What’s the Difference Between Frontals and Closures?

Both lace closures and lace frontals are excellent choices for completing your look. They are ideal for styling wigs, weaves, and regular hair extensions. However, choosing between them can sometimes be challenging.

Let’s explore the differences between lace closures and lace frontals with VN Hair, and find out how to select the most suitable option for your needs.

Similarities Between Closures and Frontals

Both closures and frontals feature Swiss lace, which is combined with woven hair to create a complete wig. Transparent or Swiss lace provides a natural-looking scalp, helping you achieve the look you desire.

You can explore the benefits and drawbacks of transparent versus Swiss lace based on the manufacturer’s choice.

Both closures and frontals offer protection for your natural hair while allowing you to style and braid it. To help you decide between a closure and a frontal, we’ve compiled all the essential information, including the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

What Is a Lace Frontal?

Lace frontal hair extensions come in sew-in or adhesive installations and are designed to provide a natural appearance for your wigs and hair extensions. Unlike closures, which cover a smaller section, lace frontals typically measure around 13 inches across and extend about 4 inches back, covering your hairline from ear to ear. This creates a semi-wig effect, allowing for a variety of hairstyles, such as center parts, side parts, or ponytails, all of which look natural due to the frontal’s versatile design.

The Benefits of Wearing Lace Frontals

• Faster Installation

Lace frontals significantly reduce installation time. Applying a lace frontal is usually completed in under 30 minutes for wigs, and about an hour for hair extensions with frontals. Creating a ponytail can take between 2 to 4 hours, depending on the desired thickness. For busy individuals with limited time each day, lace frontals are an efficient choice that also protects natural hair.

• Versatile Styling Options

Lace frontals offer great versatility, allowing you to style your wigs or extensions in various ways. Whether you prefer ponytails, center parts, or side parts, lace frontals provide a natural-looking hairline that enhances the overall appearance.

• Breathability

Choosing lace frontals over full wigs provides added comfort, especially in hot weather. The lace allows your scalp to breathe, reducing discomfort and ensuring you stay confident and cool throughout the day.

The Drawbacks of Wearing Lace Frontals

• Potential Damage to Your Hairline

Sew-in lace frontals are typically attached using glue or lace tape. Prolonged use can weaken hair roots and potentially lead to hair loss or scalp issues.

• Labor-Intensive Maintenance

Achieving a natural-looking hairline with lace frontals involves several detailed steps, including bleaching knots, tweezing, tinting, plucking, trimming baby hairs, and proper wig installation. Although it may seem complex at first, you’ll become more adept with practice. The effort pays off for a beautiful, thick hairstyle.

• Higher Cost

While lace frontals require fewer raw hair bundles, their versatility and ability to create various styles contribute to a higher price compared to lace closures.

What Is a Lace Closure?

A lace closure typically measures 4 x 4 inches in size. Unlike lace frontals, which cover a larger area, lace closures are designed to finish off your wig or hairstyle. They come in various parting styles, including three-part, free part, and center part.

• Three-Part Closure: Allows for three distinct parting options.
• Center Part Closure: Provides a single, centered parting style.
• Free Part Closure: Offers the flexibility to part your hair any way you choose.

The free part closure is especially popular due to its versatility, enabling a wide range of styling possibilities.

The Benefits of Wearing Lace Closures

• Low Maintenance

Lace closures are relatively easy to care for and maintain. The primary tasks involve washing, conditioning, and styling, without requiring extensive experience or effort.

• Longer Lifespan

Lace closures generally last longer than lace frontals when properly maintained. Since they require less frequent application of glue, they typically remain secure for about 2-3 weeks before needing adjustment.

• Protects Your Natural Hair

Using a lace closure allows you to experiment with different styles and colors without affecting your natural hair. You can dye your weave and closure in any shade you like, avoiding the need to apply heat or dye your own hair. This makes the process safer and less damaging.

The Drawbacks of Wearing a Lace Closure

• Limited Styling Options

Lace closures come in only three styles: three-part, free part, and center part. This limitation restricts the variety of hairstyles you can achieve with your wigs or extensions.

• Potential Fit Issues

To ensure a proper fit, it’s essential to measure your head accurately before installing a lace closure. If there’s a significant mismatch between the lace size and your head size, the closure may appear uneven and not sit properly.

• Natural Hair Growth

Even with a lace closure in place, your natural hair will continue to grow. After 2-3 weeks, as the glue loosens, you may need to make adjustments to your wig to maintain a seamless appearance.

What Is the Difference Between Lace Frontal and Lace Closure?

You can easily distinguish between lace frontals and lace closures based on three key factors: size, versatility, and cost.

Size

The primary difference between lace closures and lace frontals is their size.

• Lace Closure: Typically measures 4 x 4 inches and is designed to cover a smaller area, such as the top or front of the head. It often creates a closed-off look or a side part.
• Lace Frontal: Usually measures 13 x 4 inches and covers the hairline from ear to ear. This provides more extensive coverage and allows for greater styling flexibility, including the ability to part the hair anywhere.

Versatility

• Lace Closure: Offers limited styling options due to its smaller size and fixed parting styles (e.g., center part, side part, or free part).
• Lace Frontal: Provides greater versatility, allowing for various parting styles and more natural-looking results. It is ideal for those who want to experiment with different hairstyles and colors without altering their natural hair.

Cost

• Lace Closure: Generally more affordable due to its smaller size and simpler application.
• Lace Frontal: Tends to be more expensive because of its larger size and the increased flexibility it offers in styling.

Which Is Better: Lace Closure or Lace Frontal?

Both lace closures and lace frontals offer a flawless and natural look, creating the illusion that the hair is growing directly from your scalp. The choice between them largely depends on what looks best on you and your specific needs. Both options allow you to style and protect your natural hair, ensuring that none of your own hair is left exposed.

The main differences between lace closures and lace frontals are size, versatility, and cost. Lace frontals provide more coverage and flexibility but come at a higher price, while lace closures are more affordable and offer a more straightforward application.

Choosing between a lace frontal and a lace closure depends on your intended use and preferences. Both have their advantages, so reviewing the pros and cons of each, as outlined by VN Hair Factory, will help you make the best decision for your needs.

Lace Frontal vs Lace Closure: How to Choose the Best Option for You

Ultimately, choosing between a lace frontal and a lace closure comes down to personal preference. Both options offer natural-looking styles and the flexibility to part your hair in various ways. Key factors to consider include how often you like to change your style and your budget.

If you’re deciding between a closure and a frontal, explore our selection at VN Hair. We offer a variety of textures, colors, and lengths, and our stock is readily available, so you won’t have to wait long. Our virgin closures and frontals come in different textures, such as curly, yaki straight, and deep wave, among others.

When you purchase at least three bundles, closures, or frontals from us, we include a complimentary service package that covers shampooing, conditioning, braid down, sew-in, and styling. Choose the option that best suits your needs and get ready to enjoy a new, seamlessly natural look.

So, which will you choose for your next wig purchase: a lace frontal or a lace closure?

Where to Find Lace Closures and Frontals

Ultimately, your choice depends on the look you want to achieve and the level of styling flexibility you prefer. For many women, a lace closure is essential for creating a natural-looking wig. Lace closures can mimic the appearance of a real scalp, and by leaving a small amount of natural hair around the hairline, you can enhance the realism of the closure.

If you’re looking for more styling options, a lace frontal may be the better choice, although it tends to be more expensive than a lace closure. Lace frontals offer greater versatility and coverage, allowing for various parting styles and looks.

At VN Hair, you can explore both lace closures and lace frontals on our website: https://vnhair.org/ Choose the best option based on your desired hairstyle and individual needs.