Different situations in life can lead a person to wear a wig. Some may wear a wig purely for fashion, because they enjoy wearing different hairstyles on a periodic basis. Others may be experiencing hair loss from age or cancer treatments. If you have started losing your hair or are just ready for a change that doesn’t require you to cut your hair, find out a few tricks that will make your wig wearing experience a comfortable one.

If you’re losing your hair because of cancer treatments, and it has been about a month since your first chemotherapy treatment, shaving your head will make your wig feel more comfortable. Use an electric razor or pair of clippers to shave your head after you’ve selected a few wigs that you like and feel confident wearing. Shaving your head may help you feel more comfortable than leaving in your hair and experiencing clumps of hair falling out at different times of the day and night. Shaving may also alleviate itchiness that come with this process of rapid hair loss. Expect your hair to begin growing back about six months after your chemotherapy ends. Don’t be surprised if it grows in a different color, style or unevenly altogether. For this reason, you may want to plan to wear your wigs for a longer period of time than just the duration of your chemotherapy treatments. Buy multiple wigs so that you can vary your hairstyle and not grow tired of your wigs.

A mesh cap is a lightweight comfortable head covering that anyone can wear beneath a wig. Whether you are losing your hair or not, you may find a mesh cap more comfortable than bobby pins and hair clips to keep your hair up and under your wig.

Wigs are made from synthetic and real hair. Wigs made from real human hair are more costly and more difficult to maintain than wigs made from synthetic hair. You may feel more comfortable wearing a synthetic wig because you won’t feel as though you have to avoid wind, rain and any situations in which the hair might become tangled or disheveled. Since synthetic hair wigs cost less than those made of natural hair, you may be able to afford multiple synthetic wigs, giving you more options and increasing your comfort level with wearing wigs in general, than spending all of your budget on one natural wig that you may end up not being pleased with.

If you are younger than middle age, consider a darker color of wig; if you are older or have pale skin, consider a lighter shade of wig than your natural hair color as lighter colors tend to look more flattering on people as they age. You might also consider a wig as a comfortable way to explore what your hair would look like in a completely different color than your natural hair.

Remove glasses if you wear them when putting on your wig. Shake the wig vigorously to release the strands from clumping together. Place a cushioned head band around your forehead and the back of your head to protect your skin from the edge of the wig, which can sometimes be itchy. Put on a mesh cap if your hair is coming out due to chemotherapy treatments. Finally, place a wig liner over the head band and rest of your scalp and then follow last with the wig itself. Adjust the wig band so that it sits back on your forehead and just above the spot where your ear meets your head. Tuck the wig hair behind your ears and begin to style the hair as you would your own. Grasp small sections of hair and style only those with gel, mousse or hair spray to create a natural look. Place a scarf or bandana over the top of the wig and tie it beneath the hair at the base of the wig for a stylish, natural look.