Wig Springs

One thing I forgot to mention in my last post, but which probably deserves a mini-post of its own is the wig springs!

Earlier in the year, I was talking about them and a person reading this blog asked me to provide further information, which I did. However, as I had not used them, I couldn't really comment on them in-depth, beyond the information I had read/been provided with by suppliers.

Now I have actually used them in a wig, I can give a bit more commentary. Here are the basic facts:

1. The plastic ones I have come in 3 sizes. The size relates to the length.
2. They are made from a very slightly bendy, white-ish plastic.
3. They need to be covered with galloon before you can use them.

Extra information relating to points 1-3:

I tried all 3 sizes at various points/positions on the wig I was converting (from full lace to more of a regular style that does not require bonding). The largest, which are the longest, work very well in the back of the wig. I used two of these - each one stretching on the diagonal from the two 'corners' of the nape towards the occipital bone. Using the other two sizes was less successful. You have to cover the plastic with galloon in the same colour as your cap (or your flesh); a. so they are not noticeable and b. so that you can sew them to the wig cap as the plastic would not hold otherwise (there is no obvious way of sewing simply the plastic on) and it might rub your skin. Because you have to cover them, this increases the bulk and I found that at the front, if I positioned them nearer the front edge/front hairline area, in a way which in theory would be better for a closer fit, they pushed the sides of the wig out and you would be able to see them (or be conscious that they might be seen).

In addition, these plastic springs are not as bendy as I had hoped for. I knew they wouldn't be "bendable in half", but I did think they would be more malleable than they are. The bendability - is that even a word? - of them is minimal. When I compare them to the springs I can feel in mass manufactured wigs I have worn in the past, they are definitely less bendy, and as such, I find that they are not as useful when trying to mould the wig so that it lies closer to the skull.

The reason I was trying to use these plastic wig springs as opposed to the metal ones, is because they are safer from a rusting point of view. However, I am now beginning to think I shall try the metal ones too - I will get hold of some and try them on my next wig - as I have a feeling they might, just might, be a lower profile.  I also think they may be a bit more bendy and flexible, which is what I really need. Of course, to address the possibility of them rusting, I shall have to buy some protective material, which again needs to be tightly bound around the spring.

I will have to report back my findings in the future.

Wig Springs

So I have been asked a question: 

What exactly are wig springs and how are they used?

• Wig springs are used in traditional or regular wigs. They are added at specific points on the wig foundation in order to help it to cling securely to the head. An example that many of us wig wearers will be familiar with are the bendable ear tabs at the sideburn area of many wigs. If you bend these ear tabs, they flex slightly and will stay in the position that you bend them. It is possible to achieve a better and closer fit to the side of the head by altering these slightly. Traditionally in regular wigs and wigs used on stage, these "springs" have been used at other points on the foundation, such as near the nape or the on the sides of the head near the ear, as while a custom wig should fit well, this helps give an even better and more secure fit and lessens the amount of clips/combs and adhesives that need to be used.

• What are they made from? - Originally they were metal and looked like an actual spring, however now you can buy plastic ones. The advantage of the plastic ones is that they do not rust. A metal spring can be used, but it must be encased in a waterproof material before you can sew it onto the wig foundation or else it will rust when you wash the wig. The more modern versions are similar in material to the plastic boning that can be found in corsetry. 

A metal spring:

A plastic wig spring:

You can buy these springs from a wig supplies company and they come in various sizes. They are inexpensive. Tip - If you want to see what one looks like and have an old wig with bendable ear tabs, cut the seams on the ear tab of the wig and take it apart; you should find a small piece of plastic or wire inside some ribbon type stuff (galloon).

I am planning on using some of these springs in order to give the wig more structure and security as I do not want to bond it.