What is the Difference Between Human Lace Wigs and Synthetic Wigs?

Lace front wigs are the most popular choice for fashion wigs, both for everyday use and for special events. But not all lace front wigs are the same--there are several different types of lace wigs, ranging in everything from appearance, style and price. The two primary different types of wigs are human hair lace wigs and lace front wigs made with synthetic hair. But how are these two types of lace front wigs different? Let’s take a look at some key features of lace wigs and how they differ between human hair lace wigs and wigs made from synthetic hair.

Material

The most obvious difference between lace front wigs made with human hair and lace front wigs made with synthetic hair is the material.

Human hair wigs are made with real human hair. The hair can be unprocessed virgin hair--or hair from a single donor which hasn’t been chemically treated or processed--or non-virgin human hair, which is authentic human hair but may be chemically treated or compiled from more than one donor.

Synthetic wigs are made from synthetic, non-human materials. The most common materials are plastic fibers, which can range in quality from very smooth and fine to lesser quality, which is something you’ll find more often in cheap Halloween wigs than a proper synthetic lace front.

Appearance

The appearance of lace fronts made with human hair versus those made with synthetic hair can be striking. Human hair lace wigs look the most natural and with the right blending and style, they can look just like you real hair. Synthetic fibers have come a long way in the past decade, but even the best synthetic wigs don’t look as natural as wigs made with real hair.

Durability

Both human hair and synthetic hair lace fronts have different levels of durability. Human hair lace wigs can be prone to damage over time because of the nature of human hair, which will natural become damaged when treated with products, chemicals like dyes or straighteners, or styled with heat tools. Human hair lace wigs tend to last anywhere from 3-5 months to 6 months to a year, depending on the initial quality of the hair, how well it is taken care of, and what sorts of products the wearer uses.

Synthetic wigs can also become damaged from products and heat tools--although not all synthetic materials can be used safely with heat tools--but they can last longer than human hair lace fronts if they are taken care of properly. Synthetic wigs tend to last at least one year, but can potentially last longer if the user is particularly gentle with their wigs and doesn’t use lots of damaging heat tools or products.

Price

There is a noticeable difference in price between wigs made with human hair and wigs made with synthetic hair. Human hair wigs are almost always more expensive than synthetic wigs, especially if you are getting a wig made with virgin human hair.