What Is a Heat Friendly Wig?

Do you understand what it means when a wig description includes the information: “heat-friendly?” Does this mean the synthetic fibers of the wig won’t catch fire or frizzle when near heat? Does it mean you can use any type of thermal styling tool, at any temperature, for as long as you want and the wig’s fibers won’t be damaged?

Do not be confused between “heat friendly wigs” and “heat resistant wigs.”

Heat resistant wigs are made from synthetic fibers that are specially developed to RESIST damage from excessive heat sources. Women who wear synthetic fiber wigs quickly learn, if they already have not been warned, that unless they know their wig is “heat resistant” they should not expose the wig to high temperatures such as an open oven or a large campfire. The possibility of damage to the synthetic fibers caused by close proximity to a hot area can be very high depending upon the type of synthetic fibers in the wig. Synthetic fibers tend to combust or melt much more easily than natural fibers that manufacturers in many industries had to develop a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers characterized by an excellent resistance to heat, neither melting nor igniting in normal levels of oxygen. Protective apparel, air filtration, thermal and electrical insulation, a substitute for asbestos, as well as many aerospace and military applications use such types of heat resistant fibers.

Wig manufactures developed heat resistant fibers for wigs since customers were not happy about ruining their wigs while taking the Thanksgiving turkey out of the oven or having to remain away from the barbecue grill at the Fourth of July celebration.

However, a major break though in synthetic wig fibers occurred with the development of “heat friendly” fibers. The introduction of Tru2Life Heat-Friendly synthetic fiber wigs from the wig manufacturer, HairUWear, is really shaking up the hair alternative industry. Just like natural hair is not 100% heat resistant, neither are heat friendly wigs 100% heat resistant. However, this innovative synthetic fiber technology offers the customer many of the same heat styling options as natural human hair. You are now able to use such thermal styling device as heat rollers or a curling iron. What you are doing as you style the wig’s fibers at a recommended heat not higher than a medium setting, is baking the curl in or straightening the curl out. You will read advice that when curling hair you hold the curl for 60 seconds and then clip and allow the curl to cool. Others suggest while keeping the maximum setting at medium, the thermal styling device should be allowed to cool down while holding the hair in the desired position. To straighten a curling or wavy style gently run your flat iron over the hair at approximately 1 inch per second. Whatever style is achieved will be locked in that position until it is heat styled differently.

Now just as you treat natural hair with products that are specially formulated for regular hair, likewise it is important to use only products created to address the needs of synthetic hair to prolong the life of the wig and keeping beautifully looking longer.

Have fun with your heat friendly wigs. The styling options are only limited by your imagination.