Losing one’s hair is saddening, be it for a natural cause like aging or some underlying health conditions. Hair loss can affect one’s self-esteem and may cause unpleasant emotions or embarrassing situations in life.
Of course, you can go for hair transplantation solutions to regain your natural hair. However, most of these treatments are costly. Besides, in some cases, side effects may occur. Thanks to hair toppers and wigs – you can address your baldness or hair-thinning issues by concealing the affected patches nicely. Plus, you don’t have to undergo complex and expensive hair replacement procedures.
A toupee or a wig is a popular choice among many men facing hair-thinning issues. Wigs or toupees are the best men’s hair replacement solutions to boost your self-confidence and save you from embarrassing social situations. In this article, we will guide you through the benefits of wigs and toupees, and how they differ from each other.
What is a Toupee?
A toupee for men is a small, custom-made hairpiece that helps to cover up the area of thinned hair or balding on your scalp. The word “toupee” comes from the Old French word “toupet”, which means “tuft of hair”. These hair enhancements are thatched to the scalp using tape or adhesive.
Modern-day men’s toupees have more advanced designs to make them look realistic. These hairpieces are made from natural or synthetic hair to match your hairstyle and fashion preferences. Today’s toupees can blend with your biological hair nicely.
Wearing a toupee is the quickest and easiest way to mask bald patches or thinned hair. Although you cannot restore your natural hair, toupees do look realistic. It is the best solution for people experiencing severe hair loss and hair thinning due to factors like –
- Baldness
- Trichotillomania (an impulsive hair-pulling disorder)
- Alopecia areata (patchy baldness on the scalp and body)
- Chemotherapy, etc.
Men’s Toupees vs. Men’s Wigs
Toupees and wigs differ in function, coverage, and design. A toupee is a small wig for men, specifically worn to cover a bald spot. On the other hand, wigs are larger hair enhancements that resemble a full head of hair, hence, covering your entire scalp.
Another major difference between a wig and a toupee for men lies in the manner they are attached to one’s head. Usually, toupees stay in place with the help of temporary adhesive. Therefore, they are also known as glue-in toupees. Besides, toupees also have a looser fit, whereas wigs are generally tighter. You can attach wigs using clips, tabs, adhesive, or a lace front to secure them in place seamlessly.
As mentioned earlier, toupees act as a disguise to hide areas of baldness or thinning hair. Although one can use wigs for this purpose, they can also be used for cosmetic purposes or to follow a fashion trend.
Benefits of Men’s Toupee vs. Men’s Wig
Depending on your needs and style preferences, toupees and wigs come with several benefits and features.
Benefits of Toupees
- They look realistic: Unlike the traditional ones, today’s toupees look way more realistic and are well-designed. They blend with your bio hair perfectly and even match your hairstyle, color, length, and type.
- Easy to wear: Toupees are easy to apply and wear because you can attach them without hassle using double-sided tape or temporary adhesive. You can add more adhesive to secure the hair topper in place. Furthermore, removing a toupee for men is also seamless and straightforward, especially when using adhesive removers.
- Non-invasive and Safe: Men’s toupees are among the least invasive hair attachment options to hide hair loss. Unlike hair transplants, medication, or other such hair loss treatment options that are invasive, toupees are safe and quick hair thinning or baldness treatment solutions.
Besides, toupees are purely cosmetic and are attached externally. Therefore, they come with little to no side effects. Although some people may feel uncomfortable wearing toupees due to a minor allergic reaction to the adhesive. But such unpleasant instances are minimal.
- Quick results: Both toupees and wigs offer immediate results, thus boosting their self-confidence and emotional well-being.
Benefits of Wigs
- Comfortable: Modern-day wigs are more comfortable, unlike the yesteryears’. They have a scalp-hugging design to conform to your head’s shape and scalp. Besides providing a seamless and comfy fit, wigs for men are lightweight, thus ensuring you don’t feel any weight on your head and neck even after wearing them throughout the day.
- Low maintenance: Compared to a toupee, a wig is a low-maintenance hair loss treatment option since you don’t need to cut your hair to match your original hair.
- Different styles: You can choose from a variety of styles, materials, hair types, and textures while purchasing a suitable wig. You can choose the one that closely matches your hair type, styling, or color.
- Heat-friendly wigs are available: You can go for heat-friendly wigs to keep all your heat damage worries at bay. These wigs are made of synthetic fibers to resist any damage from excessive heat, such as while being exposed to high temperatures. So, heat-resistant wigs can stay protected when you go near high heat sources, such as using a steaming kettle, opening a microwave oven door, or more popularly, using heat hairstyling appliances.
Disadvantages of Men’s Wigs vs. Men’s Toupees
While a wig or toupee for men can offer multiple advantages, they have some downsides.
Disadvantages of Toupees
- The good ones can be expensive compared to wigs. Plus, you will need accessories like glue or double-sided tape, adhesive remover, a toupee stand, etc.
- Installing can take longer than wig installations.
- Need to be professionally fitted for a more natural look.
- It may look unnatural if you don’t apply it properly or choose the wrong one.
Disadvantages of Wigs
- You will need to match it to your hair type, color, and style while buying a wig.
- It needs a regular wash and care, like your own hair. It’s because wigs react to the weather.
- Synthetic wigs are prone to damage due to heat exposure. Therefore, synthetic wigs need replacement more often unlike natural human hair wigs.
Final Words
This guide will help you choose a better hair replacement for men solution for hair thinning or baldness problems. A bit of research can help you figure out the best option and style to suit your personality and needs. We hope the above benefits and downsides of both wigs and toupees for men will help you make a smarter choice for your hair needs.
