5 Stylist-Approved Ways to Straighten a Synthetic Wig

• Secure the wig on a styrofoam head with sewing or T-pins. Then, detangle the wig using a wide-toothed comb.
• Put the wig in the bathroom and run hot water in the shower until the room is steamy. Then, gently comb out the hair again using a wide-toothed comb.
• Remove the wig from the bathroom once condensation starts to form and transfer it to a cool, dry space.

Preparing the Wig

Get a Styrofoam wig head. You can buy them in costume shops, well-stocked arts and crafts shops, wig shops, and in certain beauty supply shops. You can also buy them online. They look like a human head, complete with a neck, except that they are made out of white Styrofoam.

Put the wig head on a secure stand so the fibers can hang loosely. You can buy a wig stand online or from a wig shop. You can also make own by sticking a wooden dowel into a wooden base with a hole drilled into the middle of it. Here are some other options for wig stands: A toilet plunger will work well for short and medium-length wigs. A soda bottle filled with water, sand, or rocks will work for short wigs. A camera tripod will allow you to rotate the wig head to any angle.

Place your wig over the wig head and secure it with pins. Push a pin right through the top of the head, at the temples, along the sides, and at the nape. You can use either sewing pins or T-pins.

De-tangle your wig with a wide toothed comb or a wire wig brush. Gently run the comb or brush through the fibers. Work in small sections, and start from the ends first. Work your way up to the top. Never brush a wig straight down from the roots to the ends. Never use your personal hairbrush. The oils from your hair will damage the fibers. Do not use a regular hairbrush. This includes boar bristle and paddle brushes. This can also damage the fibers and mar the finish.

Using Hot Water

Gently run a wide-toothed comb through your wig to get rid of any tangles. Once you get your wig wet, you will not be able to brush it again until the fibers dry. Brushing a wet wig can lead to frizz and damaged fibers.

Place a pot of water on the stove and clip a thermometer to the side. You will need to boil your water to a specific temperature range. Also, try to use the largest pot you can find so that you will have enough water to pour over your wig. The longer your wig is, the larger pot you will need.

Heat the water to 160°F to 180°F. This is very important. If the water is not hot enough, the wig won't straighten. If the water is too hot, the fibers may melt.

Pour the hot water over the wig. If you have a very long wig, consider dipping the entire wig (still on the wig head) into the pot for 10 to 15 seconds, then pulling the wig out. Place the wig head back onto its stand.

Do not brush the wig. If you see some tangles, you can gently smooth them out with your fingers. Brushing a wet wig will damage the fibers.

Let the wig dry. If you are in a hurry, you can place the wig in front of a fan. You can also blow a hairdryer over the wig, just make sure to use the "cool" setting.

Repeat the process if necessary. This method will usually straighten wavy wigs the first time. If your wig is very curly, you may need to repeat the whole process one or two more times. It also depends on how straight you want your wig to be. Let the wig dry completely before straightening it again.

Using Steam for Gentle Straightening

Put the wig stand in the bathroom. If there are any windows open, be sure to close them. You want to trap as much steam as possible.

Run hot water in the shower until the room is steamy. How long it takes for the steam to appear will depend on how warm or cold the room was to begin with.

Gently brush the wig with a wide toothed comb or a wire wig brush. Always start brushing from the ends first, and work your way up to the roots. The steam will heat the fibers up and cause the curls to loosen.

Remove the wig from the room once condensation starts to build. Transfer the wig to a cool, dry place.

Using a Hairdryer for Extreme Straightening

Gather all of the hair, except the bottom section, into a loose bun at the top of the wig. Secure the bun with a hair clip. The only hair that is hanging loose should be the hair that is sewn along the bottom edge/hem of the wig. If you look closely, you may notice that the hair is sewn to the wig cap in rows. These are known as wefts. Pay attention to these. You will be using them as your guide.

Spray the bottom layer with water. This will keep the fibers from overheating.

Gather a 1 to 2 inch (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) wide section of hair. The best place to grab this section is from the front of the wig, at one of the temples. This way, you can work your way around the back of the wig and to the other side.

Smooth the fibers down with a wide toothed comb or a wire wig brush. Make sure that the section is completely tangle-free.

Set the hairdryer to a low heat setting. Do not use a high heat setting; this will cause the fibers to melt.

Move the comb/brush and hairdryer downwards at the same time. Once the section of hair is completely tangle-free, place the comb/brush at the roots of the wig. Make sure that the bristles are under the fibers. Hold the hairdryer a few inches away from the fibers with the nozzle pointing towards the fibers. Slowly move the comb/brush and hairdryer down towards the ends of the section at the same time. Keep the fibers between the comb/brush and the hairdryer nozzle at all times.

Repeat, working upwards by section. Once you have finished a row, undo the bun and let the next layer fall loose. Gather the rest of the hair into a loose bun and secure it once again with a clip. Use the wefts/rows as your guide. You can work with one to two wefts/rows at a time.

Straightening a Heat-Resistant Wig

Use this method only on heat-resistant wigs. Some wigs are made from heat-resistant fibers. This means that the usual wig straightening methods will not work on them. You can, however, use a hair straightening on a heat-resistant wig. Do not use this method on any other synthetic hair wig. The heat will melt the fibers. The wig will usually say on the packaging whether or not it is heat-resistant. If you bought your wig online, the website will tell you if the fibers are heat-resistant. If the website does not say anything, the wig is most likely made from regular synthetic fibers that are not heat-resistant.

Pull the wig hair up into a loose bun, but leave the bottom-most weft loose. Secure the wig hair with a clip. The hair that is attached to the hem of the wig should be the only part that is hanging loose. This is the first layer of hair that you will be straightening. If you look closely at your wig, you may notice that the hair is sewn into the wig cap in rows. These are known as wefts. You will be using them as your guide.

Take a small section of hair and smooth out any tangles. Select a 1 to 2 inch (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) wide section of hair. The best place to take the hair is from one of the temples. This way, you can work your way around the back of the wig and to the other side. Once you have your section, smooth out any tangles with a wide toothed comb. Always work from the ends first; never run a comb straight down from the roots to the ends.

Spray the small section of hair with water. Fill a spray bottle with water, then damped the section with it.

Turn your iron on to the lowest heat setting possible. Try to get the temperature somewhere between 160°C and 180°C (320°F to 356°F). This will be the safest for your wig. Some heat-resistant wigs can handle temperatures up to 410°F (210°C). Check the website where you bought the wig to find out what is the safest temperature for it.

Run the section through the iron like you would with your own hair. You may see some steam, which is normal. If necessary, go over the strand a few more times until it is as straight as you want it.

Allow the fibers to cool down. Once they have cooled, you can run your comb through them and let them hang naturally from the wig.

Repeat the process for the rest of the row. Check for any ripples, and smooth them out with the hair straightener.

Once you have finished that row, undo the bun and let down the next layer of hair. Once again, try to use the wig wefts as a guide. You can work with one to two wefts at a time.