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Unleashing the Magic: The Art of bleaching knots on synthetic wigs

Wig plays a major role to create our look and is the easiest way to upgrade the hairstyle without doing many changes to our natural hair.

Everyone wants to wear a wig that looks natural and gives the feel that hair grew from the scalp. But the knots on the wig makes it less natural and fake. To address this issue, many wig manufacturers turn to bleach the knots.

And this is the main cause; we bleach the wig knots. Bleaching the knots significantly improve the wig’s appearance by lighting the dark-colored knots present on the lace to match the color of the wig’s hair.  

But bleaching the knot is not an easy procedure, especially for those who are new to this field. This is because bleaching functions too fast as well as alters the wig permanently. There is a lot of space for mistakes, this can only to manage by proper guidance. This article provides step-by-step guidance on how to bleach the wig’s knot with helpful tips and precautions to ensure the best possible outcomes. We will also have a look at the mistakes such as over-bleaching and not protecting the hair of the wig during the whole method.

Before going to discuss the actual procedure, you should need to know what is a synthetic wig.

Table of Contents

What is a synthetic wig

Synthetic wig is made through man-made fibers that is also known as synthetic fiber. The fiber is made from synthetic materials such as nylon, polyester, and acrylic. The wigs made from this fiber look natural but are not as durable as wigs made from natural hair. These wigs also do not look natural because they are cheap than human hair wigs. So, you need to do some maintenance so that it looks natural when you wear it, bleaching the knot is one of the techniques to give your synthetic wig a natural appearance.

Reason why synthetic wig looks unnatural

People bleach synthetic wig because of many reasons but one the most prominent causes of bleaching synthetic wig are that the knots do not look natural, bleaching can reduce the visibility of these knots because knots become lighter and this procedure helps to make the wig look more natural like human real hair.

Is it possible to bleach the synthetic wig knots

It’s the most typical question; Is it possible to bleach the synthetic wig knots? The answer is simply Yes. Bleaching the wig knots is the process that makes the hairline of the wig appears to be more natural by lightening the shade of the visible knots of wigs.

But it requires some reservations to execute it safely and achieves the best result. It’s not always recommended to bleach the synthetic wig without any guidance because bleaching can damage the wig fibers, leading to vulnerable to breakage. This article will further provide you the guidance that how to bleach the wig knots.

What is a wig knot

Wig knots are tiny knots that appear at the point where each hair strand is tied to the lace cap of the wig. The knots are hand-made by the technique called ventilating. The technique involves the small hock which is used to pull out an individual strand through the lace cap. This process requires time and skills to ensure that the knots are evenly spaced or not to make the hair look natural.  These knots are important because it helps to keep the hair attached to the lace and prevent the hair from shedding or falling out. However, there are two types of knots; Single knot of a wig and double knot. Let’s discuss both the knot one by one;

single knot vs double knot explained

Single knots

Single knots refer to tying a single strand of hair onto the cap of a wig, so they are smaller in size as compared to double knots. They are less noticeable due to their smaller size, giving the wig hairline a very natural appearance. One of the best things about a single knot is that they are easier and quicker to bleach. But the downside with the single knots includes that they can shed very easily.

Double knots

Double knots refer to more than one hair strand that conjoins the wig cap. That’s why double knots are more secure but can create a bulkier look at the hairline, making it less natural. These knots are easily noticeable and require more struggle to bleach. These knots are not shed easily and are firmer as compared to single knots.  This is the main reason, wig makers focus to create single knots around the area of the hairline, however, the double knots penetrate to the rest of the lace. In this way, a secure wig is made that gives the natural look.

Difference between a bleached knot and an unbleached knot

bleached knots vs unbleached knots explained

Before bleaching the knot there are some factors that you need to know about bleached knot and unbleached knots.

 Bleached Knots:

The wig with bleached knots will appear to be more natural because it matches your skin shade when you set the wig on. It feels like the hair is coming from the scalp. This is the most obvious advantage of bleaching the wig knots, however, it has the disadvantage that it makes the wig fragile and prone to shed easily.

Unbleached knots:

Unbleached knots of the wigs don’t shed easily and are stronger but they contain a black dot at the base of the cap that looks artificial when you wear it.

What do you know about bleaching knots?

Bleaching knot is the technique of making the knots of the wig less visible with the help of bleach. The bleach helps to lighten the black dots that appear at the base of the cap by blending the color of the lace cap and skin. Bleaching the wig knots might sound difficult to you, but it will become easier than you imagine, once you get your hand on it. So here is a step-by-step guide on how to bleach the knots.

Tool you should have to bleach the wig knots

For bleaching the knot, you should contain all the essential tools. Because bleaching is a process that requires special care, so you should have the following tools;

Compulsory tools

  • Gloves
  • Brush
  • Plastic bag
  • Bleaching powder
  • 20-40 volume developer
  • Tinting brush
  • Aluminum foil
  • Mixing bow
  • Alligator clips
  • Neutralizing shampoo

Optional tools

  • Mannequin Head
  • T clips
  • Plastic cap

Brief instructions on how to bleach the knots

Once you have all the tools you can start the process of bleaching the knots. The bleaching of the wig knots can be done by following steps.:

Secure the wig tightly

First of all, ready the wig before starting the bleaching process. Attach the wig to the mannequin’s head. In case, if you don’t have the mannequin’s head, pin it tightly on a gentle surface similar to the foam head. Ensure to clip away the baby hairs of the wig before you bleach the knots. Otherwise, the baby hairs might also be bleached along with wig knots.

Now, spray some water on the roots of the wig hair to protect the lace if the bleach leaks from the lace.

Prepare the bleach

Protect your hands by putting on gloves before you start preparing the mixture of bleach. Then, make a mixture of bleach and developer. Read the instructions present in the packaging of the product. Generally, the ratio must be 1:1 (1 ounce of each developer and bleach).

Stir the mixture well to make the mixture thick in consistency. Note down, the mixture should not be too runny otherwise it will leak through the lace and damage the roots

Gently apply the Bleach on wig knots

Apply the bleach mixture on the front hairline. You should gently brush the bleach mixture on the knots otherwise it will leak through the lace to damage the hair.  

After applying the mixture, cover the knots with the help of aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Some wigs are bleached in 15 minutes. So, check the wig after interval of several minute to prevent over-bleaching of knots

Rinse/ wash the wig-bleached knots

Make sure to rinse the bleach on time, after you get your desired color. Then, apply purple shampoo to eliminate any chemical particles. After shampooing, apply the hair conditioner for 3 minutes to soft the hair strands and lock the moisture back to the hair strands. It will help the wig hair to dry out.

Quick tip: Avoid using shampoo on the wig for more than twenty minutes otherwise, it may damage the hair and make it rough and dull.  You can follow some tips for dry and frizzy wig

Dry the Wig

Gently, squeeze the strands of hair to remove the excess water it. You can also use the towel to absorb the water and then hang the wig to facilitate the process of drying but do not use the blow dryer to dry the wig faster because it can spoil the wig. Besides, don’t hang the wig in the area where the wig comes in  the direct exposure to UV rays, because it may also damage the wig.

Quick Tip: Avoid using a blow dryer soon after washing the wig to dry it faster, otherwise, it will damage the hair strands.

What to do in case of over-bleaching the knots

Errors are part of life. You are more likely to make any error like over-bleaching the knots or bleach leaked out to the roots of the wig hair and damages it. You can use the following instruction to fix your wig in case of excessively bleaching the knots.

Use mascara to temporarily fix

Gently, brush the mascara to the affected areas of overly bleached knots until the mascara is evenly applied to the area and gives the natural look. Let the mascara dry naturally.

Dye the hair to fix it permanently

It sounds a bit frustrating that to permanently fix the wig you need to dye your wig once you finished bleaching it. It is an economical way to fix your wig than to waste your money on buying a new wig. Dye the hair similarly you bleach the knots.

Prepare the dye mixture in the bowl and follow the instructions as mentioned in the package. Then, apply to the targeted areas that are affected and make sure to avoid dyeing the wig-bleached knots. Leave the mixture on the wig for 30 minutes and then properly rinse the hair with normal water and wash it later with shampoo. Apply conditioner for 3 minutes and let it dry naturally.

Tips and tricks to keep in mind for bleaching the knot

Tips and tricks for Bleach knots
  • Ensure the mixture of bleach, as well as developer, should be in the correct proportion otherwise it may give unwanted results
  • The mixture of bleach should be mixed until it becomes creamy and thick in consistency. The runny mixture seeps from the lace to the roots causing damage.
  • Don’t use the developer, if you are a beginner or attempting to bleach the knot for the 1st Always choose the accurate volume of developer and do not leave it for more than 20 minutes.
  • Always pinned the baby’s hair so that bleach doesn’t lighten the baby’s hair.
  • Keep looking at the wig from time to time after applying the bleach on knots to achieve the desired shade. Rinse it quickly as soon as the desire shade is achieved.

Why should you bleach the knot

Bleaching knots is considered the most usual practice. You should know the advantages of it;

  • Gives natural look

    Knots don't look natural when you wear the wig, so it's important to bleach the knots to make them less apparent. It gives you a more natural look.

  • Undetectable hairpiece

    Bleaching the knots makes the knot lighter in shade and creates a look that looks natural when you wear the wig.

  • Allow to create a variety of looks

    You get a variety of options to style your hair when you bleached the knots because bleached knots provide a surface for styling.

  • Improved level of comfort

    Bleached knots don't irritate the scalp, so it's comfortable to wear a wig with bleached knots for a long duration.

  • Boost confidence

    Because bleached knots look real so they increased your confidence when you wear them.

Why you shouldn’t bleach the knot

Bleaching the knots is the process of using the chemical to lighten the shade of knots that are present in the wig, it’s an important step as it makes the knots less visible for the one to judge. But it has some disadvantages along with advantages. Disadvantages are linked to the common effects that are caused by using any chemical.  Here are some disadvantages of bleached knots that you should know.

Hair Damage:

it’s the most obvious disadvantage. Because bleach is a chemical that causes hair damage and makes it more prone to breaking and shedding. Bleaching the knot without following proper instructions can do more damage to the wig hair.

Reduced Wig lifespan:

 Bleaching knots cause the wig to shed the hair strands or damage the hair. In this way, the lifespan of the wig may be reduced.

Any alternative option other than bleaching the knot

Bleaching the knot is an undone process that required proper focus on each step but still, it damages the hair and reduces the life span of the wig. If you want to reduce the visibility of the wig knots without damaging the wig then there are alternative options than bleaching the knots.

  • Use concealer

    Apply the concealer that matches the shade of your scalp, aid to makes the knots less noticeable without damage.

  • Use tint spray

    Apply the tinted spray can help to make the knots darker in color and give natural look.

  • Use silk-based or wig with a pre-bleached knot

    These kinds of hairpieces come with bleached knots. So, you don't need to bleach the knots.

FAQ's

Is bleaching the knot necessary?

 It is not necessary to bleach the knot, but it can help make the hairpiece look more natural by reducing the visibility of the knots.

Can bleaching the knot damage the hairpiece?

Yes, bleaching the knot can damage the hairpiece if not done correctly. Over-bleaching can cause the hair to break or fall out, and the bleach can also weaken the lace or silk base of the hairpiece.

How often should I bleach the knot?

It is not recommended to bleach the knot too frequently, as this can damage the hairpiece. It is typically done before the first use, and then touch-ups can be done as needed.

Can lace melting spray be used as an alternative to bleaching the knot?

The lace melting spray is not typically used as an alternative to bleaching the knot. Melting spray is a type of adhesive used to secure the hairpiece to the scalp. It can be used to melt the lace of the hairpiece into the scalp, making it look more natural. However, it does not provide a solution for hiding the knots

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