According to a study, approximately 6-38% of women experience frontal hair loss. Losing hair can cause psychosocial distress and even make someone lack self-esteem. [1]
For this reason, women wear hair toppers to conceal any bald spot on the crown or add volume to thinning hair. As a result, they feel more beautiful and gain confidence in their appearance.
However, despite recent trends, these hairpieces are not yet well-known to some people.
Today, we created a simple guide to help you learn all there is to know about a hair topper.
Let’s begin!
What Is A Hair Topper?
A hair topper, also known as a half wig or wiglet, is a hairpiece attached to specific areas of the scalp to conceal thinning hair or bald spots. Unlike full wigs, they only cover part of the head.
Even so, toppers effectively add volume and create an illusion of natural hair growth. They blend perfectly with your natural hair, including the hairline.
The hair topper comprises hair attached to a monofilament lace or silk base. The base comes in different sizes, and the hair’s length, style, and thickness also vary. Also, they have pressure-sensitive snap clips that hold them in place.
They are a good option for those suffering from hair loss on the crown or top of their head. Other than that, they offer a solution for creating more volume and hair density for thin or flat hair.
The Benefits of Hair Toppers
Hair toppers disguise hair loss or thinning and offer many advantages. Here are some of their benefits.
Comfortable
Hair toppers will not cause irritation provided you attach them properly. The snap clips keep them firm and secure for a comfortable wearing experience. You, therefore, do not have to worry about them falling off.
On top of that, a hair topper is much more lightweight when compared to a wig. It has a much smaller cap, less hair, and does not cover the whole head, thus making it more breathable.
Due to its features, you can wear it even in warmer climates without any potential discomfort.
Natural Look
The hair topper cap mimics natural hair growing from the scalp. Once you put it on, you can blend it with your bio hair to look like full, natural hair.
Also, you can part it in any direction, and it will still look natural. Nobody will notice you are wearing a topper in the first place.
Quick Tip: You can customize the part to look more realistic. Consider plucking a few hairs using tweezers to make it a little messy.
Convenient
Toppers are easy to style and come as a to-go hairstyle for most people. Unlike wigs, they offer quick transformation and instantly add fullness to your hair.
This is because they only focus on a specific area on the top of the head. Besides, it is just a simple clip-n’-go step, and you do not have to wear wig caps or use other lengthy procedures.
Usually, it takes about 3-5 minutes to install hair toppers with pressure-sensitive clips. After installation, you can easily use heat-styling tools to create waves or curls on the hair.
Affordable
Hair toppers cost lower because they come in smaller pieces. This means they have a smaller base construction, thus incurring minimal labor costs.
Compared to wigs, a hair topper is relatively much more affordable. You can get a quality human hair topper at a price ranging from 200-$1000. This is about half the price of full human hair wigs. Besides, their cost does not go beyond the budget of most individuals.
Easy to Maintain
The lightweight nature of a hair topper makes it easier to wash and care for than a full wig. Fortunately, the natural oils secreted from the scalp onto the natural hair do not get to the topper.
For this reason, hair toppers do not get oily as often as natural hair does. Therefore, you do not have to wash them frequently.
I recommend washing the hair topper once or twice every 2 weeks. Ensure you do not overwash the hair topper; otherwise, it can dry out. This can further reduce the longevity of the hairpiece.
How To Choose The Right Hair Topper
Hair toppers come in different sizes, thicknesses, lengths, and styles. This is why it is essential to do your research before purchasing one. Here are some tips on how to choose a hair topper.
Measure Hair Loss Area
It is crucial to determine your stage of hair loss and see if a topper would be a good solution. Then, measure the hair loss area to ensure you get a topper that fits well. You will need a soft measuring tape, pen, and paper to take the measurements. [2]
First, measure the hair loss area from side to side to determine the width and then from front to back to get the length. Then, record your measurements. The bigger the balding spot on your scalp, the bigger the base size you require.
Next, add an extra inch to every measurement you recorded to find the correct topper base size. The added inch ensures that the topper clips attach to strong, healthy hair. This is why the topper needs to be wider than the actual area of hair loss.
Note: You should avoid attaching clips to damaged or thinning hair. Otherwise, you risk creating tension in already damaged hair and causing breakage.
Choose Base Type
Hair topper base types vary and offer different features. Depending on the hair loss area, longevity, and affordability, you can pick the base type.
Some suitable base types include monofilament, French lace, skin, etc.
A monofilament base mimics natural hair growth from the scalp. The hair moves freely, making it easy to part in different directions. They also have a mesh lace design for more ventilation and breathability.
On top of that, the scalp’s base is silky soft and smooth. This makes them more suited for people who are undergoing chemotherapy.
On the other hand, a lace base type provides the most natural look and mimics a natural hairline. It is easy to part or style however you like. And skin bases are affordable, easy to maintain, thin, and natural-looking.
Select Hair Type
Depending on your natural hair texture, you can pick from curled, wavy, or straight styles.
Also, heat-resistant synthetic hair and human hair toppers would be great options. Unlike regular synthetic hair, you can style them using heat without causing damage.
Furthermore, consider the hair density and pick a hair topper with the same density as your hair. The right density ensures comfort and does not cause further damage to the scalp.
Determine Hair Color
Select a hair topper with a shade similar to your natural hair color. This way, the hair will blend in seamlessly and look more natural.
For instance, pick a topper with darker roots if your natural roots are darker. You can go lower or upwards with a shade or two. That’s completely okay!
However, it can sometimes be challenging to match the exact colors.
I recommend using a color ring if you want the right topper shade from home. This will give you an idea of which shade goes hand in hand with your natural hair color.
How To Put On A Hair Topper
For the hair topper to stay comfortably on the head, you must put it on the right way. Wearing it correctly will also ensure that it fits well to make it look more natural. Here are three simple steps to help you put on a hair topper.
Step 1: Part your hair to the side or middle, according to how you will part the hair topper.
Step 2: Wear the topper and align its part with the part on your natural hair.
Note: If you have a lot of frontal hair, you can align the topper 1 or 2 inches behind the natural part. But if you have thin hair at the front, put it about ½ inch behind the natural part. The topper will look more natural that way.
Step 3: Attach the clips carefully and gently brush the hair to blend it with your natural hair.
FAQs About Hair Toppers
Hair Toppers, Wigs, or Hair Extensions, How to Choose?
The first thing to consider before picking either of these hairpieces is the purpose of your head coverage.
Hair toppers have a smaller base, less hair, and will only cover a portion of your head. However, wigs usually provide full hair coverage to your head and can be helpful to those with severe hair loss. On the other hand, hair extensions add thickness and length to the hair. They are mostly ideal for people experiencing hair thinning or those with shorter hair.
Do Hair Toppers Damage Existing Hair?
No! Hair toppers do not cause any damage to your natural hair. They offer a safe way to disguise hair loss or create more volume at the crown.
However, if not attached or removed correctly, the clips can irritate the scalp and damage natural hair. You should use them correctly to avoid putting undue pressure on your hair.
How Long Do Hair Toppers Last?
A hair topper can last 6 months to over a year when worn daily and if you take good care of them.
You can make it last longer by avoiding frequent washing. Another way to make it last longer is to use sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners. These products will prevent it from drying out as they do not strip oils from the hair.
Final Thoughts
Now you know all about a hair topper, its benefits, and how to install it. Also, you should be able to choose the right one depending on the stage of your hair loss.
How do you pick your hair topper? Let us know in the comments below!
