Hi Everyone,

Hope you are all doing well...coping well with this most incovenient and expensive condition. I haven't been on here in a while. I am hoping to get some new tips and tricks :) I am still new to this and am grateful that everytime I blog on here I obtain a whole bunch of useful advice!

Over the past few months I got way too frustrated with synthetic wigs...so I bit the bullet and purchased a human hair wig. I was excited...couldn't wait to get it in the mail. A week later I got home and saw the box on the front porch. Couldn't open that box fast enough to be sadly disappointed that I absolutely hated it and couldn't believe I just paid more for a ball of hair than I paid for my first car. When it came it was way too thick and curled like a poodle (even though it was pictured as straight). I was horrified. I remained calm and decided I should wash it, let it air dry and see what it looked like the next day. I washed it in sulfate free; color safe shampoo...followed the directions carefully by only swirling it in the water and not scrunching or rubbing it. I used a very good conditioner, then a leave-in conditioner, set it on the wig rack and went to bed. The next morning I was not only horrified, but, was practically mortified. It looked like a FRIZZY, damp dog. I told myself once again to remain calm and use the skills you've acquired over the past 30 years for dealing with the frizzy, damp dog I once had growing out of my own head. And, here I thought that losing my hair would finally give me some relief from that...I guess not.... :) I pulled out the trusty old round brush, blow dryer, flat iron and presto! ...it looked shiny and somewhat straight. Still a bit frizzy and still way too thick, but, I felt that it could be dealt with. Having once had thick, frizzy hair myself. So, next step... take it to a stylist and have it cut and thinned out...check... looks great now...so I thought...lol This wig will not stay straight....stubborn, stubborn, stubborn. Okay, I can deal with this too... this is my old hair tied to a cap...not a problem. I will blow the top part out with a round brush, hair dryer, hit the bottom with a large curling iron and hair spray all over. Wha la!!! I'm back!! It looked great! Went to the zoo with my little munchkin and it stayed great the whole day! (see pics below). This hair actually looked great for a whole week. I got compliment after compliment on it...even from two hair dressers who had no idea it was a wig. I finally felt relief....losing my hair isn't so bad, just another challenge God throws to some of us. ....so I thought...

I have now washed it three times since I've had it and it does not look like it did. It is dry, dry, dry and dull, dull, dull. I know that washing and styling it with heat is not good for it. But, there is no other choice with this puppy... so, having blabbed on and on and probably bored you half to death...these are my questions:
1. will a custom made human hair wig be any better?
2. are all human hair wigs frizzy?
3. if they aren't frizzy, do they still have body...can they be worn curly or straight?
4. is there anyway to get the shine back into the wig I have while still being able to wash it, blow dry it, curl it and hairspray it?

Thanks so much for all your support...love this site!!