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How to Care For a Hair Weave

March 9th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Hair weaves are not new, they have been around forever, however they have had a boost in popularity in recent years. With this new interest in hair weaves there has been an explosion of hair pieces and extensions which are often confused with the true hair weave. Many consider hair weaving a science and anyone who has had experience with them knows there are very good ones and devastatingly bad ones. Bottom line; get the help of a professional.

With a true hair weave; human or synthetic hair is woven to the root area of the natural hair. Weaves are used to make your hair appear more full, to change the length or change the style completely. In all scenarios goal is to have the hair of the weave appear to grow out naturally with the rest of your hair, you don’t want anyone to be able to see that you have a hair weave in place.

For weaves that are put in permanently, it is important that you treat it for what it is an extension of your actual hair. The weave needs to receive just as much care and attention as your natural hair if not more. On average a hair weave that is put in by a professional will last about two months if taken care of properly.

When it comes to learning how to take care of a hair weave one of the most important things a wearer needs to make sure of is that gentle products are used to clean the hair so that the weave will not be stripped. A good option is a detangling shampoo, there a many on the market that are targeted for use on children, these are perfect because you get the detangling and a gentle product all in one. It is also important to use a conditioner that gets deep down to the scalp without leaving a heavy build up on your hair.

Processing your hair, including both your daily routine (ie blow drying or curling) and the more permanent procedures (coloring and perming) are hard on your hair, this is especially true for your weave. You need to know and understand what your weave is actually made of. For instance a synthetic weave can not be curled without it burning. Even blow drying with heat can burn a synthetic weave if you are not cautious. Not all the procedures that you subject your hair to can be done to a weave so find out from a professional before you commit to the time and expense of a weave.

Under no circumstances should you attempt to remove a weave without the help of a professional. If not done properly a lot of damage will be inflicted on your natural hair. Not only can breakage occur but the procedure of removing the weave can be quite painful. Pay to get it done properly.

Make sure before you commit to a weave that you do your homework, because the repercussions are not as simple as a bad hair cut. Remember the added hair is applied to the scalp area so if it goes bad it all may have to come off. The other option is of course all the products or accessories that are now available. You can get a ponytail and stick it on in seconds or a curly mass that makes it appear that you just had your hair permed. The options are endless so let your imagination go wild. Just remember with these hair pieces you often get what you paid for so be selective and consider them an investment.