# PLEASE READ IF YOU WEAR SEW IN WEAVES, BRAIDS, CORNROWS, ETC!



## crlsweetie912 (Sep 16, 2008)

Ok, now that I have yall in here, please read if you wear any type of braid, cornrow, sew in weave styles.

YOU MUST, remove dead shed hair from your hair after you take down any of these styles!!!!   That means, once you remove the braids, you must comb through well or brush to remove shed hair BEFORE you wash!  Also, never clarify immediately after takedown.  You are ASKING FOR TROUBLE and possibly matted hair that might have to be cut!

I had a co-worker (actually my mentor) who had a sew in for about 2 months.   She took it out the other day and went straight to washing without removing the dead hair and she went from beautiful thick shoulder length to way above ear length. (think halle berry)
DON'T RISK IT!

You may now go back to your regularly scheduled programming!


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## Jas123 (Sep 16, 2008)

that's excellent advice! thanks!


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## jturner7156 (Sep 16, 2008)

Oh yes, I know this first hand. This is how I lost the middle of my hair. It was awful. I had a sew-in for 1.5 months. I took it out and went straight to washing. I cried that day in the shower as I tried to comb through that matted mess. It had really set me back.


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## KathyMay (Sep 16, 2008)

Girl you are telling the TRUTH.   I have learned so many times about this fact.  Don't be scared just grab some S Curl spray and comb through it.


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## lunabelle (Sep 16, 2008)

I do think this is what contributed to my hair loss and matting when i had a sew-in. Thanks!


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## wannabelong (Sep 16, 2008)

I'm planning to take down my weave in 2 weeks.  I will be sure to remove all the shed hair before washing.


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## Ediese (Sep 16, 2008)

Thanks for posting this. This will surely help anyone that is new to the game. Years ago when I first started wearing weaves, I took a weave out after three months and washed it without detangling. It was a mess. I had to cut my full shoulder length hair into a short Halle cut.


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## bermudabeauty (Sep 16, 2008)

I just took my braids down last week and this is what I did.

1.I put oil oil in a color applicator bottle with the pointed tip and I oiled all my braids and scalp. (Which helped me unbraid with ease and NO BREAKAGE)

2. After I took each braid out, I ran my fingers through the hair and gently seperated any buildup on my hair.
3.  I then took sections of my hair and braided it tight all the way down and washed my hair in those braids (I think that is called Crown and glory method)
4. Then I put conditioner in my hair and untangled any hair as I washed the conditioner out.

This is the first time I have ever done this and boy did it make a huge difference.  I had no breakage from me wrestling with tangles.  I hope this method can work for you ladies as well.


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## LongCurlyLocks (Sep 16, 2008)

Dang, I think this happened to me a while back. I did the same thing, being lazy. I wondered why my hair seemed thinner and shorter than it was BEFORE the cornrows!

I don't wear them now (can't find anyone that does them well here and the africans pull the hell out of my fine edges) but when I grow out my hair more I might wear them again every once in a while. I will remember this.....


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## hunnyhun921 (Sep 16, 2008)

That happened to me once before. Now when I take out braids or a sew in I comb it out after I take each braid out. I then comb out with a wide tooth comb and apply conditioner. I detangle with the conditioner and then rinse and shampoo. I do a deep condition after that. I have learned my lesson!


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## ChocalateDiva (Sep 16, 2008)

Thanks!! I have worn sew-ins in the past and I always wondered why my hair was so thin after taking them out.


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## november wind (Sep 16, 2008)

Thanks for this.  I'm planning a sew in next week and I'll keep this in mind


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## V0nDiva (Sep 16, 2008)

This to has happened to me after I had given birth to my son.  Not thinking because i didn't have them in long (2 weeks) but you know when your hormones are getting back to normal all that shedding plus the 2 weeks of normal shedding it was a nightmare that left me w/ 2 inches minus 8- 10 inches!!!
I have seen this time and time again with many woman who come to me.  I tell them all the time and it's like it falls on deaf ears.


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## LadyPaniolo (Sep 16, 2008)

I think the problem might come when you take out the cornrows and wash the hair loose.  I try to NEVER wash loose hair. 

My hair is always cornrowed, whether under wigs or with tracks sewn in. When I take my weave tracks out, I leave the hair cornrowed and wash and condition it. Then I spray with my mixture of Hawaiian Silky Miracle Worker, aloe vera juice, tea tree oil and water. After that I unbraid it while it is wet and easy to detangle. I comb through the section, and then rebraid. I've not had any problems from doing this. The shed hair slides out easily, without snagging or breaking any of the other hair off.


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## shawny86 (Sep 16, 2008)

This happened to me back in feb.  I had a sew-in and went to wash it and was in tears in the shower.  My hair was a tangled mess and not even a whole bottle of conditioner was able to help.  I called my mom in tears...that was one of the most stressful days of my life, i swear.  That day was what caused me to BC.  I guess it was a new beginning.


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## Chameleonchick (Sep 16, 2008)

This is soooooo true. I remember I learned about this when I was 4 months post at the beginning of the year after my braids and man, that was horrible. I had to deep condition three times before it stopped dreading. Now I know to always comb/detangle, shampoo, rinse, deep condition, comb/detangle, rinse, leave in.


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## Blessed_Angel (Sep 16, 2008)

Great advice!

Don't know how, but I've always known this. And I used to have a lot of shedded hair come out, but I always combed it before I washed it. 

Thanks for sharing. 

BTW, so when do you clarify?


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## KiSseS03 (Sep 16, 2008)

Good advice!

I learned this the hard way after I took down my first set of braids a few years ago. I tried to "wash out the tangles" and ended up with a hot matted mess. If it wasn't for my sweet father who came in the middle of the night to help me untangle it I would have had a Halle Berry short cut for my High School graduation.


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## Country gal (Sep 16, 2008)

I always comb or at least finget comb my hair before washing.


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## kriolagirl (Sep 16, 2008)

PREACH!! so glad you posted this because it is absolutely key! i just took down the sew-in in my avi last night and detangling was a breeze and my shower didn't look like someone dumped hair all over the place lol.  it is also so impt to oil your braids inbetween your tracks.  

sidenote...i tried the pantene r&n mask last night. still on the fence but will try it again.  my hair wasn't as soft as it usually is when i rinsed it out this morning (i usually use ors replenishing).


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## ClassicChic (Sep 16, 2008)

Good thread!

Subscribing since I am getting a sew-in this weekend.


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## glamazon386 (Sep 16, 2008)

I'm sorry but I thought that was common sense. I knew that even before coming to this board. Why would you wet tangled unmanipulated hair? Especially hair that's been braided up for months?


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## Aggie (Sep 16, 2008)

This is a great thread, thanks for helping the newbies out OP.


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## HoneyDew (Sep 16, 2008)

Honestly, combing out the hair before hand does not work for me. I cannot get a comb through my hair when I take my braids down and I don't even try.

I prefer to, and always have, gently washed my hair after finger combing it to untangle.

I am sure a lot of the shed hair is removed from the finger combing, but I cannot tell you how much comes out while washing it gently in the shower.  I sometimes end up with a clogged shower on braid removal days!


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## crlsweetie912 (Sep 17, 2008)

Blessed_Angel said:


> Great advice!
> 
> Don't know how, but I've always known this. And I used to have a lot of shedded hair come out, but I always combed it before I washed it.
> 
> ...


I would always clarify the next wash after taking down a weave or cornrows.  That way ALLL that shed hair is gone and it's not so harsh on hair that has been conditioned at least once.  IMO.


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## crlsweetie912 (Sep 17, 2008)

glamazon386 said:


> I'm sorry but I thought that was common sense. I knew that even before coming to this board. Why would you wet tangled unmanipulated hair? Especially hair that's been braided up for months?


Some people don't   There have been MANY threads here, and after seeing my friend have to chop off all her hair, I thought it was prudent to at least put it out there.  If it helps even one person then I think it's worth saying again.



HoneyDew said:


> Honestly, combing out the hair before hand does not work for me. I cannot get a comb through my hair when I take my braids down and I don't even try.
> 
> I prefer to, and always have, gently washed my hair after finger combing it to untangle.
> 
> I am sure a lot of the shed hair is removed from the finger combing, but I cannot tell you how much comes out while washing it gently in the shower. I sometimes end up with a clogged shower on braid removal days!


 
Well, no matter how you do it, the point of the matter is to get as much of the shed hair out as possible.  Shed hair that has sit in cornrows tangles because the cuticles have lifted and intermingled.  Kind of like the beginning of the dred stage.  So you HAVE to get as much out as possible.  Water makes the cuticle swell (IMO) and once that happens, unless you know exactly what you are doing, you are bound for trouble.

Plus, after taking down a weave/cornrows, most people just go in rubbing and scrubbing, all the while tangling with each vigorous rub.  It's just a recipe for trouble.


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## butterfly3582 (Sep 17, 2008)

I pre poo before I take down my corn rows.  I use an olive oil conditioner and slather it on my braids.  It is pretty thick.  Than i let it sit for about at least an hour.  Sometimes i put a shower cap over it.

Than i take the braids down and detangle with the conditioner still in my hair.  This helps the braids and tangles come out easier.

I have tried detangling my hair while it was dry and i get too much breakage.  This process works for much better for me.


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## Platinum (Sep 17, 2008)

Great advice! When I removed my last sew-in, I took down my cornrows and sprayed Mane&Tail detangler spray on my hair. I fingercombed my hair first then followed up with a very WIDE tooth comb. I didn't have any problems with tangles, matting or knots.


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## glamazon386 (Sep 17, 2008)

HoneyDew said:


> *Honestly, combing out the hair before hand does not work for me. I cannot get a comb through my hair when I take my braids down and I don't even try.*
> 
> I prefer to, and always have, gently washed my hair after finger combing it to untangle.
> 
> I am sure a lot of the shed hair is removed from the finger combing, but I cannot tell you how much comes out while washing it gently in the shower.  I sometimes end up with a clogged shower on braid removal days!



You can use conditioner on dry hair. Just add a little to each section to get the comb through. I would *never* just go straight to washing my hair if it hadn't been free in months. You're asking for matting.


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## yuriko (Sep 17, 2008)

It may be common sense to some but not to everyone, When i was like 16 years old or so, I took out cornrows and thought to wash and condition it first, thinking it would be easier to comb out that way, lol, I lost so much hair that day, will never do that again. But for those who have never tried it before, you would think its worth a try, it makes sense theoretically but in practice is a bad idea. Detanglers dont work so well for me after i take out braids, I have to put a lot of moisturizer and oil to get the hair to comb out


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## jamaraa (Sep 17, 2008)

I'm glad you posted this about shed hair. Shed hair MUST be gotten rid of to avoid tangling and breakage. Don't be alarmed by hair that "washes" out after combing and brushing...that's just removing the last bits.

OP your advice is ACES!


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## dcprdiva (Sep 17, 2008)

KathyMay said:


> Girl you are telling the TRUTH. I have learned so many times about this fact. Don't be scared just grab some S Curl spray and comb through it.


 
I knew I recognized that picture  hey Jonathan and Momma! LOL


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## SmartyPants (Sep 17, 2008)

hunnyhun921 said:


> That happened to me once before. *Now when I take out braids or a sew in I comb it out after I take each braid out. I then comb out with a wide tooth comb and apply conditioner.* I detangle with the conditioner and then rinse and shampoo. I do a deep condition after that. I have learned my lesson!


 
I don't wear braids anymore.  But, after one disaster like the OP described, this is what I started doing with subsequent braided styles!


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## kandegirl (Sep 22, 2008)

Good Post. I always detangle my hair after braids and cornrows under a weave and a friend of mine almost had to cut her hair off due to matting when she didn't detangle her hair well enough. But another friend of mine will not detangle her hair after braids, she goes to the salon the next day and the stylists put perm in her hair to detangle it. Sound crazy to me but it works for her and her hair is healthy.


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## Keen (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanking God for my Denman and the LHCF member who suggested it... (Thanks Charlotte!)


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## Hairsofab (Oct 6, 2008)

HoneyDew said:


> Honestly, combing out the hair before hand does not work for me. I cannot get a comb through my hair when I take my braids down and I don't even try.
> 
> I prefer to, and always have, gently washed my hair after finger combing it to untangle.
> 
> I am sure a lot of the shed hair is removed from the finger combing, but I cannot tell you how much comes out while washing it gently in the shower. I sometimes end up with a clogged shower on braid removal days!


 
I agree. I would lose more hair by trying to comb through my dry hair before it was wet. I think it depends on your hair type, your hair thickness, and how the person who braids your hair braids it. When I take down my cornrows after a couple of months. I co-wash, then clarify, then deep condition. Then I dry it slighltly, and when it is still damp I go through and detangle with a wide tooth comb and then a regular tooth comb. I've never had any issues with hair loss. However, my hair is natural 4b/4z, medium length, and extremely course kinky not curly or anything, and my hair braider makes sure that each section is picked out/detangled before she starts the braid, she doesn't just grab a section and braid, like I've had some stylist do.


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## naturalgurl (Oct 6, 2008)

YEP! Learned this first hand years ago. Luckily I noticed tangling right away. It could have easily been my whole head instead of just part of the middle.


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## infojunkie (Oct 6, 2008)

Now you tell me...


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## HoneyDew (Oct 6, 2008)

rhlong said:


> I agree. I would lose more hair by trying to comb through my dry hair before it was wet. I think it depends on your hair type, your hair thickness, and how the person who braids your hair braids it. When I take down my cornrows after a couple of months. I co-wash, then clarify, then deep condition. Then I dry it slighltly, and when it is still damp I go through and detangle with a wide tooth comb and then a regular tooth comb. I've never had any issues with hair loss. However, my hair is natural 4b/4z, medium length, and extremely course kinky not curly or anything, and my hair braider makes sure that each section is picked out/detangled before she starts the braid, she doesn't just grab a section and braid, like I've had some stylist do.



I just removed some braids that I had in for about 5 or 6 weeks and there was NO WAY I would have been able to comb through that nest!  There was just too much NG and kinks to comb through my hair at that point.  

I made sure I had no knots or anything, but my shed hair was shampooed out.  My hair is fine.

I rinsed it with water in the shower and went right to shampooing a few times.  All that hair came out seamlessly. After conditioning it, I was able to detangle under the running water with my Jilbere shower comb, no problems.

I suppose the way a person removed their braids has a lot to do with it, as well.

I just know that combing out the hair that had shed does not work for me and causes more harm than good.

But we all know – what works for some doesn’t work for others.


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## jazzyto (Oct 6, 2008)

Thanks for the tip, I just got a sew-in yesterday and will try this method when I take it down in about 6wks.


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## BrownEyez22 (Oct 6, 2008)

THIS IS THE TRUTH!!! 

I learned this in 7th grade after a braid take down that came with a throbbing head, blood shot eyes and tears. Me and mama in the bathroom trying to untangle a matted mess. Thankfully I didn't lose much hair.

I am 23 now, whew, never again...

I love micros and I ALWAYS pick out each fuzzy matted ball that collects and separate it with my fingers then comb through it, after each and every braid I take down. If its too rough I add this braid removal spray or condish/moisturizer anything that will give slip. 

My hair does not even see water, if I can't comb thru it after a take down.


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## hothair (Oct 6, 2008)

I've always done this and had great results from sew-ins and braids. As I loosen each braid, I detangle with my fingers and then comb, it takes out the shed hairs, and makes it easier to comb through when all of it is down.


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## bluwatersoul (Oct 6, 2008)

*This is crucial. When I redo my briads, after I take out the extension I coat the section with some jojoba so that teh little clump will slide off and I can easily do any detangling before rebraiding. The oil and being gentle helps insure less breakage for my fine strands.*


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## Anancy (Oct 6, 2008)

Oh boy thanks for this, i just took my twists out the other day after two months.  I only detangled a bit, but not enough before washing it and my hair was still dangled.

Im sitting here with mayo in my hair thinking i'll jump back in the shower and hope for the best, but i think i'll detangle properly now.

Thank you again.


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## Noir (Oct 6, 2008)

I agree with a couple of the other girls. It really depends on your hair type.

When I used to wear weaves and it was for me to better to wash, condition and then detangle. 

I have tried both ways and I lost more hair combing dry.


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## Kimiche (Oct 6, 2008)

This is a great topic.  My hair is really thick when natural, so after I take down braids my hair becomes very unmanagable.  When I had braids in a few years ago, I didn't have the patience to comb out each section.  Plus when I did that my hair would get tangled up again anyhow.  So I just combed it a little.  I ended up losing a good amount of hair.  I have learned that I need to comb my hair after I take out every braid, because once all the braids are out, all hell will break loose.


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## brownbean96 (Sep 17, 2010)

Good post. I'm planning on taking out a sew-in soon. I planned to prepoo while still in braids - conditioner, jojoba, hemp seed oil wit heat - then finger comb. Then was, possibly in twists, then deep condition. Any other methods?


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