Jun122018
At Cancer Hair Care we are always asked “which is the best type of wig – synthetic or human hair?” There are clear advantages and disadvantages to both depending on your individual style requirements, budget and the time you can invest into putting on and caring for your wig or hairpiece. People often tell us that their initial thought about a wig is that a human hair wig is better then a synthetic wig. Their perception is often that a human hair wig will look and feel more real. However over the last few years the quality of synthetic hair has increased dramatically.
With this in mind take a look at an overview of some of the advantages and disadvantages of synthetic and human hair. You can then look at our in-depth information about how to care for, budget, maintain and buy a wig or piece that is just right for you.
We have used wigs as an example product for the comparisons.
- Advantages of human hair
- Disadvantages of human hair
- Advantages of synthetic hair
- Disadvantages of synthetic hair
Advantages of human hair (may also be called ‘real’ or ‘natural’ hair):
- Treat as if your own – Flexibility to change and style the hair.
- Heat resistant – You can use heated appliances (e.g. heated rollers) with guidance from wig supplier.
- Lasts longer than synthetic hair – On average a human hair wig needs to be replaced after one year -1.5 years, on average a synthetic hair wig needs to be replaced after around 8 – 12 months.
- Can be coloured – Human hair can be treated as your own hair – adding colour e.g. highlights or lowlights.
- Custom made – Can be custom made to fit your scalp.
- More flexibility to cut and shape – Human hair is easier to customise with regular cutting techniques to suit your face shape.
- Ready made – ready to wear – Pre-cut and styled wigs are available.
- Reduced frizz – Human hair texture doesn’t frizz as easily as synthetic hair.
- Blends well with your own hair – Human hairpieces blend well when integrating with your own hair e.g. new hair growth or with hair thinning.
- Recycle and reuse – Wigs in good condition can be donated to a wig bank to be re-used.
Disadvantages of human hair:
- Needs time for maintenance – Caring for your wig may require you to learn how to wash and style.
- Regular washing – On average a human hair wig needs to be washed once a week.
- Costly – Real hair wigs are more expensive then synthetic hair and costs are rarely supported by the NHS.
- Some limited availability in some colours and styles – It can be hard to get a human hair wig with a true afro hair texture and you can’t get natural grey human hair (but can get blends that have been coloured to look grey).
- Colour may fade – As with your own hair, the weather and washing can effect the longevity of the hair colour and you may find that the colour becomes dull.
- Ethics – There may be some ethical considerations in relation to how human hair is collected and working conditions of wig producers. If you are concerned ask your wig supplier.
Advantages of synthetic hair (may also be called ‘modacrylic fibre’ or ‘acrylic’ hair):
- Easy maintenance – Synthetic hair wigs are pre-styled and so keep their shape after washing – you simply wash and leave to dry naturally and the shape will reform once dry.
- Curls and waves are maintained – The texture of the hair is fixed so if the wig is curly the texture will maintain unlike human hair that can be changeable.
- Can be cut and shaped – Synthetic hair can be cut to suit your face shape but has less flexibility then human hair.
- Colour fast – Unlike human hair, the colour of synthetic hair doesn’t fade over time.
- Cheaper then human hair – The NHS supports costs (when applicable) towards buying a synthetic wig.
- Large range of hair colour and textures available – Because synthetic hair is man-made there is a significant variety of colours and styles.
- Ready made – A large variety are ready to wear, pre-cut and styled.
- Recycle and reuse – Wigs in good condition can be donated to a wig bank to be re-used.
Disadvantages of synthetic hair:
- Not heat resistant – In most cases you can’t use any heated appliances or the wig may melt.
- Prone to frizz – Static builds up in the hair and causes ends to frizz – the hair can tangle and become unmanageable.
- Not flexible – You can’t change the texture or style.
- Doesn’t last as long as human hair – On average a new synthetic wig is needed after eight -twelve months.
- Has some ‘stigma’ attached – Some people say that they feel their wig is not as good quality as a human hair wig.
- Ethics – There may be some ethical considerations in relation to working conditions of wig producers. If you are concerned ask your wig supplier.
Content last reviewed: March 2023
Next planned review: February 2025
