Use Flat Irons for Hair to Get rid of your Wavy Wig

Wigs are an excellent tool for trying out new hairstyles without having to commit to one for several weeks. Many people have used wigs to try out new colors, have a pre-made style, prepare for a costume, or they don’t have the right hair to pull it off. Unlike regular hair, wigs require specialized care when it comes to keeping them clean and straightening them out. Certain styles and even humidity can cause wigs to curl up and have a wavy appearance. Eliminating these waves with flat irons for hair is possible, but without the proper knowledge of how to do so you could end up damaging your wig.

Identify the Type of Wig You Own

Instead of leaping right into using your flat iron right away, identify the kind of wig you own. Wigs vary in their quality for being made from sub-par materials to high-end supplies which drive up their price. Certain synthetic fibers may melt if a flat iron comes into contact with them while other wigs made from higher end materials may be able to hold up better. You should also check to see if your wig is heat resistant which means it will be able to withstand higher temperatures.

How to Prepare Your Wig for Straightening

Wigs that are not heat resistant can still benefit from a professional flat iron with the right forethought and care. Similar to real hair, you’ll want to brush your wig out free of any knots or tangles so it’s smooth enough to feed through the flat iron. You can use a little bit of water to make it easier to brush through the wig but spray sparingly to avoid excess moisture. Once the wig is straightened out separate the synthetic hair into different sections like regular hair. This will encourage even heat distribution and lower the potential of the wig suffering from heat damage.

Once the hair is separated into sections heat up the professional flat iron to the ideal temperature. The kind of wig you own depends on the heat temperature ideal for straightening it, the best temperature is between 320 to 356 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat resistant rigs can handle a temperature of upwards 410 degrees Fahrenheit, but if you’re unsure lower heat on the flat iron and test it out on a small section of the wig. When you’ve fed the fibers through the hair straightener give them a few minutes to cool before starting to brush them out again.

This extra brushing helps to get rid of any extra tangles or waves that may have developed during the straightening process. You may have to run the flat iron over the wig a second time over certain sections if they’re still wavy or have a curl to them. Avoid getting excess moisture on the fibers at this time if you can help it since it can cause the fibers to become wavy again. Once you’re done brushing let the fibers hang down naturally so the wavy pattern doesn’t repeat again.

Are There Other Techniques That Can be Used to Straighten Out a Wig?

Flat irons for hair do work on wigs, but the results will vary depending on the fibers and materials the wig is made from. Starting out with a low setting on a flat iron and raising it in intervals is the best way to figure out how much heat a wig can handle. You do want to keep in mind to let the fibers cool down after each pass of the flat iron so they don’t melt or suffer from heat damage. Other techniques used to straighten out hair involved sliding a comb through the fibers and using a blow dryer to get out the waves. One of the most recommended techniques is boiling water up to 320 to 356 degrees Fahrenheit and pouring it over the wig to straighten it out.

This technique is tricky to pull off since if the temperature of the water is not high enough it won’t straighten out the fibers, but if it’s too hot the fibers will begin to melt. The wig has to be dried out in front of a fan and the process repeated over and over to straighten out the fibers which can a be a headache to repeat over the course of several hours. When you’re still unsure of whether a flat iron is a good way to eliminate the waves on your wig, refer to the company’s product page for your wig just to be sure. You may find information on the type of heat your wig can handle the ideal technique for straightening it out.