A women’s hair system, also known as a women’s hair replacement system, hairpiece, or toupee, which is similar to a wig but not the same, is used to cover the area of the wearer’s scalp suffering from hair loss or thinning.
Like men’s hair systems, most female hair systems consist of a base and hair attached to the base to blend with the wearer’s natural hair to give a full-head-of-hair look. The critical difference is that hair systems for women usually have longer hair than men’s.
Bases are usually made from three common materials: skin (a thin membrane of polymer resembling the human epidermis), monofilament, and lace. Some men’s and women’s hair systems have two or three of these materials combined. These are called hybrid hair systems.
We attach human or synthetic hair to one side of the base to blend well with the wearer’s existing hair and give a full-head-of-hair look. With skin hair systems (with a PU skin base), the hair is usually injected or v-looped to the base. Monofilament or lace bases have thousands of holes in them, so the hair gets hand-knotted to them and will never come off.
The side of the base on which hair gets attached is called the upperside, while the other side, which is smooth and meant to stick to the wearer’s scalp, is called the underside. Next, shave the area of the wearer’s head where hair loss or thinning is severe. Attach the hairpiece to the area using tape or glue. Then mix the hair, so no one can tell this is a women’s toupee wearer.
Like most men’s hair systems, hair systems for women are attached to the wearer’s scalp using tape or glue. Tape is primarily recommended for securing lace and mono hair systems for women because glue or other liquid adhesives may seep through the base and get the hair at the roots stuck. Glue or other liquid adhesives are ideally used for women’s toupee hair systems with a skin base to achieve a solid hold.
To install the hair systems for women, determine the size and shape of the hair loss zone on the wearer’s scalp. Shave the area, and glue or tape the hairpiece to the area. Let the hair mix with the wearer’s natural hair, and cut and style the hair into the wearer’s desired look.
The lifespan of a women’s hair replacement means from when a woman buys a hair system to when she can’t use it anymore and has to chuck it in a bin. The lifespan of a women’s hair replacement system is primarily determined by the hair type and base material.
Women’s hair pieces must be looked after properly, in general, to last longer. Refer to the table below for the general lifespan of each type of women’s toupee hair system. You should also check the description box of each hair piece to get its specific estimated lifespan.
Base Material
Lifespan
Skin 0.03mm
Around 4 Weeks
Skin 0.06mm
2-3 Months
Skin 0.08mm
3-4 Months
Skin 0.1mm
3-6 Months
Swiss Lace
1-2 Months
French Lace
3-4 Months
Monofilament
6-12 Months
The key differences between women’s toupee hair systems and full cap wigs are mainly three aspects: permanent or temporary, customization, and attachment techniques.
Let’s start with the characteristics of women’s hair replacement systems:
1. Semi-permanent. Semi-permanent means that once the women’s hair systems get attached, the wearer cannot remove and reattach it anytime. It will stay attached for weeks or months before maintenance and reattachment.
2. Customizable. If the wearer wants a hair system designed to fit her every preference, she can get her hairpiece custom-made. Measure and contour the wearer’s hair loss area and shape. Get a hair system custom-made based on the shape and size of the hair loss zone.
3. Attachment techniques. Most women’s hair replacement systems are usually attached to the wearer’s head using tape or liquid adhesive. Very rarely, they get clipped to the wearer’s remaining natural hair.
Women’s human hair wigs are quite different:
1. Temporary. Most women’s human hair wigs can be attached or removed whenever convenient. They can mostly attach or remove wigs by themselves.
2. Full-cap coverage. Unlike women’s hairpieces, most human hair wigs cover the entire head. That’s also the critical difference between wigs and hair systems for women.
3. Clipped on. Most women’s toupee hair systems have 3 or 5 pressure-sensitive clips on the underside of the base for clipping it to the wearer’s existing hair. Some also have elastic bands. That’s why most can attach or remove it whenever they want.
The short answer is yes, you can shower with a hair system on. But certain precautions must be taken. Follow these steps:
Detangling: Comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb to eliminate all tangles. Then get all your hair products ready and keep them handy.
Avoid hot water: In the shower, avoid using hot water. Always use warm or lukewarm water to wash your hair.
Sulfate-free shampoos: Make sure to use sulfate-free shampoos. As sulfate-rich shampoos will dehydrate your hair and cause discoloration and hair damage.
Avoid violent scrubbing: You’ll never want to scrub your hair too intensely, as it will cause severe damage to the hair. Let the water run through the whole head, and scrub gently.
Condition the hair: Rinse the hair thoroughly, and then condition it. To maximize its lifespan, condition the hair regularly.
Dry properly: After showering the hair system, dry it. Use a clean, dry towel to gently pat on the hair, ensuring not to pull or crunch the hair too harshly. Let the hair air dry, and try not to use a hairdryer, as the heat may damage the hairpiece and loosen the bond.
Brush or comb the hair: While the hair is drying, take the chance to brush and comb the hair, making it smooth and tangle-free.
Avoid showering too much: Though it is okay to shower with a toupee hair system on, you should never do it too often. The water, though warm, may cause the bond to get loose. Scrubbing, though gentle, may still damage a port of the hair or cause the hair to shed. If you have to shower each day, you don’t have to wash your hair each time you shower. Cover it with a shower cap instead.
Yes, you have to put up with sleeping with a hair system on. Once attached, you won’t be able to remove it whenever you want. However, it would help if you kept the term friction in mind.
Avoid overly tossing and turning on the bed, or the hair will quickly shed or tangle. Make your pillowcase, bed sheets, and blankets silk or satin. As it will well reduce friction and tugging on the hair. Also, keep a habit of detangling your hair every morning.