Lace Front Wigs: Your Questions Answered.
We often get asked by customers and visitors to our trade stands how a lace front wig should be fitted, how to trim the lace and to what length?
Lace front wigs have been around for some time now and to some longer term wig wearers it may seem daunting to upgrade from a standard wefted machine made cap [or 'hard front' as some like to term them] to a lace front or full lace wig.
Here are a few pointers that may help you in the decision of whether to buy a lace front wig and how to manage the hairline. It's not too daunting, honestly!
What's a Lace Front Wig?
A lace front wig differs from a standard cap in that the front section of the wig has a semi transparent or transparent section of lace fabric to which fibre or hair is hand tied. This lace section is made from, yes you guessed it, lace - there are a few types of lace material but mainly you will find that the fabric used these days is of Japanese, Korean or Chinese origin even though it may be referred to as French, Swiss or Film lace. Some lace has a film coating and some a softer texture as per the photo.
The lace section once completed with its hair is [ in the case of lace front wigs ] attached to a wig cap base which will generally be machine made [ the hair or fibre is sewn on to wefts in strips ] which then completes the sides and back of the wig.
Fitting a Lace Front Wig - A Quick Guide.
As you can see on Teta modelling our Tamsin wig the lace fabric is visible once you fit the wig, that's perfectly normal, you now just need to trim the lace front with a pair of scissors to a height that suits your hairline or where you would like your hairline to appear.
To cut the lace we generally take 3 steps, firstly check the wig is fitted at the nape and temples correctly then take a light shade eye pencil and trace the line where you would like the lace to end.
Check you are happy with the line and then snip the lace in the centre vertically to just below the line you've drawn. Next trim along the bottom of the line from the centre horizontally to the side edge and repeat to the other edge. discard the excess lace. There is no rule as to how much lace you should leave but we usually aim for a cm or 2 on first fitting. [ NB some people don't trim their lace at all, others cut right into the hairline]
When fitting your lace front wig glue can be used for longer term wear but we prefer to use Got2b hair gel which leaves little residue and hold the lace perfectly well with no scalp damage. Simply smooth the gel along the area your lace will sit, spreading it to both sides in front of the ears. Dry with a hairdryer until tacky and then fit your wig, adjusting as required.
The remove simple peel off the lace and remove your wig.
We'll be filming some more tutorials and tips soon so if you have any requests or need any help drop us a message on our DollsHead wigs instagram page and we'll be happy to help.
