Is It Time for You to Get a Hair Topper?

Also called a wiglet or top piece, the style option adds fullness to a thinning crown without the weight of a full wig.

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Published July 18, 2024
Black woman admiring her hair in a compact mirror
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Do you enjoy the style versatility of wigs and hair pieces? Have you learned any secrets for finding good quality hair or a talented stylist? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Hair thinning is typical as we age due hormonal changes. In fact, a study estimates that over half of women 50 and older will experience a loss of volume. For some, thinning hair stems from a deeper issue like thyroid disease or alopecia, so it’s worth a mention to your health care provider. Thinning itself isn’t harmful and not a concern for all. But if you miss the fullness you once had and your instinct is to reach for a wig, a hair topper may offer you an easier and more discreet style option.

A hair topper is a piece that’s designed to cover the top of the head to disguise thinning at the crown specifically, which is often genetic. Unlike a traditional wig, a hair topper clips on and off.

“If you are starting to see more than 50% of the [scalp] or getting close to 50%... [or] when you have to start trying to style around your thinner [areas], it might be time to look into a topper,” says Gabrielle White, a master hair stylist and co-founder of DashStylists, which provides in-home hair services to senior citizens and home-bound adults.

Her pro tip is that you can have it sewn onto your own hair if you don’t want to fuss with it on a daily basis. White says it’s similar to a partial sew-in weave done with mesh.

“You just need to have enough hair in that area [so that you can] create a perimeter with [an anchor] braid and then, you can just get [the topper] sewn onto the braid because a lot of times, the toppers [have a net underneath],” she explains. “You wouldn't want the braid to be that tight, because we don't want to be putting stress on the hair that's already maybe a little fragile.”

If you decide to have a topper sewn onto your hair, White advises to leave it in for no longer than four weeks at a time and to let your scalp breathe in between installations.

Even if you don’t struggle with hair thinning or loss, wearing a topper gives instant volume and glamour without a full wig or weave.

Products with favorable reviews:

If you don’t have access to a custom wigmaker and need to purchase a ready-made topper, do your research and choose carefully.

Available in 30 different colors, the brand Hidden Crown only offers straight hair, but it’s made from Remy human hair, so you can style the topper any way you want. Pieces run up to $500 since human hair is used.

“The crown topper saves me time and gives me the fullness of a wig without having to cover the rest of my hair,” one customer wrote. “This is my second hair topper, after having worn my first one for over a year.”

Made from human hair, Perfect Locks toppers are similarly priced, but they cater more to textured hair, so you’ll find wavy and curly hair. As of now, this company’s toppers are available only in natural black.

The newly released product doesn’t have many reviews, but one testimonial on the website reads, “I needed coverage for my crown. It is very easy to put on and it just makes a lot of difference overall.”

In addition to human hair toppers, Dimples Hair makes heat-friendly synthetic options with over a dozen hair colors to choose from, and the price point is about the same as the offerings from Hidden Crown and Perfect Locks.

“You would never guess this is synthetic. The cut and tapering are excellent already,” one reviewer wrote. “It has a ton of density at the top but sides and back aren’t bulky and follow the contours of my head perfectly […] I have a shorter custom Remy topper that cost five times more and this one most likely is superior.”

Amazon sells human hair and synthetic hair toppers at affordable prices. Brands like Aimeolyn and HAIRCUBE have garnered mostly positive reviews.

More tips for getting the most from a hair topper:

Find your perfect match Pair the topper as close as possible with how you normally wear your hair, so if your hair is naturally curly, but it’s flat ironed most times, the texture of your topper should be straight. Similar to other extensions like ponytails, toppers come in a variety of textures.

Good to know: “Certain cosmetologists can make [toppers], and so then you can buy any type of hair that you want and get it made into one," White adds.

Finding cosmetologist that doubles a wig maker can be tricky, but the American Wig Association is a good starting point. You can also ask your trusted stylist and best girlfriends if they know of any reliable wig makers.

Extend its lifespan with good maintenance If you wear a topper every day, shampooing it every other week is a good idea. “Since it's not growing from the scalp, it doesn't produce oils,” White says. “So, you can kind of go even longer without having to wash it, especially if you're not adding any product to the topper.” When you’re not wearing the topper, you can store it on a mannequin head.

Customize it for a seamless look Bring your topper with you to your next hair appointment, where you can ask your stylist to cut it so that it blends in more easily with your own hair.

Do you enjoy the style versatility of wigs and hair pieces? Have you learned any secrets for finding good quality hair or a talented stylist? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Princess Gabbara is a New York City-based writer, editor, author and storyteller. She has contributed to Grammy.com, MTV News, Billboard, Oprah Daily, Shondaland, Essence, Ebony and Shape. You can follow Princess on Twitter at @princessgabbara and learn more about her and her work at princessgabbara.com.