Is the Hair Replacement System Permanent?
We have always been asked that “Is the hair replacement system permanent?”, “How long does the hair unit last?”, or “What’s your most durable product?” Will you consider these question when you choose a hair system? Let’s talk about it today and find a satisfying hair replacement system for you!
First let's have a look at the composition of the hair replacement system. Hair replacement system consist of two parts: base and hair . When you ask how long a hair system will last, you need to think about both the two parts of a hair replacement system because they both affected the lifetime of human hair replacement systems. There are many different types of materials for system bases. Different base materials have differing lifetimes. Some base materials are durable and strong, while other types are not. Also, there are many different types of hair, such as Indian hair, Remy hair, and Virgin hair. Same as the bases, the different types of human hair have different lifetime expectations. This post will provide the latest detailed information on both durability of the base and human hair. After reading this article, you will have a very clear understanding about how long the hair replacement system can last.
Base Materials
Our factory provides the various different materials for human hair replacement systems. These are: French lace, Swiss lace, fine mono, poly/PU, poly with gauze, poly coated, integration net, etc.
The first one is lace. This type of material is soft and breathable. The little holes of the lace material allows the head and sweat to escape which is particularly suitable for people who live in humid and hot climates or people who like doing sports and therefore sweat a lot. But this material is not very durable because it is very thin and with holes. It can last around 3 months with normal use and maintenance. The natural effect of French lace is produced not only by the thin base material but also by bleaching knots. Bleached knot is bleaching which takes out most of the color leaving a virtually invisible hair knot. Bleached knot provides a more natural looking. However, bleaching can weaken the hair knot which reduce its lifespan.
The next base material is fine mono. This material looks like cloth and is both very durable and strong. Fine mono’s holes are smaller than the holes of lace. The hair tied on fine mono is tied with double knots and we don’t bleach knots, so the hair can last longer. The fine mono material base hair systems and wigs last longer than French lace. A well maintained fine mono material can last as many as 8-12 months even years.
The third one is poly (PU) material. This type of material is made of either silicone or polyurethane and are used to create a material that mimics the appearance of skin or scalp. The thickness of the poly base is changeable, and it determines the appearance and durability of the poly hair prosthesis.
The thinnest base is only 0.03mm which creates the most natural appearance, but it won’t last longer than 1-2 months. There are two reasons for its short life. First, the clear poly skin, though its natural look, is just so thin and soft, that it is just not as durable. The other reason is v-loop. The hair are not tied on the base, so the hair is prone to shedding. Although not as durable, this ultra-thin skin toupee is becoming more and more popular because of its natural look and softness. It is so comfortable that when worn it seems like it is truly not there. In addition, the perfect amount creates the most natural effect. Last but not least, it requires far less maintenance because the customer wears it for 3-4 weeks and then changes to a new piece. Different thickness poly material will have different lifetime. The thicker poly is, the longer the lifespan is.
The poly hair replacement system is suitable for people who live in colder places or for people who don't like to do sports and sweat less.
There are also designs made exclusively with lace or polymer, but it is more common to find parts with different combinations of these two materials: usually lace is used in the top and front area to allow its ventilation and creates the more natural hairline, and the polymer material is applied in the circumference of the prosthesis for provide more force in the area of application.
The base material is like the foundation of a building. If the foundation is strong, so is the building. Likewise, if the base material of a hair system is not strong, the hair systems cannot last a long time. However, the durable base material is only one part of a hair system's lifetime.
Having addressed the types of bases, let’s talk about human hair. There are normally three types of human hair: Human hair, Remy hair, and Virgin hair.
Different Hair Types
The high-quality hair replacement system is made out of quality human hair matched to the hair of the client. This matching includes the color, texture, natural curl or wave (straightness), as well as hair density (thickness). Different hair types have the different quality leave which does not only affect the appearance of the hair system, but also affect its lifespan.
Indian hair is very soft and fine and is best suited for dark hair colors of any hair length and shorter hair lengths in just about any color! Indian hair is versatile, very fine, light and bouncy. It can be easily curled and styled. The natural color of Indian human hair is black. If you choose the light color Indian human hair which means it’s been dyed and colored, this kind of chemical processing will hurt the hair which may make it become easy to be broken.
Chinese hair is the strongest hair compared with other hair types, and it have a very good natural straight. When you keep the Chinese hair in hand, you can feel its thickness. That’s why it is the best for straight hair products. Also, Chinese hair can stand deeply processed because of its thickness, so most blonde or light color all be produced by Chinese hair. Although Chinese hair is very strong, the chemical coloring processes make it dry and brittle, so it breaks easily. These hair prosthesis can begin to look fuzzy very quickly and need to be replaced often.
European hair has a fine denier and has natural light brown and blonde shades which require less processing. One of the major benefits of European hair is that this kind of naturally available in a range of colors, avoiding the need for aggressive bleaching which reduces the damage to hair. European hair is silky and shiny by natural and considered to be the highest quality of hair you can buy. The supply of European hair is not as abundant as Indian or Chinese hair, so product lines are often more limited and it is much expensive.
Remy hair simply refer to how the hair is handled and stored. In other words, the hair that’s kept “root-to-tip” which means that the root end is distinguishable from the tip end. The hair strands follow the same direction, which avoid the most tangling and matting (if processed properly). In addition, Remy hair is subjected to fewer chemical processes which allow the hair to be healthier.
Virgin hair haven’t gone through any kind of chemical processing at all, which is collected from a single donor. The virgin hair is Remy hair that has not been altered by dyes, perms, bleaches or harsh washes, the cuticles all still have to be intact and running the same direction. Therefore, it is far more superior to Remy hair. The greatest thing about virgin hair is that it can last up to a year with proper care and maintenance.
In addition to the base and hair, the knotting method is also an important factor that decides the lifespan of the hair replacement system.
Double knot: It is ideal for a very thick hair system density with lots of and height. The bigger hair knots usually make it difficult to lay the hair down flat, thus the hairstyle should be fuller. The double knots will be more durable than others
Single knot: It is the easiest to lay flat and is best for a freestyle hair pattern. However, compare to the double knot, it is easier to loose.
Half knot: It is the smallest and the most undetectable hair knot. The half knot is smaller than a single knot and can also be used in a slick back hair style.
Bleached knots: After the knots are being tied to the base, our workers apply a layer of bleach liquid to the knots. It takes out most of the color and leaving a virtually invisible knot. The major advantage is that it can create an undetectable hairline that looks like it’s growing from your scalp. But chemicals used in bleaching can make the knots weak and prone to hair loss
The front hairline of French lace must use a single split knot to create a natural front effect. But the remaining materials and areas use double knots to make the whole piece last long enough. Also for all the skin hair pieces, we do v-looped hair on front to make a front hairline without any knots and single split knots everywhere else to make a strong and natural piece. There is also injected skin. It is not as strong as knotted skin though. In fact, the hair is injected to the skin base without knots, so it is easier to loosen.
Finally, let’s look at the relationship between lifetime and the natural appearance of the hair replacement system. When people use a hair replacement system, the first requirement is that it must look natural – not like a wig. They don’t want others to know that they are wearing something. In order to achieve this natural effect, the hair replacement system need to use small knots, no knots or even bleached knots. Because these knots are small and invisible so that people will not notice it. Well, small knots, no knots, and bleached knots are not strong knots, so the hair replacement system will not last longer. In contrast, big knots, non-bleached knots are strong knots and hair systems are more durable. However, these larger knots are not invisible, and more importantly, not natural. From this point of view, lifetime and natural effect are two opposite things. It is not always true that the more durable hair system with longer lifetimes the better. The point is which one is more suitable for you, durable or natural.