What You Don't Know About Synthetic Wigs is Killing You

We encourage you to prioritize your health and well-being when choosing wigs and hair extensions, as some may have harmful toxins. Find out what's really in your synthetic wigs and how it can be damaging to your health.

What Are Synthetic Wigs

A synthetic wig is made from strands of plastic or acrylic materials. These hair strands do not come from a person's head.

Common Materials Used in Synthetic Wigs

Synthetic wigs that can withstand heat are typically made up of Nylon and polyester materials. While on the other hand, synthetic wigs that require low heat are made up of modacrylic and polyvinyl chloride. 

All of the fibers that could be in a synthetic wig are nylon, polyester, modacrylic, polyvinyl chloride, and polypropylene. 

Advantages and disadvantages of synthetic wigs

Advantages

Synthetic wigs/ hair, in general, are typically more "affordable", depending on the person. You can switch your hair more often for less money. 

Disadvantages

Synthetic wigs although affordable, you get what you pay for. While scrolling through a Wig group on Facebook, here's a post we've seen and couldn't pass up on the golden opportunity to feature it in our blog!  

As you can see, even with a human hair blend (human and synthetic), you'll experience issues with 

• Tangling,
• Knotting, &
• Combing.

No shade to the synthetic wig lovers, because there are some high-quality alternatives out there, which we'll get into later. But these are the things you must accept from a synthetic wig, including uncomfortable itching when it touches your skin.  Have you ever wondered why that is though? 

Potential Health Risks

We go around with the assumption that what we wear, eat, and drink is relatively safe. But synthetic hair has some health risks, especially for African American women who are more likely to have endocrine disorders, uterine disease, and breast cancer mortality -- now that has us wondering why exactly African American women are predisposed to these things... but that's another blog to write about.  

Scalp Irritation

Our founder Shamecca recalls the days when she used to get box braids using Kanekalon hair:

"I remember when I used to get box braids and soon after my hair was done my head would be itchhhh-y! I thought it was just part of the process, I never knew it was due to the chemicals in the hair and my scalp reacting to it. Nowadays, many people wash their synthetic hair or choose a different brand. I haven't gotten braids in a while, but Queen B hair was better, [but] still a lil itchy though".

Harsh Chemicals & Toxins in Synthetic Fibers

Kanekalon hair is made up of Modacrylic fiber, which has probable components that are toxic to humans- carcinogens (a substance that's linked to causing cancer) and vinyl chloride (a substance linked to leukemia, lymphoma, and rare forms of liver, brain, and lung cancers). We aren't just making this up... research shows that this is found in synthetic wigs.

Another study tested 10 popular synthetic hair brands and here's what they found:
All had various levels of contaminants including silver, cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead, and several pesticides. Lead, for example can increase risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and kidney damage. Exposure of pregnant women to high levels of lead can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and low birth weight.

Some may argue that we are exposed to many of these chemicals daily, and they're right. But a wig goes directly on your head. 

We debated on stopping here but we really want to stress the health risks of wearing synthetic hair first, then we'll move on to synthetic hair alternatives after this last point.

Why?
Because, due to concerns about cancer and toxicity of reproductive organs caused by flame retardant fibers, 5 states teamed up to ban flame retardants (New York State, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa & West Virginia) in 2022.  This has not reached a federal ruling. Probably not a coincidence, but it's not all dark and gloomy. There are some alternatives that you should consider.

Synthetic Wig Alternatives

Of course, we weren't going to give you all those terrifying facts without following up with some better alternatives girl!

During a live business event, we learned about a company that has created plant-based hair extensions. 

Another company, started by Ciara Imani May has biodegradable bundles.

EZBRAID is another company that educates and provides safe, itch-free synthetic hair. 

You can also do your own research to find more toxin-free synthetic extensions, or just get some human hair. It may have a higher price tag, but you won't have to worry as much!

Compared to Human Hair Wigs

We love human hair wigs! They're typically straight from a donor's head (unless you get some floor hair, which has been chemically altered and coated in silicone to make it appear like quality). Human hair extensions could either be raw (completely unprocessed) or virgin (steam or chemically processed).  

You typically won't have to worry about extreme toxins, unless the hair is just straight up low-quality. You don't have to worry about that when you shop with us though, just sayin.

Making an Informed Decision

We never want you to choose between hair or health, hence providing you with some synthetic wig alternatives after informing you of what could be in your synthetic hair. What you don't know could kill you.