Wigs can often be dense when brand new and some people find the hair on their wig too thick – this is because manufacturers would rather give you more hair than too little for you to customise in a way that suits you.
In the same way thick hair doesn’t suit all faces, dense wigs aren’t for everyone and can be difficult to style. Updos with dense wigs can appear chunky or unnatural if there is too much hair to style, which is why many women choose to thin out their tresses for a more natural looking wig.

Can I thin out my own wig?

If you’re unhappy with your wig density, you may wonder if it is possible to thin out your wig yourself? Even though this can sometimes be difficult to do, thinning out your wig can save you money! But if you’re too heavy-handed with the trimming scissors, a replacement wig could cost you more in the long run. If you’re unsure, we would always recommend taking your new wig to a professional hairdresser to be styled. This way, you will avoid any possible disasters!

But if you would like to have a go yourself, then simply follow the steps below to help you trim your wig:

What you will need 

If you do decide to thin out your wig yourself, purchase a pair of thinning scissors . You should not need a normal pair of scissors to thin out your hair as thinning is a different technique to cutting. The fine teeth on thinning scissors prevent a clean cut and only trim some of the hair, creating a soft, natural look. Hair clips are useful when splitting your hair into sections, and a hairbrush helps to brush out the cut hair.

Things to consider

Decide if you want to thin out all of the hair or just the ends for a more layered effect.

If you would like to thin out the entire length of your hair, take the trimming scissors as close to the root as possible to avoid stubby hairs that stick up.

If you have a short, choppy cut, you can start by making a cut with the trimming scissors a couple of inches away from the root, and another cut farther down the length of the hair for a more dynamic texture. Natural hair tends to be thinner towards the ends, so for longer hair make several cuts with the scissors at different lengths towards the ends of the hair.

Tips and tricks

Always split your hair into even sections and thin one section at a time, either trying the wig on every so often to check how much more thinning is needed or thinning the wig out while it is on your head. Make sure you can get to the back of your hair easily or ask somebody to help to achieve an even look around the head.

As mentioned previously in our debate on cutting a wig yourself vs visiting a salon, we would always recommend that you seek out a professional to trim the wig to suit you. We are delighted to say that the Simply Wigs Salon has fully trained staff inhouse, to trim your wig to your requirements. We are a fully accredited ‘My New Hair Salon‘, so you can be reassured that you are in safe hands.

You wouldn’t hesitate booking in at the hairdressers for your natural locks to receive a little TLC so we believe it’s important you treat yourself with the same love.

Our very own Steph also explores the common question of do wigs need to be cut and the key considerations that should be made when doing so.

We do have an extensive wig selection filled with a beautiful range of colours, shapes and styles to suit every face shape and skin tone so we do hope that you will find a wig that you will fall in love with – no cutting required!