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Her trip had come to an end and it was time to say goodbye. As we made our way to the airport we made a strategic stop to one of my favorite stores.

The wig shop.

My friend squealed with delight. She went home a different woman and her husband was pleasantly surprised.

My philosophy on wigs, weaves and extensions is this: hair is an accessory, you can change it like you change your earrings. The people on my job didn’t know what to expect from day-to-day. It didn’t help much that there was a wig shop exactly two minutes from my job and I found myself there on lunch breaks. Long and jet black one day. Red and short the next. I loved that I could change my look daily. I don’t switch out nearly as much as I used too.

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If you haven’t seen the latest in wig fashion you probably have bad memories of matriarchs long gone donning some pretty awful wigs. Thankfully those days are gone. Well kind of. There are still some bad wigs out there but that has everything to do with material and cost. Thankfully, wigs have come a long way and if you’re a woman of color with textured hair, you celebrate this truth!

Some of today’s top celebrities wear wigs. Beyonce, Lil Kim, Kim and Kylie Kardashian and countless others wear wigs regularly and some even daily.

Lace and Lace Front Wigs

These wigs were a mystery to the general public and just became popular with the last decade or so. Lace wigs have a base completely made of lace and the hair can be worn in high ponytails and beautiful up-dos and no one would ever know you were wearing an accessory.

Lace front wigs have lace at the front of the wig that can be trimmed for a very natural hairline. These are extremely popular and based on material (human hair vs. synthetic hair) can range anywhere from $49.95 into the hundreds of dollars. Full lace wigs can cost thousands of dollars.

Wearing Lace Fronts Could Bad For Your Health?

Actress Countess Vaughn known for her role as Kim on the TV sitcom Meet the Parkers and Moesha, had a nightmarish experience with her lace front wigs. It wasn’t the wig as much it was the glue used to secure the wig. Vaughn had a severe allergic to the glue that ultimately resulted in an infection, hair loss and skin discoloration.

Houston business woman, Tiffani Speller of Tiffani Chanel Luxury Hair, shared that, “what determines whether a person is at risk for infections and hair loss is the method in which the wig is applied and the length of time that the scalp is allowed to breathe in between applications.”

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Glue-less Is Best

Tiffani also shared that lace wigs can be secured to the head in several different ways. The healthiest way she stated was to not use adhesives and to remove the wig every night. Traditional wigs can be purchased and regular lace wigs can be easily converted into gluel-ess units by applying wig clips, combs and/or elastic bands. Removing the wig daily reduces wear and tear on the wigs, and gives the natural hair and scalp an opportunity to breathe and maintained.

Selecting Your Hair Piece

Tiffani suggests visiting a reputable wig salon (not a beauty supply store) where you can receive a consultation and education on how to maintain your hair. You’ll want to:

  1. Pick a believable texture and length. There is nothing more telltale than having hair that does not match one’s age or ethnicity.
  2. Select 100% human hair. Blends are often nearly as expensive as pure hair and don’t last nearly as long
  3. Be sure to purchase the recommended products to properly maintain the wig, or drop your wig off for concierge service regularly at your wig boutique.

Special thanks to Tiffani Speller for contributing to this blog post! To get her three tips on adding that wow factor to your lace front, click here!

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