Wearing a wig - benign neglect?

[Miss Catrina]

So, a week and a half ago I got a truly terrible haircut. It wasn't a huge tragedy in that my hair was already very short, so I wasn't set back, really, and that it will actually grow out pretty nicely from the wretched shape cut into it... but I can't really live with it nonetheless. So I went online and bought a wig.

In a month or two I'll be able to get it cut to even it out into a normal haircut I can live with. Right now a large portion of my head is buzzed and there's a giant disconnect between that and the rest of my hair... my question is if anyone here has experience with wearing a wig regularly for that amount of time, or what you think the result will be.

On the one hand it basically removes any real need to wash my actual hair... On the other hand, I'm not too sure how my hair feels about being mashed under a wig cap all day. I have mad frizz when I get home and take it off.

[lmfbs]

No experience, but if I was wearing a wig all day, my hair would be heavily oiled underneith to keep it moisturised all the time. An oil version of 'wet and forget'?

[NymphSpirit]

I wouldn't recommend not washing your hair... I can only imagine some insane shedding. As for the wig cap... well, that's what kept me away from getting one many months ago, my hair'd probably hate being tucked inside the thing all day long! May be just try and see how it goes for the next few weeks?

[CurlyCap]

Lots of Type 4s wig it for benign neglect. Especially if your hair is short, it's easy to fit it all under a wig cap and depend on the wigs for styling...or even heat treatment if you get one made out of human hair.

For me, though, wigs are HOT and it get's physically uncomfortable when the ambient temperature is warm. But if you are going to wig it, I say keep up your usual hair care routine and choose a wig with nice bangs and side hair so that you don't have to worry about pinning it in place all the time.

In my "Hair Memories" album, I have a picture in a wig I wore a lot when I was deciding whether to cut my hair. While the style might not be for you, just pay attention to how my entire hairline is covered. It made wearing that wig a LOT easier because I never had to secure it for long wears. It's why it eventually became my favorite.

[Bene]

A wig doesn't remove the need to wash your hair. If it needs to be washed, then it needs to be washed. Just because no one can see it doesn't make it any cleaner.

[Roscata]

A few things you should consider:
- wigs will make your scalp ITCHY, it's really bothersome
- wigs will make your head feel hot which probably means sweating
- it is important to clean your hair and scalp in order to grow healthy hair and have a healthy scalp (now this doesn't have to mean washing, but it does mean you have to clean it somehow: scritching the scalp, preening the hair (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showpost.php?p=139873&postcount=13), Water Only (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=3412) washes, Conditioner Only (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=18) washes, etc. there are way too many options for me to mention them all).
- be careful not to break hairs around the hair line or wherever you pin them
- be careful not to pull your hair too much with the weight of the wig or you could end up with a receding hairline or bald spots (depending on where you pin it), this form of hair loss is called traction alopecia (http://www.traction-alopecia.com/)

Good luck! :)

[Islandgrrl]

I wore a wig on a daily basis for several years with my natural hair ranging in length from pixie to nearly waist length with no ill effects on my hair or scalp. It can be done, I don't know that there's anything benignly neglectful about it, though. I will say that I got used to wearing it and when I stopped, I felt oddly exposed.

Your hair and scalp will require more care, though, not less.

[Helix]

I probably sound like a broken record but I use a wig as my protective style during winter months, (It gets too hot in the summer for me to continue). It keeps my head warm and gives me a new look whilst simultaneously protecting my ends from the elements.

My hair is kept in several plaits underneath that I pin back, (I seriously need to learn to circle braid my hair). I still wash and care for my hair as usual when I get home though, but I still consider it benign neglect because it keeps me from manipulating my hair for most of the day.

Also, I do not use those stocking wig caps they sell at the BSS. Instead, I opt for a satin/silk skull cap since they are less drying and do not snag the hair underneath. If your wig has combs attached, I would remove them and opt for bobby pins to hold it in place instead.

I started out at ear length and 2 years 10 months later my real hair is now longer than the wig I wear so I'd say it works. That said, wiggin' it is not for everybody and I can't say if it will work for you because everyone is different but I doubt it would hurt to try...

[Rufflebutt]

Make sure to still take care of your hair under it. And as long as you use a comfortable wig cap, it shouldn't feel bad on your hair. Otherwise it's like wearing your hair up as far as how it affects the strands, right?

[Astraea]

I wore a wig on a daily basis for several years with my natural hair ranging in length from pixie to nearly waist length with no ill effects on my hair or scalp. It can be done, I don't know that there's anything benignly neglectful about it, though. I will say that I got used to wearing it and when I stopped, I felt oddly exposed.

Your hair and scalp will require more care, though, not less.

Me too. I'm considering purchasing another one. I've worn a wig with and without a cap over my real hair, having made the cap out of satin and lycra and bound my hair in flat twists. I never experienced any ill-effects though I moisturized my hair more when I wore a wig.

[Tisiloves]

An ill fitting wig can cause problems with friction. You might want to wear a wig a bit too big and double cap (one nice silky cap/stocking cap to protect your hair, one net wig cap to hold it on and help keep the wig on).

[spidermom]

I got a couple of wigs when my hair was too short and I was too impatient for it to grow. They were fun for changing up my look, but I found the wigs to be REALLY uncomfortable and itchy. They worked nicely to keep my head warm in the winter, though.

[Miss Catrina]

A wig doesn't remove the need to wash your hair. If it needs to be washed, then it needs to be washed. Just because no one can see it doesn't make it any cleaner.

Well, usually when I "need" to wash my hair, it's because it looks bad. If no one can see it, it doesn't matter, so it doesn't "need" to be washed.

I think I definitely need a different wig cap. The one I have seems excessively tight, makes my head ache as the day goes on... didn't know anything but the pantyhose type existed.

I don't need to pin my hair or the wig whatsoever, fortunately. The way the hairs at my hairline stand up when I take it off is definitely worrisome, though. Think I'll try a better wig cap and some oiling.

[Madora]

Dr. George Michael, in his book, George Michael's Secrets for Beautiful Hair (1981), commented that a wig should be taken off several times during the day to let the natural hair breathe.

Also, he stated that wigs can be bacteria bastions so it behooves the wearer to be sure that the wig is washed frequently.