‘Should I wear a wig or a toupee?’ It’s a question that many men ask themselves at some point.
Male pattern hair loss is common in men in the UK, up to 80% of men have some hair loss by the age of 70, which can be distressing to experience. By the age of 60, most affected men have started to lose their hair, but some see thinning as early as their late teens.
We know this can feel upsetting and deeply unfair, but fortunately, there are plenty of natural-looking solutions to thinning hair and bald spots. Depending on the size of the area you want to cover, you may choose to wear a men’s wigs or a smaller men’s toupee.
But how do you decide, and what’s the difference between a wig and a toupee, anyway? Here, we explore what distinguishes a wig from a toupee and look at the varied advantages and disadvantages of each.
Toupee vs. Wig: What’s the Difference?
A toupee is a small hair piece made of either synthetic or natural hair, worn at the top of the scalp to cover the highest area most prone to baldness. A toupee is most commonly worn by men and positioned over the crown.
Wig
A men’s wig covers the whole of the top of your head, providing full scalp coverage and offering a solution for extensive hair loss. This is a great option if your natural hair is thinning around your temples or your front hairline is receding.
Toupee
A men’s toupee is a small hairpiece worn at the top of the scalp, similar to a hair topper. Toupees are mostly worn by men and positioned over the crown, concealing evidence of androgenetic alopecia (pattern hair loss) and blending in with the remaining natural hair.
Wig vs. Toupee: What’s Better?
Let’s dive into the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Advantages of wigs:
1) Men’s wigs securely cover any thinning or balding areas, giving you utmost confidence.
2) Men’s wigs are low maintenance, since you don’t need to cut and style your natural hair to match.
3) Lace front wigs provide both secure coverage and a supremely natural hairline.
4) With so many construction types, it’s never been easier to find and style a real-looking men’s wig.
5) Close-fitting but lightweight and breathable, men’s wigs are more comfortable than ever before.
6) You can style heat-friendly wigs to suit you, without worrying about damaging the fibres.
7) Men’s wigs let you try something new! Colour match your natural hair or go for something totally different.
8) Our wig care products for men, such as shampoo and balm, also make maintaining your style a breeze.
disadvantages of wigs:
1) Some pieces can look too pristine and give away that you’re wearing a men’s wig.
2) Like your natural hair, human hair wigs will react to the weather and need regular washing and care.
3) Standard synthetic men’s wigs are prone to heat damage from styling and need replacing every so often.
4) Both synthetic and human hair wigs need styling to look as real as possible.
Advantages of toupees:
1) Men’s toupees are a great option for covering odd thinning or balding areas at the top of your head.
2) Toupees come in a range of sizes, textures and colours to comfortably blend into your natural hair.
3) Men’s toupee hairpieces are easy to secure with glue or double-sided tape.
4) Men’s toupees are equally easy to remove using products such as Dimples Toupee Adhesive Remover.
5) Men’s toupee hairpieces are more affordable than hair loss or other specialist cosmetic treatments.
6) Men’s toupees blend into your hair and are less noticeable than a differently styled or coloured wig.
disadvantages of toupees:
1) It can be difficult to find a toupee that matches your natural hair, texture and colour.
2) Plus, men’s toupees can look obvious if they don’t match your natural hair texture and colour.
3) Low-quality and poorly maintained men’s toupees can also look quite conspicuous.
4) Men’s toupee hairpieces need replacing every so often to keep them looking fresh and realistic.
5) While men’s toupees are more affordable than wigs, they come with extra maintenance costs.
6) Men’s toupees cover one area – if your hair thins in other places, you may need to consider other options.
Men’s Wigs and Toupees
The differences between hairpieces can be confusing, even for veteran wig-wearers, but we hope you’re now more comfortable with the various advantages and disadvantages of men’s wigs and toupees!
For many balding men, hair loss can be a difficult experience and is often treated like a joke. Our community blog features customer stories and helpful advice to help you feel supported and at home in your new men’s wig or toupee hairpiece.
Here at Simply Wigs, our team of wig and hair specialists is more than happy to help with any additional questions you may have about men’s wigs or toupees. Feel free to contact us for advice, guidance or hair loss queries, so that we can get you back to feeling fabulous.
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