I too am bald and my first experiences with wigs were awful. I assumed this was because they were synthetic and that I would need human hair wigs but whilst researching I took the time to look at youtubers who were medical necessity wig wearers.

I was surprised to find that many would pick an expensive synthetic over a human hair wig and that some even said they would stick with wigs even if something happened to regrow their hair.

I learnt a few important details,

• Cheap synthetics and even some cheap human hair wigs are designed for fashion/cosplay use. They have cheap caps which only resize in discrete steps leading to discomfort.

• cheap synthetics usually have high density which makes them heavier and more prone to tangling.

• Heat resistant synthetics need regular attention from hot combs and/or straighteners . This attention will keep a good synthetic wig functioning for years in some cases.

• Longer than shoulder length gets hard to deal with for synthetics.

I took the plunge and bought a cheaper branded wig (tabu by Ellen Wille). Suddenly I went from being able to wear something for 3 hours before crying, to keeping it on for 12-14 hours every single day.

I use a cheap wig grip which holds it steady for exercise, wind, intimacy, changing clothes, looking for cats under the sofa, and more or less everything I throw at it.

Wig wearing definitely takes practice but good wigs have different cap constructions which allow more comfortable resizing and often have lower density of hair so things stay lighter and easier to manage.

Wigs are unnecessary. Behold!

Edit: if you want, I’d give you mine to make a wig from (after it grows out). It’s 3B curly dark ash blonde hair, pretty thick.

A friend of mine has been using wigs in cosplay for quite some time, and she has repeatedly drilled into me and all her other friends that if we need a wig to get a good, expensive one, because it’s absolutely worth it.

She’s not trans though, so her experience may be slightly different.

I haven’t personally bought or worn a high quality wig, so I’m curious to hear what others say - but I can confirm my experience matches yours: cheap wigs are itchy and hot.

I found this post and it seems like some people do find a way to wear wigs comfortably: https://old.reddit.com/r/Wigs/comments/p345ds/for_daily_wig_wearers_do_wigs_ever_get_to_feel/

Also, this resource seemed useful: https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment-side-effects/hair-loss/wigs/expert-tips

I find my wig to be itchy, especially in warm weather. How can I address this?

Carliz: Wigs are generally not itchy. It is usually the hair wrapped or tucked underneath a wig that will cause itching. An important step to keeping your wig from itching is to wrap your hair tightly and pin it down properly, paying special attention to the ends being pinned down. This will ensure your hair doesn’t move around under the wig and poke or irritate your head. There are some lower-quality wig caps that are made with hard, scratchy materials that can be irritating. It’s always a good idea to put your wig on properly and then leave it alone. Pulling at it or adjusting it throughout the day will only increase the risk of itching.

I’m still in the cheap wig stage and still very early in transition. I assume I will get more and more frustrated with the quality (right now still just happy to have hair, oh to have been on E 10 years ago). I’m also interested in what the pricey ones might be like.

The wig is well worth it imo. I’m wearing one while my natural hair grows out. They shouldn’t be scratchy if you get a good one, but you also need to learn how to maintain it. I use a wig with synthetic hair and it should last for a while, but I have to be careful around things like ovens in order to not have any damage.

You could try to use fabric softener to really soften up those cheap wigs. They do tangle easily unfortunately