Installs/wraps/braids/twists ... etc.?

[Panth]

Having found this wonderfully colourful place: http://www.hairextensionsforum.com/index.php

I was wondering... Have any of you every tried anything like the dreads on there? So, plaits with coloured thread in, installed synthetic/roving dreads, wraps (when you wrap thread around the hair), etc. Any of the reversible dread-type methods?

I was thinking it might be a fun thing to do for a change...

However, there's the issue of the actual hair. *ahem* Namely, how damaging would it be (minimally, my browsing of that forum says, provided you install them so that they don't pull hairs out plus only keep them in for the recommended 1-3 months).

Also, what issues would there be with trying it on thigh-length hair? The obvious ones that spring to mind is that if dreads were used they'd have to be self-made or custom to be long enough to match the hair. Also, there's potential issues with weight. Another issue would be trying to self-install as there are very few people who could be bullied into doing that sort of thing on hair that long. The final issue would be aesthetic - the hair would show a lot more at the top of the dreads.

So, anyone had any experience with this?

[BlazingHeart]

I did a single wrap ages ago. It was a narrow one, set behind my left ear. While it was really cute, by the time it was 2 months old, it had broken about 1/3 of the hairs in it. I ended up cutting it out rather than trying to unwrap it, as I wanted to be able to clip it in as a decoration later, though I never ended up doing it. It was, admittedly, a tight, heavy wrap with a series of beads at the bottom, so if you don't bead it too heavily, you may not have the same problem. Also, I had a terrible time with getting it caught on things, getting it with my hairbrush when I was brushing the rest of my hair, etc. I definitely wasn't as careful as I could have been, so the damage I had was probably avoidable.

~Blaze

[heidihug]

From everything I have heard and read, extensions and wraps and such are really destructive to your natural hair. For someone with short hair who wants to pretend to have long hair for a while, then go back to short - no big deal. But for someone with natural long hair like yours, I would never dream of taking the chance of breaking off hair that took years and years to grow. Just my 2¢.

[Panth]

From everything I have heard and read, extensions and wraps and such are really destructive to your natural hair. For someone with short hair who wants to pretend to have long hair for a while, then go back to short - no big deal. But for someone with natural long hair like yours, I would never dream of taking the chance of breaking off hair that took years and years to grow. Just my 2¢.

Mmmm... maybe I'm just having a little boredom. :p I have 3 months until I start my PhD and have to start being an adult properly. :D

Perhaps a better idea would be to follow Spidermom and rock some temporary colour, now that I know it actually will come out, since it's not the same as demi/semi-permenent dye.

[BlazingHeart]

From experience, working on a PhD doesn't mean you have to be 'adult' about your hair choices at all. I colored my hair a couple of times with patently unnatural colors, and I knew other grad students who did, too. The only time it was an issue for people is if they were trying to get fieldwork jobs. If you're just being a student or student + TA, you shouldn't have an issue with doing what you want with your hair. It's only when you hit jobsearches in your last year that you really have to go more conservative, and at that, I know several people who didn't and still got awesome jobs.

(For the record, I was a history grad student, and had friends in Classics, Archaeology, Sociology, and Comp Sci)

~Blaze

[Aeltt]

there was this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=1506404) some time ago and the OP ended up having them, you can always ask her :)

[Anje]

Relax, you don't have to behave as an adult until you're done with the PhD. Otherwise, I'd be in trouble right now. :D

[Sylvanas]

I've done this quite a few times, and have tried some different styles. Most of them when my hair was TB-length. Never done a full head of synthetics, though. Only wool. It took just as long to braid when my hair was APL, since I made the braids longer anyway. It will usually take me two days if I do it all by myself. I do the braids the first day, and then the dreads the following day. I warn you - your hands and shoulders will ache badly! The smaller the braids, the more time consuming.

The damage really is minimal, but ofc there are som important things to consider. If you braid too tight, you could end up with traction alopecia - just like you can with plain braids, or other hairstyles that are too tight. It should be tight if you want a good result, but never painfully tight. If you leave the braids/dreads in for too long, they can be tricky to remove, meaning you might lose hair when trying to remove them. Don't leve them in for more than 2 months, unless you are ok with possible damage. Don't choose yarn that feels like velcro, since that will only tangle up with your own hair. Wool wrapped around your hair will actually protect it from damage, not cause it. Since wool is very light, it won't weigh your hair down much, but it can take a few days to get used to sleeping on it. It will probably get heavy when it's wet (depends a bit on what type of yarn you use), but your hair won't look greasy when it's wrapped anyway, so no need to wash it. The dreads/braids can be washed, but keep it to a minimum.

As for hair showing at the top, there are a few tricks you can use to camouflage that. You could braid from the front to the back, without any middle/side-part. That way you'd only see your natural hair at the very front. You can choose yarn in a colour close to your own shade, so the difference isn't obvious. Feel free to spice it up with crazy coloured dreads mixed in. You can leave most of the top layer unbraided, but keep in mind your hair will then be rubbing against the wool, and quite possibly get tangled if you do so. If you're unsure, why not just make one or two braids/dreads, leave them in for a few days, and see if you're ready for a full head. Imo, it can look really cool with just a few of them as well :)

I don't know if you've seen this thread, but I wrote about yarn dreads the other day. There's an "how to"-link and some general advice here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=72858

[gthlvrmx]

I have done synthetic braids, so my whole head had fake hair, and uh, so not worth the damage. I had to take care of my hair and wait a month before i saw my curls again and cut off 4 inches.
Dreads look amazing but if you're about your health of your hair (or loving the thigh length you have), it might be best not to.
I was trying to be the crazy teenager with the crazy idea.
Last crazy thing with my hair too :p

[Katze]

I have lots of synthetic braids and dreads that I braid into my own hair. I sometimes do these 'permanently ' (as tight as I can, they last about 2 months, but I have not had the time or patience in a while) - gently braiding them into my hair at the roots.

Having seen how professional extension braiders work, I admire their dexterity and ability to get braids tight, but I would not trust them with my hair. I'd rather do it myself.

The other option is to braid or bobby pin braids or dreads into your hair. Mine are 'U'-shaped so I put the pin at the curve then braid them into my own hair. I have ones that match my hair color and ones that are red, black, purple, and blue.

Dreads are easy and fun to make out of synthetic hair.

have fun!

[Panth]

From experience, working on a PhD doesn't mean you have to be 'adult' about your hair choices at all. I colored my hair a couple of times with patently unnatural colors, and I knew other grad students who did, too. The only time it was an issue for people is if they were trying to get fieldwork jobs. If you're just being a student or student + TA, you shouldn't have an issue with doing what you want with your hair. It's only when you hit jobsearches in your last year that you really have to go more conservative, and at that, I know several people who didn't and still got awesome jobs.

(For the record, I was a history grad student, and had friends in Classics, Archaeology, Sociology, and Comp Sci)

~Blaze


Relax, you don't have to behave as an adult until you're done with the PhD. Otherwise, I'd be in trouble right now. :D

Yeah ... I know no one is going to expect me to suddenly become plain and 'professional' and boring. I guess it just feels more adult - moving to the other side of the country, getting paid, it being job-like (though not technically a job).


I don't know if you've seen this thread, but I wrote about yarn dreads the other day. There's an "how to"-link and some general advice here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=72858

Mmmm... that's where I got the idea from. (Thanks, btw.) The faux dreads had always kinda intrigued me but I never knew how they were put in before.

...

Anywho, thanks everyone for your info and advice! I'm not going to be rushing into anything ... and likely won't bother doing anything at all (I have a habit of considering radical things but never doing them...). Tis nice to hear all the tips and stories and suchlike, though. :D

I might just put one or two in if I get bored, though...