Lace Closure vs. Frontal: Which is Better for You

Lace closures and frontals are normally used with hair wefts (also called bundles) to create some of the most natural looking wigs and sew-in styles. They enable you to rock your wigs and sew-ins without anyone knowing that they’re not your real hair. You can slay with confidence, knowing that your wig/sew-in looks like it’s growing straight from your scalp.

But what you may not know is that there are some fundamental differences between lace frontals and lace closures that you should know about. In this article, we’ll tell you how the two differ and help you decide which is best for you.

What Is a Lace Closure?

Lace closures are hairpieces designed to be applied at the front of your head in the center. They have a lace base with hand-tied hair strands. People use closures to finish off wigs and sew-ins with a realistic-looking part and no leave-out. Closure wigs come with lace closures already installed for a natural result, but you can also use a lace closure to make your own closure wig. If you prefer sew-ins, feel free to sew your closure onto your braided hair using a mesh wig cap and glue it down to your skin along the hairline.

Lace closures do not often come ready to wear, so you’ll need to learn a bit about bleaching knots, making baby hairs (optional), and plucking the front of the closure to match that portion of your hairline.

To blend a lace closure into your skin, cut off the few inches of excess lace at the front and apply some adhesive on your skin where the lace will sit. Then press the lace into the adhesive and dry it thoroughly with a blow dryer. Blend the closure hair in with the rest of the bundles which should have been sewn or glued in previously.
 
Lace closures are great for anyone who wants a simple yet natural style for virtually any occasion. 

Lace Closure Types

Lace closures come in three different parting styles, including:

• Three-part: A three-part closure can be parted in three ways – down the middle, on the left, or the right. The closure is pre-plucked in all three parting styles. This offers you lots of styling options.

• Middle part: A middle part closure can only be parted down the middle.

• Free part: A free part closure can be parted in any fashion. Part it horizontally, vertically, down the middle, off to the side – however, you want. Free part closures are the most versatile of all closure types.

Lace Closure Size

You’ll find closures in the following sizes:

• 4x4 inches
• 5x5 inches
• 6x6 inches
• 7x7 inches

The 4x4 closure size is most popular due to its easy-to-use nature and modest price. It is also the most common closure option available on the market, so you can easily find it in any texture or color you want.  
 
For the most natural closure results, you’ve got to choose a closure made with the right type of lace. Choose HD lace whenever available – it’s ultra-thin lace that looks nearly invisible after application.

Lace Closure Style Options

You can style closures in a multitude of ways, including any style with a middle part or side part (bobs, pixie cuts, short and long wavy or straight styles). Styles that expose the sides of your hairline, your sideburns, or the nape of your neck won’t work with lace closures.

Lace Closure Pros

• Requires less maintenance than frontals since there’s less hair and lace to contend with.
• Lasts a long time – for several months with proper maintenance.
• Reduces your risk of natural hair damage since it will be protected under the closure.
• Cheaper than lace frontals.
• Helps you to create styles that have a realistic-looking hairline.
• Easier to install and blend than lace frontals.

Lace Closure Cons

• Relatively small surface area, which restricts your styling options.

Closures are perfect for those looking to create simple, minimalist styles, so if you’re looking for more styling options, a lace frontal might work better for you.

What Is a Closure Wig?

A closure wig is a wig that features a lace closure already sewn in. These wigs are super convenient since they allow you to tuck away all of your natural hair under a wig cap and style the closure along with the rest of your wig. 

What is a Lace Frontal?

A lace frontal is also a hairpiece with hair hand-tied to a lace base. They are designed to be adhered just in front of your natural hairline from ear to ear. They extend anywhere from 4 to 6 inches back towards your crown. You can use lace frontals with human hair bundles to make lace front wigs. Lace frontals may also be sewn onto a wig cap to add volume, texture, or length to your sew-in. They completely conceal your natural hair underneath.
 
Some lace frontals come ready to use, with a pre-plucked hairline and bleached knots. But if they don’t, you’ll likely have to do these things yourself. To install a lace frontal, you’ll need to cut away the excess lace, apply an adhesive to your skin, push the lace frontal into the adhesive, and then blow-dry the lace for a lasting hold. Use a comb and styling tools to blend the frontal with the rest of your extension hair.
 
Lace frontals look very natural and are hard to distinguish from real hair. It’s for these reasons that they are more costly than lace closures.

Lace Frontal Types

Lace frontals come in several different types, including 13x4, 13x5, and 13x6 inches.

The first number signifies how long the frontal is in the front. The second number refers to how far back the closure extends.

The 13x4 lace frontal is most popular, as it offers you the most bang for your buck when compared to other lace frontal sizes. You can find frontals in virtually all hair colors, textures, and human hair types.
 
Not all lace types are created equal. For the most natural results, choose a frontal with HD lace. It’s thin, undetectable, and more natural-looking than just about any other lace type.

Lace Frontal Style Options

You can style a frontal sew-in in almost any way, including low ponytails and buns, long and short straight and wavy styles, bobs, pixie cuts, and much more. You can do side braids from ear to ear and styles that show your entire hairline. Though lace frontals offer more styling options than lace closures, you should still avoid high ponytails, space buns, and high buns.

Lace Frontal Pros

• Give you a break from your natural hair and protect it throughout the duration of the style.

• Allows for lots of styling options that look very natural.

• You can attach your lace front using glue, tape, needle and thread, or other adhesives.

Lace Front Cons

• Incorrect placement of your lace frontal can diminish its natural appearance.

• Using lace glue or tape can irritate your skin and pull out your hair.

• Much more expensive -- can cost up to 500 dollars depending on where you purchase yours.

• Requires heavy maintenance. 

Frontals are a great choice if you have the time to melt it properly and money to spend on a quality one. The options for styling are virtually limitless with frontals, which make it a popular choice for people of all backgrounds.

What Is a Frontal Wig?

Frontal wigs are wigs that have a lace frontal installed. These wigs look more natural than closure wigs but have a larger lace portion (more maintenance) and higher cost.

Closure and Frontal Similarities

Closures and frontals have many similarities, despite their differences. Let’s take a look at the most significant similarities between the two options.

Natural Lace Parting Options

Both types of hairpieces allow for natural parting, being that they utilize lace and hand-tied human hair. The lace can blend into your hairline. You can also find both closures and frontals in a silk version.

You can buy a lace closure or frontal along with bundles to make a wig all by yourself. In this case, you can sew the hair wefts in the back and on the sides of the wig cap, sew the closure or frontal onto the cap, and then glue the front of the closure or frontal along your hairline to make it look natural. Just know that you don’t have to use a closure or frontal for a traditional sew-in; you can sew in bundles and then leave some of your natural hair out in the front to blend in with the extensions.

Just know that human hair wefts often last longer than closures or frontals, which tend to be a bit fragile. Thankfully, you can replace the frontal or closure on a wig or sew-in and replace it with a new one. Always use a new lace closure or frontal for every install.

Baby Hair and Styling

Both options allow you to add baby hairs (if the closure or frontal doesn’t already come with them), which you can cut and style to further conceal the lace and enhance your look.

HD Lace

Both frontals and closures come in an HD lace variety, allowing for a seamless and natural-looking result. HD lace hairpieces are on the expensive side, but they are worth it due to their surprisingly realistic appearance.

Differences Between Closure and Frontal

Now, what are the differences between frontals and closures? These differences are what will help you make an informed decision.

Cost

Lace frontals cost, on average, around $100-$500. They are the pricier option and are often made of 100% human hair, upping their price. If you buy a lace frontal wig, your costs can go up to $1000, depending on the quality of the lace and hair.
 
Lace closures are cheaper, costing around $20-$300. The actual cost will depend on the hair type, lace size, and parting options you select.

Styling Options

Frontals provide more styling options because they have a larger surface area. With frontals, you can freely part and style the hair around your ears, the sides of your head, and the crown of your head. With closures, you can only part the top portion of your head where the lace is.

Size

Closures come in smaller sizes than frontals. You can find them in 4x4, 5x5, 6x6, and 7x7. Frontals are generally in sizes such as 13x4, 13x5, and 13x6.

Comfort

Lace frontals are more comfortable to wear than lace closures since they allow more of your scalp to breathe. With a closure, only a small portion of your scalp can breathe.

Installation, Maintenance, and Touch-ups

Frontals require much more maintenance than closures, as they include more hair and a large surface area to work with. You may also have to curl, cut, or style the frontal in ways you don’t have to with a closure. Closures also last longer than frontals, which need to be replaced every couple of weeks, depending on how you use them. You won’t likely need to touch up your lace closure much.

How to Choose

How do you choose which hairpiece is right for you? It all comes down to personal preference. If you’re someone who puts a lot of time and energy into your hair routine and appreciates the finer details, an HD lace frontal is the best choice for you.
 
On the other hand, if you want a quick and easy option that looks effortless and helps you make your hairline more natural, an HD lace closure will do just fine.
 
Read through the similarities and differences between closures and frontals to make your choice. Make sure to factor in the following:

Cost – If you’re strapped for cash, a closure is best. If not, you can get a frontal, which will look more natural.

Maintenance – For a low maintenance option, opt for a closure.

Your hair routine – If you have the time to style and touch up your hairpiece at will, a lace frontal will work fine. If not, go with a lace closure.

In addition to the above, you should always consider:

The color of your skin and hair in relation to the lace – Clear Lace and HD Lace work for all skin tones.

Type of hair you want – Choose synthetic or human hair; human hair lasts longer and looks authentic. 

Desired hair texture – You’ve got a ton of hair texture options to choose from, including deep waves, body waves, tight curls, straight, kinky straight, etc.

Desired hair color – Go natural with black or brown shades, or fashion colors like red, purple, blue, or green!
 
Make sure to buy your closures and frontals from a reputable seller that’s transparent about where they get their hair from. And always check the reviews and customer photos before purchasing.

Get Your Own

Lace frontals and closures can be extremely confusing when you’re new to lace hairpieces. But with the right information, choosing between the two gets much easier.

Lace frontals are the better overall choice for many, especially those who favor a natural result over the cost and maintenance involved. But lace closures can’t be beat due to their simplicity and low cost.The choice is yours!

So, which do you prefer – lace frontals or lace closures? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to share your decision and reason below in the comment section.