Wig shopping comes with its own language. If you've ever felt lost reading a product description full of terms like "HD lace," "pre-plucked," "bleached knots," or "13x6," this glossary is for you. Below are the most commonly used wig terms, defined clearly.
A
Adjustable Band
An elastic band inside the wig cap, usually at the nape, that can be tightened or loosened using small hooks to adjust the cap size. Found in most glueless and lace front wigs.
Asymmetrical Bob
A bob wig style where one side is cut shorter than the other, creating an angular, fashion-forward look.
B
Baby Hairs
Short, fine hairs along the front hairline of a wig that are styled with gel or edge control to mimic the natural soft hairs found along the hairline. Used to make the wig look more realistic.
Bleached Knots
A process where the knots on the lace of a wig are lightened using bleach. The knots are the small tie points where each hair strand is attached to the lace. Bleaching makes them less visible against the skin, creating a more natural-looking scalp illusion.
Body Wave
A gentle, flowing wave pattern. One of the most popular and beginner-friendly wig textures. See: What Is a Body Wave Wig?
C
Cap Construction
The internal structure of a wig — refers to how the wig cap is built, including where lace is placed, how hair is attached, and what type of base material is used.
Closure
A small piece of lace or silk (typically 4x4, 5x5, or 7x5 inches) positioned at the crown of a wig to create the appearance of a natural part and scalp. See: What Is a Closure Wig?
Combs
Small clips or combs sewn into the inside of a wig cap that grip the wearer's natural hair or wig cap to help secure the wig in place without adhesive.
D
Deep Wave
A tightly defined S-shaped wave pattern with deep troughs between each wave. Creates a very full, voluminous look. See: What Is a Deep Wave Wig?
Density
A measurement of how much hair is on a wig cap, expressed as a percentage. Higher density = more hair = fuller look. Common densities: 130%, 150%, 180%, 200%. See: What Wig Density Should I Choose?
F
Frontal
A lace piece that spans the full hairline from ear to ear (typically 13 inches wide), used to create a natural hairline across the entire front of the head. Frontals are used to make custom wigs or install bundles. Not the same as a lace front wig cap.
G
Glueless Wig
A wig designed to be worn without adhesive, secured using an adjustable band, interior combs, and sometimes a drawstring. See: What Is a Glueless Wig?
H
HD Lace
High-definition lace — an ultra-thin, nearly invisible lace material that melts into the skin more seamlessly than standard lace. Creates an exceptionally undetectable hairline across a wide range of skin tones.
Human Hair Wig
A wig made from real human hair. Can be heat styled, colored, and treated like natural hair. Longer-lasting than synthetic. See: Human Hair vs Synthetic Wigs.
K
Kinky Straight
A textured, slightly coarser straight hair pattern that mimics the look of natural hair that has been flat ironed. Popular for its realistic appearance on a wide range of hair types.
Knots
The small tie points on a lace wig where individual hair strands are hand-knotted into the lace. When unbleached, knots can appear as small dark dots on the lace. Bleaching softens their appearance.
L
Lace Front
A wig with a sheer lace panel along the front hairline. The lace creates a natural-looking hairline when laid flat against the skin. Available in 13x4 and 13x6 sizes. See: What Is a Lace Front Wig?
Leave Out
A section of the wearer's natural hair left out of the braid base to be blended over the hairline of a wig or sew-in.
M
Melting
The process of using heat and/or adhesive to flatten the lace of a wig against the skin so it becomes virtually invisible — the lace appears to "melt" into the hairline.
P
Pre-Plucked
A wig where the manufacturer has already thinned the hairline by removing a small number of hairs along the front to create a more natural-looking hairline density. Reduces the amount of customization needed before wearing.
Pre-Cut Lace
A wig where the lace has already been trimmed along the hairline by the manufacturer. Common in wear & go wigs. Eliminates the need for the wearer to cut the lace themselves.
S
Synthetic Wig
A wig made from man-made synthetic fiber. Generally more affordable than human hair. Holds its style pattern naturally but typically cannot be heat styled. See: Human Hair vs Synthetic Wigs.
T
Transparent Lace
A light-colored, neutral-toned lace that blends naturally across a range of skin tones. Less fine than HD lace but more versatile than standard brown lace.
V
Ventilating
The process of hand-knotting individual hair strands into a lace wig cap using a ventilating needle. Hand-ventilated wigs are higher quality and more realistic-looking than machine-wefted options.
W
Water Wave
A loose, flowing S-shaped wave pattern that mimics naturally air-dried hair. Softer and less defined than deep wave. See: What Is a Water Wave Wig?
Wear & Go Wig
A glueless wig with pre-cut lace and a pre-plucked hairline, designed to be worn immediately with no customization required. See: What Is a Wear & Go Wig?
Weft
A strip of hair sewn or bonded together at the top, used as the base material in most wig caps outside of the lace area. Machine wefts are the most common; hand-tied wefts are finer and more flexible.
Wig Cap
Can refer to two things: (1) the internal structure or base of a wig onto which hair is attached, or (2) the thin stocking cap worn on the head under a wig to flatten natural hair and create a smooth base.
Learn More
Now that you know the terminology, use our other guides to go deeper: How to Choose a Wig, Wigs for Beginners, and What Is a Lace Front Wig?