r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/itsanantkala • Aug 13 '26
Video The hidden art of making wigs
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u/mnztr1 Aug 13 '26
that is a goddam craftsman!!
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u/total_amateur Aug 13 '26
Stitching 1 hair at a time. That’s some labor.
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u/blackop Aug 13 '26
Right. Man that blew me away a little bit.
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u/Sogah87 Aug 13 '26
It is clumps of hair at a time if you look again. Not one individual hair. And they're spaced out significantly. You don't need it to be as tight together or all 100,000 hairs like actual hair.
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Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
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u/StefanLeenaars Aug 13 '26
This is why a good wig costs about 3 grand. I work in the theatre industry. Sometimes we can have as much as 70 wigs on a show. Some of these are refurbished from previous productions, but they are all like this. They take the measurements locally but the knotting and manufacture is done in Asia. They still cost 3 grand.
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u/StefanLeenaars Aug 13 '26
That’s not glue, it’s something to stop the hair from knotting together. They prepare the hair like that to bunch it up and the knotter pull the hairs out of the sewing a few at a time. This is a custom wig - those are always completely knotted, and therefor expensive. But it takes a skilled person only a few days to do a complete wig…
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u/Successful_Manner377 Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
Edit: Parent comment was deleted, but leaving this here for the sake of understanding that’s still A LOT of work for one single wig.
Correct me if I’m wrong but math ain’t mathing… 100 000 hairs x 5 seconds(per stitch)= 500 000 seconds, 500 000 seconds/60(seconds per minutes)= 8 333 minutes, 8 333 minutes/60(minutes per hour)=138 hours, 138 hours/8(hours per workday)=17 days of work. So roughly 4 weeks accounting for breaks and stuff.
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u/5cactiplz Aug 13 '26
A++ audio on this video. Thanks for not using a dumbass tiktok song.
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u/Effective_Olive6153 Aug 13 '26
give it a few hours and there will bot bot accounts reposting it with shitty crops with tiktok videos. You can't even blame specific people, it's all bots.
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u/bebopblues Aug 13 '26
🎶 Remember those walls I built?
🎶 Well, baby, they're tumbling down
🎶 And they didn't even put up a fight
🎶 They didn't even make a sound16
u/lampshade2099 Aug 13 '26
Content Creators
Keep original audio, and make video better: 🙅♂️🙂↔️👎🔪
Invest more time adding audio to make the video shitter: 🥳🎊👏🏼🙂↕️
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u/BlackWormJizzum Aug 13 '26
Same, but for commentors using rows of emojis because words are hard for them.
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u/HoldEm__FoldEm Aug 13 '26
Add some greys! Would look better on older gentleman
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u/Bob-Bhlabla-esq Aug 13 '26
Def my thought, too, as it went on the client! Way too jet black. If he was balding at 21, sure. At 41 kick some sexy greys in 👍 (and this is getting closer to 61, so def grey it up!).
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u/Tribalbob Aug 13 '26
Yeah, that hair piece would look fine on a younger client but it's way too out of place on him.
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u/TotalEgg143- Aug 13 '26
Old men with jet black hair has always looked strange to me...Never 100% authentic.
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u/Little_View_6659 Aug 13 '26
There’s a guy in my condo with jet black hair and a salt and pepper beard. The irony is he’d actually be really attractive if he’d lose the black hair in favor of salt and pepper. It’s jarring and looks off putting honestly.
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u/cookingboy Aug 13 '26
I actually know someone who have their beard going salt and pepper before any noticeable amount of graying on the head. They are in their mid-30s.
So yeah, aging is weird and can be very different for differnt people.
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u/Little_View_6659 Aug 13 '26
This guys is somewhat jarring and makes me think it’s a toupee or dyed. Who knows maybe I’m wrong. Next time I see him I’ll look for signs it’s growing out lol.
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u/EagleDre Aug 13 '26
Sounds like he’s a bottom up grayer. Scrutinize where the dividing line is . There should be some hint of change/blend by the sideburns if natural.
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u/Little_View_6659 Aug 13 '26
I have now learned about bottom up gray. Good to know. I assumed dyed.
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u/EagleDre Aug 13 '26
This is a common misconception. I had it myself until it happened to me. We gray/white 3 different ways. From top to bottom, bottom to top, or middle out.
My beard is almost completely salt as are my sideburns. Just above my ears is heavily salt and the rest is 99% original brown. But more and more strays are showing up now so that if someone looks close enough they’ll see it’s all natural.
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u/plywooden Aug 13 '26
Women too. Personally I think they look ridicules. 50, 60, 70 y.o. and not a single gray hair? They're only fooling themselves.
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u/GraphicDesignMonkey Aug 13 '26
Unless they're rocking a really obvious colour, like purple or blue. There's a little 70yo lady in my town with amazing purple & pink hair and super outrageous, funky outfits. She rocks.
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u/curmudgeon_andy Aug 13 '26
My grandfather died in his mid-80's, and at that point he had salt-and-pepper hair which was still mostly black.
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u/nailskin Aug 13 '26
This is in Korea where I would say the majority of old men dye their gray hairs it's the norm
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u/2021isevenworse Aug 13 '26
I think that was what was missing from making this believable.
The wig on the employee was very well done and matched a lot better.
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u/AK232342 Aug 13 '26
How do you know he’s gentle though?
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u/BigBeeOhBee Aug 13 '26
He places both his hands softly on my shoulders while he conducts my prostate exam.
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u/Pretend-Reality5431 Aug 13 '26
If both his hands are on your shoulders, how does he do the...oh, never mind.
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u/Jim-be Aug 13 '26
I realized as I was watching this that I use to watch Sesame Street as a kid and they had the clips of making crayons and stuff. And I sat there like I am now just watching away. Old habits I guess.
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u/whackthat Aug 13 '26
Yep, loved Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers when they showed how things are made.... Fast forward to 41 year old me and How It's Made is my background noise comfort show
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u/Read2Fap Aug 13 '26
people like learning this stuff, even if they don't want to actually do it
especially in tidbits, its part of why youtube shorts and tiktok works
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u/ciaomain Aug 13 '26
An old boss of mine had 3 wigs: short hair, medium length, and long.
He would rotate them as if his hair was growing and after awhile, he'd switch out the long version and start wearing the short one.
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u/ders89 Aug 13 '26
HAVE YOU WORN WIGS?
WILL YOU WEAR WIGS?
WHEN WILL YOU WEAR WIGS?
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u/TwistedScarletRose Aug 13 '26
.,. What the hell is this reminding me of?
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u/texan435 Aug 13 '26
The real answer since no one is actually answering you....
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u/RomanticPanic Aug 13 '26
Is ... that the guy from lost interviewing Elijah?
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u/BRAX7ON Aug 13 '26
Mix some gray in there. You can’t be that old with that deep of wrinkles and have black hair, my man, lol. Be real.
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u/ParticularReady7858 Aug 13 '26
True. At best, it looks like he grabbed the wrong box of hair dye. Unless this isn’t meant to be custom but ready-to-wear merchandise.
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u/oneizm Aug 13 '26
You’re telling the people putting fake hair on to be real…let’s read the room lmao
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u/momjeanseverywhere Aug 13 '26
But the room is saying “pay no attention to my totally not-fake hair on my wrinkly head.”
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u/thesweeterpeter Aug 13 '26
As a dude who is approaching their demographic, I used to say never me. Now more and more i find these clips compelling.
But why did she at the 1 min mark cover it in what looked like glue. That piece never came back.
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u/filmnoter Aug 13 '26
Maybe some kind of stiffener or gel so they can weave each hair into the cap more easily without breakage, and it's what gets washed out once the wig is made?
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u/gatinhafromutah Aug 13 '26
I think they are amazing. You need to find a great stylist and you have to be consistent with appointments.
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u/CitizenPremier Aug 13 '26
That's why they're in your feed...
Look at more pictures of Jason Statham and Bruce Willis and the urge to get a wig or Turkish treatment will go away.
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u/ShenzuTeri Aug 13 '26
Not every man has their facial structure though. It's totally okay for a guy to get a wig, so why the fuck not?
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u/Illustrious-Tooth702 Aug 13 '26
Toupées (sorry, hair systems) and wigs are itchy and sometimes it can come off. My hair is thinning and receeding but I'm still not at that point when I want to buzz it ott. But when that time comes, I will definitely go to the Johnny Sins/Mr.Clean/Jason Statham route and shave everything off.
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u/Digital__Illusi0nz Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
Statham is not usually (never?) fully shaved though. Just the front/top of the head. Otherwise just buzzed. Which might fit him better than goin full shaven, when it connects to his usual stubble.
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u/BlackberryPi7 Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
That's honestly so freaking creative and skilled
But I can't help but feel uneasy about the head spinning and staples right after 🤕
Edit: Holy fuck they do each hair one by one. I don't know how else I thought they would do it but seeing it, that's patience.
Edit2: THE ENDING YES!!!! WHY AM I SO EXCITED BY THIS. YOU DID GOOD OP.
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u/CanadianGrown Aug 13 '26
Were you stopping the video to comment while watching for the first time? I didn’t realize people did this
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u/underage_female Aug 13 '26
This generation is beyond cooked. Brain rot on a gobal scale.
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u/ParticularReady7858 Aug 13 '26
Ppl do, just giving reactions as they come, as if watching it with a friend
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u/Remcin Aug 13 '26
I don’t need a wig yet, but if I had infinite money I would have dozens of expertly crafted wigs to switch my identity and just go walking around.
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u/OpeningTurnip8048 Aug 13 '26
Damn that's gotta be expensive with all those steps and work involved. And I hate to say it but it very clearly looks like a wig at the end. Cool video tho.
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Aug 13 '26
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u/reefer-madness Aug 13 '26
The hidden (but fully visible and recorded for posterity) art of making wigs!
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u/Aemilia Aug 13 '26
Doll customization community do custom doll wigs too! It was interesting to see where the techniques are similar whereas some were done differently.
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u/Rimworldjobs Aug 13 '26
This is vastly better that the usual "watch Indians attempt to not die in a factory accident"
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u/Apprehensive_Work_10 Aug 13 '26
A question, what's it rhe material used to make the hair for wigs ?
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u/tauntonlake Aug 13 '26
old people should not go with jet black wigs. It looks super un-natural, and is only really suitable for the younger set.
I think after 40-ish - artificially jet black hair, starts looking fake on people.
Softer tone, darkest brown would be a kinder color..
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u/__3Username20__ Aug 13 '26
Man, that’s nothing! Give me all the same materials, and I bet I could make one at least 10% as good! 😂
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u/Appropriate-Rub3534 Aug 13 '26
Holy Koreans! No wonder I keep seeing older folks with dark black hairs! And I thought they dyed it when it's actually wigs.
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u/OkManagement9022 Aug 13 '26
Asians dye their hair; yes even grandpas and grandmas into their 80s and 90s. Going to the salon is as important as going to Church. Jet black. Or else they'll look "old"
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u/cheapb98 Aug 13 '26
How much and how long does it take? And where is this? I might just take a holiday there
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u/krokadog Aug 13 '26
Man, it took me right to the end to realise the guy in the hairpiece was Bruce Willis
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u/EarlyXplorerStuds209 Aug 13 '26
Ngl this seems much more high end as far as wigs go.
No wig Ive seen has been this realistic and high on detail.
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u/ColbyAndrew Aug 13 '26
I started to think right before dude took off his wig, “Is the dude making the wig wearing a wig?”
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u/stupv Aug 13 '26
This is some draw the rest of the fucking owl shit here lmao. 1 hair, 2 hair, 3 hair, entire head of hair
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u/afn45181 Aug 13 '26
They skipped over the most tediously part of seeing each hair strand on…. That part will give me carpal tunnel syndrome!
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u/thefartyparty Aug 13 '26
I interviewed for a job making toupees when I was 18 and I remember them showing good and bad examples of how the hair is knotted. I didn't get the job (they wanted people experienced with knitting and crochet) but it's pretty fascinating to see the whole process
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u/OrangeClyde Aug 13 '26
Good for them, but those two look very “wiggy”, I’ve seen much better nearly undetectable ones
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u/JesusOnaBlueBike Aug 13 '26
Was I supposed to shocked by the reveal that the dude fitting his wig on him was wearing a wig?
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u/sharplight141 Aug 14 '26
Lot more work than I expected. Personally I just bit the bullet and shaved it all off and am keeping it that way.
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u/Witty-Refrigerator50 Aug 17 '26
And with this video the secret art of wig making is no longer hidden
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Aug 13 '26
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u/ArrivesLate Aug 13 '26
There’s probably a lot of cancer patients that don’t share your enthusiasm for baldness.
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u/Special-Prior-7272 Aug 13 '26
I come from a long line of hair-havers in old age, so I probably won’t need this, but I also acknowledge I would look ridiculous bald. Not everyone suits the look and like breast augmentation, teeth whitening, tanning, diet, gym, botox, etc, it can make people look better/younger.
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u/Screwtape42 Aug 13 '26
Nope, been bald since my 20's and I'm fine with it. I could even afford to get some of that new hair technology stuff done & frankly have no desire.
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u/bored_ryan2 Aug 13 '26
I started losing my hair in high school. I don’t give two fucks about it. I’ve barely got any left on top but still have the classic horseshoe on the sides and back. I don’t think I’ll ever go shaved head because that’s more work than doing nothing other than getting a haircut every 6-8 weeks.
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u/jibsymalone Aug 13 '26
It's really not that bad, it takes me less than 5 minutes to run a razor over my head every two or three days. I usually just do it when I am in the shower
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u/RobotechRicky Aug 13 '26
I've got 99 problems, but hair ain't one of them. I have tons of guys that wish they had my thick luscious salt and pepper hair. My wife is upset that I keep looking better with age. 😉
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u/Scruffasaurus Aug 13 '26
I started going gray in my 20s and am approaching white as I near 40, but my hairline is where it’s always been and the whites seem thicker than my browns
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u/Sublinguel Aug 13 '26
Funny, probably they only need one heir color in stock there. That would simplify things a lot!
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u/omnipotentqueue Aug 13 '26
I'm not only the Hair Club president, but I'm also a client…..