Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving???

[RabiaElaine]

Hi ladies....I haven't been here for a long while. But I've decided to get back to the healthy long hair goal. I recently started wearing a weave about 2 months ago. I've never done it before, however my hairdresser does great weaves (ie. most people can't tell that I'm even wearing one). I decided to try it to give my hair a rest, since it was thinning a bit at the ends. I changed the first weave after 6 weeks, since it is not recommended to stay longer than that.

I was just wondering if any of you have used weaving a method for hair rest, and growth?? Also what were your results like? Was it worth it?

Thanks

 

[cutebajangirl]

Yup, I grew 3 inches one time in 2 months. But that was with a heat wave too. I think it is a great idea as long as you take care of it and change often which you seem to be doing. So yes it was worth it.

 

[Poohbear]

I saw in the signature of Keisha_gurl that sew-in weaves and Motions products make her hair grow.

 

[RabiaElaine]

Bajangirl

When you wore your weave was any of your hair out?? Some of mine is out at the top to cover the tracks. How did you keep this hair healthy and strong while everything else was resting??

 

[kitchen_tician]

I had a sewn in weave once a few years ago. My hair was cornrowed in a circle around my head and I had a top portion of hair left out. Well, I had some hair sewn in with thread and left it in for 2 months. OMG,

my hair was a hot mess after the weave was carefully removed. It had broken so badly it was ridiculous. My hair was very healthy prior to the weave and I continued to use oil in my hair with the weave, but careful not to use too much. It grew some, but no more than usual.

I did this to give my hair a break,
It got a break all right, It broke right off!!!

I have a girlfriend who swears by this method and it works very well for her. Her's stays healthy and grows alot. I don't know about inches, but she says it works because her hair is resting.

 

[cutebajangirl]

[ QUOTE ]
RabiaElaine said:
Bajangirl

When you wore your weave was any of your hair out?? Some of mine is out at the top to cover the tracks. How did you keep this hair healthy and strong while everything else was resting??

[/ QUOTE ]
Okay this part can be tricky- I should have relaxed the part that I left out so, it would blend easily minus heat. since I did not it would get frizzy and break off. so the following time I did it I relaxed the past that was left out and moisturized it at night with anything that was light (oil sheen, jojoba oil or a hairdressing).

 

[bellydancer]

i think sew ins are fine if you get them done often because i left one in for two months and my hair was matted underneath. I lost ALOT of hair combing it out. It should have just been cut. it was that bad. The new growth matted together

 

[Poohbear]

I think those that had bad experience with weaving is because of the way you weaved...Did you sew it in, glue it in, or however else you can put in weaves? I think sewing is the best for weaving in hair.
One day, I tried wearing a weave and my mom braided across the back of my head and then sewed in the top of the weave into that braid. I wore it for about a week or so. I had no trouble, no breakage whatsoever when taking it out or afterwards.

That was the first time I ever wore sew-in weave which was the end of last year after I cut my hair to mid-neck length.

 

[HollyGolightly]

Yep, weaves work the best for me. The trick is to make sure that you don't leave it in too long. I took my last one out after only 2 1/2 weeks!

 

[alliyah4eva203]

you have to make sure that your hair is well moisturized underneath. and also make sure the scalp is clean by washing at least once a week. make sure the cornrows undrneath are not to tight and that the hair is sewn on firm but not to tight.
here is a link to a girl who used weaves to grow her hair
http://public.fotki.com/Reniece20/hair/

 

[Poohbear]

[ QUOTE ]
alliyah4eva203 said:
here is a link to a girl who used weaves to grow her hair
http://public.fotki.com/Reniece20/hair/

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you know if Reniece20 is on the LHCF? If so, what's her user name?

 

[alliyah4eva203]

i don't know poohbear. i got the link from someone on black hair care media.

 

[ricochet]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

Her hair looks fab!

 

[Lorraine]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

Yes, Yes, Yes!

A sewn in weave was the BEST thing I ever did. I kept my weave in for four months at a time and it grew at least four or five inches. I kept my scalp moist and often washed my weave so that my hair underneath was getting treated as well.

I experienced a lot of matting like the other ladies. One time I lost a lot of hair. To combat that I had a box of relaxer handy. I took the hair out, removed the cornrows carefully, and slowly and meticulously applied a relaxer, then washed. My hair was so long. Here is a link to my photo album (both natural and sewn in/glued weaves). It goes without saying that glued in weaves are not the ticket.

Photo Album

Be sure to have your stylist leave out a little on the sides, bangs and near your neck so you can wear your hair in a bun during those hot days.

 

[Karonica]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

I had a weave in for 4 weeks during April and got a lot of growth. I had just cut my hair in March, so I put the weave in mainly because I wasn't accustomed to my new length. Well, I got a touch-up last week and my hair GREW! I'll be out of this length in no time.

But I don't wear weaves longer than a month, hair needs to rest and breath.

 

[Poohbear]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

[ QUOTE ]
LorraineG said:
Yes, Yes, Yes!

A sewn in weave was the BEST thing I ever did. I kept my weave in for four months at a time and it grew at least four or five inches. I kept my scalp moist and often washed my weave so that my hair underneath was getting treated as well.

I experienced a lot of matting like the other ladies. One time I lost a lot of hair. To combat that I had a box of relaxer handy. I took the hair out, removed the cornrows carefully, and slowly and meticulously applied a relaxer, then washed. My hair was so long. Here is a link to my photo album (both natural and sewn in/glued weaves). It goes without saying that glued in weaves are not the ticket.

Photo Album

Be sure to have your stylist leave out a little on the sides, bangs and near your neck so you can wear your hair in a bun during those hot days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Questions for LorraineG:

Is your hair natural or relaxed?

How often did u shampoo?

Did u wash your hair while the sew-in weave was in your hair?

 

[Karonica]

Oh my goodness, her weaves look great!

 

[RabiaElaine]

Her hair looks great and is an inspiration to me. I have relaxed my hair that was braided though and put the weave right back in. I hope I don't have too much trouble with that. Maybe next time I'll let it rest for a week or so.

Also I've joined the braid/weave challenge. I'm thinking about spraying s-curl on my hair that is in the tracks to help keep it from matting and getting dry. This is what Adrienne did with her braids. Does anyone think this won't work well for weaves?? Please let me know.

 

[Poohbear]

What is 'matting'?

 

[RabiaElaine]

Matting is when the natural hair starts to blend together and lock at the roots from lack of combing.

 

[cutebajangirl]

I think matting can be avoided by taking the weave out in a timely manner. I personally wouldn't relax and put the weave back in. As long as you detangle between weavings your hair shouldn't mat (tangle/dread combo type thing). I think a weave on fresh relaxed hair can be stressful.

 

[alliyah4eva203]

i agree. i would wait for at least 4 weeks before putting in the weave froma retouch

 

[RabiaElaine]

I will try that the next time I take the weave out. I will give it a rest for a little while.

I am actually getting ready to run over to Carol's Daughter in Brooklyn to pick up a few things. I need to start using natural oils on my scalp again.

 

[bigfrogyrl]

Actually, I grew my hair out with weaves as well. I have had weaves in for 4 months or longer. The only thing I really worried about was shedding of the weave hair. Once I figured out the tricks, hair loss was minimal and matting/tangling was almost non-existant. My hair is natural--perms just seem to eat up my hair for some reason.

My weave routine below if anyone is interested:

1. There are only two stylists I will trust to do my weaves. If they aren't available, I don't let anybody do them.
2. Before getting the weave, I use a strong protein treatment like ApHogee Treatment for Damaged hair or Nexxus Emergencee followed by a moisturizer. I will either shampoo or condition wash the hair prior to the treatment and make sure I am washing my hair section by section.
3. During an experiment, I learned that for me, my stylist MUST braid up my hair in the tracks using SYNTHETIC HAIR, even though I don't need it for the braids, synthetic hair doesn't absorb oils or moisture very well. That is GOOD because the moisture and oils kept my hair slick and super-moist every time I washed my weave and oiled it. I figured out that was the very reason why the braids just fell out of my hair when I went to remove the weave. The weaving hair MUST be human hair.
3. When I have weaves in my hair, I have to wash and condition the hair left out twice as much as the hair locked in the braids--they hair of course dried at a faster rate. Hair locked into the braids (when I used synthetic hair) was already saturated.

Every head of hair is different, of course. I never experienced any problems weaving freshly relaxed hair back when I was using relaxers. Part of that may be the way the stylist braids the hair. When my hair was relaxed as a child, the stylist always plaited or cornrowed it right after she was done and I always had a thick head of hair. I also learned that the length of time for leaving a weave in my own hair didn't matter, it's what I did to my hair while it was in the weave that really made the difference---and of course a weave just does NOT look cute once you have about 1+ inch of new growth.

 

[Lorraine]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

[ QUOTE ]
Poohbear said:
[ QUOTE ]
LorraineG said:
Yes, Yes, Yes!

A sewn in weave was the BEST thing I ever did. I kept my weave in for four months at a time and it grew at least four or five inches. I kept my scalp moist and often washed my weave so that my hair underneath was getting treated as well.

I experienced a lot of matting like the other ladies. One time I lost a lot of hair. To combat that I had a box of relaxer handy. I took the hair out, removed the cornrows carefully, and slowly and meticulously applied a relaxer, then washed. My hair was so long. Here is a link to my photo album (both natural and sewn in/glued weaves). It goes without saying that glued in weaves are not the ticket.

Photo Album

Be sure to have your stylist leave out a little on the sides, bangs and near your neck so you can wear your hair in a bun during those hot days.

[/ QUOTE ]

Questions for LorraineG:

Is your hair natural or relaxed?

How often did u shampoo?

Did u wash your hair while the sew-in weave was in your hair?

[/ QUOTE ]

Poohbear,
My hair is currently relaxed (it's been approximately five or six weeks since my last relaxer). When I had my weave I washed it weekly. I know there are a lot of critics but I loved using the three barrel curling iron and the only way to get it straight was to wash the weaved hair and also dampen my hair underneath. I always made sure MY hair was never dry. Keep in mind that frequent washes may cause a lot of strands to come out over time and thus you will have to get a new one ahead of schedule.

 

[BLESSED1]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

Sew-in weaves worked very well for me! The year that I alternately wore sew-in weaves and braid extensions was the year that I obtained the most hair growth. You do have to take care of your natural hair underneath though; don't leave it in for too long and definitely do a protein treatment before the weave is put in and after you take it out.

Was there ever a weave challenge? If not is anyone planning to start one, I saw this cute weave style in which none of your real hair is left out; I want to try it after I take my extensions out next month.

 

[ngaa]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

like most of the ladies on the forum i loooooove weaves!! however i dont get straight weaves coz my hair is typical 4b afro and wouldnt blend well so instead i have curly weaves done with none of my hair left showing. Moisture is definatly the key to hari growth so i make sure my hair isnt dry wen the weave is in and i keep it in between 6 and 8 weeks. there's a pic in my folder of the type of style i normally get.

happy hair growin!

 

[Karonica]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

[ QUOTE ]
BLESSED1 said:
Was there ever a weave challenge? If not is anyone planning to start one,

[/ QUOTE ]

There was never one, but I'm doing my own personal one starting next week, except I will be using my instant weave and leave my hair cornrowed underneath. I want to do this for a month, until I have enough newgrowth to actually sew one in.

 

[RabiaElaine]

Re: Has anyone achieved healthy length by weaving?

Why don't we start an actual weave challenge. Please let me know if any of you would like to start a formal challenge, and what the parameters should be.

 

[blkbeauty]

I have used sewn in weaves to grow my hair out in the past. I did my first weave and I kept it in too long, did not wash it on a regular basis, and I sewed it in too tight. When I took the weave out, I was in tears that my hair was 3 inches shorter than before the weave.

The next time I got weave, I went to a salon. The weaver had sewed in the hair using pieces of hair extensions to protect the thread from the cornrolls (natural hair). I only kept it in 6-8 weeks this time, took a two week break and re-applied it. I did this for 9 months straight and my hair grew tremendously and healthy.

Remember if you are going to use this method, don’t forget to take care of your natural hair that is underneath just as you would without the weave. And remember DO NOT get a perm directly after you take them out. It may cause too much stress for the hair!

But in all I think it was a good protective hairstyle if it is done properly.