How To Straighten a Human Hair Wig? [Using Flat Iron OR Hairdryer]

Do you want to switch things up with your wavy or curly human hair wig, or do you simply want to further straighten your straight wig during the styling process?

You might be wondering about the best way to get it done, especially if you want to DIY and save the money you would otherwise spend at a salon.

This post will tell you all you should know about straightening a human hair wig, including the different methods you can use in the process.

Can You Straighten a Human Hair Wig?

Yes! You can straighten a human hair wig, just as you would your natural hair. It is highly heat resistant and can handle good amounts of heat, although it always helps to use a heat protectant when you do.

Unlike synthetic fibers that are prone to damage and melting when you straighten them, human hair fibers can tolerate heat, whether from a flat iron, a hairdryer, or any other straightening method you plan to use.

How To Straighten a Human Hair Wig?

There are several methods of straightening your human hair wig, although using a flat iron is the most common one.

Below listed are 3 effective methods you have at your disposal.

1. Using Flat Iron
2. Using Hair Dryer
3. Using Hot Water

1. Straighten a Human Hair Wig Using a Flat Iron

The first and most common method to make your human hair wig straight is to use a flat iron. This process is simple and can be done yourself.

The process leverages a great amount of heat, and it works for all kinds of human hair wigs, provided they are real human hair and not blends.

Required Items

• Flat iron
• Wide-tooth comb
• Styrofoam wig head
• Heat protectant spray
• Straight pins
• Heat resistant glove
• Styling spray (optional)

Procedure [Step by Step] 

1. Set up your wig by placing it on a styrofoam wig head

Hold the wig firmly into place using straight pins at different strategic points so that the wig will stay in place as you stretch. Combing and straightening will often push the wig here and there, so a firm hold is necessary.

However, you can completely skip this step if the wig is already installed on your head. You can use a mirror for the entire process, and you wouldn’t need to take off the wig. 

2. Apply heat protectant spray on your wig

There are several of these products on the market, but the goal of using any of them is to ensure that the heat from the flat iron doesn’t damage your human hair wig.

Just as your human hair is prone to heat damage, especially when exposed to heat too frequently, your human hair wig is prone as well.

So, the heat protectant spray helps to lock moisture into your human hair wig and serves as a barrier to protect your wig from damage while the heat does its work on the strands.

3. Set your flat iron to the right temperature 

When dealing with a flat iron, don’t just take it up to the hottest level and use it on your wig because that heat level will likely be too much for your wig and speed up the process of heat damage.

You can begin trying out the iron temperature at 200 degrees Fahrenheit and carry out a strand test as you adjust the heat of your flat iron. The recommended temperature for straightening a human hair wig is between 230 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although the highest temperature level for many flat irons is 450 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll probably never need to use at it such heat, unless in special circumstances.

4. Brush and detangle your human hair wig

Comb your wig gently with a wide-toothed comb as you remove all tangles and knots. Use your hands if necessary, but ensure that all knots are removed completely before moving to the next step.

Ensure that your wig is dry before brushing it because wet wigs are fragile and can get damaged when you brush them. Allow your wig to air dry before brushing it from the end upwards.

Many people make the mistake of brushing their human hair wig from the top to the end, but that motion only worsens tangles and could even make your wig strands shed.

5. Begin the straightening process

Divide your wig into different sections and begin to stretch the hair one small section at a time. Ensure that you have your gloves on, especially if you’re sensitive to heat.

Run the flat iron through each hair section from top to ends several times, especially if you’re dealing with a curly wig that needs a lot of heat to straighten out.

Repeat the same process on all sections of the wig until you are done straightening the entire wig. Properly separate the area of the wig you have stretched from the other part to prevent them from getting mixed up.

6. Comb through the wig gently

After straightening the entire wig, comb the hair gently using a wide-toothed comb. The comb should go through the wig smoothly and evenly.

As an extra step, you can use some styling/holding spray on the wig to ensure that it stays straight for a long time. However, your wig should hold shape whether or not you use the spray.

2. How to Straighten a Human Hair Wig Using a Hairdryer?

The flat iron method is the most common and effective method of straightening your human hair wig, but you can use a hairdryer if you don’t own a flat iron. You can also use it as an alternative method to flat irons on some occasions.

Required Items

• Hairdryer
• Styrofoam wig head
• Hairbrush/wide-toothed comb
• Straight pins/hair clips

Procedure [Step by Step] 

1. Secure your human hair wig to the styrofoam wig head

Adjust the wig properly and hold it in place with straight pins. If the wig is on your head, use hair clips to part and section the hair into place away from your face.

Proceed to divide the hair into workable sections and comb it using a wide-toothed comb or a wig brush. Ensure that you brush from the strands to the top. Also, comb the hair in small sections rather than large ones to avoid tangling and matting. 

Comb your human hair wig only when it is dry and not wet.

2. Begin to stretch the wig with a hairdryer

Turn on the hairdryer and adjust the heat to an acceptable heat range. Don’t use the hottest range because it can damage your human hair wig. Instead, maintain a medium heat range depending on the heat setting of your hairdryer.

Hold a small section of the wig in your left hand and the hairdryer in your right hand, and proceed to run the machine through the wig while pointing the nozzle of the dryer towards your hair.

Avoid placing the dryer too close to your wig for a long time, but move it from up to down in gradual movements while patiently waiting for it to dry.

Follow the same motion for the entire wig while unclipping the different sections and brushing them as you go.

Although this process works great for straight wigs, it won’t be as effective for curly wigs.

3. The hot water straightening method for Human Hair Wig

This method can be a little tricky and is better done by an expert or someone who has had practice doing this before.

If you don’t handle it properly, you could damage your wig, so it is important to be careful. This procedure is more common for synthetic wigs but can also be done on human hair wigs.

Required Items

• Wig stand/tripod
• Straight pins
• Wide-toothed comb/brush
• Wide pan (to boil water)

Procedure [Step by Step] 

1. Boil water in a wide pan or pot and allow liquid to boil until it produces bubbles
2. Place your wig on a tripod or wig stand and hold it in place with as many pins are necessary.
3. Brush the wig gently from the bottom up and remove all tangles and knots.
4. Transfer the heat and steam from the boiling water by pouring the water all over the entire wig.
5. Allow the wig to air dry before combing it. The result should be a straight wig.

Final Words:

Now you have several methods of straightening your human hair wig. Feel free to explore any of these methods the next time you want to style or straighten your wig.

If you’re not sure you can get it right the first time, attempt it under the supervision of an expert who will guide you through the practicalities of the different processes.