Shopping for something new can be difficult. The fact that you are new to the product and the process can be daunting. Add to the fact that maybe you do not actually want to get a wig but circumstances are such that you need one makes it even more stressful. I hope that these tips can help you find the perfect wig for you.

The first thing I tell a woman who calls about buying her first wig is that she should see it as shopping for anything else. If it was a jacket or a car or a phone its basically the same thing; you want the right colour, style, fit and price.

The first thing that you may encounter is sticker shock. There is a wide range of prices for wigs and that depends on the type of hair used and its manufacturing method. Its really not practical to get into every aspect of wig making and the details of how a wig is made, but there are a few things you should know.

The least expensive hair used in wigs is synthetic. Then comes processed human hair and then virgin European. The processed hair is natural but it has been bleached and dyed so the lighter colours sometimes can be a bit wonky. Virgin European is the most natural but it comes at a premium.

Like any shopper you should be “results oriented.” You need a wig that will do all of three things. Its like a bar stool needs all three legs to work.

  1. It must look good.
    Their reputation aside many wigs can look amazing. And this can be done with a synthetic or a human hair. Try stuff on and get a good look. Remember that most wigs will require some styling so you will have to use some imagination to have it
  2. It must fit comfortably.
    Sometimes a wig cap can have scratchy materials inside. Some have combs and clips that are worse than useless if you have no hair. You should be able to move your head from side to side without the cap moving. If you look straight up a t the ceiling you should feel it living at the nape. If you look at the inside is there anything there that could cause irritation? This can sometimes be hard to judge because many women try on wigs before they lose their hair. But you can usually be able to tell.
  3. It must be reasonably secure.
    You have to remember that a wig is essentially a hat with hair, so it does have some limitations when it comes to security. It should be fine in a regular gust of wind, but not if you go off the three meter board. Many times if you still have some of your own hair that can make the wig slide a bit. You may require a ‘wig cap’ or a special headband to wear under the wig to give it some traction. That is not a biggie.

If you are able to satisfy these three issues you should have a lovely wig that you will enjoy with confidence. If you have any questions please email me at
mi*****@co*************.com

woman wearing hair extensions and sunglasses

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Back in the 1960’s wearing hair was a fashion statement. A woman was not considered “with it” unless she was wearing a ‘fall’ or a ‘wig’. It was a time when women wore gloves when they went to a hockey game (and a man wore a suit).

It was round about then that my mother, Emma Suba, created what my father named The Postiche.

Wigs for Thinning Hair

This was a small hairpiece that gave a woman the ability to have a little more length and/or height. It attached to her hair with a large comb. I know it was popular because when I was in first grade back in 1970 I gave one to my teacher and she was absolutely thrilled. It was still a fashion accessory though. A woman wanted to be seen wearing one. But later in the 70’s and 80’s the fashion changed and the postiche faded into history.

In the 90’s I had taken over the management of Continental Hair we were mostly doing women’s wigs. However I started to have more and more women coming to see me with thinning hair problems. Back then we were really the only wig salon in southern Ontario so they naturally called on us. A wig was way too much for their thinning hair loss. Then I remembered the old postiche that my mother had designed. I changed the base and put men’s “clips” on the inside to attach to her hair.

It was beautiful. And women loved it.

I made several design changes over the years to make it lighter and more natural. a ‘French Part’ and lace front are the most recent. But the main thing that has determined the postiche’s success is the fact that we always use really beautiful hair. And not a lot of it. I know women today do not want to look like Miss Louisiana 1968 (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But my clients want the postiche to be undetectable. Seamless. And it is. I actually know that you have seen one. There are several prominent Canadian women that wear a postiche that I made for them. Some are entertainers, some report the news. Some make news. And they are totally confident going on stage or in front of a camera. It gives me a special kind of pride when I am watching TV with a group and see a client of mine on the screen and no one can tell that she is wearing a postiche I designed and made for her.

And now things have changed. When I hosted a group of world hair replacement professionals in 2009 they were astonished to see what was my biggest seller. You see, most hair replacement salons concentrate on permanent attachment systems. When a woman has a permanent attachment hair system she comes in every month to have it re-attached, or serviced. This way the salon has a steady income month to month and the woman has hair that she never takes off herself. My colleagues were astonished that I would not see a client again for years until they wanted a new postiche. I had to tell them that clients come back because they love the look and can maintain it themselves.

By the way, we do permanent attachments at Continental Hair, but that is another blog.

And now EVERYONE is selling the postiche, although they call it a “topper’.  This is good that now women’s hair enhancement is becoming more mainstream. Everyday it becomes more acceptable for a woman to be proactive about her hair loss. But the downside of this is that there are a lot of toppers out there that do not wear well or look good. This is (mostly) because of cost. Inexpensive processed hair is used with short cut-manufacturing methods put together with an unimaginative old fashioned base design. These new toppers are usually heavy and obvious. And so just like any product you have various levels of quality. I cannot blame anyone really since they are new to this. Continental Hair has had 30 years of practice at perfecting the topper, or postiche.

So when looking for a postiche/topper I suggest that you look at the following factors:

  1. Do you like the hair quality? Does it look natural? Does it blend with your hair and match the colour?
  2. Is the base of the topper a good size or is it more than you need? Is it light? Can you see through it (a good sign).
  3. Is there the right amount of hair for you? Most first time wearers are terrified of too much hair, even if its only a little more. But many toppers have waaaay too much.
  4. Is colouring and styling of the postiche/topper included? Do they stand behind it?

My most important bit of advice: Try stuff on. I always tell women that call me that they should see it as  they are just shopping. Look for something in you colour and size and price range, just like a coat or a car. Hair is important (and can be expensive), but you are looking at a positive enhancement of your appearance and that is a good thing. Hair loss can be traumatic and finding the right solution for you is life changing. I know this because countless women have told me so. It worked for them, and it can for you.

Most women have no idea that the postiche even exists. The few who do know it call it by its modern name, the “topper”. But it’s been around since my mother invented it in the ’60s (my father named it, sorry). Back then it was more of a fashion statement than a hair loss solution. But Continental Hair always designed them with virgin European hair so they would look AMAZING. I have a client who had my mother make her one of these for her wedding back in 1968. The one she wears now that I made for her is A LOT more subtle.

The way the modern Postiche came about was that in the early 1990’s I was making a hair system for a client who wanted it permanently attached. She had thinning hair and this small hair system was bonded (glued) onto her head. She moved away to Europe and I had an extra one for her so when a new client came to see me I saw that it was a perfect match for her hair. She did not want it bonded. We used comb clips for men’s hairpieces for years so I had my stylist add some clips and it worked!

I played around with the materials and the design over the years. The quest for the perfect postiche was on!

In the design of, well anything, there is always the tug of war between something that is natural and something that lasts. I can make a postiche that will last until the sun explodes but it will not be very comfortable or attractive. Most toppers are made on a base of what is called a fine monofilament, and also a welded monofilament. These have been used in men’s hairpieces since the ’60’s. After several designs in the late ’90’s I came up with the “Suzie” design (named after a client). What I was able to do was get a Japanese fabric which was described as a “polyester silk” as the base material. This is light and breathable but, like silk, is stronger than it looks.

Here is a design that can be bonded or taped to a woman’s head. The inside is monofilament and it is surrounded by a polyurethane “tape tab”.

This is basically a wig with the cap cut off at the back. The flower design under the top says that is a very old design. The lines under the loose mesh show that it is machine wefted. Very large and very heavy.

This one is a “welded” monofilament base. This will last for ages. But it will always betray the wearer up close and it is very hot to wear.

The above are some examples of the “topper.” Continental Hair does NOT carry these. They are basically either a wig with part of the cap removed or men’s hair systems with longer hair. These do not give a woman a natural look, especially when using processed hair.

I know that virgin hair is very expensive (and getting more so almost by the day) but that is the only way to get a truly natural look. Also what needs to be considered is the density. The majority of women who come to Continental Hair for the first time are very worried about suddenly having “a lot” of hair. So a light density with virgin hair will give her a natural look that is believable and enjoyable.

The Suzie design below is the best I have seen in terms of delivering a natural look with a durable but comfortable cap.

The Suzie Design

The lightweight base looks like it’s delicate but it is not. These usually last 2 – 3 years and I have seen some last many years longer. Just think how long a pair of jeans last if you wore them every day. Not nearly as long.

So the Postiche has come a long way. and it keeps getting better and better. The design, the workmanship, the hair and the styling all combine to make a beautiful look for a woman who needs just a little more hair. I am very proud that Continental Hair has what I have to say is the class of the field.

Click here to learn more about the postiche!

Whether you’re a man or a woman, it is at the very least, frustrating when you start to notice that your hair is thinning.  It might be that you’re experiencing a gradual loss of hair or patchy hair loss. Perhaps there’s more shedding of hair than usual and when you use a hairbrush, you see excess strands amongst the bristles.  Maybe your hair stylist or barber has mentioned that your hair’s not as thick as it used to be. Or you’ve undergone a medical treatment that’s caused hair loss. If the above sounds familiar, you could be wondering if your hair will ever look the same again.

So Many Reasons Behind Hair Loss

There are lots of different reasons behind hair loss.  From plain old genetics to illness, to a shocking event in life.  There are other reasons too, a lack of vitamins, poor eating habits, using too many chemical processes (such as hair colouring or hair straightening) and over-use of hair tools.  At Continental Hair, we understand how you might be feeling and want to help you through your hair loss journey.  You may well be able to reverse hair loss, but it doesn’t always work, so it’s comforting to know that there are superb alternatives that can make a world of difference. With today’s modern technologies, our hair pieces and wigs are outstanding works of art that make it almost impossible to tell the difference.

Hair Loss – the Causes

  1.  Stress and Hair Loss

    If you’ve been through a very stressful situation or life event, or perhaps you feel that you are constantly under stress then your hair loss could be the result.  Simply put, stress impacts hair quality.
    Hair grows in three different stages (anagen the growth stage, catagen the resting stage and telogen, the resting and shedding phase). When your body is under stress, these stages change.  A stressful situation or ongoing anxiety can trigger hair growth to suddenly grind to a halt.  You won’t notice this change immediately but after a few months, you’ll see that your hair sheds more than usual and it’s at this point that you’ll notice thinning.  Next, the shedding phase of hair growth (scientific term telogen) lasts longer than normal, and hair falls faster.  In extreme situations, you might even experience alopecia or telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss caused by shock or trauma) or in severe cases, total hair loss.

  2. Over-Processing

    If you’re a slave to hair colouring, or you like to perm or perhaps straighten your hair, this could be a reason for your hair thinning or patchy hair loss.  When hair is constantly under stress from heat and chemicals, its structure alters.  It dries out, becoming brittle and prone to breaking and snapping.  Additionally, constant chemicals on your scalp can cause inflammation, this shrinks the hair’s follicles and hinders new hair from growing healthily. If you do want to colour your hair, seek out an organic hair colour.  Unfortunately, chemical hair straightening and perming (despite today’s products promising safety) will always cause trauma to the hair.

  3. Alopecia

    Alopecia is a condition that affects hair growth, causing hair loss – it doesn’t just affect the hair on your head, it can cause complete body hair loss too.  Sometimes, the condition causes complete hair loss, other times it results in temporary, patchy hair loss.  Alopecia can develop at any time, with no warning. Some people may even experience a full recovery – very quickly but others can go through life with regular flare-ups, with cycles of good regrowth and sudden hair loss.
    cassie johnston - before & after - alopecia

  4. Heated Hair Styling Tools

    Perhaps you don’t feel anxious or stressed and you don’t regularly use chemical products on your hair.  However, you do use hair straighteners or tongs – every day, or even every other day.  There’s no doubt that they impact the hair’s health.  Tongs, hair straighteners and blow dryers all emit heat and when that heat is constantly applied to hair, it reacts by drawing out natural moisture and drying it out which leads to breakage.  Even those big brands that promise less damage won’t make a difference, heat damages hair so the less heat you use, the better your hair quality.  Not only does hair dry out, break and thin, it also loses its glossiness because it lacks natural moisture.  It’s best to avoid them altogether or use them very sparingly, at low heat.  If you insist on using heated hair styling tools, use a heat-protecting spray beforehand.

  5. Chemicals in Shampoos

    It’s possible that the haircare products you’re using could be doing your hair more harm than good.  Certain chemicals found in shampoos can affect hair growth and certainly affect its quality.  There are lots of unnecessary chemicals used in shampoos, such as Sulphates and Parabens.  Sulphates (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Laureth Sulphate) are completely unnecessary in shampoos.  They aren’t cleansers; they’re salts and act as foaming agents creating a lather.  It’s not the lather that cleans hair, and the same sulphates are used in abrasive household cleaners.  They’re very harsh, causing redness on the scalp, itchiness and the tiny salt particles block up the hair follicles interfering with healthy hair growth.
    The other chemicals that you don’t want in your shampoo are Parabens.  These are used as a preservative, so your shampoo has a longer shelf life; however, Parabens are a known irritant, causing dermatitis and eczema.  When your scalp isn’t happy, your hair isn’t happy.  Often, especially with hair loss, that inflammation aggravates the problem and may even cause fungal infection in the scalp too. A Sulphate and Paraben-free shampoo is always best.

  6. Trichotillomania

    Ever heard the phrase “Pulling your hair out”?  It’s usually used in relation to stressful situations and it’s a real condition, called Trichotillomania.  Some people combat stressful feelings with literally pulling hair out!  Obviously, excessively pulling hair out interferes with the hair’s growth and causes patchy hair loss.

  7. Hormonal Changes

    Hormones are another reason why your hair is thinning or you’re losing excessive amounts of hair.  Lots of women experience hair changes post-pregnancy.  During pregnancy, the shedding phase halts, which is why so many pregnant women have thick, glossy hair.  Post-pregnancy, the shedding phase restarts itself and there’s often exaggerated shedding of hair that happens very quickly.  For most women, their hair resorts back to how it was pre-pregnancy but sometimes, the shedding causes extreme hair loss.  Menopause is another reason why hair loss in women occurs.  The fluctuation in hormones, especially the drop in oestrogen can result in hair loss and patchy baldness.

  8. Hereditary Hair Loss

    Hereditary hair loss is mainly found in men (but some women can experience it too).  It is simply down to genetics and there’s not a lot that can prevent it, although sometimes, it can be slowed down.  Its clinical name is androgenic alopecia because it’s affected by androgen, a hormone that’s present in men and women.  If your father or mother experienced hair loss, it is likely you will too.  Your genetics will play a role in the age you experience hair loss, how quickly it happens and the quantity too.

Other Reasons for Hair Loss

There are other reasons why you might experience hair loss, such as medication, auto-immune disorders, an underactive or overactive thyroid gland or poor nutrition.  You should ensure that you eat healthily, include lots of green vegetables and fruit in your diet as well as plenty of protein.  Supplements can help to improve the quality of your hair but always seek advice from a doctor before taking a supplement, especially if you’re on medication.

Hair loss doesn’t have to impact your confidence, nowadays, wigs and hair pieces can make a tremendous difference.  The technology behind today’s weaves is leading-edge and Continental Hair creates the most amazing quality wigs that really do turn heads, in the right way!  We are so proud of the difference we make in our customers’ lives.  We want you to be our next success story.  Have a look at what we can do for you here.

Earlier in the year, I was contacted by a long-time client. She asked me about the Contressa System and would it be appropriate for a teenager going through Alopecia. I told her that it was a perfect solution for alopecia, and many of my younger clients love it because it is so close to getting their hair back. One of my clients would wear it as a traditional wig, taking it off and on whenever she liked but when she would go away on summer courses she would have it bonded down so she would never be without it no matter what.

Well, that’s just what this young teenager wanted. The hair loss had been rapid and traumatic and with the Covid lockdowns, she was anxious for some kind of normalcy. She lives in western Ontario so it was thought best for her and her parents to go to the Sarnia Continental Hair. Vessela, who is an expert on this type of hair design, drove out to Sarnia to meet with her and take her measurements and specs. Since then Vessela has moved to Sarnia permanently and will be looking after her there. In 3 – 4 months all would be ready. (Update: Since the writing of this article, Vessela has become the manager of the Sarnia salon!)

So everything went smoothly. Until late May. The girl’s mother called and asked when her daughter could expect the delivery of her hair system. I checked my book and saw that it should be coming any time. I assured her I would call the moment it arrived. But several weeks passed and it did not get here. I saw that two shipments had come from the factory but her Contressa was not there. I contacted the designer in Milan and asked when I could expect it. He told me that I had already got it. That it was shipped three weeks earlier.

That kinda stunned me. I literally tore my office apart looking for it. I thought it must have come in and I put it away in another client’s spot. Or something. I could not believe that it had arrived and then was misplaced. The next day I was sent the tracking number and looked up my DHL portal to see when it was delivered. There was the problem; it had not been delivered. It was in a warehouse in Hamilton. For almost three weeks it had been there. I phoned my contact at DHL and she started digging. I do a lot of shipping with DHL and they are kind enough to assign me a contact that I can call when I need help. Unfortunately for her, she was just assigned and this was her first experience with me.

I checked the portal daily for any updates. After a few days, I called the girl’s mother to bring her up to date. I was told that if the Contressa was not delivered in a week then she would cancel going to camp. There was no way she would go with a regular wig. I gave her the tracking number so she could check on any progress herself. I also told my DHL contact what was in this shipment and why it was so important. She booted that info upstairs to her bosses (the girl’s mother called and made her case as well) and actually, that seemed to have moved the needle. I do not know quite what the problem was but suddenly it seemed to be solved. I got a call from my DHL person and she was ecstatic. The parcel had been released and I could expect it tomorrow. I checked with the portal and yes, there it was.

So I was relaxed for the first time in 9 days. Then, while I was at home watching Jeremy Clarkson’s Farm, my cell phone rang. I did not see a name but it was a 905 number. I checked the time like I always do when I am at home and the phone rang and it was 7:40. A voice asked if I was Michel Suba:

“Yes,” I replied.
“I am from DHL and I have a parcel for you.”
“Okay, Where are you?” I asked.
“I am in front of your salon.”
Really? It’s almost 8 o’clock why am I getting a delivery now?
“Can you tell me where it’s from?” I inquired
“It’s from Hamilton.”
I started to get a little exasperated. But he seemed to catch on.
“Oh, I see, it’s from Dermal Italy.”
This was The One!
“STAY RIGHT THERE! I AM ONLY THREE BLOCKS AWAY! I WILL BE THERE IN TWO MINUTES!”

I run downstairs and throw on my shoes, not even tying them. I run across the street to my car and race off. I get in front of the salon… and no one is there. I look around for a DHL truck but nothing.

“I think he scarpered.”

I called the number that was called on my phone. No answer. But this man gets out of a black car and asks if I am Michael Suba.
Did they send it from Hamilton with an Uber Driver? Whatever, it’s here. I take it home and keep it where I can see it. I do open it and, yes, it’s hers. I emailed the mom and tell her that “It’s here and it’s spectacular!”
The father, not trusting any more couriers, actually came by and drove it to Sarnia. Vessela applied it and styled it. She sent me photos (which I cannot show) and it looked lovely.

Sometimes you gotta shake the tree to get something loose.

Every year or so this happens to a client of mine. I am actually surprised that it doesn’t happen a lot more considering we work with virgin hair so much. But when it does happen it can be very traumatic. And all too often clients come to us after the fact when we are in damage control mode. Let’s see if we can change that.

Follow the instructions

When you are washing your wig or hair system, it might seem obvious, but you really are better off reading the instructions on how to care for it. Yet sometimes, even if you care for it correctly and even in an older piece that has been worked with for years, something can happen and the hair starts to tangle. This is more likely to happen with virgin hair.

The downside of virgin hair

Virgin hair is top-quality hair, prized for its natural beauty. One of the reasons for this is that it still has the cuticles on the hair shaft.

But it comes at a price.

Because the hair is knotted into the base of the wig or system, the hair shaft must be folded at the knot.*  When this is done, the hairs on the short length of hair after knotting (what I call the “returns”) have their cuticles going in the opposite direction than the longer part of the hair shaft. When wet and agitated roughly, the cuticles will start to barb, and then tangle, and then even dread. This is usually not what you want to happen to your beautiful investment.

DON’T brush it

When you first see some hair bunching (wigmakers call it “flowering” because the loops of hair going back in on itself look like petals) DON’T DO ANYTHING! I mean this. Most people will panic and start trying to brush it out aggressively. This makes it worse by binding the cuticles together more.

DON’T condition it

Some will put lots of conditioner on it. That also makes it worse. The moisturizers make the hair elastic and when you try to comb the knots out the hair shaft will stretch out and then snap back, tangling the flower some more.

DO let it dry

So you literally do nothing. Nothing at all. You go watch some TV or do some gardening or call a friend. Just let the hair dry on its own. When that’s done the hair will be strong and you can work with it.

DO tease it out gently

You take a narrow tail comb, or I even use the tail of a colour comb, and gently tease the hairs out 1 or 2 at a time. It’s time-consuming but if you have stopped when you first noticed the flowering you should not have too much to do. Be patient. When you can have your comb fall through it you can try gently washing it again. Slow and easy. It should be back to normal.

Virgin hair is the most natural there is and I think that there is no better way to get a natural look. The terms “remy” and “virgin” hair have been abused and in many cases, the original meanings have been lost in a rush of marketing. But it does have its downside. Be careful. Don’t panic. It will be fine.

If you have any questions about caring for your wig, feel free to email me with any questions mi*****@co*************.com, or on our Facebook page.

All the best,

Michael

*This is when the hair is knotted properly with the root to root and tip to tip (what the term “remy” hair refers to). If the direction of the hair is mixed then this is a much more serious issue.