Over 55% of women experience hair loss during their lifetime [1]. If left untreated, progressive conditions such as female pattern baldness can advance from diffuse hair thinning to a visible bald spot on the crown [2].
Conspicuous hair loss can have a significant negative impact on your mental health [3]. Fortunately, choosing a good hair topper for women can be a game-changer, as it can mask your thinning areas while blending seamlessly with your natural hair.
However, with such a wide variety of products available, it can be challenging to find the best hair topper for your needs. This practical guide will tell you all you need to know so you can confidently make an informed choice, such as:
Hair toppers for women are accessories that fall between wigs and hair extensions. They are partial wigs designed to mask hair thinning on your crown. Traditionally, these hairpieces are placed on the top of your head and attached to the hair around your thinning area with clips or small hair combs glued to the outside of a fabric lining. However, some also use tape or elastic bands to secure them in place.
While hair toppers can be a very good way to cover up thinning spots, they can also help you get more volume in your hair. That is why many women with fine, type 1A hair choose to wear them for special occasions even if they’re not experiencing hair loss.
There are so many kinds of hair accessories on the market that it can be difficult to know which one to pick. So here are some of the main factors to consider when choosing a great hair topper for women.
Hair toppers made from human hair are generally more resistant and have a more natural appearance. They also blend in better with your natural hair.
However, they can be significantly more expensive than those made from synthetic fibres. But their longer lifespan can make up for this price difference, as human hair toppers can last twice as long as synthetic ones, perhaps even more if properly maintained.
There are several things to look out for when checking how well a hair topper is made. For one thing, it must have high hair density, so you shouldn’t be able to see the lining fabric easily through the strands.
The edges of the liner should be carefully trimmed so they don’t stick out when you apply the topper. The hair should not come off easily when gently tugged and it should have a natural-looking colour and texture.
You can choose between a classical clip-on hair topper, or opt for a less common tape-in or adjustable band variety. These alternative attachment systems are very useful when there isn’t enough healthy hair on your crown to attach the topper to, or the existing strands are too small and fine to provide a secure hold.
You can also choose a bonded hair topper – a permanent option that allows you to wear your hair topper continuously for months. However, this attachment system comes with significantly greater costs.
When selecting a traditional clip-on hair topper, make sure that the clips are made of a strong material that doesn’t break easily. Fragile clips can render your topper useless sooner, and can also pose a risk of cutting your scalp if they break.
If you’re using tape or glue to hold your hair topper in place, test any adhesive on a small piece of skin before applying it, to avoid an allergic reaction.
The fabric used to line your hair topper should be soft, smooth and comfortable on your scalp. Natural materials such as silk are preferable, but they are also more expensive. Nylon and monofilament are also good, especially if you want a more budget-friendly option.
Keep in mind that some people are sensitive to the texture of certain types of fabric (and in some cases, may even be allergic to them). So if your hair topper lining seems uncomfortable or makes your scalp itch, hurt or burn, it is best to look for an alternative option.
Hair topper prices are influenced by several factors, such as:
On average, a traditional, clip-on hair topper for women costs £60 to £300 in the UK. You can get synthetic hair options for the lower end of this range, while human hair toppers tend towards the higher end.
However, there is a massive price difference between temporary and permanent hair toppers. Products that can be bonded to your scalp can cost ten times as much as temporary ones, without even accounting for installation, maintenance and removal costs.
While you can do some trimming and gentle styling on your hair topper, it is best to choose an option that is as close as possible to the colour and texture of your natural hair.
If you frequently curl/straighten your hair or change its colour, consider purchasing several different hair toppers, as heat styling, bleaching or dyeing them can damage the hair. This may significantly reduce their longevity and make them frizzy and dull.
Hair toppers can help women with a variety of hair issues, ranging from different types of alopecia to naturally fine or flat tresses. If any of the following apply to you, you may find this kind of hair accessory handy:
Applying a hair topper for women is very easy. You can do it by yourself at home. Grab the frontal edges of the topper with both hands and place it gently on your crown, starting a few centimetres above your hairline. If you have a midline parting, align your topper carefully with your hair part.
Then use your thumb and index finger to squeeze the clips open and wiggle the topper until enough of your natural hair is scooped in the clips. After that, use your index fingers to push down on the clips, closing them securely. Finally, blend your topper in with your natural hair by brushing them together.
Here is a video tutorial that can provide some extra helpful tips to make sure you learn how to apply your hair topper like a pro:
Hair toppers are not usually very high maintenance. They mostly need to be kept clean and brushed regularly. However, if you would like to style them to match your natural hair, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
Technically, a hair topper can be considered a type of hair extension, as it is attached to your natural hair to enhance it. They can even look very similar to clip-on hair extensions.
However, extensions are often made of smaller strands and used to add to your hair length, while toppers are larger hairpieces that mainly cover thinning spots and add fullness and volume to the hair on your crown. In some cases, they can also be used for length, but they would have to be worn alongside other hair extensions, as hair toppers normally only cover your crown and some of the back of your head.
The average life expectancy for your hair toppers depends on their qualities and how well they are maintained. Normally, an average synthetic hair topper can last 3-6 months if well taken care of, while a topper made from natural hair can look great for 6 months to 1 year. Here are some common signs that your topper may be getting worn out and require replacing:
Normally, hair toppers are temporary. They are applied each time you want to use them and removed before you go to sleep. However, you can also opt for bonded hair toppers, which are glued to your scalp with medical-grade adhesive. They typically last 4-6 weeks of non-stop wear but must be professionally installed and removed. You should maintain them on a monthly basis.
To attach longer-lasting bonded toppers, you need to either have a considerable bald spot on your crown or have some of your hair shaved off. Moreover, these hair systems can be extremely expensive – you can expect to spend upwards of £4000-5000 for a good quality product, including yearly installation, maintenance and removal costs.
Considering that the average hair transplant cost in the UK is £4,820 and that a hair topper lasts up to a year, while a hair transplant is permanent, you may be better off getting hair restoration surgery for this price.
Recently, some hair accessory manufacturers have started advertising permanent hair toppers that use undisclosed, proprietary attachment techniques which do not involve adhesives. If you’re considering these, always ask questions before buying a product that works in mysterious ways. Make sure it doesn’t use any attachment systems that could hurt your scalp or hair.
Traditional, clip-on hair toppers can exert tension on your hair if they are long and heavy and worn for extensive periods, causing traction alopecia around the areas where they are anchored [4]. This condition occurs when excessive pulling on your hair follicles temporarily prevents them from growing hair. But traction alopecia is often reversible; your hair will start to regrow once your follicles have had a chance to heal.
The chances of developing traction alopecia from hair toppers are much lower than from wearing permanent hair extensions, due to their temporary nature and their position on the crown. However, do be careful if you are experiencing a condition that makes your hair fall out more easily, such as female pattern baldness. In that case, the hair follicles are already under stress and produce shorter, finer hairs, which may struggle to support the weight of the hair topper, leading to accentuated hair shedding or breakage.
If you are experiencing hair thinning on the crown but are not thrilled by the idea of masking it with a hair topper, here are some other good options you could try.
Sometimes, the right haircut can do wonders for your appearance, as well as for concealing hair loss. Check out some of the best women’s hairstyles for thinning hair on the crown and choose the one that suits you best.
Changing your midline hair parting to a side or zig-zag parting can also be a gamechanger for masking mild female pattern hair loss.
Constantly having to blend your hair topper in with your natural hair can get tedious after a while. And as your hair loss progresses, this kind of hairpiece may no longer give you enough coverage to hide the thinning. A good, full-head wig can help with both these problems. Here is a complete guide to buying a human hair wig that suits you.
Hair loss treatments such as Minoxidil can help curb your hair loss and stimulate hair growth. If your thinning is mild to moderate, a few months of using topical Minoxidil can help increase your hair density [5] to the point where you no longer need to wear a hair topper.
However, it is best to get a recommendation from a trichologist rather than self-medicating for hair loss. Not only can hair growth treatments have unwanted side effects and interact with certain medications, but they may not be the most effective treatment choice for your specific type of alopecia.
If non-surgical hair restoration treatments have not worked for you, don’t lose hope. You could still be a good candidate for a hair transplant. This safe and simple procedure is performed in an outpatient setting and the best hair clinics in the UK have excellent success rates.
Female hair transplants are increasingly popular, because they are natural-looking and permanent, regardless of whether you opt for an FUE or FUT procedure. Check out our before and after hair transplant photo gallery and see our results for yourself.
If you have noticed signs of hair thinning and balding, simply masking them with a hair topper may not be enough. Some types of hair loss are progressive, which means they will get worse if left untreated. So the best thing you can do is to book a consultation as soon as possible with one of our experienced hair doctors at your most convenient clinic location.
They will perform a thorough examination of your scalp and hair and if necessary, will order hair loss blood tests to provide you with an accurate diagnosis. Then, they will recommend the most effective hair loss treatment for women. They will support and advise you at every step of your journey towards regrowing full, beautiful hair that you no longer need to hide under a topper.
Don’t miss out on the answers to these frequently asked questions about hair toppers for women.
You shouldn’t sleep wearing a regular, clip-on hair topper, as it can slide off, pulling on your hair. Furthermore, it can tangle and cause your natural hair to tangle as well, causing hair breakage and making it difficult to brush.
However, if you are wearing a bonded hair topper specially designed to be slept in, there should be no problem in doing so.
While you can swim with your hair topper on, it isn’t a very good idea to do so. Unless it’s bonded to your scalp, there is a good chance the topper will move out of place or even fall off, especially as the water makes hair heavier.
Chlorine in the pool can also damage your topper, while swimming in the sea exposes you to salt water that may not be good for your hair. Wearing a swimming cap may help protect your hair topper and keep it securely in place as you take a dip.
Some hair toppers can definitely look natural and blend seamlessly with your hair. However, this depends on a number of factors, such as the type of hair they are made of, the manufacturing quality, the compatibility with your natural hair colour and texture, and your styling choices.
Good-quality hair toppers made of human hair and well-chosen to suit you should not be easily discernible from your natural tresses. However, synthetic and lower-quality models can be more conspicuous.
Hair toppers made with synthetic fibres or which are attached using adhesives can trigger an allergic reaction. Some people can even have a sensitivity to the type of fabric the toppers are lined with.
If you have recently put on a hair topper and are experiencing symptoms such as swelling, redness, a rash, tenderness and itching on your scalp, take it off as soon as possible. Then wash your scalp thoroughly with warm water and shampoo and next time try a different type of hair topper which does not use the same type of fibres or adhesives.
Should you also experience difficulty breathing, contact emergency services immediately, as you may be at risk of anaphylactic shock.
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