How to wash and care for a human hair wig

• Detangle before washing, from ends to roots.
• Wash in lukewarm water with a gentle shampoo, without rubbing.
• Apply conditioner to the lengths, not to the lace.
• Rinse and press out water with a towel.
• Let it air-dry on a wig stand.
• Use heat tools at moderate heat, up to about 180 °C (350 °F), with a heat protectant; very high heat damages the hair.
• Store it on a stand or in a bag, away from heat and dust.

Wash when the hair feels coated or heavy, or has lost its movement, not on a fixed calendar. Have a wide-tooth comb, a sulfate-free shampoo, a conditioner, a towel and a wig stand ready before you start.

• Detangle first, from the ends up: wetting a tangle tightens it, so a knot is harder to open once it is wet. Curly wigs are the exception; detangle them wet, full of conditioner.
• Hold the wig by the cap with the hair hanging down under lukewarm running water, so the water flows from roots to ends.
• Smooth a little shampoo down the lengths with flat palms; never rub in circles or scrub the lace.
• Rinse until the water runs clear, then leave conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends for a few minutes, keeping it off the knots.
• Rinse with cool water, then press the water out between two towels; wringing stretches the hair and the cap.
• Set it on a stand, not flat on a towel, and let it air-dry; if you use a hair dryer, keep it on a cool or low setting.

Most of the hair a wig loses comes out while it is being detangled: a comb that yanks a knot pulls strands out of the lace and the wefts. Slow, sectioned detangling is what keeps a wig full.

• Hold each section firmly just above the spot you are combing, so the pull stops at your hand instead of the cap.
• Start at the ends and work up a few inches at a time; never rake a comb from the roots down through a knot.
• Straight and body wave: a wide-tooth comb or a soft paddle brush, on dry or slightly damp hair. Curls: fingers first, then a wide-tooth comb, only while the hair is wet and slippery with conditioner.
• The nape tangles first, from rubbing on collars, scarves and pillows: check it every day and loosen small knots with a drop of conditioner and your fingers before they mat.
• A few loose hairs in the comb are normal; whole clumps mean you are pulling too hard or detangling dry curls.

A wig keeps its shape and its lace stays flat when it is stored the way it is worn: supported, dry and away from heat.

• Between wears: on a wig stand or a foam head, away from windows, heaters and a steamy bathroom.
• Always store it clean and completely dry; a damp wig in a bag develops a musty smell and can grow mold at the cap.
• For longer storage: braid long hair loosely or slip on a hairnet, place the wig in a satin or silk bag and lay it flat in a box, lace facing up.
• Curly wigs: never fold or compress them; store them loosely in a bag with room for the curls, and refresh them with water and leave-in before wearing.
• Traveling: put the wig in a hairnet and a satin bag, and pack it in a small box or on top of your luggage so nothing heavy crushes it.

A human hair wig lasts about one to two years with good care. Synthetic wigs usually last months rather than years, because the fiber frizzes and takes little heat. Within that range, how often you wear the wig and how you treat it decide where yours lands: a wig worn every day ages faster than one kept for weekends.

It is time for a new wig when the ends stay dry and rough after a deep conditioning, tangles come back within hours of washing, or the lace is torn or the hairline has thinned. Rotating two wigs spreads the wear and makes both last longer.

These habits shorten it the most:

• Daily high heat: flat ironing or curling above moderate heat, or without a protectant, dries the ends until they split.
• Repeated bleaching and coloring, which leave the hair porous and fragile.
• Sleeping in the wig without a satin bonnet, which mats the nape.
• Pulling glued lace off instead of dissolving the adhesive, which tears the lace and the knots.
• Chlorine, salt water and strong sun, which dry the hair and fade color.