Real-Life Communication
Rita is thrilled with the wig you have fashioned for her. She turns
to look at herself in the mirror from different angles. It's been a long time
since she has felt this good.
"But how am I going to keep this wig
looking great?" she asks you.
As a wigmaker, you help Rita by actually
making the wig, and then assisting her in the maintenance and care.
"You
use communication skills all the time in this job," says Lora Collins. She
is a wig specialist. "You talk at length to help people pick styles and tell
them how to care for their wigs."
These are some of the instructions
you might give to Rita about how to care for a wig:
You
don't need to wash your wig as often as people wash their own hair. Many people
wash their wigs after 15 to 20 wearings. Use shampoo on human hair wigs, but
not on synthetic wigs. Shampoo will make the synthetic wig become stiff and
coarse.
To wash the wig, fill the sink with cold water. Add a capful
of shampoo and mix well. Place the wig in the water and leave it to soak for
about 10 minutes. Be careful not to rub or twist or wring out the wig. Rinse
the wig two times using cold water.
Fill the sink again and add a capful
of conditioner. Soak the wig again for at least five minutes. Place the wig
on a towel and leave to dry for about 10 minutes. During this time, don't
comb or brush the hair. This can loosen the curl.
Next, place the wig
on a wig stand and leave to dry thoroughly. The cap inside should be bone
dry.
(Information summarized with permission from the Medical Image
web page)
Rita listens to your instructions and then
asks a few questions to make sure she understands. She doesn't want to ruin
her new hairpiece.
- Why can't I use hair shampoo on my synthetic wig?
- How often do people usually wash their wigs?
- Why shouldn't I comb my wig when it's wet?
- How will I know that the wig is dry enough to wear?
How do you answer her?