Hair System Maintenance & Aftercare

18 December 2019

You’ve done your research, you’ve taken the personal step to get your hair system fitted and now you have a full head of hair again.

Now for the next step, making your hair system last as long as possible.

Our guide outlines the best aftercare practices to help you keep your hair replacement looking and feeling as fresh as possible.

After a new system is fitted

Remember, it’s best to keep the cut a little longer at first so you can be sure you’d like it chopped more. Once it’s off, it’s off!
A new system can feel thick and bouncy at first. That will settle within 1 to 2 weeks.
It is expected that a new system will shed some hair in the first month, it’s not a cause for concern and is part of how the system settles into your lifestyle.
Try not to mess around with the hair too much, even though it’s tempting! The bond takes up to 24 hours to cure and fiddling with your system can affect the longevity of the bond.
It’s common for people to overanalyse their appearance after they have a system fitted for the first time. It’s important to remember that nobody else will pay as much attention to your hair as you.
You may experience a little bit of lifting around the edges at first. That’s completely normal and can easily be fixed with a little bit of your adhesive.

On average, hair system wearers should wash their hair once to twice a week. As the hair isn’t getting the natural oils from your scalp, washing your hair too much can lead to dryness and more than once or twice a week isn’t necessary.
Don’t go overboard with shampoo! Pour roughly a 10p amount into the palm of your hand. Don’t rub the hair or use a circular motion whilst washing the hair. Instead, gently smooth the shampoo through the hair in one direction and use a vent brush with nodules on the end or a wide tooth comb to detangle. Apply the same method with conditioner to keep your hair system feeling lovely and soft.
Make sure your water isn’t too hot or cold when washing your hair system. To keep the moisture in the hair and prevent adhesives from breaking down, please try your best to use lukewarm or room-temperature water if possible.

To dry your hair system, use a towel to gently press down on your hair system to dry.
Use a hairdryer on a cool heat setting to ensure your adhesives stay secure and your hair isn’t exposed to unnecessary levels of heat. If you prefer to blow dry with a brush, ensure to use the correct vent brush when drying.

The right hairbrush is so important when wearing a hair system! We highly recommend our clients to use a vent brush that has nodules on the end or a wide-tooth comb, to avoid tearing or damaging the membrane of your hair system.
Gently brush through your hair system to detangle and style hair. Start from the ends of the hair and work your way up to the root slowly – never pull out tangles!
If you need to style and brush your hair system but aren’t washing your hair that day, spray some water or use a hydrating spray to rework the hair into your desired style.

We have a wide range of styling products from Paul Mitchell that are perfect to use on hair systems. A chat with one of our experienced stylists will help determine which the best products for you to use are, however, we would never recommend strong hold gels as they are difficult to remove from the hair.
Hair systems tend to hold their style so frequent straightening and use of heat isn’t necessary. The less heat used, the better condition your hair system will be.

Remember to treat your hair system with care – the more gentle you are the longer it will last.
After having your maintenance service, your adhesives will need at least 24 hours to bond correctly. During this time, don’t get your hair wet and avoid heavy exercise as it could break down the adhesives.
Try your best to avoid saunas and steam rooms.
As chlorine is damaging to your hair system, we advise clients to use either a swimming cap or a suitable protection spray.
If you’re heading on to a warmer and sunnier climate, consider hair products with UV protection in to keep your systems fresh in the sun and avoid colour fade.

Ensuring that you follow the correct aftercare procedure, a hair system can last anywhere from 2 – 12 months.

After this, it is advised that they are replaced to keep them looking in the best condition.