How To Know If Your Wig Is Giving You Acne: The Link Between Wigs and Acne

If you're prone to acne breakouts around the perimeter of your face and regularly wear wigs, your wigs and acne might be connected. Figuring out if your wig might be causing your breakouts isn't always easy so in this blog we're exploring what to look out for and how to prevent further breakouts.

What's The Link?

While it may not be immediately obvious that your breakouts could be caused by your wigs, when you look into it more closely, it becomes clearer. 

We use different products when styling our hair and wigs and as your wig touches your face, these products get into direct contact with your skin, particularly around the perimeter of your face–your edges and your cheeks.  From shampoo and styling products to your wig glue, any of these things could be contributing to your breakouts; either due to specific ingredients or fragrances within them.

Wig glue and isopropyl alcohol in particular can be common causes for breakouts around your hairline. NYC based, licensed aesthetician Tiara Willis explored the dark side of wig glue in relation to skincare problems in a guest blog with us.

Looking into the ingredients and fragrances within your hair products including wig glues can help you identify which products could be causing the breakouts.

Now that we've covered some of the links between wigs and acne, let's discuss how we can prevent them: 

Change Your Attachment Method

Switching comedogenic styling products like glue with other alternatives can prevent acne breakouts caused by wigs. We recommend ditching the glue altogether in favour for the Wig Fix.

Created by The Renatural, the Wig Fix is a silicone hair gripper that uses the natural gripping abilities of silicone to ensure your wig stays secure. As it eliminates and minimises the need for glue, it's a great way of minimising breakouts caused by wig glue. 

Switch Your Hair Supplier

This one is a little more difficult as the wig and hair extension industry is notoriously unregulated despite how big it has become so it can be difficult to know who you're buying from and where the hair you're using for your wigs is coming from. 

Virgin and raw hair have become top choices for people when buying their wigs and hair extensions as they're seen as higher quality for not undergoing chemical treatment. Hair grades are often used to categorise the quality of these hair extensions however with no industry regulation, you might not always be getting what you're promised. Instead of untreated human hair, you could actually be getting highly processed synthetic hair with chemicals that could be causing your breakouts. 

To prevent this from happening, it's always key you do your research. Look into the seller, ask them questions and look for online reviews and videos from other people to help you distinguish genuine vendors from potentially fraudulent ones. 

Switch Up Your Skincare  

Another way to prevent acne breakouts caused by wigs is by ensuring you pay attention to your skincare routine. As breakouts around the hairline when wearing wigs are often caused by a buildup of sweat, dirt and products, double cleansing is crucial especially if you've used glue or products like edge control. 

First cleansing with an oil based cleanser and following this up with a water based cleanser can make a huge difference. The oil cleanser helps break down impurities and the water cleanser helps in leaving the skin free of anything the oil didn't remove.

A quick swipe at your face with a micellar water or worse, a makeup wipe won't cut it if you want the best for your skin so taking the extra two minutes to add this step into your routine can make a huge difference. We recommend double cleansing to prevent wig related breakouts in the evenings and using a light, gentle cleanser in the morning. 

If your breakouts have calmed down but you're left with scarring and/or hyperpigmentation, products like Faded by Tropicals can help fade them overtime. PS: Make sure you don't skip out on the sunscreen or your marks could just end up getting worse!

Stick To A Routine 

While the tips mentioned above can be useful, it's important to stick to them consistently. Trying them a few times and stopping when you see improvements can lead to your breakouts recurring. Ensuring you actively implement them into your regular routine and lifestyle will help you keep any annoying breakouts at bay. 

Let us know which of these tips you'll be trying out and leave your own tips in the comments!

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