How to Detangle a Synthetic Wig

If you’ve always wanted to experiment and change up your look with synthetic wigs but the maintenance of them has put you off, then this is your chance to find out how easy it is to keep them in great condition.

This article is also great if you’re currently sitting there with a synthetic wig in front of you but instead, it looks like some wild matted animal.

We’ve got you covered and you’ll have a lovely tangle-free wig in no time. We’ll be showing you the best ways to detangle and also the dos and don'ts of caring for your wig.

How to detangle a synthetic wig

How does my wig get so tangled?

If you find yourself always being in despair every time you try to wear your wig because it’s so tangled and knotty it might not always be because of the way you take care of it. 

Although, if you just chuck it on the floor or away in a cupboard after you take it off and leave it there until you wear it again, you’re probably not helping the cause. 

Synthetic wigs tend to be a lot dryer than the hair on your head because it doesn’t have the natural oils from your scalp being absorbed into the strands to keep the hair naturally moist and easier to brush.

Unless you’re investing in some super high-quality synthetic wigs, then they’ll always be prone to freezing due to the materials used. They’re usually made up of plastic materials that get easily tangled.

Just general use of your wig will make it frizzy and tangled, just like your natural hair does in day to day situations.

Perspiration at the back of the neck can cause the wig to tangle up and start going scraggly. Simple things like going for a walk on a windy day can cause strands of the wig to go knotty, sometimes it just can't be helped.

Using the incorrect styling tools on your synthetic wig can severely damage it beyond repair and cause it to be constantly tangled and frizzy.

Most synthetic wigs do not allow hot tools to be used on them, so do not use a hot curling iron on your wig. This may already have become apparent to you if you’ve already burnt the wig. You should style your wig by using no-heat curlers or carefully styling it when it’s wet.

Improper maintenance and general aging of the wig will make it tangle more easily and sometimes there is nothing you can do to fix it, so investing in a new wig may be the only option.

What you should do

Using the correct tools: You can’t just use your average hairbrush or comb that you’d use for your own wear or natural hair wigs as they are too strong for the synthetic fibers of this kind of wig.

You’ll need to find a good wide-toothed plastic comb to gently brush through the wig after every time you wear it and then use a specialized synthetic wig brush to detangle the smaller and more difficult knots out of the hair.

If the wig has gotten so bad that tangles won’t come out at the ends, then you can always trim what you need to make it look better. You can use regular scissors or you can invest in hair-cutting scissors. There are lots of videos online on how to cut wigs.

Using the correct products: The same rules that apply to brushes apply to using the correct products with synthetic wigs.

Avoid using regular shampoo and conditioner on the wig as some of the chemicals in these products can damage the hair completely.

If you wear your wig every day then you should look to wash it with cool water once a week with specialized synthetic wig shampoo and conditioner, you should also try to spray it with wig leave-in conditioner after you’ve washed it as well, to keep it nice and soft.

 You should always brush your wig thoroughly before you wash it to remove all tangles, otherwise, they’ll gradually build up even more as you wash it. 

Storing it properly

If when we mentioned throwing the wig in a cupboard after wearing it struck a chord with you, then you’ll want to listen carefully.

You need to properly store your wigs on a wig stand or get wig display hangers so they can stay straight when not in use. 

What you shouldn’t do

Tug at the wig: Putting in a bit of welly as the British say, won’t get you very far with synthetic wigs. If you end up pulling or brushing too hard you can pull hair strands out from the base of the wig and end up with bald spots.

If it’s going to require some serious yanking to get the knots out then you may just have to accept defeat and buy a new one, or you could try our favorite method featured at the end of the article.

Don’t brush wet wigs: Just like your own hair, you shouldn’t brush it when it’s wet. As it can break the fibers in the wig and cause further damage. Just make sure to brush carefully before washing it and then let it dry naturally.

Wear it to bed: We know how our natural hair gets after a deep sleep, so think about what it’s going to do to your wig if you wear it to bed. Make sure you remove unless you want to face the tough job of detangling in the morning. 

Our favorite method to detangle a synthetic wig

It’s best to use a wig stand to keep the wig stable whilst you carry out this method, you can find them here.

If you don’t own a leave-in conditioner spray then you can always combine your wig conditioner with water in a spray bottle.

  1. Before you start saturating the hair, shake the bottle well so it mixes. 
  2. Start by spraying the ends of the hair first with the mix and gently start brushing with your comb whilst holding the hair at the same time. You’ll want to avoid pulling at it as much as possible. If the wig is in a bad state, then you may want to separate it into sections and work each part individually. 
  3. Once the bottom of the wig is tangle-free then you can start working your way up the wig using the same gentle method. 
  4. Once the wig is completely free of tangles you can gentle brush through with a synthetic wig brush. 
  5. If the wig feels a bit sticky from the conditioner, you can always wash it with shampoo and conditioner in cool water and then let it dry.

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