This is where having an extra set of hands and eyes is important, since you’ll need some small, sharp scissors to cut a slit for your ear to come through. Start by cutting a line straight up so that you can pull your ear through and then trim it bit by bit until the bald cap lies flat but still covers your hair. Image credit: Images Courtesy Trent Cannon/Cosplay Central A bald cap is what makes actors appear bald and can be combined with a ‘thinning wig’ to look as if an actor is losing their hair; a key element in the process of ageing an actor, illnesses and hair loss conditions. What are the techniques of applying a bald cap? Do techniques vary depending on which type of bald cap use? We prioritise quality and realism. We source our cruelty free, vegan products from trusted brands including Mehron and Ben Nye, each is well-known for their expertise in the industry, ensuring that you receive professional-grade items that meet your expectations.

Step Two: Apply Adhesive to Front Hairline Image credit: Images Courtesy Trent Cannon/Cosplay Central First, let’s get some definitions out of the way. As the name implies, a bald cap is just that: a cap that you apply to make someone look bald.This can be achieved by blending edges where it meets real skin, creating a realistic head shape and colouring of the cap to be identical to real skin tone. Also as mentioned before making sure the hair is flat and wrapping the hair to simulate shape of head, you don’t want any height on top from wrapped hair. What distinct types of bald cap are there? How do you know which is the right one to use in each circumstance? The varieties of Bald caps have slightly different application techniques. The Silicon cap is created to blend seamlessly onto the actor’s face and because it is cast, it should fit like a glove and in theory should be an easier application. If you can only get a polystyrene head then you should consider preparing it for use. You can make bald caps using the head as is, but eventually the soft surface of the head will start to break down and lumps will get pulled out of it.

Repeat steps two and three for each side of the head, applying adhesive to the skin by the sideburns and in front of the ears. Do one side and then the other to help you make sure that when you press the bald cap to your skin, the top and sides remain smooth. Mark the head using the DVD pens (I use different colours for each edge) such that the first line covers the entire area of the cap, the second is about 1/4" (six millimetres) inside the first, the third is 1/4" inside that and the fourth 1/4" inside that. See the picture for a visual guide. The bald cap is pulled over the head a bit like putting a swimming cap on. It’s powdered to help and, though it’s reasonably strong, you need to be gentle as the cap plastic is naturally very thin. Bald caps come in a few different materials. The cheapest and most readily available are latex bald caps, which are usually thinner and slightly more delicate than some of the more robust materials. The other common type is a silicone bald cap, which is stronger but also usually four to five times the cost. Since both of these are single use only, costs can really add up as you learn to apply the prosthetic.If the latex begins to dry out you will see it lifting the latex you have already laid down, keep the latex on the sponge wet to avoid this happening. Once the entire area of the cap has a thin even coat, leave it to dry for a couple of hours. You can try to wash the sponge out under running water, but I don't bother, I just discard the cube and use a new one for each coat. If it needs to be used on a stunt double these need to match so the importance of creating a good head shape and not using pins and grips as health and safety is a big factor when working with Stunt doubles.

Silicon bald caps tend to be used in higher budget films and have a translucency that looks more effective which is much harder to replicate when using Vinyl caps. Anne Hathaway had a Silicon bald cap cast for her role in The Witches. A vinyl bald cap is anything from 45 minutes to 3 hours but depends on many factors including the type of hair being covered, what the finished look needs to be and what time and budget is available to create it. You need to give it A LOT of coats of PVA glue to seal and strengthen it. I took 3 weeks and 25 thin coats of PVA, allowing each one to dry in between. This gives a really tough and non-porous 'skin' to the head so I can use it for all sorts of work. Obviously it won't take heat or serious chemicals which will both melt it.

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One of The Iver Makeup Academy’s brilliant award-winning Tutors Renata Gilbert explains Bald Caps and their use in Film and TV. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry, working on well-loved TV dramas and iconic films, she is an “all-rounder” artist, as they say in the business, working with hair, makeup and prosthetics. Delamar, Penny (2002). The Complete Make-up Artist (2nded.). Cengage Learning EMEA. ISBN 1-86152-890-6.