I hope all my darling lovely readers are doing well. I am afraid that I have not been as consistent with blogging as I would have liked. However never fear because I have a lot of new and interesting posts in store for you all.
I currently had a weave on installed for a close friend’s wedding – which is something I have not done in a long while. I have had it in for about two weeks and I must say that the versatility it gives is wonderful and bad hair days are almost non-existent. This leads me to my next wonderful conclusion – weaves are a very easy way to grow our hair. They are also very helpful in terms of allowing us to stretch the period before our next relaxer. This is mainly due to the fact that they are longer term protective styles; if you love wearing weaves or if you are willing to consider trying them out as a means to growing your hair out then here goes:
In wearing weaves for the purpose of having longer and healthier hair there are certain things to avoid during the installation process:
1. Avoid bonding glue: It is absolutely vital that you do not use any kind of glue when your weave is being installed. This is because the glue itself contains chemicals that are quite harmful to the hair which may cause breakage. Also when the weave has been glued to your hair, the process of taking out the weave usually results in breakage if it is done gently. I have actually witnessed a lot of people loose most of their hair line to bonding glue. The glue may also get stuck in your hair and taking the glue out is usually a tedious process that results in hair breakage.
2. Avoid tight weaving/braids (The detail is in the braid): In my opinion a good way to ensure hair growth with weaves is to have you hair braided underneath. It is however crucial that the braids/corn rows under the weave are done properly. They must not feel tight, painful or uncomfortable in any way neither should you experience any type of headaches from the braids. Also if you start feeling little bumps or sores/wounds this is usually a sign that the weave is too tight. If you experience any of these then it is important to take the weave out as soon as possible to prevent further damage and breakage to the hair.
Also it is important when weaving the hair to make sure the braids/corn rows are evenly spaced out this will allow for easier product application. It is wise to use a bit of hair extension when braiding the hair to ensure that your hair is even more protected. No matter how thick your hair is using a little bit of extension is generally more advisable.
3. Avoid a wig cap: I believe that wig caps should be avoided because they make it more difficult for the hair to breathe which may be detrimental to those who live in warmer climates. Also the wig cap makes things like washing and moisturising the hair more complicated.
4. Dirty hair should be avoided prior to installation: Hair should have been washed and conditioned prior to installation. Weaves are usually kept on for periods longer than two weeks. It is therefore important to ensure that you do not attach a weave to hair that has not been washed and conditioned. Before installing a weave ensure that your hair has been properly washed, conditioned and moisturised and sealed. It is advisable to do a protein treatment before installing a weave this will ensure that your hair is re-enforced and strengthened to withstand the weave process.
Now in order to get the most hair growth out of your weaves this is what you should do:
1. Moisturise (Seal) your own hair underneath: It is important to ensure that you moisturise your own hair underneath the weave at least two – three times a week. This ensures that your hair remains well lubricated and prevents damage ensuring that your hair does not dry out. It is always easier to moisturise your hair using some sort of spray moisturiser that way you can get to your hair better. A spray leave in conditioner is also a good way to ensure that you hair stays moisturised. However if you are one who does not wash your weave and you intend to keep it in for about 3 – 6 weeks it is better not to over moisturise as this may lead to build up on the hair. You may also choose to seal in the hair with a light weight oil such as Wura’s Secret Hair Growth Oil, Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and so on. This is however optional because I believe that since the hair is covered with weave the moisture does not have a chance to escape as fast.
2. Oil your scalp frequently: A very significant reason why it is necessary to oil your scalp frequently while it is in a weave is to promote growth by improving circulation to the scalp. Natural oils are a great way to encourage and promote hair growth. To achieve maximum growth oil the scalp underneath the weave at least every two to three days. Excellent oils to use include Wura’s Secret Hair Growth Oil, Coconut Oil, Grape seed oil.
It is quite common to see a lot of ladies patting their weaves due to itchiness. It is therefore advisable to ensure that you oil your scalp about three times a week this will help to keep the scalp supple and moist and will prevent dryness which usually results in itching.
3. Wash/Condition the hair underneath (optional): Applying various oils and moisturisers to the hair and scalp may result in build up and a wonderful way to remove said build up is by washing and conditioning your own hair as well as the weave. Please note that not all weave do well with washes (especially the synthetic variety) and that some people may experience severe tangling and matting from washing very often.
A popular method of washing hair underneath a weave is by diluting the shampoo with water say in a ratio of 50:50 and then gently massaging the scalp with the pads of your fingers. When conditioning the hair you can try diluting a rinse out conditioner with water as well. Make sure the hair underneath dries properly to avoid mould. You can use a hooded dryer however do not forget to use a heat protectant prior to this. There are however various methods to washing your hair with weave this is merely one of them. I must state that I do not usually wash my hair while it is in a weave however I know a lot of people that do so and get positive results.
Finally my lovelies:
* Do not forget to comb/brush the weave frequently and protect it with a satin scarf while sleeping to keep tangles at bay.
* Do not neglect your hair under a weave. Don’t think you can just put a weave in and forget about your hair.
* Do not leave it in for more than three months at the most however I recommend anywhere from three to six weeks.
* Do not forget that weaves give versatility and there are so many options to choose from.
When taking out the weave ensure that you detangle your hair thoroughly first. At this point it is necessary to get out all of the shed hair before water touches your head. It may be advisable to detangle with a moisturiser in sections. If you do not detangle properly first it is likely that you will experience serious matting and tangles when washing the hair.
Then wash and deep condition your hair (you can try a moderate protein treatment), you can also do a hot oil treatment prior to washing to allow your hair receive proper benefits.
Who has experienced positive results from wearing weaves? Also are there readers who have had some bad experiences with weave kindly share. Many thanks to all my lovely subscribers and do stay tuned for the weave challenge coming soon my lovelies.
PS. This post is dedicated to one of my readers who asked me to address this topic, if you have any requests you will like to see featured on Wura’s Secret Hair do not hesitate to send me an email at [email protected].
TONKABELLE, xoxo
You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith – Mary Manin Morrissey
Beauty
Nice Post; very informative.
Marisha Wick
Thanks for sharing. I like the valuable info you provide in your articles.I am using parachute advanced hair oil. It is really good. It makes your hair smooth and silky.You can use this oil for smooth long hair.Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Tonkabelle
Thank you for your comment dear Beauty.
Tonkabelle
Thanks for your comment.
StyleFash25
Thanks for this post. I recently went all natural and been loving it. Wanted to change my look and got a weave/weave on cos wigs don't suit me. Anyways did the invisible part style and my stylist used the bonding glue for just one line (covering my face) Do you have any suggestion on how to take out the glued part without too much damage?
Tonkabelle
Hey dear StyleFash25 thank you for your comment. Weaves are definitely a great way to change our look. To remove the bonded part I will recommend using oil sheen spray on the part that needs to be taken out, the glue should melt away. Other methods to try (although I have no personal experience using them) include bonding glue solvent (alcohol free),conditioners and baby oil. Hope this helps dear.
JustPorsh
Really enlightening!
http://www.justporsh.blogspot.com
Tonkabelle
Thanks dear.
Precious_Africa
Very helpful thank you
Laura Lado
Thank u😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄
Lesee
What do you recommend for someone whose trying to grow there edges? Like what products, treatments things like that. && Also how well does biotin work? Does it speed up the hair growth process?