Is 3 months a decent time to keep a sew-in in your head?

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Blue_Berry

Well-Known Member
Is 3 months a decide time to keep a sew-in in? How long can you keep a sew-in in your hair without damaging it or matting it?

Also what are good products to keep the hair moisturize and soft underneath?(you don't have to answer this question if you don't want, but I really like to know how long you can keep a sew-in in?
 
I would say yes and anything over that IMO maybe pushing it in terms of limiting the amount of tangles and matting you may have. You may want to a look at this thread as it is a great resource for all things haircare under a sew-in Are You New to Weaves? Here Are Some Definite DON'TS!!

ETA: Personally, I've never gone beyond 1 month because I get bored easily, but plenty of women on the board go to at least 2-3 months with success. It really depends on YOUR hair and how you care for you hair while in the sew-in.
 
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I usually keep a weave in for no more than 2 months.That's because not only will it matte but hair will loosen up underneath. Some people can go longer but i think that will damage your hair.I usually use some braid spray underneath to keep it moisturized underneath.
 
I have only gone 2 months with a sew-in and even that was a disaster. But then again, I haven't figure out how to take care of hair underneath a sew-in. I don't think it's possible, but clearly there are women here on the board who experience growth with sew-ins. Hopefully they will weigh in and talk about how to make sure your hair doesn't end up breaking and damaged from wearing a sew-in for three months. Good luck hun!
 
I've gone 3 months before but don't recommend it to people who are new to sew ins. Start out with 6 to 8 weeks, OP. Once you figure out what your hair likes and how it does with the weave then you can try fora longer period of time.

I usually have them use some type of thick product like a butter on my hair when they braid it up (shea butter, mango butter, etc.) to keep it moisturized underneath. When I take the weave down it's still soft even after all the washing and airdrying. I typically wash and DC every 1 to 2 weeks while the weave is installed.
 
I love sew-ins. I'm in one now and have had it for a little over 2 months and plan on keeping it in until May 22. I've gone for a little over 2 months before and had great success. I've posted in my fokti the results from that while using some growth aids. I always get good growth from having a sew-in.

When I take it down, I always take my time detangling the shed hairs and product from buildup from the braids. I have buildup because I co-wash the weave at least 3 or more times a week and put gel on my hair that's left out to blend in with the weave. I also lift the tracks and place conditioner on my own hair when I wash the weave and put coconut oil on my hair. Now, I like to keep my scalp moist while in a weave, but know that some people don't like that. It works for me.:yep: After I take the weave out, I always deep condition overnight then follow up with a henna treatment followed by another conditioner treatment with oils. After that, I might get it straightened or just wear it in a ponytail.

I think the key for success is to treat your own hair as if it is out. It can dry out in a sew-in which spells disaster. Just because it's in a weave doesn't mean you can forget about it.:nono:
 
Ask Renice or Dontspeakdefeat. Renice has had a lot of success with weaves. She is a stylist and DSD just went through training with her.

Personally, I would not wear it longer than 6 weeks.
 
i would be careful. i've never had a sew-in but i'm wearing box braids with extensions and have been for 8 weeks now and they've started locking and matting at the root.:nono:
 
I have worn a sew-in for 3 months once, and I had no problems taking it out. Plus, I would wash the hair once a week. It was easy to take down and easy to remove shed hairs.

I first tried my first sew back in 2009 and I kept that in for 2 months. My stylist washed it once a week, and flat ironed the section of hair that was left out. I didn't know any better, and that section ended up with heat damage. It was a straight weave style (like I said, I didn't even know that I could have gotten a full sew in if I wanted it straight)

The second time around (which lasted for 3 months - January 2010) netted me good growth. It was actually 1.5 inches, but it seemed like a lot after having not seen my hair for so long. The one downside was that my stylist had braided too tight, then the weave was too tight, and the end result was a section in the crown that had broken off to about an inch :nono: I never got it re-tightened though, I think the weekly washing hurt me because I was massaging pretty thoroughly in the crown area. The hair was Halley's Curls and I wanted to maintain the curly look.

If I get a sew in, I am going to do it myself now that I can properly cornrow.
 
Forever in Bloom said:
I have worn a sew-in for 3 months once, and I had no problems taking it out. Plus, I would wash the hair once a week. It was easy to take down and easy to remove shed hairs.

I first tried my first sew back in 2009 and I kept that in for 2 months. My stylist washed it once a week, and flat ironed the section of hair that was left out. I didn't know any better, and that section ended up with heat damage. It was a straight weave style (like I said, I didn't even know that I could have gotten a full sew in if I wanted it straight)

The second time around (which lasted for 3 months - January 2010) netted me good growth. It was actually 1.5 inches, but it seemed like a lot after having not seen my hair for so long. The one downside was that my stylist had braided too tight, then the weave was too tight, and the end result was a section in the crown that had broken off to about an inch :nono: I never got it re-tightened though, I think the weekly washing hurt me because I was massaging pretty thoroughly in the crown area. The hair was Halley's Curls and I wanted to maintain the curly look.

If I get a sew in, I am going to do it myself now that I can properly cornrow.
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I would love to do this but sadly I don't know how to cornrow. Do let me know if you will consider doing my first sew in b/c I have yet to find someone here in Memphis or on craigslist that I feel I can trust.
 
You can.

But limit your washing of the hair to a minimum during that time. The more you wash, the more you are prone to matting the hair. I would wash the hair 1-2x a month.

I am getting some curly hair installed tomorrow, an plan to keep it in until august. I will be getting a net weave also. I plan to leave my edges out to do other styles.

I will be using a lot of products up on the weave hair itself (to define the curls), and to keep my hair moisturized and intact, I am doing a protein treatment today, followed by a good DC. Oil my scalp before braiding. And throughout, I will be using up my braid spray and s-curl to keep my hair moisturized.

HTH
 
LadyPaniolo said:
I think you are begging for matting, or extreme dryness, by leaving a weave in that long. Just my personal opinion.
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I guess everybody's different. I never knew I could go three months until I did it, but experimenting on yourself can either go in 2 directions: good or bad.

When I had yarn braids, I washed my hair pretty much every day. I kept them in for 2 months and had no matting or locing upon removal.

blueberry2118, I can only say what worked for lil' ol' me, but I cannot fully guarantee that it will work for you. I've taken chances on sew ins, cornrows and wigs that were too tight around the edges, protein treatments, etc. I did them so that I can at least know what my options were, and I still (knock on wood) haven't had any set backs in these 3 years and 4 months of being natural.

However, I suggest you try at least 2 months and then go from there, increasing by weeks each time to know for sure.

I know it's not the same, but with twists, I started off with leaving them in for 1 week, then 2 weeks, up until 4.

You could do the same :grin:
 
Yes it is. Thats what theyre for. I dont get quickweaves because of the nasty glue and that they never last. Thats ideal for sew ins.
 
Okay, I hope it okay to say if I can leave it in for 2 months in a week or 2 months 2 weeks. I have know money right now to get to a stylist to take it down. Plus, buying gas is super expensive down here. It been 2 months by today and clearly I don't know how to take it down, but I will take my chances with as stylist.
 
I have never left a sew-in up for longer than 2 months but thats bcuz I like taking care of my hair! The length of time that you leave ur hair up also depends on the health of your hair...if you put it in bcuz your hair was damaged its probably not a good idea to leave it in for a long time! Also, why don't you try watching yt vids on removing an install - its not hard at all! You just have to stand in the mirror, and use your eyes and fingers...I remove my thread with an eye-brow archer and cuticle scissors for the more difficult thread knots and some people use seam rippers...just watch as many tutorials as you can until you feel comfortable!
 
Not gonna lie, I've worn weaves twice for 3.5 months. The absolute minimum I keep them in is 3 months, but that's just me and I'm not new to sew ins. I take care of my hair underneath by washing and oiling/moisturizing it.

I do so for that long because I want to have a noticeable change upon removal plus I think it's a bang for my buck. 3 months for the price I pay my stylist, it's a steal. She also installs it so well that it lasts for that long, and even longer if I want. Halfway through, I cut the longer weave into a bob to keep it feeling 'new'.

Now, I would suggest if you want to go that long that you be well versed in your own hair care first then your hair care in a weave, two very vital things. I think try for a month and a half for your first install then move up from there. I wouldn't go past 3.5 months though.
 
Years ago when I was wearing sew-in weaves, I regularly kept the hair in for 12 weeks at a time. However, I was at the salon every two weeks letting my longtime stylist do all of the maintenance. She would remove the weave, detangle my hair, texlax my hair and put the weave back in that same day....every 12 weeks. I did not notice any matting or detangling issues....but I was only sitting there while she did the take down.

Honestly, I did not take care of my hair all that well underneath. Now that I know better, I would at least use a braid spray on the braids underneath the weave.
 
I believe u can successfully leave it in as long as u cowash & moisturize it at least once a week. If u fail to wash it and let ur hair dry out (neglect) under the weave, then you will surely experience matting and breakage. The women on here who keep it in the longest and experience succesful growth/retention are co/washing n moisturizing often. Check out mEmYSELFaNDj Kneechay and ediese to name a few

Sent from my SPH-M920 using Long Hair Care Forum App
 
MaryJane3000 said:
Did any of you ladies wash your hair at home? How would you do it?
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MaryJane3000, I wash my sew-in on my own. You can use either an applicator bottle or spray bottle to put your shampoo in. I use a spray bottle and dilute my shampoo with water. (This is for my real hair and scalp.) I just use any type of shampoo like Herbal Essence to wash the weave hair. If your not sure you want to mix your own shampoo up there are braid shampoos that work great.



http://www.keystone-labs.com/products/BetterBraids-Spray-Shampoo.html

http://www.beautyofnewyork.com/shopping/R6Y2300107KW0123.htm

http://www.avlon.com/keracareweave.html

Make sure you have great quality hair that doesn't tangle bad or sheds crazy. Sometimes people wash their hair and it turns on them. Remy, Virgin hair, or hair that good quality can take frequent washing.
 
I just recently did this. Usually I keep them in for 4 weeks at the most but decided to get my money's worth this time. I wash and condition and use a braid spray for underneath. I retain good length this way.
 
Im confused. Ive read here that washing too frequently is the cause of matting then someone mentioned that not washing enough causes matting. Which is it?
 
SuchaLady said:
Im confused. Ive read here that washing too frequently is the cause of matting then someone mentioned that not washing enough causes matting. Which is it?
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Yeah, I've noticed that. I believe its from not washing enough. My hair dried out and matted on me from not washing enough. I had to cut. Now I wash/cond & moisturize very frequently and my hair came out moist like butter. So I can speak from experience.
 
I actually had this same exact question. I have a sew in now that I've been wearing for the past 2 and a half weeks. I was planning on keeping it in for 2 months. Like others i get VERY bored with sew ins and rarely leave them in very long. If I make it to 2 months that would be good for me! :lachen:

I have washed it every week so far and plan on continuing that. I have had sew ins a couple of times in my life and don't think I've ever had any major problems. Then again I never leave them in too long. At most maybe a month?

When I'm able to afford it I plan on getting some high quality hair and having it redone every month or so. Taking it down, deep conditioning, rebraiding. Seems like that would be a great regimen.
 
virtuenow I also saw a poster.mention that it's best to wash that week you are going to remove the sew in for an easier take down? Have/do you ever do that?


virtuenow said:
Yeah, I've noticed that. I believe its from not washing enough. My hair dried out and matted on me from not washing enough. I had to cut. Now I wash/cond & moisturize very frequently and my hair came out moist like butter. So I can speak from experience.
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