Wig Heat Styling Guide
Heat damage on a wig is permanent: it never grows out. Pick the hair, its texture and what you want to do, and get a safe starting temperature, the right tool, and whether that texture should take heat at all.
Starting temperatures for wig hair
| Wig hair | Start around |
|---|---|
| Blonde, 613 or coloured | 120°C (250°F) to 150°C (300°F) |
| Fine or soft straight | 150°C (300°F) to 170°C (340°F) |
| Natural dark | 170°C (340°F) to 190°C (375°F) |
| Thick, coarse or kinky straight | 170°C (340°F) to 200°C (390°F) |
Start at the low end and go up in small steps until it styles in one or two passes, then stop. If a style won't take at a moderate heat, the answer is smaller sections, not more heat.
Where the temperatures come from
From our guide to heat tools for human hair wigs. There's no single right temperature: wig hair varies in thickness, processing and colouring. Lightening has already opened the cuticle on blonde and coloured hair, which is why it needs the gentlest heat, and why a wig gets none of the scalp oil or new growth that lets your own hair recover.
Questions people ask
What temperature should I flat iron a human hair wig?
Start low and go up in small steps: around 120–150°C (250–300°F) for blonde or coloured hair, 150–170°C for fine hair, 170–190°C for natural dark hair, and up to about 200°C only for the most resistant sections of very coarse hair.
Can you straighten a curly wig?
You can, but deep wave, water wave and curly patterns may not fully come back after repeated straightening, and tight kinky curls can lose their pattern for good. If you want to switch looks often, a straight or body wave wig is the better buy.
Do I need heat protectant on a wig?
Yes, every time. A wig gets no oil from a scalp and never grows new hair, so heat damage is permanent. Use protectant on clean, completely dry hair, and let it dry before the heat goes on.