When people first decide to purchase a wig for whatever reason, most times they feel they need to purchase human hair. Human hair is not always the best choice for everyone. Here are some of the Pros and Cons.
Pro:
Most natural look and feel
Unlimited styling options
Cooler than synthetic fibers
Lasts the longest of all fibers
Con:
Larger cost investment
Reacts to the environment, i.e. frizzes in humidity, goes flat/looses style when wet, etc.
Requires specific care products
Requires styling like your own hair
The cost of human hair is based on origin, processing, quality and length of hair.
ORIGIN
The majority of human hair used for wigs comes from China, India and Europe. Each type offers different benefits based on what is needed in the hair system/wig. The diameter of the hair strand (thickness) differs depending on the origin.
Chinese Human Hair is thicker and tends to hang very smooth and straight
Indian Human Hair is a medium thickness, has more texture and movement in the curl pattern
European Human Hair is the finest of the three and lays smooth with slight movement throughout.
QUALITY
Human hair quality is measured and graded, much like precious stones/gems. A, B, and C grades are given, based on the integrity and overall health of the hair. The hairs is then sorted and used based on the manufacturer's request.
PROCESSING
How human hair is processed plays a big role in cost, longevity and texture. The cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair. This serves as a protective covering that shields the hair from damage and exposure. The cuticle lays in a similar fashion to fish scales, all laying and traveling in the same direction.
Remy human hair comes from a single source, the cuticle runs in the same direction, processed, and then applied to a hair system/wig. This processing takes much more time and detail, therefore is a higher investment.
Non-remy human hair is collected and processed in larger batches, taking less processing time. Remy human hair comes from single sources, where non-remy hair comes from multiple sources. Thus the hair must be treated to remove the cuticle. If the cuticle is not processed correctly, this can cause severe tangling, as the cuticles will grab onto each other running in opposite directions.
Information provided by Jon Renau
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