Wigs are most commonly associated with sickness; people who wear wigs have lost their hair due to diseases and conditions like alopecia or due to cancer treatments.
This isn't always the case. Wigs can be used by anyone, from covering up thinning hair to dealing with a bad hair day, said Carrie Ross, owner of House of Hair/Wig Wonderment.
Her boutique, along with several others in Greater Sudbury, offer clients privacy and discretion. They are able to book appointments to be seen privately, after hours, on weekends, and alone, meaning that there are no prying eyes.
House of Hair has been open in Greater Sudbury now for 20 years, the last six years under Ross' ownership as Wig Wonderment.
She said that people have a lot of ideas about what is involved with a wig, and what people need to know is there's more to a wig than just putting it on.
"People have different-shaped heads, so wigs aren't 'one size fits all,'" explained Ross. "Some wigs need to be sized down or up to better fit the scalp of the person wearing it."
Wig Wonderment's staff do the alterations themselves, and also do repairs.
For Jo-Anne Cross, owner of the recently opened WigBoutique.ca on Lasalle Boulevard, wigs are about fun.
The Greater Sudbury resident was inspired after a trip to Florida, where she discovered shops selling "fashion" wigs - clip-in extensions and other hair accessories that can be categorized as "fun.”
Wigs can be about fun, too. Jo-Anne Cross realized how many people use wigs every day, from clip-on hair extensions to full wigs, while on a trip to Florida. She opened her boutique in November. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.
Cross' shop opened at the end of November, and she hopes that business will take off.
"I will also have 'wig parties' - just like Tupperware, except the hostess will not have to do anything except bring her friends to the shop," explained Cross.
Not all people using wigs have diseases, explained Ross. Some people who wear wigs do so on bad hair days, for special events, for artistic events, or simply because they are easier to maintain than their own real hair.
Fashion wigs have really taken off in the last few years, Cross said. Extensions have been popularized by popular movie stars, musicians, and celebrities who use them to lengthen their hair. The ones being sold at WigBoutique.ca are the clip-in kind, which don't require stylist assistance.
Non-clip-in extensions can cause problems, however, that would require the use of a real wig.
"Extensions can be heavy," warned Ross. She explained that if not properly maintained, extensions can pull on the hairs they are attached to, causing bald spots and skin lesions.
Both Ross and Cross carry real hair, synthetic hair, and real hair/synthetic hair wigs, and have the ability to order in wigs not carried in their boutiques.
For more information about WigBoutique.ca, visit www.wigboutique.ca.
For more information about House of Hair/Wig Wonderment, phone 523-0923.
