There are two reasons why you steam a synthetic wig:
1. To de-frizz. Synthetic wigs can get dry and frizzy by rubbing against the clothing on your back and neck. Exposure to heat, like when you open a hot oven, can also make your wig frizz up. Steaming a synthetic wig that has gone dry and frizzy can give it new life and restore soft, bouncy curls.
2. To alter its style and structure. Steaming can make a straight wig curly; it can also make a curly wig straight. Synthetic wigs have a style "memory." Changes you make by steaming are permanent in the sense that they will retain their shape until you steam them the other way.
Because most of the frizzing is concentrated at the back and underneath, you want to turn the wig inside out and pin it onto your wig stand. This also keeps both hands free to do the combing and steaming.
Next, you want to spritz the wig with heat-defiant detangler to make it easier to comb out the tangles using a wide-toothed comb.
Now, you reach for the steamer. Patti uses an low-cost, hand-held steamer that you would use to coax the wrinkles out of your clothes. Grab a fine-toothed, rat tail comb and glide it down the hair along with the steamer. The combination of heat and steam makes it easier to comb the frizzes out. Don't be disappointed if it doesn't go silky-smooth right away. It's a simple enough technique to master, but you do need a little bit of patience and perseverance. The frizzier the wig is to start with, the longer it will take to smooth it out.
Once you have gotten rid of the frizz, you can now curl the wig if you want to. Take it off the wig stand and turn it right side out. Using your foam rollers and little pieces of tissue paper that you get from the beauty supply store.
A synthetic wig is like silk. If you can keep the frizz away by using a simple garment stealer, it can give you as much as an extra year of beautify wear!
