How to Ventilate a Wig

Using a ventilating needle to attach the hair can give a wig a more natural look.

Ventilating a wig is the process by which strands of hair are tied to the base material of the wig. A ventilating needle, which is a small hook needle, is employed to knot the hair a few strands at a time to the surface of the wig. This style of hair attachment gives the wig a more natural look than wefting, which was the common way to attach hair to a wig prior to the 19th century. Ventilating a wig requires a base material, such as lace, hair and a ventilating needle.

Things You'll Need

• Wig base material
• Cosmetology mannequin head
• Synthetic or human hair
• Ventilating needle

Instructions

1. Determine the hairstyle you want the wig to have so you know which direction the hair strands should fall on the wig.

2. Place the wig base material on a bald cosmetology mannequin head.

3. Attach two or three strands of hair to a ventilating needle. Start at the neck nape area of the wig and pull the hairs from the underside of the wig through to the top. Fold the strand over to make a loop and put the curve of the hook through the loop. Pull through the lace material.

4. Hold the loose end of the hair strands in on your free hand. Keep the loop on the hook and swing it around and grab the strands that were made after the fold.

5. Bring all the strands of hair through the loop, which will form a knot into the lace material. Pull the knot tight.

6. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 for the remaining back section of the wig. Then work on the sides and the top in the same manner.

7. Loop only a single strand of hair into the ventilating needle when you are working on the front section of the wig in order to create smaller knots in the wig and a more realistic overall look.

References

• ToHair.com: How to Ventilate a Lace Hair Wig
• Makeup-FX: Wigmaking
• Phil Rich International; Phyllis Allen's Professional Series: Lace Front Wigs