The Hair Games: Human Vs. Synthetic

In today's economy, there are thousands of cheap choices for those looking for a hairpiece. Most uninformed people, however, find themselves unsatisfied with their inexpensive purchases. Whether the hair doesn't look natural, the style is unflattering, or it melts (yes, MELTS) with the use of hot tools. The largest culprit for this disappointment? Cheap wigs and hairpieces are made from Synthetic hair, instead of Human Hair. 

Through David Hansen's 50 years of experiences, he has seen customers enter a cycle that involves buying a synthetic wig, becoming unsatisfied with its quality and returning to purchase another synthetic. Many of these same customers feel that they do not want to invest in a human hair wig at the time of purchase, and choose to go with the more affordable synthetic wig. In fact, having to purchase and cut in a synthetic hairpiece every 3 or 4 months will rack up a higher expense than purchasing just one, top-quality human hairpiece from David Hansen. After talking to our clients, we discovered that most of them purchase a new piece every 4 or more years, and continue to wear that first piece (rotating with the new one) for 5 to 10 years after that. 

So, what's the big deal with synthetic hair?

Synthetic Hair Wigs require very little maintenance and are less expensive than their human hair counterparts, but is not necessarily the best deal. The “hair” in these wigs is made out of a monofilament fiber, and as a result means these wigs better hold short-term waves, curls, texture and volume without daily upkeep. Synthetic wigs can be returned to their original style by washing them. Because these hair fibers are a form of plastic, synthetic wigs are unable to endure a permanent wave or color change and can be damaged by curling irons, blow dryers and hot rollers. It can also give off a shine that looks unnatural (it can be TOO shiny, with a plastic-y sheen to it), and requires specific tools to prevent tangling and fraying. Synthetic hair is most popular in fashion wigs and costume wigs, which are not meant for everyday wear. 

Why is human hair a better option?

Custom Hairpieces made from 100% natural human hair are the more natural, durable and flexible wig choice. Unlike synthetic wigs, human hair wigs may be freely styled, permed and colored in any way desired. Human hair wigs are typically more expensive than synthetic wigs, but the durability, flexibility, and natural appearance is worth the price. 

The hair used in human hair wigs is selected strand by strand according to strict guidelines. This limit the availability of high quality hair on the global market, causing the price difference between synthetic and human hairpieces. One of these guidelines is that chemically damaged (permed, colored, or bleached) or low-quality hair (constant exposure to water, air, and sun can cause natural damage) cannot be used during the production process. Once hair has been selected for use in a human hair wig, it is treated with keratin-rich compounds that strengthen its cuticles and increase the durability and longevity of the hairpiece. Human hair is incomparable to synthetic hair — there is no reason to consider synthetic hair when offered quality human hair options.

Human Hair Wigs have Several Distinct Qualities:

Natural Appearance: Human Hairpieces from David Hansen Custom Hair Replacement look and feel so natural that they are virtually undetectable by others. After wearing a human hair custom piece for more than a week, it will is impossible to spot. Since human hair is like your own natural hair, it even bounces and moves with you as go on with your day. Synthetic wigs tend to remain in a fixed position despite movement, increasing its chances of being detected by others. 

Styling Flexibility: Curling irons, hot rollers and blow-dryers may used to style any human hairpiece allowing the wearer an infinite amount of styling possibilities. Human hairpieces may also be colored and dyed, although it is usually best to order any specific instead of waiting to change the color or wave pattern after the piece is made. Always ensure that a professional, like David Hansen, is the one to do this. All human hair sold at David Hansen has the cuticle intact, which allows the hair to move freely in any direction (meaning the hair may be parted in any direction). Synthetic wigs remain the same style after washes and most are irreparably damaged by hot tools such as curling irons.

Durability: Human hairpieces are more durable and longer lasting than their synthetic counterparts due to their chemical coating and intact cuticle hair. In addition to being naturally resilient, human hair wigs are chemically strengthened to allow for greater longevity and long-term wear. Synthetic wigs are made of fibers that are prone to heat damage that will cause them to fray over the course of a couple of months.

Ventilation: Human hairpieces are lightweight and allow the scalp to breathe and remain cool — just like your own natural hair! Synthetic fibers are not ideal for scalp ventilation and can scratch the head, causing a frustrating experience.

Hairpieces, as with everything related to fashion and apparel, are an investment in an individual’s beauty and self-confidence. And, as with any other product of this nature, the buyer will get what they pay for. Many who purchase a synthetic hairpiece and intend to wear it frequently find themselves unsatisfied with their purchase, and end up purchasing another hairpiece as a result. Customer feedback on synthetic wigs is always the same: they are itchy, uncomfortable and unnatural. 

Backed by our customers, David Hansen strongly recommends only 100% human hair custom made hairpieces to anyone planning to buy a hairpiece. Before honoring the bad rap that your doctor or neighbor has given human hair wigs, come in and give us a chance to show you what high quality human hair wigs can really do for you. Trust us, you’ll be happy you did!

Wearing Your Piece in Any Weather

This summer has brought lots of unpredictable weather. How does this affect hairpiece wearers? Just like with natural hair, there are steps you must take to keep your hairpiece fresh, clean, and looking perfect.  Rain is one of the gentlest natural forces on your hairpiece, especially if you live in a rural area with low pollution. Air pollution and dust particles get trapped in raindrops that can get your piece dirty over time. If you have a custom made hairpiece, you won't have to worry about the style being ruined by a passing cloud. The hair in David Hansen's custom hair systems is ventilated by hand to achieve maximum mobility. If the rain tousles your style, your hairpiece is natural enough to just run a comb through it, and the style is done! All in all, a little rain won't hurt. But bring your umbrella!

Spending time in the sun can give your skin a great glow, but it can also bring some unwanted color to your hairpiece. When exposed to sunlight and air (especially near bodies of salt water), the hair in the piece can oxidize, or turn color. Pieces with grey or white hair can turn a yellowish color, blonde can gradually turn orange, and brunette pieces will display much more of a reddish tone.  This doesn't happen overnight, but a summer of fun in the sun can leave your piece looking lackluster after only a few months. There are options to both prevent and combat sun exposure. The first and most obvious is a hat. David Hansen's custom hairpieces use a lightweight yet durable mesh-type base that lets your scalp breathe just like it would with regular hair. Wearing a hat with one will not overheat your head like other hairpieces. The other option is talking to your stylist about shampoos used to tone yellow and red colors in the hair. These shampoos, like ShimmerLights, are purple or blue colored, and gradually remove yellow, orange, and red from hairpieces that have had too much sun or have aged considerably.

If a strong gust of wind blows past, your LAST thought should have to be worrying about your hairpiece staying on. If you have a custom hair replacement system from David Hansen, then your hairpiece is shaped perfectly to your head for an undetectable fit. If your scalp and piece are clean, and you are using the proper double-sided surgical tape, your hairpiece will stay on, even in winds that could blow YOU away!  The wind is not the danger to your hairpiece, but the wrong styling products are. NEVER use hairspray on a hair system. The alcohol, aerosol, and propellants in hairspray dehydrates hair and causes it to break easily. There is also alcohol in most generic hair products for natural hair. These chemicals are much too harsh for hair in hairpieces, so there are plenty of alternate styling tools and products that are alcohol-free.  You can buy Wet Look, a holding spray for hairpieces, at our studio. The best styling product for a hairpiece is just plain water. Custom hair replacement by David Hansen always styles easily, and can be combed back into place.

With the weather warming up, the beaches and pools will open. But before you take that dive, here's a few things you should know. Swimming in a hairpiece is one of the quickest ways to age it. Not only does the act of getting it wet and matted pull hairs out of the base and cause terrible tangling, what is IN the water can hurt the piece, too.  Chlorine from pools dries hair out, and will cause hairpieces to thin rapidly due to all the breakage. Salts from the ocean or salt lakes also have a drying effect on the hair. This combined with the matting of the hair can take years of life out of your piece.  There are a few alternatives to this, David Hansen suggests wearing a swim cap or even using an old hairpiece that has seen better days. The new ones, though, should be kept out of the water.

No matter what the weather may bring your way, you can keep you hairpiece looking undetectable!

How To Get A Perfect Piece

How is it that some hairpieces look terrible and others you don't even know are there? There are a lot of factors, of course, but when it comes the the actual hairpiece itself, there are few very important ones. Color, Curl (or Wave Pattern), Ventilation (or the way that the hair is sewn or knotted into the piece), and Density are 4 key ingredients to making your piece completely undetectable.

A hairpiece needs to match your own hair color perfectly. The best way to achieve a good result on your first order is to use a sample of your own hair. The sample should be about 2 inches long to achieve the best results. Another way to decide what hair color to order is by obtaining a color ring from a hair retailer or manufacturer. A color ring can also come in handy if you have gray hair in your piece, since many rings have samples of varying percentages of gray.

Next, you will need to decide how much curl you have in your natural hair.  Curl size is generally expressed in categories; straight, light wave, medium wave, tight wave, loose curl, tight curl, or kinky.  You should be able to get a good idea of the size curl you need simply by visiting a hair replacement specialist like David Hansen. 

Another thing you will have to decide before placing your order is the direction in which the hair is ventilated.  A  ventilator is a person who makes hairpieces.  The art of tying hair into a hairpiece base is called “ventilating”. Generally, when your order is placed the manufacturer asks what style ventilation you want. This means that you need to decide if you prefer the hair on the top to tend to lie forward, backward, or “freestyle”.

“Forward from the crown” means that the hair will tend to lie in a forward direction. “Flatback” means that the hair is tied in such a way that it naturally lies backward. “Freestyle”  is where the hair is ventilated in no particular direction, and is easy to style in many different ways. This is the way that many of David Hansen's pieces are ventilated, in order to give each client the most versatility that they can have in their hairpiece. Don't worry, though; If you decide to order forward ventilation, this doesn’t mean that you can’t wear it spiked up or combed back, but without styling products the hair will tend to lie in the direction in which it was ventilated.

Finally, there is the density of your hairpiece. This is an important step in creating a natural looking hairpiece. You have a little more flexibility in your choice of density in areas like the crown of the head, but the general rule when designing a hairpiece is “less is usually more”, especially on the top. 

An important thing to consider when choosing density is age. The older a man is and the finer and whiter his hair on the sides and back of his hair are, the less dense the hairpiece should be. It would look completely unnatural for a man to have thinning hair around his ears and in the back of his head and full, thick hair solely on the top.

Before you choose your density it’s a good idea to do some research. Take a look at the various densities of other men who are roughly your age. Make a mental note of how much density they appear to have on top, on the sides, and in the back.

Most men’s hair thins and recedes with age. Sure, there are some older men with very thick, full heads of hair and very little recession, but as a general rule most men who you wouldn’t even consider to be “balding” will lose density as time goes on. When choosing the density for your custom hairpiece remember that you  by slightly lowering the density, especially on the top, your piece will look more realistic. Little details like this can help improve the overall look of your Custom Hair Replacement System.  

This just goes to show that even with a light density on top, you can still look as if you have a full, healthy head of hair. When deciding on the density for the top, it’s always best to start low. If you aren’t comfortable with a super light density, step it up a little bit, but for your first order stick with a medium density at most. You can always add a bit more hair to the piece with the services of a ventilator, like the one working for David Hansen. The first thing that gives away a hairpiece is too much density, ESPECIALLY on the top. Most people think of the bad toupees of the past, and the fastest way to let everyone know you are wearing a hairpiece is to have hair that is too thick.

So, when you are ready for your new Custom Hair Replacement System, keep these details in the back of your mind.  We will be here to walk you though these and other steps you take towards the new you! 

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Client Testimony - Do's & Don'ts of Hair Replacement

Here are a few words from one of my satisfied, long time Clients!

Hair Replacement Questions and Answers

You have questions I got the answers. Over my 50 years in the business I heard every question in the book regarding hair loss and hair replacement. This blog is designed to provide the readers with the most commonly asked questions and their answers. If you have any additional questions please e-mail me at davidhansen@davidhansen.com or visit my website at www.davidhansen.com  enjoy!

Questions & Answers

HOW WILL A HAIR REPLACEMENT SYSTEM FEEL ON MY HEAD? 

On average the custom-made hair pieces only weigh about two ounces. After the system is cut and styled with your existing hair it won’t feel anything but natural. Hair itself has very little weight, and the base is made of either fine welded mono or skin injected material. Both materials are light weight, perfect fitting, lightly ventilated and they takes on the color of your skin.  

WHAT HOLDS THE HAIRPIECE ON?
Usually two-sided adhesive tape or bonding glue is used to hold a system on your head. Tapes are available in rolls or pre-cut strips of various sizes, shapes, and strengths. Choosing which tape best suits you and your hair replacement system is matter of individual preference. You will be shown an assortment of tapes by David who can further help you with your choice. Bonding glue, which is removed with alcohol or adhesive remover, is also on the market. These come in a large selection, and you will be sure to find one that is fitting based on your needs.

WILL I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LOSING MY HAIR RESTORATION SYSTEM IN A WINDY CITY?

Never, if the tape is put on properly and applied to a clean scalp, it would take a 100 mph wind to loosen it. You would blow away before that happened!

HOW LONG DOSS IT TAKE TO PHYSICALLY MAKE MY HAIR REPLACEMENT SYSTEM?

All the replacement systems are custom made for each individual. The process of making the system will take from six to eight weeks. In the mean time let your hair grow out, this way you will achieve the best results during the cut in.
 

IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE STYLE OF MY HAIRPIECE AFTER IT IS MADE?
Absolutely, the hair replacement system is designed to allow versatility. No matter what hair style you prefer it can be achieved and changed on a daily basis. You want for your hair to look natural no matter which way the wind blows it. The Hair moves, which means that the hair system should be designed and cut in a way where this is possible.

HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE TO SPEND ON MY HAIR RESTORATION SYSTEM A DAY?
Approximately three or four minutes once you are familiar with the procedure. At first, you’ll naturally be fussing with it little longer. Take all the time you need until you learn how to do it properly which I will teach you each time you come in. Patience is important at this stage, not time. All that is required is a hair pick, and then secure it to your scalp before combing your own hair over it. On days when you change the tape, allow an extra minute or two, that’s all you’ll need.

WHAT SUPPLIES WILL I NEED TO CARE FOR MY HAIR RESTORATION SYSTEM ON A DAILY BASIS?
Most of the supplies you’ll need are available to purchase either on our web-site or during your visit. In addition, you’ll find it convenient to have a Styrofoam head block and a few pins with which to secure the piece onto the block. You can get these from David. You will also want to buy a roll or two of tape so that you’ll be able to put your hair replacement system back on after taking it off. This link will lead you to our online store which contains all the products you may need.

I HAVE SEEN ADS FOR HAIR REPLACEMENT SYSTEMS CLAIMING THAT YOU CAN WEAR A HAIRPIECE ALL WEEK, EVEN WHILE SHOWERING AND SLEEPING. CAN I DO THAT WITH A DAVID HANSEN HAIR REPLACEMENT SYSTEM?
This all depends on what kind of hair replacement system you choose. If you want to keep your hairpiece on for 3 to 4 months at a time the bonding option is best for you. We do offer bonding.
 

I DO A LOT OF SWIMMING AND SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME OUTDOORS. I DON’T WANT TO TAKE MY HAIR REPLACEMENT SYSTEM OFF DURING THAT TIME. WHAT CAN I DO?
I recommend that you do not swim in your hairpiece because it shortens its lifespan. It is better to either keep your head above water or wear a swimming cap on. If you insist on swimming in your hair piece you should either apply a stronger bonding tape before hand or maybe the bonding option is the right choice for you.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY HAIRPIECE AT NIGHT?
Take off your hair replacement system before you go to sleep. You’ll be preserving the life of the piece and allowing your scalp to breathe. Put the hairpiece on the small styrofoam head, any place where it can retain its shape.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO PUT A HAIRPIECE BACK ON AFTER REMOVING IT THE NIGHT BEFORE?
No, it is a very simple procedure that David will teach you at the time you pick up your hairpiece. Basically, it consists of merely washing and drying your own hair as you normally would, securing the piece into position, and combing a small amount of your own hair in with that of the hairpiece.

I AM A BACHELOR. COULDN’T I LEAVE MY HAIR REPLACEMENT ON ALL NIGHT, LIKE WHEN I’M WITH A NEW GIRLFRIEND WHO DOESN’T KNOW ABOUT IT?
Of course, an occasional night of wearing your hairpiece will not cause much harm. Only repetitive 24-hour wearing will lead to damage. In fact, you may want to know that you don’t need to worry about your hairpiece coming off on those occasions. Even excessive activity will not dislodge it or cause you any embarrassment. It’s on your head until you decide to take it off. Another option you may consider is getting an injected skin base system which feels like skin when touched and in completely transparent. You may either use tape to hold it in place or get it bonded on.

IF MY GIRLFRIEND RUNS HER FINGERS THROUGH MY HAIR, WILL SHE BE ABLE TO DETECT THE HAIR REPLACEMENT?

The best option for this particular person would be an injected skin base system. You cannot feel the piece under your fingers. It looks and feels like your own skin.

I WEAR GLASSES. WILL THIS INTERFERE WITH MY HAIR RESTORATION SYSTEM?
There is no connection between wearing glasses and a hair piece. It should not be a concern.

HOW DO I CLEAN MY HAIR REPLACEMENT SYSTEM?
You don’t! Or at least you shouldn’t. Bring it or send it to David for servicing A hairpiece is a delicate object that requires gentle care. It must be cleaned with a special fluid that performs best when handled by a professional if there is tape residue on the patch material. Only in very rare cases, when it is impossible for a man to return regularly to the shop, will David Hansen personally train him or his wife to clean the hairpiece. It’s not practical to do it at home if David is accessible. Besides, another advantage of leaving the cleaning to Mr. Hansen is that he can check the hairpiece on a regular basis for signs of wear or oxidation and make any adjustments necessary. Your hairpiece is cleaned at the same time your own hair is being styled, so the arrangement is quite convenient.

HOW OFTEN IS CLEANING NECESSARY?
Your hairpiece should be serviced whenever you come in for a haircut; this is usually every 3 to 4 weeks. Remember, you wear it every day, and like your own hair, it must be kept clean in order to be manageable.

WHAT DOES SERVICING INCLUDE?
The tape and hair spray residue is removed from the hairpiece. By the time the stylist is finished cleaning your hairpiece, its original fluffiness and bounce are restored and your style is once again set in. Your own hair is shampooed, cut and styled concurrently, so the entire procedure takes only 1/2 hour.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO APPLY HAIR PRODUCTS TO A HAIRPIECE?
You do not have to apply any products onto your hairpiece. If you want to use products on daily bases please use ones designed especially for hair replacement systems. This reduces the damage to a hairpiece. We do offer a full line of hair piece products in the shop as well as right on our website.

WHAT SYMPTOMS WILL I NOTICE WHEN MY HAIRPIECE IS STARTING TO WEAR OUT?
Not all symptoms occur at the same time, but eventually you will notice one or two of them. Hair, just like your natural hair, will slowly begin to oxidize and get either a reddish tint or two to three shades lighter. This is not a drastic change. It is a very gradual one that is barely detectable by others. Also, after a long period of continuous use, hair may slowly begin to fall out (this can be fixed by either bringing or sending the hair replacement system to David to have the hair added in by a professional or, through rough handling, your base may tear this might be fixed ,but the tear first has to be examined by David.

HOW LONG CAN I EXPECT MY HAIR REPLACEMENT TO LAST?
This depends on the type of hairpiece you have. Expect a custom-made piece to look fantastic for about a year. After that, as the first signs of age appear, repairs can be made. It will then be useable for several more years as a secondary or knock around piece.