How to Test Hair Pieces to See If They Are Human Hair or Not
Human hair wigs are softer, longer-lasting and more comfortable than synthetic wigs. They are also considerably more expensive, which might lead an unscrupulous wig-maker or wig seller to mix human and synthetic hair in a wig. Before buying a wig or hairpiece, you should test the hair to see what a wig is made of. Finding out if a wig is made of human or synthetic hair is easy and the test can be completed in a matter of seconds. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Snip a couple strands of hair from different parts of the wig or hairpiece. If synthetic and human hairs have been mixed, testing one part isn't enough.
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Hold a strand of hair in the tweezers. Put a lighter flame to the end of the hair to ignite it and then pull the flame away.
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Pay attention to the smell and the way the hair burns. Human hair has a distinctive sulfuric odor. When it is lit, the flame will flicker out quickly unless you continue burning it and the ash will be powdery.
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Watch how synthetic hairs burn. Synthetic fibers will continue to burn up quickly after you've taken the flame away. Polyester hair burns and melts at the same time, has a slightly sweet smell and leaves sticky beads on your fingers. Nylon hair smells like cooked vegetables and will burn up quickly with a sparkling flame, leaving hard beads behind.
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