How To Stop Wig From Shedding?

Wig shedding can be frustrating, but with proper care, you can minimize hair loss and extend the lifespan of your wig. Here are some effective ways to prevent wig shedding:

1. Seal the Wefts (For Wefted Wigs)

• Use a weft sealer (like Fray Check or fabric glue) on the wig’s tracks to keep the hair from loosening.
• Apply a thin layer along the weft and let it dry completely before wearing or washing the wig.

2. Be Gentle When Brushing

• Use a wide-tooth comb or a wig brush (preferably with looped bristles) to detangle the wig.
• Start brushing from the ends and work your way up to prevent unnecessary pulling.
• Avoid brushing while the wig is wet, as this weakens the fibers and causes more shedding.

3. Wash the Wig Properly

• Use a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo and a lightweight conditioner to avoid drying out the hair.
• Always wash the wig in cool or lukewarm water—hot water weakens the knots and increases shedding.
• Pat dry with a towel instead of rubbing to prevent friction damage.

4. Avoid Over-Manipulation

• Constant styling, heat, and frequent part changes can loosen hair from the lace or weft.
• Try low-manipulation styles and limit excessive combing throughout the day.

5. Be Careful with Heat & Styling

• If using heat tools, apply a heat protectant first.
• Use low to medium heat settings to prevent damage to the fibers.
• Avoid excessive product buildup, which can weaken the wig over time.

6. Store the Wig Properly

• When not in use, place the wig on a wig stand or mannequin head to maintain its shape and reduce tangling.
• If traveling, store it in a silk or satin bag to prevent friction.

7. Avoid Sleeping in Your Wig

• Tossing and turning can cause friction, leading to shedding.
• If necessary, wear a satin bonnet or scarf over the wig to reduce friction.

8. Secure Lace Wigs Correctly

• Avoid excessive glue, tape, or alcohol-based removers, as they can weaken lace knots.
• Use a lace knot sealer (like TDI Lace Knot Sealer) to reinforce the knots and reduce shedding.

Reasons Why Your Wig Shed

Some of the reasons for excessive shedding with or without combing your wigs are: 

1. Scratching your head

Your wig may be shedding if you've been scratching your head while wearing it. This is because scratching can loosen the knots make friction create holes, and result in shedding.

If you notice your natural hair is itching, it means you might have a dry itchy scalp. You may need to pay some attention to it too. You can shampoo, condition it (using anti-itching shampoo), and put in some oils, like tea tree oil (Oils like that help with the itching and provide nutrients to your scalp). Keeping your natural hair moisturized will put the itching at bay. 

But for whatever reason, if you keep scratching your head while wearing a wig, your hair will shed. 

2. Brushing Incorrectly

Have you ever subconsciously taken your brush to the root of your wig to brush through? If you have, you're not alone. We've all at one time done that. But that can affect the wigs and cause them to tangle and shed.

Brushing your hair without being gentle will cause them to pull out eventually. If they are tangled, aggressively combing them out won’t solve the problem, it will only lead to shedding. So, don’t.

3. Not Washing your Wig Regularly

Irregular washing does not only keep your wigs dirty and accumulate products, but it can cause tangles which will result in shedding afterward. Maintaining a good and proper wash care routine is key to keeping your wigs from shedding. 

Likewise, using products that contain sulfate, parabens, and alcohol can affect the hair greatly. Regular shampoos have these ingredients in them. So, making use of a regular shampoo is bad for your wigs.

4. Remove all adhesives

Are you used to reapplying glue over another glue? Well, that’s bad. Reapplying glue thins out the hairline - causing patches and loopholes that lead to shedding.

While some people opt for alcohol to remove adhesives, you can use any one of your choice. However, using an improper adhesive removal method like hand-peeling will damage the hair over time.

Also, excessive pulling of the hair due to any glue remnants and washing of the hair while there are still adhesives in it can cause your wig to tangle and then shed.

5. Conditioning the Base of Your Wig

Applying too much conditioner on the base (lace) of your wig creates buildup. At the same time, it loosens the knots on the wigs which can lead to shedding. Heavy-weight conditioners can also add to buildups at the base of your wigs too. That makes it important to go for lightweight products.

Still, not washing these products out properly will damage the wig, making it look dull, and also expose it to shed and damage. You’ll be left wondering what happened and how you can fix it. 

6. Over-bleaching the knots

You might want your knots to look so good that you bleach them. However, the downside is that bleaching your knots excessively loosens the knots and that allows your wig to shed.