Can I Straighten Synthetic Hair Wig With Flat Iron?

Using flat irons is a great way to change the texture and style of natural hair, but what about synthetic hair, extensions, or wigs?

While there is potential to damage the synthetic strands in the process, there’s a right way to flat iron synthetic hair that won’t cause damage and will produce amazing results.

So, read this article to know when it is possible to flat iron your synthetic hair and how to do it safely.

Is It Possible to Straighten Synthetic Hair With Flat Iron?

You can straighten synthetic wig with a flat iron only if it is labeled as “heat-resistant” or “heat-friendly.” These types are specially designed to withstand heat.

However, generally it is not recommended to straighten synthetic hair with a flat iron, as most synthetic hair is made from plastic fibers that can melt or become severely damaged when exposed to high heat.

Even if your synthetic hair is heat-resistant, use the lowest heat setting on your flat iron. This reduces the risk of melting or damaging the fibers.

You can also consider using steam or hot water methods for straightening synthetic hair, which are less damaging.

Heat Limit for Synthetic Hair Wig

The heat limit for heat friendly synthetic hair wigs varies depending on the type of synthetic fiber used. Generally, there are two types of synthetic wigs:

• Low-Temperature Fiber Wigs: These can typically withstand heat up to approximately 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit). They are more sensitive to heat and require careful handling when using styling tools.

• Heat Friendly Fiber Wigs: These are more heat-resistant and can endure temperatures up to about 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) but the safest limit is around (220° – 250°)

In contrast, if your wig is made of human hair you can apply up to 360° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius) of heat but the safer limit is 260°– 300° Fahrenheit.

How to Tell If Your Synthetic Hair Is Heat Friendly or Not?

Figuring out if your cosplay wig can handle heat can be so confusing! Is it real human hair or some sort of synthetic material? And even then, not all synthetics react the same when you break out the hot tools. Such a hassle!

Your best bet is to ask the shop where you bought the wig in the first place – they’ll know for sure what type you have. But there are some telltale signs you can look for yourself:

• Cheaper synthetic wigs are not heat-safe at all. You can tell because the fibers are super shiny, really smooth with no frizz or flyaways. If it looks too perfect basically, heat will absolutely melt and destroy it!
• Heat-resistant synthetics are tricky – they are designed to mimic real hair so they appear less flawless. Expect some frizz and clumping more like human hair. You’ll also notice the colors look more natural and subdued.

If your wig is not heat friendly dont use flat iron on it. Try heat free straightening methods or steam straightening method for synthetic hair to straighten it.

How to Flat Iron Synthetic Hair

To achieve perfectly flat-ironed synthetic hair, you need to follow the below steps closely so as not to damage the strands.

1. Make sure the synthetic hair is dried and clean. If it’s wet, use a blow dryer set to 200º F until dry.
2. If possible, place the synthetic hair (if a wig) on a styrofoam wig head to hold the hair in place while straightening.
3. Next, brush or comb through the strands with a wide-tooth comb to detangle any knots and create a smooth surface to flat iron.
4. Turn your flat iron on but try to keep the temperature low, around 250º – 280º F. This is likely lower than you are used to setting it for your natural hair, but depending on what the synthetic hair is made out of, you don’t want to risk using a heat level that is too high and burning or melting the strands.
5. Begin by sectioning off a small portion of hair. Take the hair in one hand and the heated flat iron in the other.
6. Start at the bottom third of the hair, making short and fluid strokes over the bottom of the section until straight.
7. Then, repeat with the middle third of the strands, blending the straightness in with the bottom portion already straightened.
8. Finish with the top section, doing one final stroke along the entire shaft of hair once complete.
9. Be careful not to hold the flat iron on the hair for too long and keep the iron moving as much as possible. If it gets stuck on one area, it may create crimps in the hair pattern.
10. Repeat this process with small sections of the hair until the entire hair piece is done. Review the work and try to find any areas where they may be bumps, crimps, tangles, or curves.

These are the ten steps anyone should follow when flat ironing synthetic hair, whether it’s clip-ins, extensions, or a wig.

Watch following video to learn how to flat iron synthetic wig hair.

So, you can flat iron for straightening your synthetic hair:

• If the hair comes with warnings not to treat with heat, do not attempt to use a flat iron.
• If you are flat ironing synthetic hair attached to your own head, be careful not to use heat that is too high that may be safe to use on your real hair.
• If you can’t use heat on it but want to straighten the synthetic hair, you can try to detangle and set in a warm water bath, brushing straight and air-drying to a better texture.

Even if you can’t use direct iron heat, there are usually ways to still straighten and reset synthetic hair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gain more confidence with answers to these common questions: