1st Sew-In Experience/Post-Sew-In Experience

[LoveTheSkinImIn]

Hey ya'll!

So I BC'ed on May 30th )) and got my 1st sew in a week later (not bc I didn't like my hair, I just didn't have time to do it every morning, but that's not the point of this post).

Anyway, this was my 1st experience with any type of weave/extension/whatever bc my hair was always long, and I can't say I'll never wear weave again, but I definitely won't be anytime soon, and especially not a sew in.

First of all it was super tight for the first 3 days and itched like hell for the first 2 weeks. Other than the annoying feeling of having hair "attached" to my head....

I took the sew it out yesterday and besides the heat damage to the front (which I expected and don't have too much of an issue with bc I know it'll fix itself eventually) my hair was shedding like crazy!! Like straight comin out my head... I know what could have caused some of it, but otherwise my hair never sheds that much at once, and it didn't the week before I got the sew in either. It scared the ish out of me and I am just now able to calm down about it.

I tried a black tea rinse today, so hopefully that will help. But *sigh*...In retrospect I couldv'e done without the sew in...

(1st pic is the 1st day of my sew in. 2nd is when I took it out.)

 

[ms.blue]

My first experience w/ a sew-in was okay but I didn't leave it in too long. My second experience change my life (due to my fault). Sew-in are a great protective style when done correctly and cared correctly. Hopefully next time (if there is a nex time), your experience would be better.

For the tightness, try spraying your scalp w/ water to loosen up the braids. For the itchies, tea tree oil does help.

 

[AuNaturalMaMa]

When I was relaxed and got sew-ins (im not a fan either for all the reasons you stated) and wore them for 2weeks up to a month I had a lot of shed hairs when I took them out for the fact that my hair sheds a little each day but when its braided up for that long the shed hairs just sit and then when I would t take it out and comb there will be alot more because I hadnt combed for so long.

 

[RegaLady]

Hey ya'll!

So I BC'ed on May 30th )) and got my 1st sew in a week later (not bc I didn't like my hair, I just didn't have time to do it every morning, but that's not the point of this post).

Anyway, this was my 1st experience with any type of weave/extension/whatever bc my hair was always long, and I can't say I'll never wear weave again, but I definitely won't be anytime soon, and especially not a sew in.

First of all it was super tight for the first 3 days and itched like hell for the first 2 weeks. Other than the annoying feeling of having hair "attached" to my head....

I took the sew it out yesterday and besides the heat damage to the front (which I expected and don't have too much of an issue with bc I know it'll fix itself eventually) my hair was shedding like crazy!! Like straight comin out my head... I know what could have caused some of it, but otherwise my hair never sheds that much at once, and it didn't the week before I got the sew in either. It scared the ish out of me and I am just now able to calm down about it.

I tried a black tea rinse today, so hopefully that will help. But *sigh*...In retrospect I couldv'e done without the sew in...

(1st pic is the 1st day of my sew in. 2nd is when I took it out.)

LoveTheSkinImIn


The shed hairs are hair that would have shed otherwise. You just notice them because they are collected in the sew in at take down.

Also next time in a sew in try to moisterize your hair with a spray mix that way at take down your hair is well moisterised.

 

[carameldelight87]

Um, not to rain on your parade, but I'm not sure that heat damage can "fix itself." It's damaged hair. Despite what some products say, you can't really "repair" damaged hair. What I'd recommend is a protein treatment asap, if you haven't done one already. But your left out hair probably won't curl like the rest of your hair anymore.

Next time maybe you could try a full sew in or a curly sew-in where you don't have to keep using heat.

 

[ellebelle88]

How long did you have your sew-in for? I can honestly say that sew-ins have succeeded in destroying my hair. It's hard for hair to be moisturized while it's under the weave, so it's drying out. Going 4,5,6, weeks without moisturizing my hair is awful for me. Some people's hair can handle it, mine can't. Sew-ins leave my hair dry and brittle. I just took my last and final sew-in out this past Sunday. I thought that because I was only leaving it in for a month, it wouldn't be too bad. Wrong. I'm slowly babying it back to health.

 

[SavannahNatural]

Congratualations to your BC, OP. Good luck with your hair!

 

[glamazon386]

LoveTheSkinImIn


The shed hairs are hair that would have shed otherwise. You just notice them because they are collected in the sew in at take down.

Also next time in a sew in try to moisterize your hair with a spray mix that way at take down your hair is well moisterised.

Exactly. That's all the hair you would have normally shed during the time you had the sewn in. It just looked like a lot because you combed it all out at the same time. The sew in didn't make your hair shed.

 

[glamazon386]

How long did you have your sew-in for? I can honestly say that sew-ins have succeeded in destroying my hair. It's hard for hair to be moisturized while it's under the weave, so it's drying out. Going 4,5,6, weeks without moisturizing my hair is awful for me. Some people's hair can handle it, mine can't. Sew-ins leave my hair dry and brittle. I just took my last and final sew-in out this past Sunday. I thought that because I was only leaving it in for a month, it wouldn't be too bad. Wrong. I'm slowly babying it back to health.

Why wasn't your hair being moisturized while the weave was in?

 

[RegaLady]

How long did you have your sew-in for? I can honestly say that sew-ins have succeeded in destroying my hair. It's hard for hair to be moisturized while it's under the weave, so it's drying out. Going 4,5,6, weeks without moisturizing my hair is awful for me. Some people's hair can handle it, mine can't. Sew-ins leave my hair dry and brittle. I just took my last and final sew-in out this past Sunday. I thought that because I was only leaving it in for a month, it wouldn't be too bad. Wrong. I'm slowly babying it back to health.

ljbee

Did you use a moisterizing spray to moisterize your hair? I will give you an example, I have a friend that wears sew ins religiously.She DOES NOT moisterize her hair in a sew in or DC. She just wears it months on in. At take down its always dry and brittle and breaking.

I have worn sew ins and will use braid spray with a touch of glycerine or something on my braids once or a couple times a week to ensure that my hair is moisterized. At take down, my hair is soft and I have retained length. Its never enough just to wear a sew in, it requires care.

 

[glamazon386]

ljbee

Did you use a moisterizing spray to moisterize your hair? I will give you an example, I have a friend that wears sew ins religiously.She DOES NOT moisterize her hair in a sew in or DC. She just wears it months on in. At take down its always dry and brittle and breaking.

I have worn sew ins and will use braid spray with a touch of glycerine or something on my braids once or a couple times a week to ensure that my hair is moisterized. At take down, my hair is soft and I have retained length. Its never enough just to wear a sew in, it requires care.

Same here. You should also be washing and DCing your hair while you have a sew in. My hair isn't dry or brittle when I take mine down.

 

[beana]

Sew ins have helped my transition tremendously. Especially since I started doing them myself (i lose less hair when I do it). I am very careful about the tension I use when braiding and sewing in the tracks. The hair you see when you take it out could be a combo of hair that was pulled too tight and normal shed hairs.

also, I wash/DC my hair every 10-14 days and dont put anything on my hair underneath ever. I can still faintly smell my last DC when I remove everything and my hair does not feel dry.

everyone's hair is different and if sew-ins are not helping you, you should definitely avoid them. I have pics on my digital cam at home with the last I've lost with each sew in. I'll try to post when I get home tonight.

 

[ellebelle88]

Same here. You should also be washing and DCing your hair while you have a sew in. My hair isn't dry or brittle when I take mine down.

ljbee

Did you use a moisterizing spray to moisterize your hair? I will give you an example, I have a friend that wears sew ins religiously.She DOES NOT moisterize her hair in a sew in or DC. She just wears it months on in. At take down its always dry and brittle and breaking.

I have worn sew ins and will use braid spray with a touch of glycerine or something on my braids once or a couple times a week to ensure that my hair is moisterized. At take down, my hair is soft and I have retained length. Its never enough just to wear a sew in, it requires care.

Why wasn't your hair being moisturized while the weave was in?

I didn't know how to do this! The first time I got a sew-in, I paid $200, on top of the weave which was $100. I spent a total of $300 and I couldn't afford to do it again, but she was great because she braided my hair in a horizontal manner so it made it easy for me to wash it. So I would wash it, but I still didn't know about the "braid spray."

The second time around, I went to this girl, who braided my hair in cornrows going back AND she used a net. I could NOT bet to my hair with the net on top and the cornrows going back so I didn't even wash it. I experienced extreme breakage.

The third time, I asked her not to use a net but she still braided it going back so it still made it hard to wash the individual braids since the tracks were going across my hair and covering it.

I think I'm going to try to learn how to do a sew-in on my own.

Readyone, glamazon386

Can you be more specific and tell me the kind of braid spray or mixture you use? I would definitely appreciate it.

 

[glamazon386]

I didn't know how to do this! The first time I got a sew-in, I paid $200, on top of the weave which was $100. I spent a total of $300 and I couldn't afford to do it again, but she was great because she braided my hair in a horizontal manner so it made it easy for me to wash it. So I would wash it, but I still didn't know about the "braid spray."

The second time around, I went to this girl, who braided my hair in cornrows going back AND she used a net. I could NOT bet to my hair with the net on top and the cornrows going back so I didn't even wash it. I experienced extreme breakage.

The third time, I asked her not to use a net but she still braided it going back so it still made it hard to wash the individual braids since the tracks were going across my hair and covering it.

I think I'm going to try to learn how to do a sew-in on my own.

Readyone, glamazon386

Can you be more specific and tell me the kind of braid spray or mixture you use? I would definitely appreciate it.

Well I typically just wash and DC once a week. That keeps my hair soft enough. I may cowash in the middle of the week if I'm wearing curly hair but that's just to refresh the curl. It's not for my hair's benefit.

In the past I have used African Royale BRX Braid Spray. When I used to get my hair done at the shop and they added the synthetic braiding hair it itched like crazy. The spray would stop the itching. Once I stopped having them add the hair, it didn't itch anymore. IDK why that is.

I also use some type of butter on my hair before I get it braided which keeps it soft for the duration of the weave. When I take it down months later after multiple washing, cowashing, & dcing sessions it's still soft. I'm guessing the butter seals the moisture in the hair? I had a lady do it once and I've been doing it ever since. I rarely ever have to spray my scalp or hair now.

ETA: I don't like the net. I find it to be scratchy and itchy. It can rub on your hair and cause breakage. If you are washing and DCing though, it should be able to get down into the net. In the past my stylist poured some Sea Breeze down inside to help with the itching when I came in for my biweekly wash. You can try that too. I tried it at home last summer with an itchy net weave. When I was going to him regularly and having him install my weaves I went back to him every 2 weeks for a wash, dc and style. My hair did fine. I've never gotten any damage or breakage from a weave. Braids and relaxers are another story.

ETA: Another thing, braiding straight back is actually better for your hair than across. The weight of the tracks is distributed across multiple braids instead of along one braid when it's braided horizontal. Also, your hair shouldn't need a massive washing while it's in the braids anyway. I mean think about it, it's protected from the elements, you aren't adding product to it, so why would it get that dirty in the first place? You're really washing to make sure your scalp is clean. A quick wash should suffice.

 

[appplecidder]

s

Same here. You should also be washing and DCing your hair while you have a sew in. My hair isn't dry or brittle when I take mine down.

How do you Dc while in a sew in.. Do u put the dc in a aplicator bottle and apply to the braids... Also can u do it with a net weave?

Sent from my MB200 using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[RegaLady]

Well I typically just wash and DC once a week. That keeps my hair soft enough. I may cowash in the middle of the week if I'm wearing curly hair but that's just to refresh the curl. It's not for my hair's benefit.

In the past I have used African Royale BRX Braid Spray. When I used to get my hair done at the shop and they added the synthetic braiding hair it itched like crazy. The spray would stop the itching. Once I stopped having them add the hair, it didn't itch anymore. IDK why that is.

I also use some type of butter on my hair before I get it braided which keeps it soft for the duration of the weave. When I take it down months later after multiple washing, cowashing, & dcing sessions it's still soft. I'm guessing the butter seals the moisture in the hair? I had a lady do it once and I've been doing it ever since. I rarely ever have to spray my scalp or hair now.

ETA: I don't like the net. I find it to be scratchy and itchy. It can rub on your hair and cause breakage. If you are washing and DCing though, it should be able to get down into the net. In the past my stylist poured some Sea Breeze down inside to help with the itching when I came in for my biweekly wash. You can try that too. I tried it at home last summer with an itchy net weave. When I was going to him regularly and having him install my weaves I went back to him every 2 weeks for a wash, dc and style. My hair did fine. I've never gotten any damage or breakage from a weave. Braids and relaxers are another story.

ETA: Another thing, braiding straight back is actually better for your hair than across. The weight of the tracks is distributed across multiple braids instead of along one braid when it's braided horizontal. Also, your hair shouldn't need a massive washing while it's in the braids anyway. I mean think about it, it's protected from the elements, you aren't adding product to it, so why would it get that dirty in the first place? You're really washing to make sure your scalp is clean. A quick wash should suffice.

ITA with this whole post. I also use African Royal Spray too. But this method works like a charm

 

[glamazon386]

s

How do you Dc while in a sew in.. Do u put the dc in a aplicator bottle and apply to the braids... Also can u do it with a net weave?

Sent from my MB200 using Long Hair Care Forum App

I've seen people discuss it that way here on the board but I've never done it that way. I wash and DC the weave in the shower just like I would wash my own hair. I wash in the shower and apply my conditioner. I DC with a plastic cap on while I'm in the house. Then I rinse it out. I've never used an applicator bottle or diluted shampoo or conditioner. I've never had any issues with the net or without it. I usually air dry. If you are concerned about the hair under the net not getting dry, you can sit under a hooded dryer.

 

[appplecidder]

I've seen people discuss it that way here on the board but I've never done it that way. I wash and DC the weave in the shower just like I would wash my own hair. I wash in the shower and apply my conditioner. I DC with a plastic cap on while I'm in the house. Then I rinse it out. I've never used an applicator bottle or diluted shampoo or conditioner. I've never had any issues with the net or without it. I usually air dry. If you are concerned about the hair under the net not getting dry, you can sit under a hooded dryer.

Thank you so much this has helped me tremendously and was very informative...
Sent from my MB200 using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[lp318lp]

I've also had bad experiences with weaves, and thought I would never get another one, but... glamazon386 and Readyone, your tips are helpful... I'm reconsidering this for a possible 2012 style...

Thanks, in advance, for the advice!

me~