Toupees vs. Wigs: Choosing the Right Hair System

More often than not, beginners need help selecting the right non-surgical hair replacement system. Hair systems can be classified according to the type of hair, such as synthetic and human hair, and human hair can be further divided into Remy hair, Non-Remy hair, and virgin hair. There are two kinds of hairpieces – toupee and wig. This article will tell you the difference between them to clarify and help you find a suitable way of dealing with hair loss.

Coverage

We are very familiar with a wig because it frequently shows up and works for both males and females in the hair market, but today, we will only discuss men’s hair systems. Wigs are usually made to cover the whole head for men who suffer from alopecia totalis or other diseases. This rare disease can cause a man to become completely bald. If you have no hair on the scalp and you cannot accept yourself as entirely bald, a wig is your go-to.

On the other hand, a toupee should be what you need if you are experiencing severe hair loss or having bald spots due to alopecia areata or male pattern baldness. Toupee, also known as hair pieces for men and men’s hair systems, is a hair replacement system that includes a base and hair strands. It’s created to cover partial baldness on men’s scalp, which is usually the top and crown part, allowing the wearer to show his bio hair on the sides of the head. If your front hairline is receding and you seek a satisfactory solution, a toupee will work out better than a wig.

When you try to customize a hair system, you’ll directly see the difference. You need to fill in six sizes to make a wig, including the length of the circumference, front to nape, ear to ear across the forehead, ear to ear across the top, temple to temple crossing the back, and the hindneck width. In comparison, a toupee only requires two sizes of your bald area on top, one length from left to right and the other from front to back.

Base and cap design

For men’s hair systems, common materials used in the base are skin, lace, and monofilament. A base holds hair strands and makes it possible for the wearer to put the wig or toupee on the scalp. A wig’s base is called a cap. Skin and lace can form a cap or base all by itself, while mono material tends to appear more in a hybrid design, such as a full cap wig made of mono with skin and a base made of a mono top with poly edges plus a lace front. When it comes to the design of wig caps and toupee bases, the latter usually has more versatile patterns. Apart from these three materials, sometimes you may also find that silk is placed on the cap or base to add softness and comfort or in between two materials to increase the durability of the hair replacement system. In short, the base type doesn’t influence your choice between toupees or wigs, but it’s necessary to know about this. 

Attachment

Putting on a wig or a toupee is simple. Attachment for a wig is as easy as wearing a shirt while installing a piece of toupee needs a little more effort. Before wearing them, you must cut them to the size that fits your head or balding area. This is more commonly seen on hairpieces for men because ready-made wigs can cater to the head sizes of most men and barely need any cutting for adjustment; therefore, when you are trying to install a wig, all you have to do is lower your head and put the wig on. Your wig attachment can end here, but if you want your wig to be secure enough to prevent accidental falling, you can apply some professional wig adhesives, like ghost bond glue, along your front hairline. This extra step can keep everything in place.

As for wearing a toupee, some preparation is required before really placing the hair unit on your head. First, you must shave your balding area to ensure it’s clean and smooth. Next, decide what kind of adhesives you will use according to the base. Some hair systems contain poly tabs for wearers to apply tape. You can also apply wig glue on your head or use both methods. The last step is to put your trimmed hairpiece carefully on your scalp. If it’s misplaced, you can take it out, readjust it, and slowly put it down to the right place before the glue dries.

Price and popularity

I would say toupees are more popular than wigs in daily life, but if the scope is narrowed down to the film and television circle, the winner will be the opposite. For instance, an actor needs a specific hairstyle or hair color to shape a character and play the role well, but his own hair is too weak to sustain heat, chemicals, and pigments or too short, then in this case, wigs are used more than toupees. In the 23rd James Bond series Skyfall, Javier Bardem wore a platinum blonde wig to play Raoul Silva. Tom Hiddleston donned a wig when acting in The Avengers as Loki because he cut his hair short for other movies. Robert Pattinson had to put on an orangish brown wig in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

Wigs are usually more expensive than hair systems because wigs need bigger base materials and also more hair strands. Besides, human hair products are better in quality and pricier than those made of synthetic hair. This is a standard rule for both wigs and toupees.

With the help of this article, I believe you have already figured out what’s more suitable for you. Wigs and toupees have different pros and cons. What fits you well is always the best. Find your ideal human hair replacement system at Superhairpieces!