How to steam a wig

Hi all. I modified a pair of straighteners by fixing a cut handkerchief around the hot plate which allows me to straighten my fibre wigs without damage. Same might work for heated rollers – worth a try.

Hi Barbie. I have tried this on a cheap synthetic Chinese wig – no way am I going to practice on an expensive wearable wig no matter how rough it is! It does work, but I am still learning. It is extremely important to protect the ends of the hair (use perm papers – or even the hard old fashioned loo paper if it is still around!) and not to pin the rollers with *anything* that would leave a mark on the hair – I have managed to find some long florist pins to use and some smooth rollers 🙂 After deep steaming you must let the wig get cold and be completely dry before removing the rollers. I have just bought a tub of silicone for hair and will try to make up a thin spray to use before steaming. Next holiday I will give it a go.

I recently watched a video of a wig enthusiast who was not shy in his steaming of wigs. He put one on wig head then placed a plastic bag on top. Then he held the steamer under the bag and repeatedly steamed the wig. He did this for 20 minutes! I think if a wig is really in a poor state there can be no harm in trying this method. It cannot make the wig worse. On the contrary. Steam is simply moist air. It can do no harm.

If you are worried that such a lot of steam might shrink the cap, you could afterwards gently stretch it by hand. If after all this steaming the hairpiece is still in a sorrowful state then it is time to buy a new one. Just as clothes made with synthetic materials cannot always be revived after much use then so too synthetic wigs and hairpieces. Even human hair can deteriate so much that it cannot be revived it has to be cut off and thrown away, how much more with man-made fibres. Most hairdressers would concede when human hair has become so dry and matted it is like straw it might be wiser to cut it off and start growing again. Lots of gorgeous hairpieces on SW for you to buy. Then steam them from time to time and maintain them this way. If the hairpiece is curly do not comb or brush when steaming!, but very gently with your finger move the curl if you wish. If you have a straight hairpiece and want to give it a bit of curl wrap the ends in a toilet roll round and round then pin, or roll repeatedly round smooth object, hold then steam. Keep it in place till it drys. Then loosen gently. Voila! Curls! Your steamer was not bought in vain!

You could try spraying the hairpiece with a wig conditioner then steam it again gently combing through with a wig comb as you steam it. No harm doing it a couple of times. Some people soak their hairpieces/wigs in a tiny bit of fabric conditioner and leave it to soak for 20 minutes. Then let it dry completely and then try steaming it. The hair of the hairpiece is a synthetic material. Like any fabric that has dried out it needs moisture. We iron our clothes with a steam iron because that puts some moisture back into the fabric making it softer. Hope this helps.

I wear a satin apron type headscarf Also called a Tichel. The fabric is thin and ultra silky soft. I wear it with my Blake wig which has no mono top. It stops the itching. I found wearing a wig cap insufficient for preventing my scalp from itching. But the silky scarf works. I also have wrapped a long silky scarf round and round my head, covering it completely, and that also stops the itching. The fact that the silky headscarf works means that I will be able to buy the new Hudson soon from SW which has no mono cap. Otherwise I find the double mono Amore wigs are perfect for me.

I recently had a few wretched weeks which meant I couldn’t bear wearing not even my Amore wig. Everything irritated me! So this silky Tichel is ideal for times like this. Today I am wearing my Amore wig comfortably. Hope you will be able to find a comfortable solution. As for heated scalp. I am 62 and still suffering hot flushes, so again the head is going to get hot when my temperature suddenly goes up. I suppose putting a mini fan all over your bare head must help at times like this. Also literally, getting a facecloth, putting it under ice cold water and dabbing it on the bare scalp can be helpful. My eyes often get very sore and itchy. Placing an icy washcloth over my eyes is sooooo soothing. Can only help with the scalp too.