Wig shedding is usually caused by 5 reasons, including loose knots on the lace, improper brushing, hair tangling or friction, adhesive residue, and wrong cleaning methods.
This guide will explain these reasons completely and tell you how to stop wig shedding accordingly.
Normal Wig Shedding vs Abnormal Wig Shedding

Actually, it is common to see a wig shedding. Because the lifespan of any wigs is limited. No wig is completely free from shedding. You should understand whether your wig shedding is normal or not.
How to Identify Normal Wig Shedding?
- A small amount of hair falls out when washing or combing.
- The amount of hair loss tends to decrease with regular wearing.
- A few strands sheds from random areas of the wig.
How to Identify Abnormal Wig Shedding?
- Lot of hair falls out when washing or combing.
- The amount of hair loss continuously increases.
- Heavy shedding in specific areas of the lace front, hairline and parting area. This usually indicates the hair knots loosened or the lace structure has been damaged.
- Abnormal wig shedding always comes along with other problems, including severe tangling, adhesive residue and hair dryness.
Why Is Your Wig Shedding?

1. Loose Knots Affect Wig Shedding
Human hair wigs are designed by individually hand-tying the hair strands onto tiny lace mesh. If you cut too close to hair roots or slice through the knots, those strands will be loose and fall out quickly.
Besides, many women bleach the knots to get a more natural scalp appearance, but it may affect the structural integrity of the knots, leading to wig shedding.
2. Improper Combing leads to Wig Shedding
Improper combing methods will accelerate wig shedding. Common mistakes include:
- Pulling tangled hair forcefully Combing hair when it is wet
- Brushing hair from the roots
- Frequently combing the hair
3. Hair Tangling and Friction Cause Wig Shedding
When a wig gets tangled, the process of brushing out the knots can put too much stress on the hair strands, leading to wig shedding. These following situations often cause hair tangling and friction.
- No maintenance for a long time
- Always sleeping with a wig
- Contacting with clothes and scarves
Besides, hair textures with defined curls are especially easy to tangle without regular maintenance, for example water wave wigs and Afro curly wigs.
3. Adhesive Residue Leads to Wig Shedding
For glue-in wigs and lace front wigs, wig shedding is usually caused by adhesive residue. If you don’t clean glue from the wig completely, the residue will block the lace holes, then lead to wig shedding.
Other situations lead to wig shedding include pulling at hair roughly and using unproper adhesive remover.
4. Wrong Cleaning Methods Affect Wig Shedding
Incorrect washing steps also lead to wig shedding. For example, if you choose unproper hair products and apply the conditioner too close to the wig cap, the construction of lace and the hair will be broken sometimes.
How to Stop Wig Shedding?
How to Stop Wig Shedding Caused by Loose Hair Knots?
To protect the knots, you can spray a coat of knot sealer on the inside of the lace cap after washing or bleaching. The safest way is to choose a wig with pre-bleached knots, which you can find in Wavymy Hair wear and go wigs. These wigs are made from human hair and are also designed with pre-cut lace and pre-plucked hairline.
How to Stop Wig Shedding Caused by Improper Combing?
Correct and patient combing is beneficial for you to stop your wig shedding.
- You can use a wide-tooth comb to separate hair strands, and start from the ends.
- Avoid to comb hair when it is wet.
- If the hair tangles, comb it with more patience.
How to Stop Wig Shedding Caused by Hair Tangling or Friction?
To prevent wig shedding caused by hair tangling and friction, the best solution is regular maintenance.
- It is recommended to wash your wig with a gentle shampoo or a sulfate-free shampoo every 1-2 weeks.
- Daily maintenance relies on the overnight protection, wearing a satin bonnet to prevent friction.
How to Stop Wig Shedding Caused by Adhesive Residue?
Following correct steps of removing glue from your lace wigs is necessary to reduce wig shedding. The safest method is to use a professional wig adhesive remover.
- Put the wig on a wig stand.
- Apply remover to the residue by using cotton pads. Gently wipe the residue when it becomes soft.
- Wash the wig with a gentle shampoo.
How to Stop Wig Shedding Caused by Wrong Cleaning Methods?
Correct washing methods should be valued in preventing wig shedding. Here are some easy suggestions:
- When washing a wig, especially a human hair wig, it is better to use a gentle shampoo or a sulfate-free shampoo than other products.
- You should wash the wig in the direction of hair strands, from the ends to roots, and avoid applying conditioner to the hair roots.
FAQ About Wig Shedding
Why is my wig shedding?
The key reasons why wig shedding happens is related to frequent combing and incorrect washing methods.
How to identify my wig shedding normal or not?
You can see the amount of hair loss, and how long it lasts. If wig sheds continuously with lots of strands, that indicates wig has been damaged. Instead, a few hairs shedding in short time shows nothing problems.
Is it normal that my new wig shedding?
Yes. When you buy a new wig, it is common to see a few strands shedding. Don’t worry, that does not mean you had bought a bad wig. And the amount of hair loss will decrease.
Glued-in wigs vs glueless wigs: Which sheds at least?
Compared with glued-in wigs, glueless wigs may sheds less. Because the use of glue will increase the risk of wig shedding, especially there are glue residues.
How to stop wig shedding?
The best way to stop wig shedding is to care your wig regularly. Regular and careful maintenance can extend your wig lifespan.
Conclusion
Wig shedding will be caused by loose hair knots, hair tangling or friction, improper combing or cleaning methods, and adhesive residue. The most efficient steps to stop wig shedding is to firstly identify why it happens, and then take active actions accordingly.
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