Women’s hair experiences are some of the most personal, complex and exhilarating stories. Whether it be for personal preference, medical reasons or a special occasion, wigs are a great way...

For many people, hair can be your greatest joy or your greatest source of self expression. Wigs offer another way to care for and manage your natural hair and also offer the ability to switch up your look. Whether it be for personal preference, medical reasons or a special occasion, wigs are a great way to express yourself. This article will break down the reasons why people wear wigs. 

1. To protect your natural hair

Wigs serve as a great protective style, particularly for people with naturally textured hair. Protective styles typically consist of braids, twists, buns, faux locs, etc. Using wigs as an additional option for a protective style is great because it allows your natural hair to get a break from styling or manipulation and with the proper preparation techniques, can also help to keep your hair hydrated to retain length and stay healthy. For a protective wig foundation, you will want to cornrow or flat twist your hair in small sections underneath your wig, and use hydrating hair products and oil to seal in the moisture. For people with little to no hair, or thinner hair, you can put your hair in a low bun near the nape of your neck.

Another major way that wigs are used as a protective style is to help women who are going through medical hair loss due to chemotherapy treatments, alopecia or postpartum hair loss. In the hair stories video above, you can hear the hair stories of women who experienced hair loss for different medical reasons and how wigs helped them protect their natural hair and boost their confidence. Some of these women stated that wearing wigs helped them to regain a piece of themselves and feel like their normal selves again - whether they chose a wig that closely mimicked their natural hair pre-hair loss, or if they chose a wig that was a differently look all together, they all spoke about how wearing wigs allowed them to regain a piece of themselves that they felt like cancer, alopecia or postpartum hair loss took from them.

Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation specifically can damage human hair, making it weak and brittle. Wigs let people enjoy life without constantly worrying about whether or not they're exposing their damaged hair. 

2. To give your hair a break

Wigs are a great option to give your natural hair a break by switching up your look. Whether you are used to styling your hair everyday in natural styles or having to maintain heat styles like flat ironing or curling your hair, wigs are a great alternative. In regards to heat styled hair, they also help to give your natural hair a break from the heat process and protect your natural hair.