all? Most wigs in the market are machine made and they have fabric caps. These although cheap are not of such high quality.
On the other hand monofilament wigs are hand woven and knitted and made from muslin a very special material which is very thin, mostly pleasing to touch and transparent. The hairs are weaved strand by strand on to the cap which gives them a genuine appearance. Moreover since only human hairs are used in the monofilament wigs they are more stylish, more realistic and most important of all give an original hair experience.
We all know that the shell life of synthetic fibers is very less. Now think of them undergoing strenuous environmental conditioning and you will happily acknowledge that they can not stand up to the quality of real human hairs. Human hairs are far more durable than the synthetic fibers used to make wigs.
But beware most wigs marked as monofilament wigs are not 100 % monofilament wigs. Only sections of the wigs are monofilament. By section it means that the top of the wig is made of real human hairs. The back of the wig has more traditional synthetic construction. This is done to reduce the cost of the Monofilament wigs. Also it makes the wig more adjustable and the wig fits snugly on to your head. It will not slide and will never ever be a reason for you to feel embarrassed.
In the 18th century the wigs were powdered to give off colors of which hairs were not generally available. Like off white and gray. When synthetic fibers were used they were bleached to give colors like red, blonde, brown and gray. The bleaching considerably reduced the life of the wig and it gave of an unnatural look.
This all changed with the advent of monofilament wigs as the natural hair are far more resistive to the artificial hair changes than the synthetic fibers and hairs from animal. The usage of monofilament wigs also led to creation of stylized wigs or as they are commonly known as designer wigs. Several varieties are available today on the market and the internet. Some of the more common designer monofilament wigs are Amore Collection, Dimples, Freestyles and Amore Supreme Human Hair Series. These designer wigs come in varying lengths and styles like burly wigs, braided wigs and fluffy wigs etc. Wigs for bald people are an expansion of their dress and are designed and pre-styled to fit peoples need and demands. Monofilament wigs are more of expediency rather than need for it. Wigs have been popularized by celebrities on large scale and are a blessing in need for cancer patients and people with zero or no hair growth. Julia Roberts and Cher are some of the celebrities who have worn wigs extensively for its aesthetic usage.
What makes Monofilament wigs so special? A wig as we all know contains a cap which is also known as the base and this is the place where the hairs are actually attached. The size and variety of caps vary so does the technique of joining the hair on the wig. The most common of them is referred to as wafting. The hairs are attached or arranged in the wefts on the wigs. Then the hair strings are sewn after being doubled over in long strands to give an artistic appearance for the wig.
Monofilament wigs use the same basic technique but the base is made of a special transparent material which is very soft to touch. The material closely resembles muslin or silk as it is known and most people maintain that it is indeed muslin. Monofilament wigs give a very natural, artistic looks because human hairs give off better results when they are bleached, colored, pruned or cut. But these wigs despite being on the expensive side demand lots and lots of care. They need to be cleaned with shampoo, blown dried and then alternatively conditioned to preserve their natural look and feel.
People who have money but no inclination to these sorts of chores on set of artificial hairs are better off trying to get a synthetic wig or rubber based wigs. They resemble human hair wigs at distance but at close distances can be easily made out to be artificial. The monofilament wigs are particularly useful for people who come in close contact of different people during their day to day work.
Synthetic wigs closely resemble monofilament wigs. The only problem with them is that once they are styled or drawn in a particular way then they tend to retain the wave, texture, curl and volume. This is all right initially but as the time goes by you may like to change your wig style and since these wigs retain their texture it is almost impossible to do so. So you end up buying a new wig to show off a new hair style. Monofilament Wigs on the other hand are made up of natural human hair and can be styled as many times as you may ever want. But they need extensive care and you have to choose between quality and effort.
If you are not afraid of putting in efforts you should go for monofilament wigs and get hairs which don’t get damaged with curling irons, hair dryers and hot rollers. But if you are more of an easy going person you may go for synthetic fiber wigs as they don’t need to be cared after and most important of all are inexpensive and easy to use. Now the most important part about the Monofilament wigs is that they come with extra hair. Already pre-styled in exquisite taste and fashion sense they nonetheless include 10 - 30 % extra hair. So if you like the hair styling but are just not sure that whether it would suit your face dimensions or not fell free to take it to a hair stylist who can trim the extra hair off.
The monofilament wigs generally come in the circumference of 21 to 23 inches. They include elastic tab and Velcro at the back which can be used to adjust and get a comfortable and a snug fit. Since monofilament wigs use natural hair they can be adjust at the natural hairline but the synthetic wigs need to be adjusted 3 fingers above the eyebrows to cover the receding hair line.
With increase in globalization you can actually get wigs with hairs of your ethnic origin. Although such procedures are costly and take an inordinate amount of time to complete but they are worth it if you care about your looks and personality. You will get hairs almost of your same texture and you will never ever feel that you have lost any hair.
Since the monofilament wigs are special types of wigs they require a special care package. The wig must always be put on a mannequin or a wig stand when it is not being used as it preservers the shape f the wig as well as the hair styling. It is advisable not to wear wig to the sleep. Not to use anybody else wig is also a good idea. Sharing wigs leads to shape deformation and is not a healthy idea.
Wig cleaning depends upon a dozen factors. Kind of climate, environment, Perspiration, Humidity, Lifestyle are some of the most important factors that account for the frequency of wig cleaning specially monofilament wigs. A person living in a tropical region will need to clean his wig more frequently than a person living arctic region. If you go out a lot and interact in environment with dust and extensive heat you should clean your wig 2-3 times a month depending on time availability. Monofilament wigs are best preserved when you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for wig preservation and longevity.
In case the manufacturer’s guidelines are non-existent then follow these steps. Get child conditioners, hair sprays and shampoos because they are mild and do the cleaning just as effectively. After completing the wig wash process rinse the wig in cold water. Let the wig to dry naturally and avoid scrubbing the wig. In case of foreign elements as chewing gum or any other sticky item in the hair use vinegar to clean it first then do the conditioning.
Monofilament wigs are offered by many designers but the worlds top notch monofilament wigs come from the designers Rene of Paris and Louis Ferre. They make great looking artistic wigs of human hairs and they are without doubt the most comfortable wear you will ever purchase. But your pocket will feel considerably lighter after purchasing such a high end wig. But it is totally worth it as these wigs are hand woven and carry a 3 yr guarantee. They outlive the guarantee by many years as they are more durable and sustainable because they are hand knit. Even wearing the wig will not damage the wig in any significant manner. A monofilament wig is mostly appreciated by persons with extensive hair loss. They tend to wear the wig all day 365 days a year and they need wigs that give them maximum time without loosing their looks.
Well if you can afford to spend big bucks you can have designers design you a custom wig. Although very expensive procedure it is the latest in the market. They take everything into account right from your year of birth to your ethnicity. They get you fresh hair from across the world and then design the very best monofilament wigs for you the one that matches your face features. The designed monofilament wigs will enhance your personality and will never feel out of place as it has been designed specially for you. Don’t go for inexpensive synthetic wigs just because they are cheap go for monofilament wigs that are durable and give you a far better look.