There’s no one reason why black girls wear wigs. In fact, most women, not just black girls, wear wigs. Society pays more attention to black girls in wigs because the media choose to shed light more on black girls.
Perhaps it’s obvious black girls don’t have long hair so any evidence of long hair on black girls is assumed to be a wig.
Note that wigs come in different sizes, shapes, colors, or textures.
Also Read: Everything You Need to Know About Black People
There are different motives that are personal why black girls wear wigs. However, a few clues are eminent.
Many times, black girls wear wigs because of their profession or career, especially if they work in broadcast media or entertainment.
Also Read: Why Don’t Black People Get Lice?
As time went on, they just couldn’t find a qualified hairstylist to work on their curly, kinky and brittle black hair due to changes in location or where they found themselves.
In this article, we discuss various reasons why black girls wear wigs. but befor that we have amazing list of wigs you might want to try.
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Why Black girls wear wigs
- For convenience
- To cover hair loss
- For societal demands
- To protect their hairline.
- Influenced by celebrities
- For fun, fashion and versatility
Why black girls wear wigs explained
1. To Protect their hairline.
Many black girls use a relaxer on their kinky hair to straighten it. These relaxers contain sodium hydroxide; a chemical that causes hair to break down its protein so it can relax or become straight.
The process black girls go through to relax their hair can be painful, leaving you with a burnt scalp, sometimes.
To take a hiatus from hair relaxers, black girls wear wigs to protect their hair and scalp. Because wigs keep your natural hair safely tucked away, they can be an excellent protective style.
Wearing wigs also ensure hair growth. By giving your curls a break from the wear and tear of daily styling and environmental damage, you can help your natural hair grow long and healthy.
Additionally, wigs are great for anyone who likes to play around with color. Just as relaxers may damage your hair, using too many color chemicals consistently in your hair can cause it to break too.
However, coloring your wigs keeps your natural hair protected and safe from harsh chemicals.
Wigs allow you to change your color as often as you want without damaging your natural hair.
In the same vein, wigs protect your strands from the damaging effects of heat tools such as hair dryers, flat iron, curling iron and straightener.
2. For convenience
As a black girl, getting braids can be thrilling although the time dedicated to getting braids done in whatever form or style can be daunting. So black girls choose to wear wigs sometimes for convenience; to avoid spending 6-8 hours sitting to get their hair braided or two hours getting hair relaxed and dried.
Thus wigs can be an excellent time-saver! A hairstyle that would otherwise have taken hours to complete only takes a few minutes with the help of a wig.
Moreover, wigs are mostly styled down before purchase so you only need to comb then bingo!
3. For societal demands
Some black girls are forced to wear wigs not because they want to but because their jobs demand that they wear wigs to look professional. Black girls who work in the media; journalists, reporters and newscasters are required mostly to wear wigs to portray a certain image.
Blacks in the entertainment industry fashion and models are mostly required to wear wigs for representation.
Further, due to job demands on their outward look, black girls change hairstyle frequently, as such some opt for wigs for convenience.
More notably, Black American ladies face hair discrimination and as such to wear wigs to cover their naturally kinky hair. The unfortunate truth is that European ideals of beauty are the standard in the west. Straight and wavy hair textures are placed on a higher pedestal than afro-textured hair.
Even in the curly hair community, loose curls are deemed more desirable than tighter kinks and coils. It’s uncommon for black women’s hair to be naturally straight.
While black women can straighten their natural hair, the constant heat and harsh chemical of relaxers damage their fragile strands.
In a time when naturally kinky hair is still deemed unprofessional, wigs are a safe and effective way to fit in with the status quo.
4. Influenced by celebrities
Some black girls wear wigs because they like what they see actresses, newscasters and musicians wear on television. Basically, black girls like anyone, are influenced by what they see others do. And which girl doesn’t like stylish wigs?
So yeah, black girls rock wigs because they want to look like their mentors, idols and influencers they admire.
5. To impress guys
Black girls love it when guys turn to look again when they pass by, admirably. And wearing nice stylish wigs does the magic.
And most men love long straight hair. So why not wear wigs a few times a year to stand out, to impress and turn heads.
6. To cover hair loss
Hair loss is very much predominant in the black community, being that tight braids and hairstyles, heat tools, and hair relaxers treatments often come with hair loss or thinning as a side effect.
And when you consider the fact that curly hair is already inherently dry and difficult to maintain, it’s no wonder lots of black women experience hair loss.
Consequently, black women wear wigs to conceal symptoms of hair loss.
Whether it’s the result, tight braids, alopecia, chemotherapy, neglect, relaxers, or wigs give these women the opportunity to regain their confidence regardless of the state of their natural hair.
7. For fun, fashion and versatility
The most apparent reason black women wear wigs is to look good. A polished hairstyle will pull any look together, and wigs give you complete control over your hairstyle.
When it comes to fashion, wig hairstyles can instantly give you shorter, longer, thicker, or colored locks.
With a good wig, you can switch up your hairstyle as often as you’d like while your natural hair remains safely tucked underneath.
On the other hand, wigs enable you to achieve whatever hairstyle you want, regardless of what your natural hair looks like. If your hair is naturally long, a wig can give you a short bob hairstyle or vice versa.
With a wig, you can have whatever style you want, whenever you want! They also give you a chance to try out new styles, like bangs, and make sure they look good before committing.
What are wigs?
A wig is a head or hair accessory made from human hair, animal hair, or synthetic fiber. The word wig is short for a periwig, which makes its earliest known appearance in the English language in William Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, according to Wikipedia.
In other words, Wig is a covering for the head made from real or artificial hair. It is used as a fashion detail, to hide baldness or loss of hair, as a religious practice, or as a costume. Artificial materials that are used for making wigs are wool, horsehair, yak and buffalo hair and feathers, according to the history of hats.
The Pros and Cons of Wearing Wigs
Pros of wearing wigs
1. Saves time
One advantage of wearing wigs is that; it helps you to save hours of time. Black girls spend a significant time in the salon and at home dressing their kinky hair. Wearing wigs, thus saves a lot of salon time.
2. Cover your defects
Black girls love to braid hair often. This sometimes is not favorable to some edges thus causing hair loss. Wearing wigs, therefore, saves embarrassment; covering your defects until you regain your hair.
3. Different hairstyles
Wearing braids or your natural hair can be one way. Wigs help to change your looks a bit.
4. Protect your natural hair
Wigs help natural hair to grow and protect it from harsh chemicals.
Cons of wearing wigs
1. Can fall off
Wigs sometimes fall off in a strong wind environment or it just happens. This can be very embarrassing to say the least. Since wigs sit on top of the hair, there’s always a chance they can come off.
Make sure your wigs are secured firmly on your scalp before leaving home or better still buy wigs that have safety hooks at the bottom for attachment to your hair.
You can also carry a hair scarf or extra hair materials with you to town in case the unfortunate happens. That way, you’ll be ready to take on any hair-related disasters that come your way.
2. Expensive
Wigs are by no means cheap; they can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars for one unit. And for the most part, you get what you pay for in the wig world.
High-quality human hair wigs look better, last longer, and are more comfortable to wear. They tend to be more breathable and are less likely to damage your hair and scalp.
3. Can be uncomfortable
Wearing wigs can be uncomfortable at times, especially if you’re so used to rocking your natural hair. Wigs also cause heat on the scalp and can be very itchy, scratchy and hot.
Due to the lack of airflow, wigs can cause you to get overheated in the summer. As your scalp sweats, the moisture is absorbed into the wig cap.
4. Wigs can damage your hair
Though wigs are known as a protective style, they may contribute to hair loss depending on how they are applied. This is particularly true for lace front wigs, as they are often installed with glue or tape.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to neglect your natural hair when it’s out of sight. Sometimes, the emphasis is placed on caring for the visible hair instead of the natural hair underneath.
How to safely install wigs
- Wash, shampoo and condition your natural hair to ensure that your hair is thoroughly moisturized.
- Do about eight to 10 cornrows straight back or braid cornrow all-round your scalp
- Apply a stocking cap to keep your hair in place
- Some use ace glue, wig tape, or holding gel on the perimeter of the stocking cap to hold the wig in place.
- Use gentle installation methods to apply your wig and avoid adhesives that are too harsh on your skin.
- Apply your wig
- Position it in a way that looks natural; along your hairline and feels comfortable, then secure it with an elastic band or wig strip before beginning to cut the lace off. When cutting the lace off the wig, go slowly and move in jagged motions to imitate the imperfections of the natural hairline. It’s best to use small nail scissors or even an eyebrow shaving tool.
- Style as desired.
- Try not to sleep in your wig.
- Take it off before beg
- Make sure the unit is secure without being too tight. If the wig is too tight, the increased friction will cause breakage
Types of wigs
1. Polyurethane Styles
Polyurethane (“poly”) wigs are generally thin and pigmented. This helps them match your skin tone and blend in. This skin-like material makes using tapes and adhesives easier on the wig as a whole and helps extend the wig’s life.
2. Mesh Units
Mesh units are a general category that is made up of full lace and monofilament styles. The full lace group is composed of swiss lace, glass-silk, and 100% hand-tied systems. Monofilament constructions include 100% hand-tied, single, and double units.
3. Combinations
Another wig can be a combination style that can have a machine-made back and sides, with a hand-tied top. This is more affordable, while still giving your hair almost all of the benefits of a hand-tied mesh unit.
Choosing your wig; Natural hair or Synthetic hair?
Human Hair
This hair type gives the most natural look and feels, along with the most styling versatility. This type of hair also requires more styling and care. It can be worth the investment though as they can last over a year with proper care.
Virgin Hair
This is the highest quality human hair available. This hair is all from a single donor. This hair hasn’t been dyed, permed, or bleached. This helps cut down on tangles and can last over a year with proper care. Virgin hair qualifies as Remy hair, but not all Remy hair is virgin hair.
Synthetic Hair
Higher quality synthetic hair offers a look and feel similar to human hair, but has limited styling versatility. Requires little maintenance and can generally be worn as soon as it’s unpackaged. Less durable than human hair and will last 4-6 months with proper care.
Heat Friendly Synthetic Hair
This type offers more styling versatility due to heat-friendly construction. Can be more challenging to style than human hair. Less durable than traditional synthetic hair that can last 2-3 months with proper care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do wigs fall off easily?
When you first start wearing wigs, you may question if your wig will fall off in public: The answer is no – as long as your wig fits properly! With modern advances in wig construction, if you wear a wig properly, it is highly unlikely to fall off.
What are the advantages of wearing wigs?
A great wig benefit is that wearing a wig instantly gives you a full head of hair that you can style and shape according to your liking. In addition, a wig helps to give great coverage so you can feel secure and confident in knowing that your hair is as full as can be.
Does wearing wig damage your natural hair?
No, wearing a wig does not stop hair growth. However, if the hair underneath your wig isn’t properly protected or looked after, damage to your hair can be caused, affecting growth.
Is it okay to wear wigs every day?
The short answer is, no, it is not bad to wear a wig every day if you take proper care of your natural hair and scalp. Your hair and skin cells will grow regardless of whether or not you cover them with a wig or accessories like hats and scarves.
Can wigs grow my natural hair?
These days wigs look natural, can have a long lifespan and, if used correctly, wigs can be used to grow your hair, protecting it from over manipulation, breakage and weather conditions. Wearing a wig can be part of an effective protective hair care routine, helping you grow thick, long and healthy hair.
Now, it’s your turn…
Black girls like other women or most women wear wigs for various reasons. Some wear it to look stylish or follow fashion trends or protect their hair. But mostly, black girls wear wigs to appear professional.
Wigs though can be expensive, protects your natural hair from harsh chemicals and tools. It also helps your hair to grow and become healthy.
You can rock your wig however you want, but it’s important to choose the right one that gives you the value and the style you desire.
We recommend the human hair wigs as they last longer, are quality and can be styled anyhow. You can also choose synthetic if that’s what you can afford and don’t want to keep your wig for long.
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