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Are you going on vacation and want to pack yourhair wig to help you cope better with your alopecia? But is it possible to wear your hair the pool or the beach—or even swim with it on? How can you protect your topper sun?
In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know so you can stay comfortable this summer while keeping your product as protected as possible 😉
Can you go swimming while wearing your hair?
Since the launch of Comme un diadème in 2020, this is probably one of the questions hair asked most often by women looking to buy a hair ! You’d think three-quarters of people were on vacation all year round! 😁 🌊
I’m joking, of course, because I know full well that behind this question lies a slight anxiety about how to handle those times when you can’t wear the product—just when you’ve finally gotten used to your new look. That’s actually why the topic of exercise comes up so often, too.
Yes, our toppers wigs are made from real hair, so they won’t dissolve in water (phew 😅). But be careful: just like your own hair, they don’t do well with salt, chlorine, or the weird chemicals you sometimes find in certain pools. These can dry out the strands, alter the color, and damage the hair over time.
To put it simply:if you decide to go swimming while wearing it, you can… but you do so at your own risk 😉. And if there are any issues (drier hair, discoloration, or deformation), Comme un diadème cannot be held responsible.
My top tip: Take care of your topper you would your own hair (or even a little more 😄). And if you really want to go in the water, set aside a “vacation-specific” wig or an older one that you don’t wear as often.
As we know, sea salt and chlorine can dry out and damage natural hair, and sometimes even slightly alter its color, especially in very blonde hair. Unfortunately, the hair on topper wig is no exception. Plus, it doesn’t grow back and comes at a certain cost, so I’d advise you to preserve it as much as possible by avoiding submerging your head underwater. It’s also possible that the structure of topper wig might become visible once the hair gets wet, so let’s avoid taking unnecessary risks 😁
Watch out for the sun ☀️!
It’s not the pool or the ocean that’s the biggest “threat” to yourhair topper hair wig while you’re on vacation—it’s the sun ☀️. Hair toppers, especially those with light-colored hair—such as light brown and blonde—are particularly sensitive to the sun. These styles may fade if exposed to very intense sunlight for several days or weeks. Blondes tend to turn yellow, and light browns tend to lighten significantly.
So when you're on vacation, I'd recommend protecting yourself by wearing a hat or staying in the shade as much as possible. That'll protect your skin at the same time #killthemwithkindness 😁.
Brown hair and European hair (Leïla, Meghan, Chicago, Katie, Sofia, Kate) are less sensitive because they are untreated and therefore less damaged by bleaching and coloring processes. The color will therefore lighten more gradually and naturally over time.
With daily use—that is, outside of vacation periods—a lighthair or blondehair topper will also tend to lighten by a shade or two after a few months. So don’t hesitate to have the color refreshed after a year of daily wear if you want to restore yourhair topper shine.
People sometimes ask me if protective hair oil is effective at protecting the hair on ahair topper . I can’t guarantee it because, in my opinion, it’s impossible to verify. Personally, I wouldn’t have taken that risk with one of my toppers.
Sunscreen can turn your topper pink topper
When applying sunscreen, be careful not to run your hand through the hair ofhair wig, especially if it’s blonde. Doing so can surprisingly alter the color of your hairpiece. It might end up with unwanted pink highlights 💕 You should also be careful with hand sanitizer and any other products containing alcohol.
My best advice: Don't worry about it and enjoy life!
For women with relatively mild hair loss—or at least hair loss that isn’t particularly noticeable to others—I would recommend not wearing ahair topper hair wig at the beach or pool.
Why put yourself through such a struggle when you can still enjoy the freedom to go out? That won’t necessarily always be the case, and my advice is to take advantage of it while you still can! Because it’s clear that once our hair loss becomes visible to everyone, it’s much harder to accept.
This is just my opinion, but wearing ahair topper hair on vacation in hot weather is a burden that’s hard to bear. A topper wig isn’t meant to trap you in a life of constraints. These aren’t products that should make you want to hide away 24/7. They’re simply products that can help you feel beautiful whenever you want to.
But wearing a topper 35°C heat isn’t exactly pleasant, so I recommend not putting yourself through that if your hair loss allows it. People at the beach or by the pool won’t be staring at your scalp. Besides, everyone’s hair is a mess at the beach—it’s all part of the fun 😉
Give yourself a break, and if you must, wear a cap, a hat, or a headband.
For women with severe hair loss that others notice, I understand that this can be harder to accept. A cap or hair-thickening powder might be a solution in such cases. But if that isn’t enough, I understand why someone might still want to wear a hairpiece.
Acceptance at any cost isn’t something that should be forced upon anyone. Everyone must move forward at their own pace, based on their alopecia, their insecurities, and what feels right for them. Today’s “body-positive” rhetoric pushes us too far—urging us to flaunt our insecurities, accept them, and challenge beauty standards. These are Instagram-worthy soundbites that are easy to jot down in five minutes while lounging on the couch.
But a woman walking down the street or going to the beach with significant hair loss doesn’t necessarily want to shoulder the burden of changing attitudes about beauty standards or becoming a role model for self-acceptance. We have the right to refuse to expose our alopecia—our insecurities—for all to see. It is a matter of privacy, and therefore every woman must have the choice to handle it as she sees fit. The choice to keep one’s alopecia private is just as respectable as the choice to show ourselves as we are.
It’s important, then, that you feel comfortable during your vacation. And if that means wearing a hair cover up your androgenetic alopecia at the beach or pool, that’s perfectly fine—you can do so without damaging your product.
So this summer, do whatever makes you feel good! And above all, have a great vacation!
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