Thin Skin Wigs
Technically speaking, thin skin wigs aren't variations of lace cap wigs, but they're often confused as being a form of lace wig for some reason. A wig made of thin skin is also known as a full cranial prosthesis and as another type of cap construction, deserves a guide of its own.
The thin skin is actually polyurethane (PU) and can be light brown, medium brown or transparent to suit different skin tones - as such these types of wig are typically custom-made items as opposed to off the shelf items.
Thin skin (PU) wigThe wig is ventilated by hand using a secure looping technique and the hair is not knotted but injected into the thin skin , providing the realistic appearance of hair growing naturally out of the wearer's skin.
Full thin skin wigs are especially suitable for those with total hair loss (whether due to alopecia; natural hair loss in men; or those undergoing medical treatment). When worn. the thin skin base looks exceptionally natural and provides a realistic hairline.
If you have total hair loss and buy custom-made full thin skin wig, then the accuracy of measurements (for both your head and wig) mean that the thin skin wig can be secured without the need for adhesives due to the PU forming a vacuum like seal.
However it is not uncommon for wearers to still use some form of adhesive due to air pockets that can form underneath the wig.
The thin skin (PU) bonds well with adhesives whether glue or tape. Another benefit of thin skin base wigs is that the removal of adhesive residue is much easier as you don't have to contend with lace).
Generally densities of 100%-130% are preferable for full thin skin based wigs and the thin skin base is more durable than lace, so thin skin base wigs last longer (obviously the human hair must be treated with care, so excessive use of heat styling tools should be avoided).
Thin skin aka full cranial prosthesisThin Skin Wigs: The Benefits, Drawbacks and Variations...
Benefits
- Provides the realistic hairline as hair is injected not knotted
- Provides longer duration for adhesive bonding
- Allows hair to be worn in an up-do
- allows hair to be parted in any direction
Drawbacks
- Thin skin is not made of breathable and may feel uncomfortable in warmer temperatures
- The circumference measurements are important
Variations
As with all full lace cap wigs, there are variations which include
- Thin skin at the front only
- Thin skin around the perimeter only
Lace wig with stretch at the crown and PU (thin skin) perimeterIf you're new to thin skin wigs, it may be a better option to choose a full lace cap wig with a thin skin perimeter before moving onto a full thin skin based wig; but of course it's always best to wear what best suits your needs.
The development of different cap constructions for full lace wigs has been a somewhat slow burning affair but the growing popularity of lace wigs has motivated the development of different cap styles.
It's easy to be enticed into all sorts of options for your full lace wig cap construction, without really knowing whether you need (or even want) the whole kit and caboodle of accessories.
The TCPG Top Tip for finding your way through the gamut of full lace wig cap designs is to decide: what it is you need, what it is you want and then choose your full lace wig cap construction; after all, it's going to be the hair that you wear.
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