Hi guys! I am here to shake a very big table today!
Now, I remain a black and proud coily baby girl, however sometimes I do feel the need to switch up my hair style and do something different with my hair.
We would be dissecting the world of lace frontals today! I felt the strong urge to speak on this particular hair controversy because I recently made a new discovery about the frontal world. Let dive in!
The wig History
The History of Wigs in general, dates back to 3400 B.C in ancient Egypt. You see, most Egyptians back then shaved their heads clean due to the heat from the surrounding desserts. They however realized that a clean shaved head was far from fashionable.
The Egyptians also discovered that this act exposed their scalp to the scorching sun during the day and it was a world of discomfort. This discomfort led to the discovery of wigs.
It is important to note that the wigs worn by the high class, were worlds apart from those worn by the lower class back then in Egypt. Fast forward to the 19th century, commercial wigs emerged, ranging from fringes to frizzettes and rolls.
Now, in the 21st century, wigs have been remodified with authentic hairstyles and more natural hairlines. This brings us to the Lace frontal wig era!
About Lace Frontal wigs
Lace front wigs started to become popular in the mid 2000s. These wigs provided women with a more versatile styling option while still giving them the much desired natural hairline! It was honestly a game changer, and still is.
Infact, lace frontal wigs now come in various dimensions to accomodate your purse size.
We have the 6×6 and the 6×7 lace closures which could be referred to as mini frontals. These allow flexibility with lace parts as opposed the smaller dimension closures, giving you the ability to rock a more natural centre, middle or curved lace part.
Then we have the 13×6 and the 13×4 lace frontals which usually fit from ear to ear and give the illusion that the weave is originating from the scalp. They usually give a more natural look with a wealth of styling options. Finally, we have the 360 round lace frontals which give the entire hairline the illusion of hair originating from the scalp.
Now that we have carefully examined all the Lace frontal types, the burning question is, are they any good?
PROs of Lace frontals
Now, as with most things in life, there are advantages and disadvantages of every venture. Lace frontals pull up with their perks. Among these perks include ;
- The natural hairline they provide This is the dream and highlight for any lady who cares to rock a wig. Rocking a wig seamlessly is something that could never be overared. No one wants a wig with hairline that looks too fake in this time and age. The evolution of lace frontals have provided a solution to this.
2. Hair style versatility
Gone are the days where it was difficult to switch up wig hair styles. We now have lace frontal wigs to thank for this! Rocking an all back, side part, middle part, and natural looking C cut part just got easier thanks to Lace frontals.
3. They are more comfortable
As opposed to the bulkier older (round) closure wig types, the lace frontal construction appears to be more comfortable and breathable for those who rock it. The wig construction allows for better aeration when compared to the older fashioned wigs.
4. They could serve as a protective style.
When installed right, especially the glueless version, Lace frontals could help to keep your natural hair safe and thriving.
Cons of Lace frontal wigs
Lace frontal wigs are not 100 percent devoid of challenges. As beautiful as they often look, they come their fair shares of challenges which I would be listing out below.
I. Maintenance issues
Truth be told, lace frontal wigs are super difficult to maintain. From being careful not to poke/damage to avoiding overbleaching of the knots. I can categorically say that you need a lot more time and energy to successfully manage a frontal.
2. The risk of edge loss
Traction Alopecia is a thing y’all! Especially with the glued version of the lace frontal. We would talk more about this in a bit.
3. Scalp irritation
Lace frontals could irritate your scalp, especially with the glue installs when kept in for long.
4. Need for retouch
I must have mentioned that lace frontal wigs are difficult to maintain right? This is one of the biggest cons of lace frontals especially with the glue installations.
Now to a vital part of this post!
Should you go for a glue or gluless frontal install?
About glueless frontal installation
So, these days when wigs are being displayed online, they are usually tagged glueless and ready to wear. In other words, this means that once the wig is purchased you can throw it right on, as customization of the frontal has already been done for you.
There is literally no serious maintenance work to be done with this kind of installation.
Glueless installs in my opinion are easier to manage and are more protective in comparison with their Glue counterparts. The risk of damaging your frontals from excess glue is also eliminated. They however don’t come across as flawless as the glued on lace frontals.
About Lace glue frontals
Lace frontals with glue are currently trending! They give an Uber natural and seamless hairline. Though the down side to this is that an improper installation and removal might end up damaging your hairline.
So, I had my very first lace frontal, glue install a little while back. I was pretty much anxious as I had heard a lot of “got to be” hair loss tales. If you know me well, you would know that I don’t joke with the health of my coils!
I did a wealth of research on the best hairstylist for the job, and thankfully I got one a few miles away from my house. She was patient, allayed my fears and gave me valuable tips for the maintenance and removal of my glued frontal. I would be sharing some of those tips in a bit.
First things first, I would like to chip in that glueing the frontal on my forehead was a world of discomfort!! Like I don’t know how some ladies get these glue installs back to back. Yes, the install was flawless and gorgeous, but I literally couldn’t sleep well on the night I got it installed. I ain’t about that life y’all, I love to be free.
Then there is the part where you have to keep it away from water to avoid messing with the glue. It was hard work and a lot of discomfort! The only great thing about this lace front install is that it looked flawless and gave the scalp vibes. Asides that, I was done with keeping it in after my shoot!
The night after my shoot, I was in a quagmire! I had no intentions of forfeiting my sleep in the name of beauty! So I took the tip from the stylist, I got myself a bottle of methylated spirit (alcohol) and some cotton wool and got busy.
Please and please, never yank off a glued on frontal! It is recipe for traction alopecia. This is one of the major cons for me where lace frontals are concerned. It took me almost an hour to carefully take out my glue installed frontal. It then took another 20mins to wash off the glue with a co-wash conditioner. The weave however was still intact, thanks to my patience during removal. Yep! Those were my lace glue challenges.
I do hope this post has given you valuable insight into the lace frontal world fam! Ciao.
