Understanding Wig Cap Constructions and Sizing
What is a lace front wig?
A lace front wig has a sheer lace panel along the front hairline with individual strands hand-tied into the lace. The lace blends with the skin, creating the appearance of hair growing from a natural hairline. The rest of the cap is machine-wefted for durability.
- Purpose of the lace: A natural-looking front hairline and off-the-face styling.
- HD lace: A thinner, more transparent lace that melts into a wider range of skin tones. Hair So Good stocks the HH Brazilian Lace Wig (Free Part 13x4 HD Lace) Beyonce 28", a 100% human hair lace wig with a 13x4 HD lace front.
- Ear-to-ear lace: Lace that spans the full front hairline from ear to ear, such as the HH Brazilian Lace Wig (Ear to Ear) Loose Deep 20".
What is a 13x4 vs 13x6 lace wig?
The numbers describe the lace panel's dimensions in inches: width across the hairline by depth from the hairline back.
- 13x4: Lace spans 13 inches across the hairline (roughly ear to ear) and extends 4 inches back. This is the most common lace frontal size and supports a natural hairline with a free or middle part.
- 13x6: The same 13-inch width with 6 inches of depth. The deeper parting space allows deeper side parts, half-up styles, and more versatile parting.
- Trade-off: Deeper lace offers more styling versatility; a 13x4 typically costs less and installs faster.
How to measure your head for a wig
Measure with a soft tape measure on flat, braided-down or slicked hair, since the wig is worn over prepped hair.
- Circumference: Wrap the tape around the head, starting at the front hairline, behind one ear, around the nape, behind the other ear, and back to the front hairline. Average adult circumference is about 22.5 inches (standard cap size).
- Front to nape: Measure from the front hairline straight over the crown to the nape.
- Ear to ear: Measure across the top of the head from the top of one ear to the top of the other.
- Record all three measurements and compare them to the wig's listed cap size before purchase.
How to prep your natural hair for a wig installation
Flat prep protects natural hair and gives the wig a smooth, even foundation.
- Braid natural hair into flat cornrows going straight back, or wrap and pin it flat if it is shorter.
- Cover the braided hair with a stocking wig cap such as the Qfitt HD Stocking Ultra Sheer Wig Cap. The ultra-sheer cap disappears under HD lace.
- Secure the wig with a grip band such as the Annie Velcro Wig Band with silicone grip for a glueless hold.
- For a melted lace finish, apply a lace adhesive product such as EBIN Wonder Lace Bond Adhesive Spray or EBIN Wonder Lace Bond Glue Gelly along the hairline per the product directions.