No doubt, wigs are the rave of the moment. There has been so much perfection achieved with wigs, that it’s often difficult to detect if someone is wearing a wig or not.
My name is Tee, and I’m a great lover of wigs. Especially wigs that give a very natural and seamless look that is hard to spot. Since I’m a frequent user as well, I’m very much aware of how to detect if someone is wearing a wig or not.
So, if you’re curious like me, and you want to be able to know if someone is wearing a wig or if their hair is natural, keep on reading this article. I’ll be spilling some major secrets!
How to Tell if Someone is Wearing a Wig
Here are some of the factors to watch out for if you want to spot a wig.
The Hairline
Well, this may be a bit tricky to spot if you’re far away from the person. But if you have an up-close look, you may be able to detect it. When the hairline doesn’t blend with the natural hairline of the wearer, this shows that the hair is a wig.
This is especially true for a poorly constructed wig or a wig that is not well secured. However, it is more difficult to detect the hairline of high-quality wigs, especially when it’s a frontal or glueless wig.
A way you can spot this is if the wearer is sweating at the hairline alone and not other parts of the body. This shows that the wearer has applied foundation or concealer to the hairline to make it blend.
Also, for individuals with a receding hairline, the hairline may not be attached where it ought to be, and it would be more obvious if the hair is secured at the crown of the head. If you can’t notice any hair coming out of the hairline, it’s very likely the person is wearing a wig.
The Color
It takes someone with a keen eye for details to spot this out. The color of a person’s hair has to align with their eye color in some sort of way. Now, this is really tricky because a lot of people dye their hair just to switch things up and change their hair color to a different color entirely.
For instance, someone with black or brown eyes can’t have platinum blonde or red hair. Now, it often comes down to 2 things. If the hair is dyed or it’s a wig.
If the hair is dyed, you will notice that the color of the roots may be darker than the color of the rest of the hair. But if it’s a wig, the entire hair would be a different shade, and you won’t be able to detect the roots at all.
The Attachment Point
Since we ‘put on’ wigs, they have to be attached somewhere. It could be with a strap, adhesive tape, or glue. If you can figure out the attachment point, then the person is wearing a wig. Although, this may be a bit difficult to detect if it’s a frontal wig.
But still, you may figure it out if the wearer did not lay the frontal properly, or if the edges don’t stay flat. Also, if the baby hairs are longer than the natural length, or are too extravagant and sequentially curled, then it could be a wig. However, keep in mind that attachment points are easier to spot in low-quality wigs.
Body Language
Without looking at the wig itself, carefully observing the body language of the wearer can tell. A person wearing a wig is often conscious of their movements. They even do this without being aware of it. Reflexes and gestures like touching the head, ears, and the back of the hair are usually common.
Some people also hold their heads in an unnaturally rigid position in fear that the wig will fall off and that it. This makes them appear in a stiff position, and it’s easy to tell that something isn’t adding up.
Lump or Ridges
This should be the foremost way of detecting if someone is wearing a wig. If you can notice a lump, or say, an imbalance in the head shape of a wearer, it’s likely to be a wig. You would often see lumps or ridges when there’s existing hair underneath.
This mostly happens when the hair underneath is not well packed to lay flat. When the wig is put on, it doesn’t balance, nor does it lay flat. This makes it super easy to detect that it’s a wig.
The Shine of the Hair
This is an easy giveaway for synthetic or processed wigs, as they are often very shiny. Natural hair doesn’t shine as much as synthetic does, and this is because of the processing that the wig undergoes, which often leaves a lot of shine on the wig.
So, when you see someone with hair that is overly shiny and glossy, best believe that it’s a wig. Ain’t no doubt about that.
Length and Volume
We don’t have many ‘Rapunzels’ in the world. So when you see someone with overly long and voluminous hair, and maybe alongside the other factors discussed above, such a person is likely to be wearing a wig.
Hair length that is over 30 inches and with a massive volume is rarely natural hair, except if the person is an Indian or from those countries that have strong hair genes.
The Lace or Closure
Oh-my lace! Well, this could be easy and difficult to spot at the same time. For a lace that is not well laid or glued down, it tends to lift up, and this gives the wig away. If you can see a brown lace poking out from the hairline, say no more, it’s a wig.
Also, if it’s a closure, you can easily detect this if you can’t visibly see a well-defined scalp. If the part is very thin and the hair is almost packed together, it’s most likely a wig.
FAQs
Out of curiosity or intent, some of these questions may pop up if you’re trying to detect if someone is wearing a wig, or even if it’s you that’s conscious of other people detecting your wig.
Is it Rude to Ask if Someone is Wearing a Wig?
Yes! It’s very rude. Different people wear wigs for different reasons. Some people wear a wig because they are undergoing chemotherapy or because they have alopecia, while some wear it because they have short hair. And some people wear it just to feel good about themselves.
Overall, wearing a wig often helps people boost their self-esteem and feel good about themselves. So, asking such a question is like questioning their self-esteem or deeming them as fake and unreal. Don’t do it.
Can Wigs Look Like Real Hair?
They can. I mean, the hair used for human hair wigs is gotten from healthy donors who donate their hair. However, these kinds of wigs (100% unprocessed human hair) are often very expensive. On the other hand, synthetic wigs aren’t as expensive but they don’t look like real hair. It’s easy to detect that it’s a wig.
How do I Make Sure My Wig doesn’t Fall Off?
Most wigs won’t fall off as long as they are tightly secured. But if you want an extra grip, you can opt for wig grip bands, wig clips, bobby plains, adhesive grapes, or glue.
Final Verdict
And it’s a wrap! I trust you can now put on your FBI armor and easily detect if someone is wearing a wig or not. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below!