Deborah Rayner asked:


In years past, African Americans in particular had trouble finding an adequate choice in human hair wigs to select from. They were available but they just weren’t available in the wide range of styles that other types of human hair wigs were. However; in recent years, thanks to the Internet all that has changed dramatically.

New Styles

Todays African American human hair full wigs are available in an ever widening number of choices of styles and levels of quality. Also, they look completely natural when they are worn. These human hair wigs for African Americans are also available in a wide assortment for both men and women.

Interchangable Styles
What does this mean for the discriminating style conscious African American? This means that now you can wear your hair in any number of modern interchangable styles, without having to shell out their hard earned money at the hair dressers shop.

Classic Looks

Hair styles for the African American come and go and then come back again. One style in particular that you may remember is the Jerry curl. For a while back in the late 80s, this was the hottest look around for men but it is long gone, or is it?

The 80s are Back

When you head out to the clubs this weekend wouldn’t it be nice to be sporting this classic head turning style for a refreshing change? Just imagine all the heads that will turn when you walk through the door with your glistening, shoulder length Jerry curls spilling down around your neck.

Setting New Trends

Then when you get home, you simply take off your hair style, hang it in the closet and then decide what the next look you will be wearing when you head out the following night. When it comes to fashion and hair styles you have basically two choices and that is to be a trend follower or a trend setter, so which one would you rather be? 

Cindy Lee asked:


Among the most interesting and often important services provided by hair stylists are hair weaving and hair extensions.

 

Hair loss in either men or women can create feelings of vulnerability, self-consciousness and a loss of self-esteem.  Imagine every day being a “bad hair day”.  This is what people who are balding or have suffered any significant hair loss experience every day of their lives. 

 

With hair weaving techniques that add more hair, these people can regain their confidence, self-esteem and youthful appearance.

 

Aging, chronic hair pulling (Trichotillomania) and incomplete hair re-growth after chemotherapy are some of the factors that can create partial hair loss. 

 

For those of you new to the area of hair weaving this article will provide some basic information on hair weaving to attach a hair replacement system or full wig, and introduce you to the electric hair weaving machine.  This device helps the stylist create the exact look desired and shortens the time it takes to create the weave track.

 

First, here are some basic terms. 

 

Hair weaving is where either synthetic or human hair is cornrow braided or woven into the person’s existing natural hair at the scalp.  An extension weft or custom made hair system is then sewn on the created track.

 

A hair extension is the synthetic or natural hair that is attached to the existing natural hair.

 

Natural human hair used for weaves, wigs and extensions comes mainly from the continent of Asia and to some smaller degree from China, India, Eastern Europe and Russia.  This human hair comes in a wide variety of grades.  The highest is pure human hair from young donors that has been gently processed leaving the cuticles intact.  This is called “Remy” hair.  Human hair can also come in lower grades included those diluted with animal or synthetic hair.  High quality unprocessed 100% European human hair is of course more expensive than hair mixed with animal hair or synthetics.

 

Synthetic hair can be made from a variety of synthetic fibers including Kanekalon, Toupelon, wool, alpaca, mohair, rayon, goat, nylon and yak.  Synthetic hair comes in wefts and single strands for braids.  This type of hair is best used for braids since using heating appliances such as straightening combs or curling irons is not recommended.   For the obvious reason of supply synthetic hair is cheaper than natural high-quality human hair.

 

Corn rowed hair refers to a traditional style of African origin in which the hair is made into small braids starting close to the scalp.  These can be made in simple rows or very complex patterns.

 

Human hair extensions can also come in higher Cuticle Remy or unprocessed Caucasian European grades as well as lower grades including those diluted with animal or synthetic hair. 

 

One of the most innovative recent inventions in the world of hair replacement is the electric hair weaving machine.  A hair weaving machine takes the place of traditional cornrow braids and is used to help the stylist create the track for attaching natural or synthetic hair extensions to the head.  By using this machine the stylist saves time while keeping the track extremely small as well as less detectable, typically the size of a pencil lead. With it you can attach several different types of hair additions to the head such as Integrations, wefts, wigs, and partial hairpieces giving the client an extended wear ‘prosthesis’ that can be slept with and showered in. 

 

Hair replacement systems have been a part of society since the early Egyptians.  With current advances such as the electric hair weaving machine we can make hair extensions and custom hairpieces look more natural than ever before and so help our clients get exactly what they are looking for.

 

To see a fun, informative and entertaining video on hair weaving and hair replacement from Cindy Lee go to http://www.hairreplacementsystem.com/info-beyonce-lace-wigs.html

Daniel Millions asked:


Regular wigs have been around for hundreds of years, but in today’s modern society, people usually do not like to be noticed as wearing a wig. There are a variety of hair growing products and operations, but for some people, that option is not practical. An alternative to the traditional style of wig is the full lace wig, which appears much more realistic than its older counterpart.

Never heard of a full lace wig? The concept is relatively simple, and you have probably seen a wig of this nature at some point. Full lace wigs are made with a cap, and a lace is sewn on to the cap. On that lace, individual hairs are sewn, to make the wig look as natural as possible. A new hairline is made around your head, and the wig fits easily on. There is no limit to what you can do with the wig, including putting it in any arrangement that you desire.

The greatest part of a full lace wig is that it looks so real. Hair actually appears to be growing straight out of the scalp. Regular wigs can be quickly identified, especially if one just takes a moment to analyze it. Full lace wigs are nearly unidentifiable, so most people will not be able to tell you are wearing a wig at all. Also, the hair used is human hair, not any synthetic substitutes which are of much lower quality.

One can attach a wig to their head using two methods. They can either utilize double sided tape, or a liquid adhesive. Each option is equally applicable and neither one is better than the other. Whatever option is chosen, it should be made sure of that the product is high quality and durable. Durability is especially important for one who engages in a variety of intensive activities. If your bonding is not strong enough, it is possible that the wig will fall right off. In addition, tape and/or adhesive makes the hair look even more natural, by further accentuating the look of hair growing out of the head.

Density is the thickness of hair, and when deciding on a full lace wig, one of the criteria is how dense you want the hair to be. Most natural hair is medium dense, but one can usually pull off having light or heavy dense hair, as some people look better with less dense/more dense hair. It really is a matter of personal preference. There is an average density for human hair, and that average is what defines light, medium, and heavy density. For example, light is considered sixty percent of normal density, medium is one hundred percent, and heavy is one hundred and fifty percent. Due to the fact that full lace wigs are inherently realistic looking, the dense factor is not that critical in expressing realism.

Since individual hairs are hand sewed on to full lace wigs, and the hair is real, it is understandable that the price of the wigs would be high. People who really care about their hair should make the investment in to full lace wigs, but those who are not too mindful of it should not have a problem with a regular wig. Full lace wigs run between three hundred and five hundred dollars, although if a wig is extremely high quality and made with in-demand hair, the price can reach into the thousands.

Luxurious Hair Boutique asked:


Full Lace Wigs Care & Maintenence

How to Wash a Full Lace Wig

It is extremely important to familiarize yourself with the texture of your full lace wig. Use products that work well with your unit’s texture! Products you use on your own hair type may not work well on your full lace wig.

Step 1

Before washing your full lace wig, brush gently, or use a detangling comb from the tips of the wig to the base/roots. Never begin combing at the top or middle, this will damage and tangle the unit.

Step 2

Place your full lace wig on a Styrofoam wig head and use T Pins to secure.

Step 3

In a spray bottle, mix a capful of shampoo and fill the remaining with cool water. It is important to choose a shampoo that is suitable for your full lace wig’s texture. Products that may work well are Silicon Mix, Nearly Natural, Ionix, Dove Moisture Intense, Nexxus, Aveda, Paul Mitchell etc

Step 4

Place your full lace wig on the Styrofoam head under a gentle stream of cool water. Pour or spray the shampoo mixture evenly over the wig and use a wide tooth rounded end comb to distribute the shampoo. Remember to always comb starting at the ends of the hair to the roots.

Step 5

Rinse the unit thoroughly on the wig head using a gentle stream of cool water.

Step 6

In a spray bottle, mix a capful of conditioner and fill the remaining with cool water. It is important to choose a conditioner that is suitable for your full lace wig’s texture. Products that may work well are Silicon Mix, Nearly Natural, Ionix, Mane N Tail, Dove Moisture Intense, Nexxus, Aveda, Paul Mitchell etc

Step 7

Place your full lace wig on the Styrofoam head under a gentle stream of cool water. Pour or spray the conditioner mixture evenly over the wig and use a wide tooth rounded end comb to distribute the conditioner. Remember to always comb starting at the ends of the hair to the roots.

Step 8

Rinse your full lace unit thoroughly on the wig head using a gentle stream of cool water.

Step 9

Towel blot your full lace wig gently in a patting motion, while still on your wig head.Spray on leave in conditioner if desired and allow to air dry. This is a great time to part or apply foam/setting lotion.

Step 10

To minimize shedding, apply knot sealer. Once your unit is dry, simply Invert lace base to expose knots. use a plastic cap to protect the hair. Shake sealer contents well, hold bottle upright and aim at lace-base. Spritz on Knot Sealer using mist pump being careful not to allow excess sealer to penetrate into hair. Blow dry. Repeat as needed. (WE RECOMMENDED TWO COATS) Creates a long-lasting invisible seal that is permanently flexible!

Happy Lace Wig Maintaining!

The LH Boutique Team

Deborah Rayner asked:


If you watch TV at all, then perhaps you may have noticed how great all the celebrities hair now looks when thy appear for their performances. Have you noticed how many African American performers, such as Tyra Banks and Beonce now have beautiful long straight hair? How can they do this, month after month, when hair straightening actually damages the hair? Why doesn’t their hair eventually show the effects of so many straightening treatments?

Quality Lace Wigs

The reason is simple and that is that they are wearing wigs and not just any type of wig either. They are wearing quality lace wigs. When a lot of people think of a wig, they think of elastic banded wigs that they have seen people wearing at Halloween parties. They look good from 20 feet away, but as soon as you get up close, they look horrible.

A Far Better Head of Hair

With a lace wig, the hair and the the attachment mechanism are in two separate pieces and this allows for a far better product. For one thing, the wig can be parted naturally any way that the person wearing it prefers. Even upon close inspection of the scalp of the wig, it is virtually indistinguishable from a real head of hair. Also, because the lace wig is permanently attached to the scalp with glue or tape, there is no chance of slipping.

Top Quality

A top quality human hair lace wig can cost up to $20,000 but they also cone in a wide range of prices. Also, because lace wigs are now available through a number of sources on the Internet, there are good deals out there on perfectly great high quality lace wigs. This means that now there are more options then ever before for people to chose from when they want to look their absolute best.

hairworks asked:


Lace wigs and lace fronts have recently been seen on the streets since the popularity of some well seen celebrities who openly wear the wigs and lace front additions. Lace front wigs were originally only found in the theatre, the silver screen or on those who had the connections to have one made for them.

A lace wig is truly the ultimate for any wig wearer. A lace front wig is made completely of a soft French or Swiss lace in several sections and the wig maker will take darts in the lace to make the material contour the head and because of this it is possible to get a glove tight fit for the wearer. They are different from wigs as we generally know them because they are usually made or at least “tailored” to fit the individual.

This is particularly important in the top and frontal area as this is where the hair must flow naturally and the way the lace is configured hair direction will be affected if the lace is not placed correctly. Once the wig maker has the cap completed they can do a final fitting to be sure the fit is correct and the front is smooth and tight. If adjustments need to be done this is the time to do it and a final fitting can be done just to check. Once the cap is finished the wig maker can now begin to ventilate the hair into the base. This is done with a hooked ventilating needle that can be gauged to pick up as many hairs as needed for a section of the wig

The ability for the wig maker is of course the frontal area. Once the wig maker gets to the top and front area they will usually switch their ventilating needle to only pick up one hair for each knot. This allows the wig maker to make very small tight knots that are virtually impossible to be seen. The single hair knots, placement and hair direction has to look and move like natural hair and should not be noticeable to the eye. Once a lace front wig is finished, dressed or styled and placed on the head a small amount of lace adhesive is placed on the skin where the edge of the lace will sit, allowed to get tacky and then the lace is pressed into the adhesive where it disappears into the skin. Once the adhesive is completely dry normal daily make up can be applied and the wearer is ready to go.

Deborah Rayner asked:


There are two basic methods for attaching your lace wig and they are with tape and with glue. Which method that you end up preferring can depend on a number of variables, including whether or not your skin is sensitive to either glue or tape. Both glue and tape methods also require other items that are used in conjunction with the glue and the tape, so you will need more then simply the glue and the tape.

Small Medium and Large Wig Adhesive Kits

The lace wig adhesive kit is one option to take that may be the perfect solution to your problems. There are a few different levels of kits starting with the smaller kit that fulfills you basic needs. The larger deluxe lace wig kits, on the other hand, will have everything that you need and is your personal guarantee that you will never be caught without something that you absolutely need to properly attach or maintain your wig.

Everything that You Need

It is important to remember that there is more to properly attaching your wig with glue then just pouring glue on it and sticking it on your head. For instance, scalp protector pre adhesive is used to insure that your scalp itself doesn’t become irritated with constant use. Also, you will need conditioner to treat the hair on the wig, or it will eventually begin to show signs of degradation.

Both Types of Adhesives

All of the lace wig adhesive kits that are available on line now come with handy carrying cases that make it so easy to keep everything that you need for your wig in one place and ready to go. Also, the complete wig adhesive kits contain both water and solvent soluble types of adhesives, so you gave your choice of either one, depending  on your particular circumstances.

Timtim asked:


First, let’s examine your lifestyle. Questions you will need to answer about your lifestyle and habit are, “Are you moderately active or sedentary?” and “How much time are you willing to devote to maintenance and hair styling?” When looking at the various types of lace wigs available, we become a child in a candy store. During this, habits are forgotten. We fall in love with a fairy tale of possibilities such as falling in love with extremely long hair when we will only have time to maintain medium length hair. Answering these questions help push our desires closer to practicality.

The two most common lace wig bases are lace and polyurethane (thin skin). Polyurethane wigs give the greatest realism of hair growing directly from your scalp. The drawback to selecting polyurethane for your lace wig base is that it does not allow your scalp to breath. There are no holes in this material. When your skin sweats, there is no moisture escape. If you are moderately active, live in a warm or hot climate, this could become uncomfortable.

Lace bases allow the scalp to breath but are delicate. There are three types of lace bases, French, Swiss and Real Invisi® (made exclusively by LaceLocs.com). French lace is made with larger squares and a thicker lace material. Swiss lace is made from a sheer lace material that is slightly thinner in fabric thickness than French and has smaller squares. French and Swiss lace are both good for moderate to highly active lifestyles. Both are great for short term wear. However, French is recommended for new lace wig wearers and those with rugged hands. Real Invisi® is an ultra sheer lace fabric that is extremely fragile. Designed for photography sessions and studio lights, next to Polyurethane (thin skin) wigs, Real Invisi® wigs give a superior appearance of growing directly from the scalp. This lace type is intended for special occasions and not suited for everyday wear. Hair style defines curly, straight, or wavy. The easiest way to decide between the three is to reflect upon your habit. If you are accustomed to wearing your hair straight daily with infrequent changes to curly or wavy, purchasing a lace wig with straight hair is the best option. This will save you time each day in styling. On the other hand, if you are ready for a new you, the opposite of your habit may prove exciting and rejuvenating! Hair length can be like eating on a full stomach. Just like when ordering another plate of food when you can eat only one bite more, “sometimes your eyes may be bigger than your belly”. Keep in mind that less is more. Longer hair requires more maintenance and is subject to tangle easily. Even though the hair on lace wigs may be cut in various styles where length is decreased, why pay for what you will not use? Generally, the length of hair increases the price of a lace wig. It is recommended to purchase what your habit and lifestyle will allow you to maintain.

There are several more options to consider when buying a lace wig. However, the three decisions of base, hair style and length are the ones most people linger on the most. This is due to a lack of lace wig construction familiarity. Now that you understand the three major decisions, you are well on your way to picking your best lace wig to fit your lifestyle.

Tabitha Mwendo asked:


Custom-made lace wig is your best bet to looking great. You can choose to have any A style, colour and hair type that you prefer. It is almost like choosing your clothes and accessories for a grand event.

However, there are a few essential points you have to know to order that perfect front lace unit.

Know your head shape

Different wigs suit different head shapes. Check yours. Is your head pear-shaped, round, square, heart-shaped, oblong or oval? If you are not sure, stand in front of the mirror and take a good look at your face. Sketch what you see to help you decide. Try on dummy wigs to see what suits you best. Don’t go by the modelled wigs, it may not be the best ones for you.

Measure your head

You can choose to do this on your own or get help. Get the measurement of the circumference of your head, ear to ear across the head, ear to ear across the forehead, front to nape, temple-to-temple round back, and the nape of neck.

Choose your hair type

Custom wigs are available in human hair, synthetic and blend of both human and synthetic. You have to decide what you prefer. This depends on your original hair texture as well. Keep it as close to the original so that it does not look like a fake. Remember, a wig can be stylish and in keeping with trends without looking unnatural.

Choose your hairstyle

Do you want it straight, curly, wavy, in ringlets? You can have any style you want. Go ahead and experiment.

Choose your hair colour

What’s your preference? Is it blonde or black? Or do you think a hint of red will look great? You decide on this one as well.

Decide on hair density.

This would depend on your hair length, colour and type. Normal density is between 80-100 % for a full lace wig. Especially for those suffering with hair loss you can get a wig with thick hair instead.

Choose a base for your wig

You can decide on Swiss lace or French lace with the former being more delicate and the latter more durable.

Decide on the adhesive.

This is used to attach the unit to your scalp. Choices range from glues and tapes depending on your preference.

Now that you have done all this, go ahead order your lace front unit.

The best part of custom-made wigs is that you can order multiple wigs at one go. You have the choice of creating different looks to suit different occasions. Can it get any better than that?

Deborah Rayner asked:


For decades throngs of loyal fans have gawked in awe at their favorite celebrities hair. All the time, only wishing that they too could have been born with genes that would have allowed them to have such beautiful locks. All the while, the truth was that all of those celebrities were wearing wigs but not just any type of wig but full lace wigs.

Great Looking Hair

No one would have ever suspected a thing until African American singers and actresses such as Beyonce and Tyra Banks began to be seen day after day and month after month with lovely straight locks flowing over their shoulders and down their backs. Doesn’t the hair straighten process damage hair? How can their perfectly straight hair look so damn good?

Virtually Indistinguishable

So the cat is out of the bag and now more and more people just like yourself are catching on fast. A good quality full lace wig, when applied correctly is “virtually” indistinguishable from a persons normal natural head of hair. It can be parted any way that a person chooses and even upon close examination no one can tell.

An Investment

This has led more and more discriminating, fashion conscious consumers to start doing some math. Why spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars at a hair dressers for hair extensions and perms that are only temporary, when with a full lace wig it lasts for years and even a lifetime?

So Much Quicker and Convenient

Also, with a full lace wig there is no need for appointments and spending endless hours in a stylists chair. Simply take it out of its case in your closet, take the necessary steps to properly apply it and out the door you go, looking like you have stepped right out of the salon.