Maryland Cosmetology State Practice Exam

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What test determines if a wig is made of human hair or synthetic fiber?

Match test
Burn test
Stretch test
Water test

The correct answer is: Burn test

The burn test is the correct method for determining whether a wig is made from human hair or synthetic fibers. When you perform a burn test, you take a small sample of hair from the wig and carefully burn it. Human hair will burn slowly and produce a smell similar to burnt protein, while synthetic fibers will melt, produce a chemical odor, and burn more rapidly. This qualitative analysis is reliable because the characteristics of burning differ significantly between the two types of materials. The match test, while relevant in some contexts for color matching, does not provide information about the composition as effectively as the burn test does. Similarly, the stretch test primarily assesses elasticity and does not indicate the material type, and the water test is used to evaluate moisture retention and does not differentiate between human and synthetic hair.