Weave experiences??

[Alien Girl]

Anyone here have gotten a weave before/have one now?

I'm kinda curious to try, because 1) I won't be messing with my own hair as long as it's in . 2) I can have natural hair while also being able to have cool colors and styles without damaging my real hair any further.

I just really like black hair but atm it is black and teal/green but I want to have long silver/blonde... But ofc I can't have LONG hair without a weave or extensions, and I'm just way too lazy to always be clipping on extensions all the time !! :mad:

A problem I might have though is I work out 4x a week and probably will have to wash it once a week or more :( ...

Still very tempted to try it! Please share your experience if you've had this done!

[chen bao jun]

Very bad idea. I am always hearing people say it is going to be different for them and it never is. worst case, permanent baldness from pulled out edges happens way too often. there are threads on this forum, if you search, of people trying to recover from a hair weave and taking years.

[AutobotsAttack]

Very bad idea. I am always hearing people say it is going to be different for them and it never is. worst case, permanent baldness from pulled out edges happens way too often. there are threads on this forum, if you search, of people trying to recover from a hair weave and taking years.

Well that's why you don't install a weave too tightly. Nor do you keep it in for too long. Personally I used to install weaves during my school semesters to keep my hair protected from frequent styling. And I NEVER had a problem with it. The trick is to keep your real hair underneath moisturized honestly. I used to apply a water based moisturizer and an oil between the tracks to seal in moisture. I had usual shedding and ample amounts of new growth. I used to keep them in for about three months at a time. Take them down. Clarify, wash, deep condition, condition, and apply my leave ins. Then the semester would be over so I would just bun until I relaxed. Never had a problem.

[meteor]

^ That sounds really interesting, AutobotsAttack! :) Are there any good guides/links/tutorials on how to moisturize and treat hair next to weave that you would recommend, to avoid the kinds of damage chen bao jun is warning about? :)

Also, Alien Girl, what about wigs? I would think they provide a pretty safe alternative, since they just go on top, without pulling on roots/adding any extra weight? :hmm:

[lapushka]

Personally, I'm all for the wig as well. At the end of the day, you take it off, and there's your own hair, nice and healthy - no damage whatsoever. OTOH, a weave needs to be sewn in. Ouch. It gets itchy, it pulls on your own hair, and you can't take it off when you want and need to (when it pulls for instance). No thank you.

[gthlvrmx]

Personally, I'm all for the wig as well. At the end of the day, you take it off, and there's your own hair, nice and healthy - no damage whatsoever. OTOH, a weave needs to be sewn in. Ouch. It gets itchy, it pulls on your own hair, and you can't take it off when you want and need to (when it pulls for instance). No thank you.

I agree with this ^^ Wigs are a safer choice.

[AutobotsAttack]

^ That sounds really interesting, AutobotsAttack! :) Are there any good guides/links/tutorials on how to moisturize and treat hair next to weave that you would recommend, to avoid the kinds of damage chen bao jun is warning about? :)

Also, Alien Girl, what about wigs? I would think they provide a pretty safe alternative, since they just go on top, without pulling on roots/adding any extra weight? :hmm:

There are a TON of YouTube videos, but I'm gonna save you the hassle of having to search and just summarize what many of the videos repeatedly say. The best way to moisturize the hair is to dilute a good moisturizer or conditioner and pour it into an applicator bottle. Try to avoid directly putting it on the scalp because that can cause buildup and dandruff and uncomfy itchies. The applicator bottle does a really good job at getting in hard to reach areas that your fingers can't reach.then pour your oil of choice in an applicator bottle as well, which can be used to oil the scalp to prevent dryness. Everyone is different so apply the moisturizer and oil accordingly. If you are prone to an oily scalp don't add so much. If you have a dry scalp you may need to add more. Also a good tip that I have to offer is to invest in a dry shampoo. Sometimes your hair might feel unclean under the weave so just spray a dry shampoo between the tracks so that it can sort of clean up the dirty feeling and oil that will begin to accumulate. And if you feel you need to take your weave out you are more than free to do so. You want to feel comfy at all times. And if you want to install another weave after taking out the old one go for it! I'm not a professional but I have installed weaves enough to have a good basis of what to do and not to do. It's also a good idea to shampoo and condition at least once every week and a half. Or two weeks. You do want to remove as much buildup as you can so that your scalp does not get irritated. (Forgot to mention that earlier). Anyone with any hair type can try these tips out. And you are more than welcome to tweak them to your liking. But I have found that using an applicator bottle is really the trick to making sure all of your is moisturized and no parts of The hair get left out :) hope this was helpful

[meteor]

^ Great tips! Thanks for sharing, AutobotsAttack! :thumbsup:

[chen bao jun]

I wear wigs with costumes. I like to dress up in Renaissance or Victorian clothes or sometimes other costumes and it is interesting to wear different hair colors then and so I have blond, red, light brown and even blue and pink wigs. My husband has even got me some quite expensive ones. I can't imagine wearing one every day. I find them uncomfortable for any period of time. I braid my hair as small as I can and then put on a wig cap under the wig to protect my hair and I find the wigs are always very tight and hot and uncomfortable. I can't imagine wearing one at all in summer, but even in the winter they bother me.

does no one else have this problem?

I have never worn a weave. I am glad that AutobotsAttack has had good experiences with them. However, I have a mother and a sister in law who took careful care and over time, they both had significant hair loss--and I mean significant. My sister in law now looks as if she has pattern baldness and my mom's hair fortunately came back with JBCO but it was awful.

Maybe hairtype matters as they both have very fine, very curly hair, type 4B or 4C. I think the hair often can't hold up the weight of the weave and over time the hair comes out at the roots and doesn't come back. It does take a long time. My sister in law started wearing weaves in the 1990's, it took about 20 years to make her bald and 25 years to make her atrociously bald. it really looks horrid.

do be very, very careful and don't do it for years and years, anyway.

There is an epidemic of traction alopecia in the black community due to hair weave use. Dermatologists say they see permanent hair loss very, very often.

[gthlvrmx]

I wear wigs with costumes. I like to dress up in Renaissance or Victorian clothes or sometimes other costumes and it is interesting to wear different hair colors then and so I have blond, red, light brown and even blue and pink wigs. My husband has even got me some quite expensive ones. I can't imagine wearing one every day. I find them uncomfortable for any period of time. I braid my hair as small as I can and then put on a wig cap under the wig to protect my hair and I find the wigs are always very tight and hot and uncomfortable. I can't imagine wearing one at all in summer, but even in the winter they bother me.

does no one else have this problem?

I have never worn a weave. I am glad that AutobotsAttack has had good experiences with them. However, I have a mother and a sister in law who took careful care and over time, they both had significant hair loss--and I mean significant. My sister in law now looks as if she has pattern baldness and my mom's hair fortunately came back with JBCO but it was awful.

Maybe hairtype matters as they both have very fine, very curly hair, type 4B or 4C. I think the hair often can't hold up the weight of the weave and over time the hair comes out at the roots and doesn't come back. It does take a long time. My sister in law started wearing weaves in the 1990's, it took about 20 years to make her bald and 25 years to make her atrociously bald. it really looks horrid.

do be very, very careful and don't do it for years and years, anyway.

There is an epidemic of traction alopecia in the black community due to hair weave use. Dermatologists say they see permanent hair loss very, very often.

Also, since everyone's hair and scalp are different, it might not even take 20 years to have significant hair loss. It took me 1 time with individual braids (with the added fake hair into the braids) and I only left them in for a max of 2 weeks. It's been since 2010 and I still don't have my full hair thickness back. Well, also add in I wore a tight ponytail everyday for about 1 year or 2 right before the braids. But the braids were the last straw for my scalp and hair I believe, it had enough at that point.

So yes, be Alien Girl, be careful with weaves and extensions and anything that pulls on your hair.

[meteor]

I wear wigs with costumes. I like to dress up in Renaissance or Victorian clothes or sometimes other costumes and it is interesting to wear different hair colors then and so I have blond, red, light brown and even blue and pink wigs. My husband has even got me some quite expensive ones. I can't imagine wearing one every day. I find them uncomfortable for any period of time. I braid my hair as small as I can and then put on a wig cap under the wig to protect my hair and I find the wigs are always very tight and hot and uncomfortable. I can't imagine wearing one at all in summer, but even in the winter they bother me.

does no one else have this problem?

I have never worn a weave. I am glad that AutobotsAttack has had good experiences with them. However, I have a mother and a sister in law who took careful care and over time, they both had significant hair loss--and I mean significant. My sister in law now looks as if she has pattern baldness and my mom's hair fortunately came back with JBCO but it was awful.

Maybe hairtype matters as they both have very fine, very curly hair, type 4B or 4C. I think the hair often can't hold up the weight of the weave and over time the hair comes out at the roots and doesn't come back. It does take a long time. My sister in law started wearing weaves in the 1990's, it took about 20 years to make her bald and 25 years to make her atrociously bald. it really looks horrid.

do be very, very careful and don't do it for years and years, anyway.

There is an epidemic of traction alopecia in the black community due to hair weave use. Dermatologists say they see permanent hair loss very, very often.

Yes, it's somewhat common, and there is some research on this issue, linking preventable traction alopecia to hairdressing practices:
Determinants of marginal traction alopecia in African girls and women (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Sep;59(3):432-8 ) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18694677
Hair care practices and their association with scalp and hair disorders in African American girls (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2011 Feb;64(2):253-62) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20728245
Approach to hair loss in women of color (Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2009 Jun;28(2):109-14) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19608062


It's so cool that you have so many different wigs, chen! :thumbsup: I guess I can see how they can be quite hot and uncomfortable in summer, but they are probably warm like hats in winter, no? Also, do they work a bit like extra protection and/or "greenhouse effect"? :)

[DollyDagger]

We have alot of Hasidic Jews near my neighbourhood and the women wear either wigs or scarves/cloths (forget the name?) every single day for religious reasons. Their wigs are really beautiful and well maintained. Wig making and styling business is quite lucrative.
Sometimes I feel hot just looking at them like on a day like today when its above 30 and so humid.

[AutobotsAttack]

I wear wigs with costumes. I like to dress up in Renaissance or Victorian clothes or sometimes other costumes and it is interesting to wear different hair colors then and so I have blond, red, light brown and even blue and pink wigs. My husband has even got me some quite expensive ones. I can't imagine wearing one every day. I find them uncomfortable for any period of time. I braid my hair as small as I can and then put on a wig cap under the wig to protect my hair and I find the wigs are always very tight and hot and uncomfortable. I can't imagine wearing one at all in summer, but even in the winter they bother me.

does no one else have this problem?

I have never worn a weave. I am glad that AutobotsAttack has had good experiences with them. However, I have a mother and a sister in law who took careful care and over time, they both had significant hair loss--and I mean significant. My sister in law now looks as if she has pattern baldness and my mom's hair fortunately came back with JBCO but it was awful.

Maybe hairtype matters as they both have very fine, very curly hair, type 4B or 4C. I think the hair often can't hold up the weight of the weave and over time the hair comes out at the roots and doesn't come back. It does take a long time. My sister in law started wearing weaves in the 1990's, it took about 20 years to make her bald and 25 years to make her atrociously bald. it really looks horrid.

do be very, very careful and don't do it for years and years, anyway.

There is an epidemic of traction alopecia in the black community due to hair weave use. Dermatologists say they see permanent hair loss very, very often.

Oh most def. I don't wear them year after year. My semesters usually last three months at a time. So I only wear them three months out of the year. So I do give my hair ample amounts of rest time. But yes I do agree about the whole hair loss thing you said

[chen bao jun]

Meteor, they are not comfortable at any time of year.
They are cute and it is interesting how much a wig changes one's appearance, which is kind of fun. At least, if the wig is very different from one's own hair. I've never worn a curly black hair wig, see no point to that.
I believe the Chasidic women are bald. I think the religious Eastern European Jewish women used to all shave their hair off at marriage and then wear a wig called a 'shaytel' and that the purpose was to look as unattractive as possible, probably because they were a minority that was very vulnerable and were attacked periodically in vicious pogroms. These women definitely look the opposite of unattractive when you see them in Brooklyn nowadays--very beautiful and stylish, though completely modest and you would never know those were wigs. Maybe it is less uncomfortable to wear a wig when your hair is shaved or very short. Maybe some one from the background can weigh in though? With more up to date information? Also, the customs may not be the same for all groups, where I lived before they were Lubavitchers which I know is not a 'mainstream' orthodox Jewish group. they had a 'rebbe' that told them how to apply the various laws, as I guess there is some question about whether you are breaking a law or not sometimes, so far as food (separation of milk from meat dishes); what was 'work' on Sabbath and a whole bunch of other things--but again, its not my background, someone else had better talk about it.

[chen bao jun]

Oh most def. I don't wear them year after year. My semesters usually last three months at a time. So I only wear them three months out of the year. So I do give my hair ample amounts of rest time. But yes I do agree about the whole hair loss thing you said

I am so glad you have not been affected and you certianly have very nice hair!

It is so devastating. I remember how upset my mother was at the baldness. You would think that at age 80, it wouldn't be so devastating to have hair loss but it really is, older women care about their appearance too. She was so glad she could bring her hair back.

I just would not like to see anybody go through that. And as I said, my sister in law is much much worse. She did wear weaves continuously though. when she learned about them, she thought they were a miracle, which was pretty much the feeling in a lot of the black community at that time. A lot of people already had hair breakage issues due to heat and chemicals and you could really hide the hair breakage. Nobody knew that it was at such a cost at first. Also, I don't think that anybody envisaged this culture where mothers would put weaves on their little gradeschool children and start putting chemicals in their hair at age 3 or 4 in some cases. In the old days, little black girls wore their natural hair, in braids until adolescence--that was when the destructive hair styling started, not before. so you had a chance to have stronger hair.

Now its gone mainstream and I think many people don't realize what weaves can do to you, because all they see are these magazine articles on Hollywood stars getting weaves and looking beautiful. I think people assume that black women are genetically prone to have broken off hair and/or traction alopecia (even a lot of black women assume that) and don't realize that its the hair care practices that are doing it--and that they would do that to any hair type, it's scary. you get to pay lots and lots of money to completely destroy your hair.

[Twinkletoes21]

I had tape-in extensions up until this past May. I loved having long luxurious hair but I do feel they thinned out my hair quite a bit. Whenever I would have them removed there would be a lot of hairs with roots on each side of the tape. I've gone back to using clip ins every so often. They do not cause any damage.

[AutobotsAttack]

I am so glad you have not been affected and you certianly have very nice hair!

It is so devastating. I remember how upset my mother was at the baldness. You would think that at age 80, it wouldn't be so devastating to have hair loss but it really is, older women care about their appearance too. She was so glad she could bring her hair back.Of

I just would not like to see anybody go through that. And as I said, my sister in law is much much worse. She did wear weaves continuously though. when she learned about them, she thought they were a miracle, which was pretty much the feeling in a lot of the black community at that time. A lot of people already had hair breakage issues due to heat and chemicals and you could really hide the hair breakage. Nobody knew that it was at such a cost at first. Also, I don't think that anybody envisaged this culture where mothers would put weaves on their little gradeschool children and start putting chemicals in their hair at age 3 or 4 in some cases. In the old days, little black girls wore their natural hair, in braids until adolescence--that was when the destructive hair styling started, not before. so you had a chance to have stronger hair.

Now its gone mainstream and I think many people don't realize what weaves can do to you, because all they see are these magazine articles on Hollywood stars getting weaves and looking beautiful. I think people assume that black women are genetically prone to have broken off hair and/or traction alopecia (even a lot of black women assume that) and don't realize that its the hair care practices that are doing it--and that they would do that to any hair type, it's scary. you get to pay lots and lots of money to completely destroy your hair.

Oh yea I definately agree. My mom didn't start relaxing my hair until I was 14 or so. And she asked if I wanted my hair relaxed instead of just doing it. When I have kids I won't relax their hair at all unless they ask me too. I will support their choice but never push them to do anything. If my little girl wants her hair natural I will inform her of how to properly care for her kind and curls and if she wants a relaxer I will wait until she is in her late teens at least, or older I don't care. As long as she's happy. But I will educate them on how properly care for hair in whatever state they choose to have it in.

[chen bao jun]

YOu'll be a great mom, autobotsattack.
I'll try to put a photo up of me in wig later, but I am shy about showing my face online, so we'll see

[Alien Girl]

Thanks for everyone's advice and feedback!

I have tried wigs and they are very stuffy and uncomfortable :/ I also have had experience with clip-in extensions and they're just a hassle to always put in.

I just wanted opinions on a more long-term thing :P I did more research and I may end up getting micro wefted extensions. I recently trimmed my hair to collarbone length after going pastel purple and I'm not sure what to do with my hair anymore. I might go brunette+extensions maybe near Christmas (no money yet :P )

[MINAKO]

Have you considered half wigs or single piece clip ins? They're usually pretty inexpensive on Ali express.

I had box braids only ince in my life and while damage to my hair wasn't really and issue they gave me headache and hurt like hell. Also i would personally never get a weave cause the though of not being able to touch my scalp terryfies me a bit.

[Alien Girl]

Have you considered half wigs or single piece clip ins? They're usually pretty inexpensive on Ali express.

I had box braids only ince in my life and while damage to my hair wasn't really and issue they gave me headache and hurt like hell. Also i would personally never get a weave cause the though of not being able to touch my scalp terryfies me a bit.

Yeah the whole no-touchy-scalp thing does seem uncomfy. I did more research and IMO the micro-bead seems like the most comfortable long term form of extensions :O

[MINAKO]

I think its possible to get away with anything for a while as long as it is very professionally done and we are ready for the commitment of taking care of it at home and do our part. I see that the key points would be gentle detangling with the right tools and products as well as not leaving them in for too long.
If you got feedback on mostly good expiriences with the microbead thing then thats the ticket probably.
Sometimes we gotta take a risk on things we want, i also flatiron my hair against popular advice and get away with stuff that would generally be considered a nono, lol.
Hope you get to present us your dreamhair soon. ^^

[Dee94]

I'm glad I found this thread. I was thinking about getting a weave sewn in because I just cant stand my thin hair right now. And I tried the clip ins and one other one but they pulled my hair and of course since my hair is already thin it didnt help at all. I think a wig would be my best option right now, that way I cant/wont damage my hair because I can take it off at night before bed, plus I probably wont even wear it every day or all day, only when I go out or whatever.

[cjk]

I'm glad this thread came to the top!

As someone who wears braids regularly it seems that it is not mechanical damage, but traction alopecia from braids made way too tight, which represent the real threat.

And lack of maintenance from leaving in a weave for way too long.

I've been wanting to play around with braid in hair as a way to add some fun color, etc. And this tells me I'm on the right path. So long as I do it right.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I'm glad this thread came to the top!

As someone who wears braids regularly it seems that it is not mechanical damage, but traction alopecia from braids made way too tight, which represent the real threat.

And lack of maintenance from leaving in a weave for way too long.

I've been wanting to play around with braid in hair as a way to add some fun color, etc. And this tells me I'm on the right path. So long as I do it right.

Have you tried a paranda?

[lapushka]

I'm glad I found this thread. I was thinking about getting a weave sewn in because I just cant stand my thin hair right now. And I tried the clip ins and one other one but they pulled my hair and of course since my hair is already thin it didnt help at all. I think a wig would be my best option right now, that way I cant/wont damage my hair because I can take it off at night before bed, plus I probably wont even wear it every day or all day, only when I go out or whatever.

If it's thin already, I would strongly advise against a weave. It puts a strain on the hair and you might even lose more hair than you bargained for. I would try and deal with the hair bit by bit. I think a wig would be *much* better.

[*Wednesday*]

I'm glad I found this thread. I was thinking about getting a weave sewn in because I just cant stand my thin hair right now. And I tried the clip ins and one other one but they pulled my hair and of course since my hair is already thin it didnt help at all. I think a wig would be my best option right now, that way I cant/wont damage my hair because I can take it off at night before bed, plus I probably wont even wear it every day or all day, only when I go out or whatever.

I have to agree with Lapushka. I've known people that have worn extensions (sewn) because they want longer or thicker hair. After they take it out, their hair never looks better. Look at people like Kim Kardashian. She wears hair extensions all the time and her natural hair has always been to her shoulder or APL and never any longer. Jennifer Lopez the same thing. Always wearing these ultra long extensions. In the end her hair was never passed her shoulders and usually wound up cutting it even shorter. The hair and scalp are fragile and can only take so much.

The reason why so many people don't achieve long(er) hair, especially after MBL is because they don't put in the time and dedication of growing it and taking care of it.

In the end you can't wear extensions forever and your hair type will be your hair type. Cultivate what you have

[Begemot]

I have to agree with Lapushka. I've known people that have worn extensions (sewn) because they want longer or thicker hair. After they take it out, their hair never looks better. Look at people like Kim Kardashian. She wears hair extensions all the time and her natural hair has always been to her shoulder or APL and never any longer. Jennifer Lopez the same thing. Always wearing these ultra long extensions. In the end her hair was never passed her shoulders and usually wound up cutting it even shorter. The hair and scalp are fragile and can only take so much.

The reason why so many people don't achieve long(er) hair, especially after MBL is because they don't put in the time and dedication of growing it and taking care of it.

In the end you can't wear extensions forever and your hair type will be your hair type. Cultivate what you have

Naomi Campbell always comes to my mind when I hear the word weave :( You would think that all these incredibly rich celebrities would have the resources to take care of their hair but the continuous use of weaves and extensions cause bald spots and damage to them too. Then they just cover those with more extensions and such, I guess.

[*Wednesday*]

Naomi Campbell always comes to my mind when I hear the word weave :( You would think that all these incredibly rich celebrities would have the resources to take care of their hair but the continuous use of weaves and extensions cause bald spots and damage to them too. Then they just cover those with more extensions and such, I guess.

Yes. That's right. I believe on the side of her head with the traction alopecia. From years of of extensions. Great point.

[Dee94]

If it's thin already, I would strongly advise against a weave. It puts a strain on the hair and you might even lose more hair than you bargained for. I would try and deal with the hair bit by bit. I think a wig would be *much* better.

Ya, you're right, a wig would be better. Plus, like I mentioned. I probably wont even wear it everyday or all day. Only when I go out or family gatherings.



I have to agree with Lapushka. I've known people that have worn extensions (sewn) because they want longer or thicker hair. After they take it out, their hair never looks better. Look at people like Kim Kardashian. She wears hair extensions all the time and her natural hair has always been to her shoulder or APL and never any longer. Jennifer Lopez the same thing. Always wearing these ultra long extensions. In the end her hair was never passed her shoulders and usually wound up cutting it even shorter. The hair and scalp are fragile and can only take so much.

The reason why so many people don't achieve long(er) hair, especially after MBL is because they don't put in the time and dedication of growing it and taking care of it.

In the end you can't wear extensions forever and your hair type will be your hair type. Cultivate what you have

I started reading that (after hearing the good stuff) but I'm glad I read about what weaves really do because it most likely would have made my hair worse. Its like when one said even after 10 years, 10 years!!!!! They are still recovering and may never. Thats scary and I dont want that. So, a wig is what I'll go for, and I'll go for a good quality one. One of the reasons I looked it up on here, LHC, was because I knew I'd get straight up, real, honest experiences, answers and opinions.

Thanks, ladies!

[Begemot]

Yes. That's right. I believe on the side of her head with the traction alopecia. From years of of extensions. Great point.

There are some photos around that show the traction alopecia, poor woman. Recently she has worn her natural hair in cornrows and showed her natural hair in public too :) https://ionemadamenoire.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/webp-net-resizeimage-42.jpg?w=640

[lapushka]

Ya, you're right, a wig would be better. Plus, like I mentioned. I probably wont even wear it everyday or all day. Only when I go out or family gatherings.




I started reading that (after hearing the good stuff) but I'm glad I read about what weaves really do because it most likely would have made my hair worse. Its like when one said even after 10 years, 10 years!!!!! They are still recovering and may never. Thats scary and I dont want that. So, a wig is what I'll go for, and I'll go for a good quality one. One of the reasons I looked it up on here, LHC, was because I knew I'd get straight up, real, honest experiences, answers and opinions.

Thanks, ladies!

You're welcome! Have you gotten to the bottom of the thinning yet, Dee? Any more info on that?


There are some photos around that show the traction alopecia, poor woman. Recently she has worn her natural hair in cornrows and showed her natural hair in public too :) https://ionemadamenoire.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/webp-net-resizeimage-42.jpg?w=640

Yes I saw those years ago too; so sad!

[Dee94]

You're welcome! Have you gotten to the bottom of the thinning yet, Dee? Any more info on that?

No, I think all i have left to do is a dermatologist (all my blood work, thyroid, hormones, iron levels, you name it, it's been tested, is in check), but, lately I haven't been in the mood to do so. Pregnancy making me exhausted and drained all the time. So, I'm thinking of getting to the bottom of it after babys been born, probably a bit after that. Until then, a wig! Get my confidence back.

[*Wednesday*]

No, I think all i have left to do is a dermatologist (all my blood work, thyroid, hormones, iron levels, you name it, it's been tested, is in check), but, lately I haven't been in the mood to do so. Pregnancy making me exhausted and drained all the time. So, I'm thinking of getting to the bottom of it after babys been born, probably a bit after that. Until then, a wig! Get my confidence back.

You're so young. Enjoy your pregnancy and new baby that will be on the way. :) Some moments you can't get them back.

[Dee94]

You're so young. Enjoy your pregnancy and new baby that will be on the way. :) Some moments you can't get them back.

Thank you! :heartbeat and yes, I agree.

[lapushka]

No, I think all i have left to do is a dermatologist (all my blood work, thyroid, hormones, iron levels, you name it, it's been tested, is in check), but, lately I haven't been in the mood to do so. Pregnancy making me exhausted and drained all the time. So, I'm thinking of getting to the bottom of it after babys been born, probably a bit after that. Until then, a wig! Get my confidence back.

You've got bigger fish to fry! I'm glad your blood levels are good though, very important for baby! Congrats on your pregnancy BTW! :)

[cjk]

Have you tried a paranda?

Gathering materials to make some, actually, but my short (by the standards here) hair works against me in that respect.

Got quite a bit of braid in hair thanks to the clearance rack at the hair store.

[Dee94]

You've got bigger fish to fry! I'm glad your blood levels are good though, very important for baby! Congrats on your pregnancy BTW! :)

Me too and thank you!! :heartbeat:)

[Dark40]

My experience with weaves were always great! I never had any issues. Especially, with the partial sew-in weave. I've always had fun wearing my weaves while I wait until my natural hair grew out, and in the long run you don't do any damage to your own hair at all. You can wear all sorts of pretty colors. I agree with AutobotAttack. As long as your don't apply the weave too tight. You should be fine.

[lapushka]

My experience with weaves were always great! I never had any issues. Especially, with the partial sew-in weave. I've always had fun wearing my weaves while I wait until my natural hair grew out, and in the long run you don't do any damage to your own hair at all. You can wear all sorts of pretty colors. I agree with AutobotAttack. As long as your don't apply the weave too tight. You should be fine.

I somehow doubt that. Hair is braided *very* tight for any weave whatsoever. You can't deny that; and that is where the traction occurs.

Your personal experiences may be different, but it's not usually the way to go when your hair is already thin(ning).

[Begemot]

I don't mean to scare people here but someone mentioned the Youtube channel "natural hair horror stories" here some time ago. I watched the whole playlist :D Many of the women in those videos ended up having issues with weaves, either almost immediately or after a while. Weaves and such seem fun and versatile but like with just about any other hair altering thing, they have the possibility of something going wrong and causing damage. I hope you will find the best solution for you Dee!

[Dee94]

I don't mean to scare people here but someone mentioned the Youtube channel "natural hair horror stories" here some time ago. I watched the whole playlist :D Many of the women in those videos ended up having issues with weaves, either almost immediately or after a while. Weaves and such seem fun and versatile but like with just about any other hair altering thing, they have the possibility of something going wrong and causing damage. I hope you will find the best solution for you Dee!

Thanks! I'm going to go with a high quality wig and only wear it outside the house. Hopefully that'll be fine and it wont do any damage to my hair. I dont think it will, but, I wouldn't know as this would be my first. I haven't heard anything bad about a simple wig yet though.

[*Wednesday*]

My experience with weaves were always great! I never had any issues. Especially, with the partial sew-in weave. I've always had fun wearing my weaves while I wait until my natural hair grew out, and in the long run you don't do any damage to your own hair at all. You can wear all sorts of pretty colors. I agree with AutobotAttack. As long as your don't apply the weave too tight. You should be fine.

How long ago did you wear extensions? You mentioned until your natural hair grew out? How long did that take? You currently chemical treat with relaxers from what I've read.

[Dark40]

I somehow doubt that. Hair is braided *very* tight for any weave whatsoever. You can't deny that; and that is where the traction occurs.

Your personal experiences may be different, but it's not usually the way to go when your hair is already thin(ning).

No really. I went to a really good hair stylist that specialized in doing weaves and sew-ins and I had gotten a partial sew-in. She didn't braid my whole entire head. She started braiding from the crown, and left some hair out, and braided only 7 braids. She left my bangs out, and some hair out. I didn't get a full-headed sew-in. and she didn't braid it that tight either. It was tight enough for me.

[Dark40]

How long ago did you wear extensions? You mentioned until your natural hair grew out? How long did that take? You currently chemical treat with relaxers from what I've read.

The last time I wore extensions was back in 2013. I haven't worn them since. Because, I haven't found anyone really good that sews them in. Yes, I did wear them until my natural hair grew out for only 3 months. My hair was very short from a damaging hair coloring job I did from experiencing, and I had gotten the extensions so that I didn't have to do my own hair too much. Yes, I do chemically treat with relaxers but not too often. I only relax my hair 3 times a year. Because, my hair is so thick and curly, and the relaxing helps it to be more manageable.

[YvetteVarie]

I agree with AutobotsAttack and Dark40. If the tracks are not tightly braided and you take care of your hair, the weave won't do harm. I had weaves done regularly during my 3 years in university and never experienced traction alopecia. If you are allergic to synthetic hair, i would advise you to get human hair or not get the weave at all because your scalp will get irritated. Enjoy your pregnancy

[blackgothicdoll]

Came across this thread since I'm considering going back to weaves. I never experienced hair loss from weaves, actually it was how i managed to grow out my pixie cut. I did get heat damage from straightening the leave out though.

I guess I could be grateful I had a good stylist? She always braided my hair down with braiding hair before sewing on tracks, which prevented pulling on my real hair by kind of sturdying it if that makes sense. Similar to braids, after the session I remove anything that is too tight, if I need to, which includes undoing stitches that lay too tight against my hairline, those are the real trouble makers.

That being said the stylist I used to go to was far too rough last time she braided my hair, I no longer trust her. I'll probably seek out the old one I went to, hopefully she hasn't also developed Hulk hands.

[Dark40]

Very bad idea. I am always hearing people say it is going to be different for them and it never is. worst case, permanent baldness from pulled out edges happens way too often. there are threads on this forum, if you search, of people trying to recover from a hair weave and taking years.

I agree with Autobotsattack. I've experienced having a weave before, and never had any issues with it, and I also wore mine in for three months until it was time to relax it again. I also washed my hair every single day with it. I was able to keep both my hair and scalp moisturized with oils and creams.

[Kalamazoo]

Have you ever heard of "Secret Extensions by Daisy Fuentes"? I first found them at Walmart (of all places!) and now they're on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Secret-Extensions-Hair-Extensions-by-Daisy-Fuentes-Dark-Brown/193115666937?hash=item2cf69739f9:g:4tcAAOSwUSBdOdA 2

What I like about them is that they're held on by a single elastic thread, like a headband. So there's no stress on your real hair, at all, not even like clip-ins. I bought them in my own hair color, and they looked totally real, except when I tried to do pigtails. But they're as easy to put on & take off as a normal headband. You just have to gently detangle the extension & keep it in a satin bag until the next time you want to wear it.

I found it a bit uncomfortably warm, but I think I'd feel that way about any wig or extension or extra hair.

Add a little Caboki powder... www.caboki.com ...

[YvetteVarie]

It seems interesting, but I'm sure there's nothing for the kinky, coily, curly ladies there. And straightening leave out is pretty damaging too.

[Kalamazoo]

It seems interesting, but I'm sure there's nothing for the kinky, coily, curly ladies there. And straightening leave out is pretty damaging too.

Well, the Secret Extensions appear to come in either straight or else straight with curls at the end. You're right. That sort of covers the 1s & 2s while leaving out the 3s & 4s. Hmmm... Well maybe there's something on a similar headband design for the curlier folks? That will take some research, unless somebody here can invent something... Or maybe folks could start petitioning the Daisy Fuente company to design something...

But the Caboki will work on any hair type, so long as there's enough vellus hair on the scalp for it to cling to. (But Caboki freely admits that there are some hair loss cases so extreme that they can't help.) So I've used the Caboki as scalp cover, & the Secret Extensions for length & volume.

And yes, I'm at most 2c, and can easily comb, oil, & detangle my hair enough to delude myself that I'm a 1b.

"Straightening leave out" ... Are you saying people would try to straighten their hair that was "left out", i.e. not covered by the extension, to try to make it looked like it matched? Oh dear. That is problematic.

I know! Somebody give me a magic wand I can wave and :magic: make everybody content with his or her own hair! If that same magic wand could also end all hair discriminatory attitudes on the part of society in general...

A magic wand would be so grand...

[YvetteVarie]

Well, the Secret Extensions appear to come in either straight or else straight with curls at the end. You're right. That sort of covers the 1s & 2s while leaving out the 3s & 4s. Hmmm... Well maybe there's something on a similar headband design for the curlier folks? That will take some research, unless somebody here can invent something... Or maybe folks could start petitioning the Daisy Fuente company to design something...

But the Caboki will work on any hair type, so long as there's enough vellus hair on the scalp for it to cling to. (But Caboki freely admits that there are some hair loss cases so extreme that they can't help.) So I've used the Caboki as scalp cover, & the Secret Extensions for length & volume.

And yes, I'm at most 2c, and can easily comb, oil, & detangle my hair enough to delude myself that I'm a 1b.

"Straightening leave out" ... Are you saying people would try to straighten their hair that was "left out", i.e. not covered by the extension, to try to make it looked like it matched? Oh dear. That is problematic.

I know! Somebody give me a magic wand I can wave and :magic: make everybody content with his or her own hair! If that same magic wand could also end all hair discriminatory attitudes on the part of society in general...

A magic wand would be so grand...

It's actually pretty normal. If one has a weave/wig (u-part wigs) that leaves out their hair, most would try to match the texture by flat ironing it. That is why I opt for wigs/weaves with full coverage

[Dark40]

How long ago did you wear extensions? You mentioned until your natural hair grew out? How long did that take? You currently chemical treat with relaxers from what I've read.

I wore extensions for 3 months. Yes, I wore them in until my natural hair grew out. Well, at the time my hair was growing slower than normal because I was under a lot of stress. Yes, you've read right. I do chemically treat with relaxers but only 2 or 3 times a year.

[Dark40]

Oop!!! I'm sorry Wednesday :) I had already answered your question.