# Do sew-ins make your hair grow or fall out?



## dreamgurl (Feb 5, 2011)

I'm seriously debating getting a sew-in to hide my hair for awhile thinking it will allow my hair to grow..

I hear different comments about sew-ins making your hair fall out to making it grow .. Ladies, what have been some of your sew-in experiences as far as hair growth to hair breaking off or creating bald spots?


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## beana (Feb 5, 2011)

I'm not a long time weave wearer, but i haven't experienced anything negative from my sew-ins. As long as its not braided too tight and its sewn in properly; there should be no stress on your scalp, and everything will be fine. I retain all my growth in sew ins.


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## TokyoReina (Feb 5, 2011)

I don't think sew-ins do me any good. The first time I had a sew in my hair felt thin, weak, and I hid it for months under a wig. I just took down my second one (I really want sew-ins to be for me!) and I felt the same way. Hair was everywhere and it just feels kind of thin. My hair grew but I feel like my relaxed ends (I'm 6 months post) really took a hit. I'm not sure what to do now.


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## mzteaze (Feb 5, 2011)

Wore them for 8 years continually for the most part.  Ended with extra thin hair and several bald areas.  There are several threads about the horrors some have experienced with weaves that you might want to check out.

For me, it really wasn't the best thing to do for my hair.  I had length but see-through hair with bald spots.  I really wasn't into the string hair look. :-/


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## Spiffy (Feb 5, 2011)

I've worn them twice and each time they made my hair grow.

The only person I'd trust to do them is my sister; I had no idea she knew how to do them until I saw one she did for herself. She leaves the edges out and doesn't braid too tight. She does some technique where she uses one long piece of thread to sew and I just cut and pulled this one piece each time to take it down myself.


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## CurlyDiggy (Feb 5, 2011)

I wore weaves the majority of my transition and i dont think they make your hair grow but it can make you hair break off. When your in a full weave its considered a protective style so it appears that your hair is growing because your not combing your hair daily. If a weave isnt done right it will make you hair break off ... so be careful. I personally like weaves but now that i have my natural hair ... I love it more .. good luck


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## LilMissRed (Feb 5, 2011)

I transitioned for roughly 14 mos wearing a full sew in. My hair grew fine.. I didnt experience alot of breakage because it was washed/deep conditioned every two weeks and taken out and redone every 4 weeks. 

Personally I think not forgetting to focus on ur hair under the weave helps A LOT.


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## RegaLady (Feb 5, 2011)

Everything is what you make it. If you take care of your hair in a sew in and be very care while taking it out, you are fine.  I have grown my hair pretty well with sew ins.


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## Tiye (Feb 5, 2011)

Things that can help. 1) Use a net. 2) Make a wig on a net cap base - or have someone do it for you and sew that to your hair. 3) Don't keep weaves in for months at a time. I know a lot of people feel that because they paid a couple hundred for an install, they should get their money's worth out of the style. But I think if this is the case find a more affordable stylist.


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## pinkgreenmommie (Feb 5, 2011)

You have to be very careful with sew-ins. They can be a protective style, but they can also cause breakage. I got a full sew-in on healthy hair. My braider braided wayyyy to tight. As a result I had ball spots on both sides in the front of my head and 1 in the back on the left side. That was about 4 months ago and im still trying to recover and hide the ball spots. I didn't realize how tight it really was. I am transitioning and having these ballspots have made it hell. I can pull back my hair and wear in in a bun or anything really off the face without a headband because of the spots. I say if you choose to do a sew in use a stylist that you are familiar with. Let them know that you dont want any of your edges braided...Good Luck!


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## phyl73 (Feb 5, 2011)

From my personal experinence, I always get great growth from sew-ins.  I treat the weave and my hair nicely.  I make sure my natural braided hair is always well moisturized.  I wore my last sew-in from October until the end of January.  I got great growth.  I've never had a problem with sew-ins.


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## yardgirl (Feb 5, 2011)

It can help you to retain or make your hair break off. How the weave is installed and how you take care of the hair underneath it is KEY.


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## westNDNbeauty (Feb 5, 2011)

100% depends on who puts it in and how well the person wearing it takes care of it.

Reniece wears weaves. She's natural with long natural hair.

Welcome to *Reniece - Weave Specialist* Fotki pages! | Fotki.com, photo and video sharing made easy.

YouTube - The New Year's Eve Bun Drop: Reniece's Flat-ironed, Natural hair


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## qchelle (Feb 5, 2011)

I just took my sew-in out.  I had in to for 2 months.  My hair was extremely matted!!!  It took me sooooo freakin long to detangle that ish!!  Never again for me


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## e.lauren (Feb 5, 2011)

I had a sew in for two months and my hair seems thicker and my hair is definitely much longer than I have seen it be in only a 2 month period. I don't know about making it grow but it DEFINITELY helped me retain my length. 

My hair felt amazing after my sew in, now I'm just working to keep it up. I'm honestly thinking about doing a sew in again in the future. My retention was amazing


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## Luvmycurl (Feb 5, 2011)

Sew-ins help me retain length. Im not putting any heat on my hair and keeping my hands out which is my main problem.I only keep the sew in for about 8 weeks and I shampoo and condition like i normally would. Im trying to decide what type of hair I want for the next sew in Im getting in about 2 weeks


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## kibbles318 (Feb 5, 2011)

Sew ins are great. Just make sure it's not too tight. I'm always able to retain length with sew ins.


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## Junebug D (Feb 5, 2011)

I had one recently.  She used a net and didn't braid tightly at all.  I washed and conditioned weekly and did my best to moisturize under there.  Just don't make the mistake of having hair left out of your straight weave when you're already 2 months post relaxer.  D'oh.  I had breakage in the left-out areas.  The braided hair was also quite dry when I took it down.  It was quite difficult to moisturize sufficiently underneath the net.  I did take the braids down carefully though, so I didn't get any additional breakage.  If I do it again I would not have any hair left out and I would do it in the summer when my hair is not as prone to dryness.


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## Glamiam (Feb 5, 2011)

Sew-ins definitely help my hair retain all of it's length. I always see alot of growth and thickness when i take my sew ins out. I'm not gonna lie, I always do my own sew ins because i'm scared to have anyone else do them and have my hair break and fall out.


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## mscocopuff (Feb 7, 2011)

It all depends on who installs your sew in and how well you take care of your hair. I have worn weaves all of my life, whether my natural hair was long or short hair. I always make sure to take care of my hair (i.e. deep conditioning, regular washing, and no stress on the edges). Def make sure that it is not too tight.  This will ensure that you are HAIRLESS afterwards if it is braided too tight.  You should wear it for 6-8 weeks max. Also, if you are having a hard time moisturizing your hair underneath, you can put conditioner and/or oil in a color applicator bottle and squeeze small amounts into it.  Also, the braid spray is awesome for caring for the hair underneath, or Infusium 23 in a spray bottle.  I know I am going on and on!  LOL.   As long as you care for your hair, and not put any undue stress on your edges, you should be fine.


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## GreenEyedJen (Feb 7, 2011)

I do think they work for some people, but it didn't work for me, and I don't agree with some of the comments that state that it totally depends on who installs and how you take care of the hair underneath. If your hair is too weak to deal with the weight, then that's just what it is. Doesn't matter if you wash/dc/moisturize religiously, IMO. If it can't take it, it can't take it. My hair thinned out horribly from a weave I had. I only wore it for a month and will be dealing with the repercussions for MUCH longer than that. I have baby fine hair, and I believe wetting my natural hair underneath the weave did more harm than good. Hair is most fragile in its wet state, and I had all this weave hair pulling on my natural hair while it was wet. Maybe if I had just let it do it's own thing, it wouldn't have broken off. I'm not gonna get another weave to test out my theory, though.


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## Rastafarai (Feb 7, 2011)

Thanks for all your reviews ladies. I'm a thick-haired, unstretched shoulder length 3c/4a natural who has strongly considered going to Reniece for a sew-in weave or fusion service. I've never had weave in my hair because I honestly don't think I need it, however, it would be great to have a service that I can wear for months at a time with little to no manipulation.


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## ThickHair (Feb 7, 2011)

Personally, I have never known anyone who used sew-ins to grow their hair, that actually grew strong healthy hair.  Now 5+ years later they have thinned out, chewed up hair and now they feel they have to wear sew-ins.  100% of them said they wish they never started wearing them.  Plus they got addicted to having long hair.


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## mscocopuff (Feb 7, 2011)

Ok, this is a long post... 

There is an ideal formula for every single head of hair. I mean, a comb, a brush, or a flat iron can break off your hair...if it is not utilized or prescribed correctly. There are different tools because everyone is different. No one head of hair is alike. With that being said, here I go. 

There are different variables that are considered before applying sew ins, 

1) The overall condition of the hair - this is pretty much damage control. If there is any fragility, or damage, poor porosity, anything like this, it must be addressed before a sew in is applied. If a protein treatment or fortifying treatment is needed, this has to be addressed first and corrective measures have to be taken.

2) The application being considered - there are several different _sew in_ methods. (Malaysian which is braidless, flat twists, cornrows, flat french braids, nets, tubes, etc) Just like there are different types of braids, kinky twists, etc, there are different applications of sew ins. There is more than one braid pattern or size to be considered for each head, you would not use the same application on every single head because everyone is different, you would not use a cross stitch sewing method on someone that doesn't need it. You use the formula that is best for each individual's head. Its like shopping, different trips birth different things. Every person is not going to purchase the same shirt or the same pair of pants. Everyone is different shapes, sizes, social levels. Everyone has a different formula.

3) The natural density and texture of the hair (Is your hair thin, medium, or thick)- This dicatates how thick your extensions should be. If your hair is rather thin, then you would either need less hair, or split the tracks before application, so that the weight is not too much on your natural hair. If you have fine 3C hair, then you wouldn't put 24 ozs of 24 inch yaky straight Hair in your head, if your natural texture is fine and density is thin,it would be more like 10 ozs with a hand tied weft. The extensions need to be becoming and supported by the method selected.

4) Also, extensions only need to be left in for 6-8 weeks. If you go past this point, it is never beneficial because you are risking your hair locking up, becoming overly stressed, etc.

I am a person that chooses to wear extensions, however I am not dependent on wearing extensions at all. When my hair is unveiled, I am always complimented on the body of my hair, the health of it, and questioned as to why I even wear extensions, however my thought on weave is my thought on any protective style. To me, they are no different. It is like a barrette to me. It is a way to dress up my hair, while protecting it. I am not my weave and I do not need my weave. I like my weave, and I love my hair.  My avatar is my actual hair.  It is cut into that style.  I have worn extensions for years and so have a lot of my friends, and I haven't had ate up, broken off, or damaged hair from it. 

The important part about installs is having someone that knows all of the variables and is able to calculate the right formula for you. I am third generation with hair so this is something that was birthed into me.

I have seen weaves done, I have done tons of them, and I have done all of my own, and I have yet to have one person that has lost their hair due to the process. 

If there is a loss of hair after the process, then there are other things that would need to be figured out. Braids can be too tight, the weight could have been too great, the application could have been done carelessly. 

If you relax your hair and it falls out, it isn't the relaxer that caused your hair to fall out, it is because the wrong strength was used, it was applied incorrectly, or it was applied with another chemical that wasn't considered at the time. If you comb your hair and pull out a chunk, it is not the comb that brought the hair out, but rather the teeth spacing, force used, etc. The same thing with this protective style, no install is the same. Naturals and relaxed alike. 

Sometimes people say it doesn't matter who does your sew ins, if they are trained or not, but this can result in a bad situation. If the person doing your sew in does not wear extensions, they have no way of truly understanding them. If the person that just got their sew in done before you is leaving with thin edges and chinky eyes, run out as fast as you can! Your hair is next, and you will be left with the same miserable results. LOL. If your friend had understanding of extensions and she wants to put them in your head, just understand the risk that is involved with this. Then If you are still comfy with the ideam thenyou can let her, but I always say, look at their work first, inquire and research before you move on with this, then you won't end up in a situation where you can't enjoy such a wonderful invention! 

These are pics of people that I know that have sew ins, but their hair is longer than the actual install. They all use them as protective styles and these are all people that are not bald or thinning from their installs. I can go on and on with these results. It is about what you know when it comes to extensions. There must always be care taken when your hair is being considered.


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## mscocopuff (Feb 7, 2011)

GreenEyedJen said:


> I do think they work for some people, but it didn't work for me, and I don't agree with some of the comments that state that it totally depends on who installs and how you take care of the hair underneath. If your hair is too weak to deal with the weight, then that's just what it is. Doesn't matter if you wash/dc/moisturize religiously, IMO. If it can't take it, it can't take it. My hair thinned out horribly from a weave I had. I only wore it for a month and will be dealing with the repercussions for MUCH longer than that. I have baby fine hair, and I believe wetting my natural hair underneath the weave did more harm than good. Hair is most fragile in its wet state, and I had all this weave hair pulling on my natural hair while it was wet. Maybe if I had just let it do it's own thing, it wouldn't have broken off. I'm not gonna get another weave to test out my theory, though.


I can definitely agree with you on this one, when you leave your hair alone, versus putting things in it, it definitely is better!  I promise though that for those that want a weave, there def is a formula out there.  But definitely good advice to "Live and let the hair live."


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## serendipity (Feb 8, 2011)

I no longer do sew ins in my hair as I've had dreadful experiences. I've had 3 sew ins done-the first was great but the next two were disasters with thinning, shedding and slight balding.
Sew-ins can work, but in my experience success is depends on so many factors. You need to make sure your hair is in good condition, the braids aren't too thin or too tight, the stitching is right e.t.c. All in all for me it's too much work. I prefer a wig as it's pretty much fail proof for me.


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## Anastaja11 (Feb 8, 2011)

I love sew ins.
My hair thrives on very little manipulation.
It depends on how you take care of your hair under the weave that will determine whether or not it will be healthy on takedown day.
I always try to keep my braids moisturized and my scalp clean.
I love the results that I get when I take down, plus my hands aren't always in my hair which is a good thing because I have heavy hands.


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## Carisa (Feb 8, 2011)

mzteaze said:


> Wore them for 8 years continually for the most part. Ended with extra thin hair and several bald areas. There are several threads about the horrors some have experienced with weaves that you might want to check out.
> 
> For me, it really wasn't the best thing to do for my hair. I had length but see-through hair with bald spots. I really wasn't into the string hair look. :-/


 
This is me- my ends looked very thin when wearing sew ins. My hair grew fine, I just couldn't retaining it. For me its harder to wash my real hair and moisturize it appropriately with a sew-in


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## WakandanPrincess (Feb 8, 2011)

I stay in weaves seriously for mostly the whole year. My hair GROWS so much when it's weaved up. Of course I let it breathe for a week or so in between installs so that I can deep condition it, and do a length check. Overall, my hair does very well with them!


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## yaya24 (Feb 8, 2011)

I wear weaves for 3 months per install with NO issues.

Like others have stated-- Its all about how you take care of your hair while in a sew in. Edges need to be left out and there is NO reason why your braids should be hella tight.


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## qchelle (Feb 8, 2011)

Okay, so can somebody help me out please!  I'm mad that yall can successfully wear sew-ins!  Because I really want to try a sew-in again  as my transition won't be over until MAY!  That is a long.azzz.time from now!

So this was my weave: my edges/nape were completely left out, it was sewn in a circle, no net/cap or whatever.  I made sure to get down in the braids and moisturized with leave-in and sealed with oil every other day.  Which is what I do normally.  I also shampooed and DC'ed once/week (the braids).  Which, again, is what I normally do.  ALSO I did protein every other week.  

When I took my weave out, the part where the braid meets the NG was incredibly matted!  I know she didn't use anything to braid it because I watched her in the mirror!  (She did comment on how soft my hair was though  lol)  Anyway, back to my anger: I've had kinky twists and micros before (when I was much younger) and this same thing happened!  It was like the same gooey substance causing my hair to be matted there  And I wash my freaking hair every freaking week!  I had to literally pull apart my hair strands because it was like dreaded  I lost a lot of hair!  But my hair grew soo much in those 2 months...I have NG for days!  

So I would like to try it again if anyone has any suggestions as to what is the culprit to this?  Help is greatly appreciated!

ETA: maybe it was in too tight?  I am extremely NON-tenderheaded and I actually like the tight feeling on my scalp while braiding...so I'm not a good gauge of how tight it was


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## ladyfay (Feb 8, 2011)

I am a newbie to weaves. I am a straighten natural who is looking for a new stylist that doesn't use ALOT OF HEAT. So I decided to weave up my fine bsl hair and to give my hair a break in the process. 

When ladies would refer me to people that do weaves, I would go and watch them do a sew in. Some ladies braided so tight that you saw lumps in the scalp. Others braided the hair in a circular pattern and sealed the hair off with threads all over the corn rows. I am very tendered headed, so I want to make sure I get the right person.

I went on the same day that of my friends went and we have the same texture hair. I watched the lady flat braid and used a sheet net. The process didn't take long at all. So I went to her and haven't had any problems. I go every 6-8 wks as well. My hair did grow. I am still in weaves. I like my natural hair better.

Now last month I tried to be cheap, and let my braid lady little sister weave me. (My braid lady doesn't weave) Mind you, I did not watch her process. She did not use a net. I hated the end result, took it out two weeks later, didn't realize that she double threaded me through out my hair. So I had some BREAKAGE!

So, stick with what you are comfortable with and not because the price is less.


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## mscocopuff (Feb 8, 2011)

qchelle said:


> Okay, so can somebody help me out please!  I'm mad that yall can successfully wear sew-ins!  Because I really want to try a sew-in again  as my transition won't be over until MAY!  That is a long.azzz.time from now!
> 
> So this was my weave: my edges/nape were completely left out, it was sewn in a circle, no net/cap or whatever.  I made sure to get down in the braids and moisturized with leave-in and sealed with oil every other day.  Which is what I do normally.  I also shampooed and DC'ed once/week (the braids).  Which, again, is what I normally do.  ALSO I did protein every other week.
> 
> ...


What sounds like the culprit is your shed hairs engulfed in product build up.  I would suggest using a braid spray and a light oil to condition your hair like sesame oil or jojoba.  Before my sew ins, I usually do a deep conditioner beforehand, then I spray with Infusium 23 before hand.  After this I braid the hair down.  You want to stay away from cremes for the most part, if you are having the product build up.  May I ask, how long are you leaving your install in before you remove it?


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## beana (Feb 8, 2011)

People always say that you have to moisturize the hair underneath... i think thats a big no no!! IMO thats why so many people get extreme matting and tangles. I wash and DC my hair every 2 weeks while im in a sew in with no problems. The only time my braids underneath get wet or moist is during wash day. 

Keep in mind this is what works best **for me**


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## Tif392002 (Feb 8, 2011)

before i stared my hhj, i just wore the tracks sewd directly to my hair. that made my hair thin out, i also didnt take care of my hair underneath and i kept them in for waaay too long... so that left me with dry brittle hair....when i took them down, my hair used to shed horribly,

now i get sew ins on a weave cap, keep my scalp n hair moisturized and oiled. , and keep the sew in no longer than 6 weeks to prevent matting. i also let my hair take a break in between sew ins, and do a protien treatmnt, 2-3 weeks before an install. and now i have no problems with sew in., im in one now and plan to do this for most the year.


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## qchelle (Feb 9, 2011)

catrina8211 said:


> What sounds like the culprit is your shed hairs engulfed in product build up.  I would suggest using a braid spray and a light oil to condition your hair like sesame oil or jojoba.  Before my sew ins, I usually do a deep conditioner beforehand, then I spray with Infusium 23 before hand.  After this I braid the hair down.  You want to stay away from cremes for the most part, if you are having the product build up.  May I ask, how long are you leaving your install in before you remove it?



Thank you so much!  I will def. try a braid spray next time instead of creamy leave-ins and oils all the time  

And I had it in for 2 months.



beana said:


> People always say that you have to moisturize the hair underneath... i think thats a big no no!! IMO thats why so many people get extreme matting and tangles. I wash and DC my hair every 2 weeks while im in a sew in with no problems. The only time my braids underneath get wet or moist is during wash day.
> 
> Keep in mind this is what works best **for me**



I am inclined to agree with you!   (atleast for me, too)

I think I'll try one more sew-in for March-April and see how it goes.  I'll try the braid spray and only really wet it every other week.  If this has the same results, no more sew-ins fore me.  You ladies have given me some inspiration lol, so thank you!


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## Monaleezza (Feb 9, 2011)

Ok, I keep reading that you ought to properly look after your hair while it's under the weave but what does that mean?

I wear a sew in and I'm scared to wash/DC it because I imagine that 1) my weave will become loose once I've saturated the hair, 2) my hair will become matted underneath once it's washed and naturally dried without being combed and 3) I wont be able to properly wash out the shampoo and conditioner.

So I wouldn't mind some advice as to how to go through this process while my hair is in weave because currently I don't wash it at all.


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## SelfStyled (Feb 9, 2011)

serendipity said:


> I no longer do sew ins in my hair as I've had dreadful experiences. I've had 3 sew ins done-the first was great but the next two were disasters with thinning, shedding and slight balding.
> Sew-ins can work, but in my experience success is depends on so many factors. You need to make sure your hair is in good condition, the braids aren't too thin or too tight, the stitching is right e.t.c. All in all for me it's too much work. I prefer a wig as it's pretty much fail proof for me.



Yup- coulda wrote this post myself. Give me a half wig, and I am good to go. Weaves are how my hair journey began. Weaves left me with bald spots, and very thin hair. I wish I could wear weaves as a protective style, but they are not for me.


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## Tif392002 (Feb 9, 2011)

GreenEyedJen said:


> I do think they work for some people, but it didn't work for me, and I don't agree with some of the comments that state that it totally depends on who installs and how you take care of the hair underneath. If your hair is too weak to deal with the weight, then that's just what it is. Doesn't matter if you wash/dc/moisturize religiously, IMO. If it can't take it, it can't take it. My hair thinned out horribly from a weave I had. I only wore it for a month and will be dealing with the repercussions for MUCH longer than that. I have baby fine hair, and I believe wetting my natural hair underneath the weave did more harm than good. Hair is most fragile in its wet state, and I had all this weave hair pulling on my natural hair while it was wet. Maybe if I had just let it do it's own thing, it wouldn't have broken off. I'm not gonna get another weave to test out my theory, though.


 
Did you use a weaving cap?


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## Makenzie (Feb 9, 2011)

I can only wear a weave for a bout a month and a half at a time.  The woman who does it keeps my braids firm, not tight.  Either me or my mom with take it down.  I learned the hard way to detangle BEFORE I wash/condition.  For me, my hair grows in a sew in.  But again, I only wear it 1-1.5 months at a time maybe 3 times a year.


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## simone103 (Feb 9, 2011)

I like weaves and think you can get great growth with them, but I don't think they're for everyone. If you have thin hair, then I wouldn't recommend getting a weave, because it'll make the situation worse. The weight of the weave on your hair (even if you use a net as a barrier) can cause thinning. Some people have success with washing their hair while it's in a weave, but for others depending on the frequency of washing it can actually cause your real hair to become very matted. Which is why I recommend (if you can stand it) to not wash the hair that's weaved up that frequently - you can wash the hair that's left out as much you like. Who installs the weaves also makes a difference, because if you or the person is sewing the thread directly through the cornrow then they are essentially cutting your hair. Because that thread is a like a knife, which is why you have to make sure that the needle is going under the base of the braid. My hair didn't start out thin, but after years of wearing a sewn-in weave repeatedly it thinned it out considerably. 

The way I worked around that was creating a "half wig" or "psuedo weave" which is what I like to call mine, because it looks exactly the same way it did when I wore a weave. The only difference is that the tracks are not directly sewn onto my cornrows the way it is in a tradional sew-in. I took all the extensions plus relaxed texture that I used in the past, and created a wig with it using one of those cheap net caps that you can buy at the BSS. I braid my hair in a vertical pattern which is the same pattern I used in the past when I installed my weave and leave out a horse shoe of hair in the front and the edges out. I sew the wig around the perimeter of the braids.


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## MISSBOSSY (Feb 9, 2011)

simone103 said:


> The way I worked around that was creating a "half wig" or "psuedo weave" which is what I like to call mine, because it looks exactly the same way it did when I wore a weave. The only difference is that the tracks are not directly sewn onto my cornrows the way it is in a tradional sew-in. I took all the extensions plus relaxed texture that I used in the past, and created a wig with it using one of those cheap net caps that you can buy at the BSS. I braid my hair in a vertical pattern which is the same pattern I used in the past when I installed my weave and leave out a horse shoe of hair in the front and the edges out. I sew the wig around the perimeter of the braids.



This is what I do but I apply mine with combs. I love weaves and they allowed me to keep my hands out of my hair, BUT I wasn't retaining as much as I could have. My hair is very fine and broke off easily from the weight of the wefts and the thread. They also thinned out the front of my hair. Since I've been wearing my homemade "quick weaves" I've been able to care for my hair and scalp better and the front of my hair and my edges have filled in drastically.

Weaves can be a great protective style, but they are not for everyone.


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## tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT (Feb 9, 2011)

MISSBOSSY said:


> This is what I do but I apply mine with combs. I love weaves and they allowed me to keep my hands out of my hair, BUT I wasn't retaining as much as I could have. My hair is very fine and broke off easily from the weight of the wefts and the thread. They also thinned out the front of my hair. Since I've been wearing my homemade "quick weaves" I've been able to care for my hair and scalp better and the front of my hair and my edges have filled in drastically.
> 
> Weaves can be a great protective style, but they are not for everyone.


 

yes exactly.... weaves THINS my hair significantly EVERY SINGLE TIME


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## mscocopuff (Feb 10, 2011)

beana said:


> People always say that you have to moisturize the hair underneath... i think thats a big no no!! IMO thats why so many people get extreme matting and tangles. I wash and DC my hair every 2 weeks while im in a sew in with no problems. The only time my braids underneath get wet or moist is during wash day.
> 
> Keep in mind this is what works best **for me**


Also a superb Idea.  This is how I do mine as well.


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## mscocopuff (Feb 10, 2011)

Monaleezza said:


> Ok, I keep reading that you ought to properly look after your hair while it's under the weave but what does that mean?
> 
> I wear a sew in and I'm scared to wash/DC it because I imagine that 1) my weave will become loose once I've saturated the hair, 2) my hair will become matted underneath once it's washed and naturally dried without being combed and 3) I wont be able to properly wash out the shampoo and conditioner.
> 
> So I wouldn't mind some advice as to how to go through this process while my hair is in weave because currently I don't wash it at all.


Your hair should not mat if it is in the sew in for the allotted time frame.  You don't want to wash it everyday.  You want to stick with every week or two as all the other ladies here have stated.  Your extensions shouldn't come loose because essentially you would wash it about three to four times during the life of that install (about 1 1/2 months to two).  You can always opt to do a co-wash on your extensions as well, the thing to be concerned with when washing is the actual extensions matting. You avoid this buy smoothing the shampoo or conditioner on in a sideways praying motion.  Smooth it down your hair a few times, then rinse out.  Never rub the hair together.  I wash my extensions in the shower because it is easier to let the water run down, but you can also wash it in the sink if you are careful, but the shower is easiet.  Hope this helps!


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## Imani (Feb 11, 2011)

ThickHair said:


> Personally, I have never known anyone who used sew-ins to grow their hair, that actually grew strong healthy hair.  Now 5+ years later they have thinned out, chewed up hair and now they feel they have to wear sew-ins.  100% of them said they wish they never started wearing them.  Plus they got addicted to having long hair.



This is what happened to my home girl. In college she always had past SL or APL nice relaxed hair. Then she went natural, but was always in straight weaves for about 5 years. We lost touch but I would occasionally see pics of her weaved up and I would be thinking wow she's been natural all this time and her hair was already nice before, I bet she has so much hair now! We recently reconnected and she had a right above SL bob, she said the weaves took her hair out and she said she's leaving them alone from now on. She said she had gotten really attached to them and it was hard to let them go and to have to cut her hair into a bob. From what I remember from college, her hair is naturally thin, not the strands, but density and she is like a 3c/4a. She was mostly doing the weaves herself

I can see both sides. The method and who's putting it in makes a big difference I'm sure, I mean just look at all of Reniece's success stories. However, I also agree with another poster who said somethings just weren't meant to be for some people. Just like some people just can't do relaxers/heat no matter what technique is used. 

Personally I've only had like 2 sew ins and I don't recall any breakage or anything but I don't recall feeling like I wanted to keep doing them either.  I just don't like the idea of not having access to my hair for extended periods of time like that and it was always so dry once I took them down, no matter what I did. So I won't be trying weaves in the future, I will just stick to my half wigs for now.


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## classi123 (Mar 15, 2011)

I retained my length with weaves...


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## HollyGolightly (Mar 15, 2011)

They helped my hair grow, but only up to a certain point.  Once it got longer than shoulder length, the sew-ins began to damage my ends.

I got a kinky curly sew-in last fall and it really damaged my hair.  I had to cut several inches off.


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## Jrsmith (Mar 21, 2011)

I have a co worker who grew her hair from sl to full bsl in 2 years using weaves. She is natural and used weaves as a constant ps.

 I, on the other hand, was not so successful using weaves as a pc. When I had the weave I was relaxed and the beautician I was going to was only concerned about money and making her job easier. As a result she would relax my hair and weave it up on the same day....a BIG no no. ( I know better than to let this happen now). After 2 years I was still  at a nl  and really broken off and damaged.


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## MsChelle (Mar 24, 2011)

I do sew-ins during the cold months because this is when I seem to suffer from breakage the most. I wouldn't say the weave helps my hair to grow but it is excellent for retention for me. My real hair is almost APL.


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## mischka (Mar 25, 2011)

Sew ins grow my hair without a question. I would still be wearing them if I hadn't decided wearing my own hair is more important. The hair I had under the sew in would inch longer and longer while every time the hair I left out got shorter....


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## yardyspice (Mar 26, 2011)

I think weaves work if you take your weave down every six weeks or you make a wig. We've seen Nichi and Ediese grow their hair to bsl and beyond using weaves. That's  proof enough for me.


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## natural2008 (Mar 31, 2011)

It depends on who braids your hair when a sew in is installed.  For example I wore singles ( braids for years) and still have my edges.  People always ask me how so. I say becasue I go to someone who knows what they are doing.  Not everyone knows how to weave and the same goes for braids.  Braids make people's hair fall out when so called braiders put too much hair on a single strandof your hair, which makes it heavy and it falls out.  Go to someone who knows what they are doing and you should be fine :0).


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## GlamSuiteSalon (Apr 9, 2011)

If done correctly, sew-ins should make your hair grow. Also, you can't just get a sew-in weave put in and don't take care of your own hair properly underneath. It should not be falling out.


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## beauti (Apr 10, 2011)

*sew ins are what helped me retain my length! i do them myself. very low manipulation. i started wearing wigs but weave is better, there's no take down every day to remoisterize. in a sew-in i just dip my head back in the shower everyday! no matting. *


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## RegaLady (Apr 10, 2011)

beana said:


> People always say that you have to moisturize the hair underneath... i think thats a big no no!! IMO thats why so many people get extreme matting and tangles. I wash and DC my hair every 2 weeks while im in a sew in with no problems. The only time my braids underneath get wet or moist is during wash day.
> 
> Keep in mind this is what works best **for me**


 
ITA! I have done it both ways(moisterizing my hair everyday under a weave and not moisterizing it at all) It worked out well both times. With my last install, I moisterized like heck before install.  I prepped it really well. When I got the install I washed once a month.  Thats right, no manipulation at all during those months.  By 8 weeks, when I took my hair down, my hair thrived AND I retained alot.  Right now I have a sew in and I don't anticipate washing more than once a month either, but this works for me.


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## lonelysky (May 7, 2011)

How the heck does a sew in 'make' your hair grow?


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## Blue_Berry (May 7, 2011)

I think I retain length wearing sew-ins. You just have to take care of your hair underneath. It can break off if you leave the hair in to long.


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## curlcomplexity (May 7, 2011)

I wouldn't say that the sew-ins made my hair grow.  I think that they helped me with retention....

I wore them for months straight until I reached BSL. I think that there are a great protective style if taken care of property


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## Princess Tam Tam (May 7, 2011)

I answered Yes.

But, I had set back this week becuz  of  a too tight thread over my edges. I foolishly braided my hair all back for a full sew in last month. I usually do a circle pattern too prevent  pressure on my edges.  

I wanted to try something different it ended up  losing 3 inches in the front and *gaining small bald spot.* I never lost so much hair in my life. It was a  truly depressing moment when I realized what happened.  I cried a little. 

 Now, I going to read all the info about growing your edges.  I have no clue yet on what protective style to rock this summer. I'm thinking a curly half wig...maybe.


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## blueberryd (May 7, 2011)

just make sure you wait a few weeks after u get a relaxer to get a sew in...(if ur a relaxed head, that is)


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## havilland (May 13, 2011)

beana said:


> I'm not a long time weave wearer, but i haven't experienced anything negative from my sew-ins. As long as its not braided too tight and its sewn in properly; there should be no stress on your scalp, and everything will be fine. I retain all my growth in sew ins.


 
ditto^^^^

i used weaves to transition to texlaxed hair and to grow out relaxer damage.  i have had no retention issues.

i deep condition and moisturize weekly and just leave my hair alone.  that seems to work wonders for me.

i wear weaves 6 months out of the year.


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## caramelty (May 14, 2011)

With sew ins I notice that my hair thrives no damage no breakage. I'm in a install now I put it in on the 23 of April and. Leave it in till June 8 so that's 8 weeks. Then I will bun for a week and put my weave back in. I have brazilian weave in and only the perimeter of my hair out. I wet my hair every other day with elastic wo h20 and my hair seems to be doing just fine.

Like other ladies said everything is not for everyone. I have thick strong strands of hair.


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