Sew-In Broke Off & Thinned My Hair!!

[wyldcurlz]

(for those of you who read my Why'd My Hair Break Off & Thin Out Post... this is the same topic, just a different title, cuz i want folks to know it was a sew-in that caused this. hoping maybe all the sew-in regulars will come on and help me out!!)

i got a sew-in weave in november to "hide my hair" for a few months and hopefully grow it longer than the BSL length it was at. i put the weave in in Nov kept it in 3 mos as i was instructed, took it down and put it back up the same day & kept it in for another 3 mos - from feb til may. when they took it down, my hair was soooo much thinner! it didn't grow very much and it looks as if it broke off! there's a noticeable line of separation from the ear down where its noticeable thinner! and my ponytails look anemic!! its a mess!!!! i'm so mad!! and sad! i don't know what could've gone wrong! the only things i can think of are:

• i have A LOT of FINE hair - maybe my fine hair can't handle a sew-in?
• the stylist was a little rough & rushed the take down - my head was sore afterward. could she have been too rough during take-down, causing me to lose much hair?

i hope someone here can help me find an answer. should i put it back in? my hair looks HORRIBLE now and i really can't stand to look at it, much less let anyone else. i've had beautiful, healthy BSL hair for years! just thought the sew-in would be a fun way to grow it out longer and not have to deal with it on a daily basis. now i'm a lot poorer and have less hair. can someone please explain?!?!?! one person said maybe my hair is too "fine" for a sew-in and couldn't take the tension? i have no idea, i've always considered my hair healthy and fairly strong.

please, someone explain! help! i'm back at square 1 - pre LHCF status hair.

 

[Ericka]

I'll be looking for a reply too from someone who has experienced this also. I have APL natural hair and I was oh so thinking about getting a sew-in for the summer. But now I think I'll have to come up with another option.

 

[curlcomplexity]

(for those of you who read my Why'd My Hair Break Off & Thin Out Post... this is the same topic, just a different title, cuz i want folks to know it was a sew-in that caused this. hoping maybe all the sew-in regulars will come on and help me out!!)

i got a sew-in weave in november to "hide my hair" for a few months and hopefully grow it longer than the BSL length it was at. i put the weave in in Nov kept it in 3 mos as i was instructed, took it down and put it back up the same day & kept it in for another 3 mos - from feb til may. when they took it down, my hair was soooo much thinner! it didn't grow very much and it looks as if it broke off! there's a noticeable line of separation from the ear down where its noticeable thinner! and my ponytails look anemic!! its a mess!!!! i'm so mad!! and sad! i don't know what could've gone wrong! the only things i can think of are:

• i have A LOT of FINE hair - maybe my fine hair can't handle a sew-in?
• the stylist was a little rough & rushed the take down - my head was sore afterward. could she have been too rough during take-down, causing me to lose much hair?

i hope someone here can help me find an answer. should i put it back in? my hair looks HORRIBLE now and i really can't stand to look at it, much less let anyone else. i've had beautiful, healthy BSL hair for years! just thought the sew-in would be a fun way to grow it out longer and not have to deal with it on a daily basis. now i'm a lot poorer and have less hair. can someone please explain?!?!?! one person said maybe my hair is too "fine" for a sew-in and couldn't take the tension? i have no idea, i've always considered my hair healthy and fairly strong.



please, someone explain! help! i'm back at square 1 - pre LHCF status hair.

The bolded could be part of the reason...did you hear/feel alot of "popping"? When your stylist initially put in the weave, were the braids super tight? Also, when you wore the weave, did you take care of your hair underneath (meaning, did you wash and condition the braids underneath)? When you combed out your weave, were you as gentle as you would be to your natural hair...or because it was a weave, did you rip through it as you brushed and combed it? Sorry for the many questions...

As for putting another weave back in, I would definitely wait a few weeks, maybe months. Also, before putting another weave back in, have a stylist check your hair's condition since your hair is fine. I would get a protein treatment and deep conditioning treatment as well. (((HUGS))) Sorry about the bad experience!

 

[wyldcurlz]

The bolded could be part of the reason...did you hear/feel alot of "popping"? When your stylist initially put in the weave, were the braids super tight? Also, when you wore the weave, did you take care of your hair underneath (meaning, did you wash and condition the braids underneath)? When you combed out your weave, were you as gentle as you would be to your natural hair...or because it was a weave, did you rip through it as you brushed and combed it? Sorry for the many questions...

As for putting another weave back in, I would definitely wait a few weeks, maybe months. Also, before putting another weave back in, have a stylist check your hair's condition since your hair is fine. I would get a protein treatment and deep conditioning treatment as well. (((HUGS))) Sorry about the bad experience!

Great advice - THANK YOU! i didn't hear popping when she took it out, but she was NOT gentle at all when she removed it or combed it out afterward! whenever i touch my hair i'm gentle! i baby it. i feel stuck in a spin cycle because i'm known for my hair! (my own natural hair!) so i don't want to walk around with this thin looking hair! my hair has NEVER looked thin before! now it looks weak. i really want to put another weave in, but not if it means sacrificing my own hair. it'll be down for 3 weeks when its time for my appointment to put it back in.

 

[SelfStyled]

I don't know what to tell you sis........except for cancel the next weave appt ASAP. Seriously if you knew you damaged your skin because you touched a hot stove, would you make an appt in 3 weeks so you could touch the stove again and damage your skin some more.


I do not mean to sound anti weave, cause I am not. I know they have helped many grow their hair. I love my phony ponies, wigs, etc. I think the common theme that I have finally realized is for those with fine hair weaves can be more harmful than helpful.

Think about it, if your hair is already fine, and now you are sewing track on, and every time you style the weave hair, its more tension on your natural hair. Plus I think the thread can be damaging to the hair cuticle.

I know it's a struggle when you just want a break from dealing with your hair- I feel the same way. I have been toying with the idea of a sew in for the summer, because I just want a break too. But then I remember it was weave damage that brought me to LHCF in the 1st place. Even though I am armed with knowledge now, I am still not so sure my tresses could take a sew in. Not to mention the recent weave horror stories in the board.

I said all this to say: Please do not put the weave back in! Good luck with whatever you decide- and we will be hear to support you either way,

ETA: I really think DC'ing every 3-4 days with a moisturizing DC would be helpful to turn your hair around.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

(for those of you who read my Why'd My Hair Break Off & Thin Out Post... this is the same topic, just a different title, cuz i want folks to know it was a sew-in that caused this. hoping maybe all the sew-in regulars will come on and help me out!!)

i got a sew-in weave in november to "hide my hair" for a few months and hopefully grow it longer than the BSL length it was at. i put the weave in in Nov kept it in 3 mos as i was instructed, took it down and put it back up the same day & kept it in for another 3 mos - from feb til may. when they took it down, my hair was soooo much thinner! it didn't grow very much and it looks as if it broke off! there's a noticeable line of separation from the ear down where its noticeable thinner! and my ponytails look anemic!! its a mess!!!! i'm so mad!! and sad! i don't know what could've gone wrong! the only things i can think of are:

• i have A LOT of FINE hair - maybe my fine hair can't handle a sew-in?
• the stylist was a little rough & rushed the take down - my head was sore afterward. could she have been too rough during take-down, causing me to lose much hair?

i hope someone here can help me find an answer. should i put it back in? my hair looks HORRIBLE now and i really can't stand to look at it, much less let anyone else. i've had beautiful, healthy BSL hair for years! just thought the sew-in would be a fun way to grow it out longer and not have to deal with it on a daily basis. now i'm a lot poorer and have less hair. can someone please explain?!?!?! one person said maybe my hair is too "fine" for a sew-in and couldn't take the tension? i have no idea, i've always considered my hair healthy and fairly strong.

please, someone explain! help! i'm back at square 1 - pre LHCF status hair.

You wrote this in the paragraph above "The stylist was a little rough & rushed the take down - my head was sore afterward. could she have been too rough during take-down, causing me to lose much hair?"

HELLO!!!!!

This is what I strived against when I decided to get a weave to transition from my pixie cut. I noticed that almost everyone who had weaves kept on having short hair and it made me very slow about getting one. I did research. I talked to hairstylists while they were weaving and I also watched how they styled hair. I noticed time and time again that they'd yank through the hair when they were taking it down.

NOTE
before we continue I will say it is possible that she did it too tight and you should start over with someone else. You don't want it slicing through your hair! I wouldn't risk it just to go to the same woman. If you think she's doing it right, and she's just tugging away that's another story, keep reading

:whipgirl: I wanted to use her, she's funny. Plus it's time to whip your hairstylist into shape.
Now after that note I'll continue.
Keep in mind I was a hair snob at the time. I really didn't want a weave because I wanted to feel authentic. I think the reason to wear one for me was to get to a point where I did not have to wear one again, and to protect my hair from the crazy in between stage where I might take scissors to it. Everyone has their own reason, such as versatility, but that wasn't mine.
While researching crazy hair pulling stylists, I decided at that point and time that I would never let them do that to me. I got rid of my relaxer because I wanted to have complete control and now I felt like I refused to give complete control over to the hairstylists again. I'd have to lead the orchestra gosh darn it! So now that I was the conductor, I decided to make sure that my hair was done the way I wanted to.

A little off the subject: And BTW I never left them in over 2 1/2 months. I usually got them done every 2 months (one time I had to stretch longer as I visited my parents over the holidays in school break).


Back to my point: Anyways whenever I went I'd never let them yank away. A few years back I was too nice, so I'd just say I was tender headed. Yeah tender headed at the fact that you're yanking out my hair. So they'd joke "Whoo let me know before you come so we can take extra time." Just to make me feel guilty. I'd smile, and tell them I'll untangle it. I'd take the comb myself and do it while they worked on someone else for a while. They got used to that. She's coming, we better add an extra hour. Who gives a care? So anyways I kept telling them I wanted to grow out my hair to which they'd say "uh huh" and then at the end of the year, one time my stylist had an assistant and she proceeded to blow dry a section of my hair and my mouth dropped. It was sooo much longer. You want to maintain the hair on your head. If all that growth is being tugged out, you're going to finish where you started because you're going to have to cut all the uneveness out. Oh and if you noticed the hair that's out (if you have any out) getting shorter just tell them. I'd joke "hey! I want to grow my hair not just make it look good!" and my stylist would stop tugging away and say "Girl you are my most difficult client". So what. At least my hair grew and now I don't even think about weaves because I don't need one. I maintain my hair and keep it growing with braids, or just flatironing it once a week to keep it from tangling (w/ extensive deep conditioning) Mostly the past year I've been flatironing and my hair is still growing and maintaining it's growth and the good thing is I don't have to worry about having my hair in anyone else's hands. Hope something I said can help.

 

[Hair Iam]

I don't know what to tell you sis........except for cancel the next weave appt ASAP. Seriously if you knew you damaged your skin because you touched a hot stove, would you make an appt in 3 weeks so you could touch the stove again and damage your skin some more.


I do not mean to sound anti weave, cause I am not. I know they have helped many grow their hair. I love my phony ponies, wigs, etc. I think the common theme that I have finally realized is for those with fine hair weaves can be more harmful than helpful.

Think about it, if your hair is already fine, and now you are sewing track on, and every time you style the weave hair, its more tension on your natural hair. Plus I think the thread can be damaging to the hair cuticle.

I know it's a struggle when you just want a break from dealing with your hair- I feel the same way. I have been toying with the idea of a sew in for the summer, because I just want a break too. But then I remember it was weave damage that brought me to LHCF in the 1st place. Even though I am armed with knowledge now, I am still not so sure my tresses could take a sew in. Not to mention the recent weave horror stories in the board.

I said all this to say: Please do not put the weave back in! Good luck with whatever you decide- and we will be hear to support you either way,

ETA: I really think DC'ing every 3-4 days with a moisturizing DC would be helpful to turn your hair around.

I AGREE 100%with all that you stated

 

[sunshinelady]

Check out the www.growafrohairlong.com weave reggie. That should help you if you plan to do it again.

 

[RoseGolden]

Ditto to everything thats been said. Also, I think one of the main problems is leaving it in for 3 months. Almost everything I've read suggest no more than 6-8 weeks. Any longer than that is setting your hair up for disaster at takedown. Also, I would suggest using a seam ripper and carefully taking it down yourself. No one will be as gentle with you hair as you can. Booo to the stylist being so rough with your hair at such a fragile point.

 

[priceless2608]

Sorry this happened to you.

I've been wearing weaves for years now, and I suffered severe breakage and my hair thinned tremendously in the past, when I did not wash/moisturize my hair weekly, or I kept my weaves in for too long. I also used to wear weaves back to back, like you said in the bolded which is a big from my experience. I too have hair fine. I'm relaxed with type 4 hair.

I'm still using weaves to grow my my hair, but I am no longer experiencing thinning hair or breakage, just a few shed hairs when I take my weave down. Actually my hair is thriving from weaves, and getting thicker

This is my weave regimen:

Well first, I make sure that my stylist does not braid my hair to tight.

I shampoo and condition my hair underneath once a week, and moisturize my hair every other day, or whenever it feels dry.

When I comb the weave I treat it just as I would by own hair, ie: I'm very gentle, and don't tug, or pull at it.

I only keep my weaves in for six weeks max. I used to keep my weaves in a lot longer, like 3-4 mths but every time I wold take my weave down, my hair would be matted, thin, and brittle.

I always do a protein treatment when I take my weave down, to put strength back into my hair.

The most important thing that I have learned NOT to do, is get a weave put in, the same day, or even the same week after you take it down. It's just too much stress on your hair, whether it's thick or thin. I wait at least a 4-6 weeks before getting another weave.

Also, maybe you should learn how to take your weave down yourself. It's really not that difficult, once you get the hang of it, b/c your head being sore definitely indicates that your stylist was waayyyyy to rough with the take down.

HTH

(for those of you who read my Why'd My Hair Break Off & Thin Out Post... this is the same topic, just a different title, cuz i want folks to know it was a sew-in that caused this. hoping maybe all the sew-in regulars will come on and help me out!!)

i got a sew-in weave in november to "hide my hair" for a few months and hopefully grow it longer than the BSL length it was at. i put the weave in in Nov kept it in 3 mos as i was instructed, took it down and put it back up the same day & kept it in for another 3 mos - from feb til may. when they took it down, my hair was soooo much thinner! it didn't grow very much and it looks as if it broke off! there's a noticeable line of separation from the ear down where its noticeable thinner! and my ponytails look anemic!! its a mess!!!! i'm so mad!! and sad! i don't know what could've gone wrong! the only things i can think of are:

• i have A LOT of FINE hair - maybe my fine hair can't handle a sew-in?
• the stylist was a little rough & rushed the take down - my head was sore afterward. could she have been too rough during take-down, causing me to lose much hair?

i hope someone here can help me find an answer. should i put it back in? my hair looks HORRIBLE now and i really can't stand to look at it, much less let anyone else. i've had beautiful, healthy BSL hair for years! just thought the sew-in would be a fun way to grow it out longer and not have to deal with it on a daily basis. now i'm a lot poorer and have less hair. can someone please explain?!?!?! one person said maybe my hair is too "fine" for a sew-in and couldn't take the tension? i have no idea, i've always considered my hair healthy and fairly strong.

please, someone explain! help! i'm back at square 1 - pre LHCF status hair.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Sorry this happened to you.

I've been wearing weaves for years now, and I suffered severe breakage and my hair thinned tremendously in the past, when I did not wash/moisturize my hair weekly, or I kept my weaves in for too long. I also used to wear weaves back to back, like you said in the bolded which is a big from my experience. I too have hair fine. I'm relaxed with type 4 hair.

I'm still using weaves to grow my my hair, but I am no longer experiencing thinning hair or breakage, just a few shed hairs when I take my weave down. Actually my hair is thriving from weaves, and getting thicker

This is my weave regimen:

Well first, I make sure that my stylist does not braid my hair to tight.

I shampoo and condition my hair underneath once a week, and moisturize my hair every other day, or whenever it feels dry.

When I comb the weave I treat it just as I would by own hair, ie: I'm very gentle, and don't tug, or pull at it.

I only keep my weaves in for six weeks max. I used to keep my weaves in a lot longer, like 3-4 mths but every time I wold take my weave down, my hair would be matted, thin, and brittle.

I always do a protein treatment when I take my weave down, to put strength back into my hair.

The most important thing that I have learned NOT to do, is get a weave put in, the same day, or even the same week after you take it down. It's just too much stress on your hair, whether it's thick or thin. I wait at least a 4-6 weeks before getting another weave.

Also, maybe you should learn how to take your weave down yourself. It's really not that difficult, once you get the hang of it, b/c your head being sore definitely indicates that your stylist was waayyyyy to rough with the take down.

HTH

Really? Now I don't use weaves, but once upon a time, I used weaves back to back and didn't have a problem. I do agree with washing and conditioning which I did a lot of. I forgot to add that. Also know your hair. For me protein is a no no as I'm a natural. I use moisturizing conditioners with no protein to maintain and continue growing and now it's at the bottom of brastrap (midback here I come!). I had bc'd almost bald in my opinion to cut off my relaxer and then started regrowing from that. I think you need to know if your hair likes or hates protein, as it works for her above (she also has a relaxer), but not me (natural). Which one works for you? Then I agree with the once weekly wash, or go to the salon (I did once a week) and have them wash it (they didn't charge a lot as they knew I was a regular weave client at the time). The hair below is mine without weave by the way. It's still natural, I just flatiron once a week after a deep conditioning session. I am speaking from previous experience. Maybe someone who has had a weave lately will be able to tell you more stuff than I can remember from over a year ago when I took mine out. But I wanted to give you all I know as I started with one and a half inches of hair on my head. If I could use a weave and get length, you can too. I have thyroid illness, my hair wanted to break and break anyways from that, and now it's a lot longer, and healthier. I love moisture as it keeps my hair from breaking and I really don't have to trim that often. Once or twice a year. There aren't any split ends to speak of, I just trim out of habit. Sometimes I just dust if it's not necessary. The mainthing you need is to maintain the hairs on your head while growing it out and of course keeping it healthy. The weave has tension, but I think it's all in how you care for it. If the thinning is not from stress, and is just breakage, you can look through your hair and tell, then you can still get another, but just make sure they don't tug away at it anymore. If it's through the tension of the braid... You may need a little break before attempting again. If yous ee long and then short hairs, that's from them combing away like mad stylists, and that's when you have to step in and not be shy. Let them know you're tender headed, last time your head hurt so bad for a while after, so from now on you're going to comb it yourself to detangle.
Also it may not be for you. There's plenty of other styles that you can use: do some bunning or braid it up.

 

[Jessica Rabbit]

I personally think 3 months is too long for a weave. It varies person to person but my hair will protest if I kept one in for 3 months.

Also, the take down technique is crucial. Either get somebody else to take it down or find a new weaveologist.

Lastly, how you take care of your hair while weaved up is important.

 

[queenspence]

You have to be very careful with sew-ins. I know someone who has bald spots from having them in too tight. I think they work better with braids that are somewhat looser.

 

[glamazon386]

(for those of you who read my Why'd My Hair Break Off & Thin Out Post... this is the same topic, just a different title, cuz i want folks to know it was a sew-in that caused this. hoping maybe all the sew-in regulars will come on and help me out!!)

i got a sew-in weave in november to "hide my hair" for a few months and hopefully grow it longer than the BSL length it was at. i put the weave in in Nov kept it in 3 mos as i was instructed, took it down and put it back up the same day & kept it in for another 3 mos - from feb til may. when they took it down, my hair was soooo much thinner! it didn't grow very much and it looks as if it broke off! there's a noticeable line of separation from the ear down where its noticeable thinner! and my ponytails look anemic!! its a mess!!!! i'm so mad!! and sad! i don't know what could've gone wrong! the only things i can think of are:

• i have A LOT of FINE hair - maybe my fine hair can't handle a sew-in?
• the stylist was a little rough & rushed the take down - my head was sore afterward. could she have been too rough during take-down, causing me to lose much hair?

i hope someone here can help me find an answer. should i put it back in? my hair looks HORRIBLE now and i really can't stand to look at it, much less let anyone else. i've had beautiful, healthy BSL hair for years! just thought the sew-in would be a fun way to grow it out longer and not have to deal with it on a daily basis. now i'm a lot poorer and have less hair. can someone please explain?!?!?! one person said maybe my hair is too "fine" for a sew-in and couldn't take the tension? i have no idea, i've always considered my hair healthy and fairly strong.

please, someone explain! help! i'm back at square 1 - pre LHCF status hair.

It was probably the latter. But did she use the extra braiding hair or just your own hair for the braids? If she used cheapy braiding hair that could have done it too. I think 3 months is too long for a natural to keep a weave in though. My hair would matt from being wet and airdrying over and over in the weave if I left it in that long.

 

[glamazon386]

I personally think 3 months is too long for a weave. It varies person to person but my hair will protest if I kept one in for 3 months.

Also, the take down technique is crucial. Either get somebody else to take it down or find a new weaveologist.

Lastly, how you take care of your hair while weaved up is important.

I would agree.

 

[vestaluv1]

I posted in your other thread...but just wanted to say...I'm staying away from SEW-IN WEAVES .

 

[Pheonixx]

A sew-in has never taken my hair out. Before I came to LCHF I'd assumed that most people only grew hair in a sew-in or braids. But learn something new everyday I guess...

I had an incident with some invisible braids but that's because I was tired,
there were too many of them and I became agitated...yanking and pulling (which created knots).
Long story short I grabbed the scissors. Unraveled the know to a desirable length and hacked the entire braid off.
I was in a short tapered cut so it didn't matter.

Anyway if I suffered hair loss it always had something to do with how they were installed or more importantly how I removed them. And...I've never had hair loss because I aways removed my own sew-ins.

I think some of it has to do with the stylist.
ALTHOUGH I see that you have fine hair so that could be a huge factor. Perhaps even more important that the way your braider took the braids loose.

Bottom line:
You have to know what your hair can handle. And some people can't handle their hair being laced up for 3 STRAIGHT months. Some can't handle braids/sew-ins at all.
Especially those with fine hair, I've noticed.
One of my homegirls has fine hair and she will only tolerate her braids for a month.

I can stay weaved up for a lengthy period of time. Before LCHF I hardly ever took care of my hair under the sew-in it and it grew like a weed. But my hair can withstand a LOT of things.
Everybody ain't able.
I can chill for 3 months in a sew-in without damage.
But another individual may not be able to do that. Because their hair will mat up after 3 months.

Anyway I remove my own sew-ins.
You have to be careful clipping those strings and loosening those plaits. She shouldn't be ripping and pulling through nothing.
You head shouldn't be sore afterwards either.

 

[chavascandy]

I experienced the same thing......This happened to me two times in a row on two seperate occassions.

Please keep the sew-ins out of your hair; If done by the wrong person, they can cause alot of damage!

I have found that wearing half wigs gives you the same look but, without the damage. It works for me 100%.

Check out my fotki album for ideas and examples.

 

[chocolatesis]

It was probably the latter. But did she use the extra braiding hair or just your own hair for the braids? If she used cheapy braiding hair that could have done it too. I think 3 months is too long for a natural to keep a weave in though. My hair would matt from being wet and airdrying over and over in the weave if I left it in that long.

This happened to me years ago when I used to wear weave regularly. If the weave was left on too long(more than 6-8wks), my hair would get matted where the braid was. If your stylist was rough in taking down the weave I'm thinking it was probably because she was also trying to comb through matted hair. This would definitely make your hair thinner.

I think that if you continue to get weaves, you shouldn't leave them in for more than 6 weeks at a time.

 

[kandegirl]

Sorry this happened to you. I use weaves/braids to help grow my hair so here's my two cents:
1. don't leave weaves in for over 6-8 weeks (your hair may start to matt from all the growth)
2. get your hair braids underneath w/ some braid hair for sturdier braids willl help w/ possible matting
3. DC your hair w/ protien/ moisture before and after your weaves (ahrogee hard core treatment/ Kenra examples)
4. detangle your hair fully when you take down your weaves before you shampoo it, it will cut down on a lot of hair loss
5. shampoo your weaves at least bi-weekly and spray them daily w/ braid spray and a few times a week w/ a hair strengtner like diluted Infusium 23 or Fermodul 619 and oil your scalp regularly
6.since you hair is fine, I would recommend getting a net weave. A net is sewn over your cornrows before the weave is sewn on and it helps to protect the hair from stress. I recommend this now no matter what what type of hair you have (I do weaves)


That's all I can think of for now but hopefully it helps. IMO, weaves aren't bad you just have to know how to care for them.

 

[sweetgal]

I’m so sorry this happened to you. This has happened to me several times in the past. My response is long because I feel for you and the other ladies on the board that want to learn more

The first problem is the length of time you kept the weave in (3 months is way to long)
I would say 8 weeks maximum! If your new to the weaving regimen than I would say to keep the weave in for 4 weeks to see how your hair handles the weaves, then each time you do another weave you keep the weave in 1 week longer to determine your hair tolerance level up to a maximum of 8 weeks.

I’m similar to you in that I have fine and medium strands of hair, and a lot of them. Fine hair tends to stick together very easily; and even more so when you add moisture, oil and dirt over the course of 3 months- Most people especially with fine hair or sometimes even very course dry hair will likely have a major problem, very few people can wear a weave for 3 months with little or no issues.

The second problem, was the way the person took down you hair. Even if you had no damage from wearing the weave for 3 months if the person taking down you hair is not gentle then you can have major damage and thinning once the are done taking the hair down,.

The best way to take down a weave is to finger comb it and then comb it with a medium teeth comb starting from the bottom to root. Some may differ, but I suggest that you completely detangle your hair fully (you cant be lazy at this step) before adding any shampoos and conditioner! Once you have completely detangle wash condition hair (you may also twist plat hair loosely into 6 sections and to wash to prevent matting or tangles, knots)

Finally you have to detangle again, remember there is a lot of shed hair that keeps coming out. I prefer to detangle on hair that is mostly dry (not snap crackle and break dry) or very slightly damp hair. I know people disagree, but my hair is fine and delicate and sensitive, and wet hair or very damp hair is too weak to play with in this state. Use some sprits like s-curl or motions leave in to slightly damp areas that may be too dry to detangle (use your fingers first, then the wide tooth comb, then medium teeth comb to detangle)



You will recovery from this situation, I know it hard not to focus on the way your Do a lot of deep conditioners and add protein if need to strengthen the hair, try not to manipulate it too much (excess combing or brushing, especially if it’s weak)

Perhaps after 2-3 months, when hair improves month you can do cornrow or twist , your hair, loosely, If you decide to add synthetic hair don’t leave the hair in past 4 weeks

 

[WhipEffectz1]

Ditto to everything thats been said. Also, I think one of the main problems is leaving it in for 3 months. Almost everything I've read suggest no more than 6-8 weeks. Any longer than that is setting your hair up for disaster at takedown. Also, I would suggest using a seam ripper and carefully taking it down yourself. No one will be as gentle with you hair as you can. Booo to the stylist being so rough with your hair at such a fragile point.

Ditto! I mean I know some of yall want to save money but keeping it in for that long is too much. I've done it myself for like 3 months and will never do it again because for one I don't want my hair matting and resulting in more hair loss and two the hair appears horrible looking sometimes(after that amount of time.)

 

[bLackButtaFly]

Ditto to everything thats been said. Also, I think one of the main problems is leaving it in for 3 months. Almost everything I've read suggest no more than 6-8 weeks. Any longer than that is setting your hair up for disaster at takedown. Also, I would suggest using a seam ripper and carefully taking it down yourself. No one will be as gentle with you hair as you can. Booo to the stylist being so rough with your hair at such a fragile point.

I was gonna say the same thing. leaving it in too long can break your hair, and putting the weave in back to back. I recently took my first sew in out and had great results, however I had a close friend of mine take out the tracks and then I covered it with conditioner and coconut oil to detangle and i had very minimal shedding.

 

[jujufireal]

I tend to leave mine on for 3 months and this is the exact same thing that happed to me. I just went from shoulder length to chin length. I love the cut, my hair looks way more healthy and plan on keeping it that way when it starts to grow back

 

[sweetsuccess]

first off, huney, why would u keep it in for so long? i dont know who advised you 3 months. but ive awlays been told NO LONGER than 6weeks... and if u must, u can put another directly in after a serious conditioning treatment..... but i leave mine to breathe for 2wks b4 i put it in again. hunny for now on.. NO LONGER than 2 months if u must.

hth

(for those of you who read my Why'd My Hair Break Off & Thin Out Post... this is the same topic, just a different title, cuz i want folks to know it was a sew-in that caused this. hoping maybe all the sew-in regulars will come on and help me out!!)

i got a sew-in weave in november to "hide my hair" for a few months and hopefully grow it longer than the BSL length it was at. i put the weave in in Nov kept it in 3 mos as i was instructed, took it down and put it back up the same day & kept it in for another 3 mos - from feb til may. when they took it down, my hair was soooo much thinner! it didn't grow very much and it looks as if it broke off! there's a noticeable line of separation from the ear down where its noticeable thinner! and my ponytails look anemic!! its a mess!!!! i'm so mad!! and sad! i don't know what could've gone wrong! the only things i can think of are:

• i have A LOT of FINE hair - maybe my fine hair can't handle a sew-in?
• the stylist was a little rough & rushed the take down - my head was sore afterward. could she have been too rough during take-down, causing me to lose much hair?

i hope someone here can help me find an answer. should i put it back in? my hair looks HORRIBLE now and i really can't stand to look at it, much less let anyone else. i've had beautiful, healthy BSL hair for years! just thought the sew-in would be a fun way to grow it out longer and not have to deal with it on a daily basis. now i'm a lot poorer and have less hair. can someone please explain?!?!?! one person said maybe my hair is too "fine" for a sew-in and couldn't take the tension? i have no idea, i've always considered my hair healthy and fairly strong.

please, someone explain! help! i'm back at square 1 - pre LHCF status hair.

 

[wyldcurlz]

It was probably the latter. But did she use the extra braiding hair or just your own hair for the braids? If she used cheapy braiding hair that could have done it too. I think 3 months is too long for a natural to keep a weave in though. My hair would matt from being wet and airdrying over and over in the weave if I left it in that long.

i think she did use extra braiding hair...or synthetic hair. not sure, though. i have an appointment on saturday where i plan to talk to the lead stylist and get her opinion!

 

[wyldcurlz]

Really? Now I don't use weaves, but once upon a time, I used weaves back to back and didn't have a problem. I do agree with washing and conditioning which I did a lot of. I forgot to add that. Also know your hair. For me protein is a no no as I'm a natural. I use moisturizing conditioners with no protein to maintain and continue growing and now it's at the bottom of brastrap (midback here I come!). I had bc'd almost bald in my opinion to cut off my relaxer and then started regrowing from that. I think you need to know if your hair likes or hates protein, as it works for her above (she also has a relaxer), but not me (natural). Which one works for you? Then I agree with the once weekly wash, or go to the salon (I did once a week) and have them wash it (they didn't charge a lot as they knew I was a regular weave client at the time). The hair below is mine without weave by the way. It's still natural, I just flatiron once a week after a deep conditioning session. I am speaking from previous experience. Maybe someone who has had a weave lately will be able to tell you more stuff than I can remember from over a year ago when I took mine out. But I wanted to give you all I know as I started with one and a half inches of hair on my head. If I could use a weave and get length, you can too. I have thyroid illness, my hair wanted to break and break anyways from that, and now it's a lot longer, and healthier. I love moisture as it keeps my hair from breaking and I really don't have to trim that often. Once or twice a year. There aren't any split ends to speak of, I just trim out of habit. Sometimes I just dust if it's not necessary. The mainthing you need is to maintain the hairs on your head while growing it out and of course keeping it healthy. The weave has tension, but I think it's all in how you care for it. If the thinning is not from stress, and is just breakage, you can look through your hair and tell, then you can still get another, but just make sure they don't tug away at it anymore. If it's through the tension of the braid... You may need a little break before attempting again. If yous ee long and then short hairs, that's from them combing away like mad stylists, and that's when you have to step in and not be shy. Let them know you're tender headed, last time your head hurt so bad for a while after, so from now on you're going to comb it yourself to detangle.
Also it may not be for you. There's plenty of other styles that you can use: do some bunning or braid it up.

WOW!!! you're hair is beautiful! and i'm glad to hear your advice because, like me, your hair is natural!! thanks so much for all of your advice! i'm going to keep refering back to this link, especially over the next few days...while i decide what i'm going to do.

 

[wyldcurlz]

i took a really close look at my hair, grabbing the short strands at the back as best as i could and comparing their length. compared the length all over and what i noticed is that the length is uniform, even in the short parts! meaning that my hair must have been cut off when the sew-in was removed!!!!! i'd think if my hair had broken off, it'd be different lengths, more jagged, not all the same "broken off" length around my head!! someone please tell me i could be wrong because i don't want to believe that the assitant stylist could've made such a huge error!! cutting off 8 inches of hair!!!

regardless, its gone now. from what i understand from the posts above is that the best way to take care of your own hair when you have a sew-in is to wash it weekly and let it air dry completely, or sit under a bonnet dryer? my braids were protected by a net before they sewed in. how do i best moisturize my hair that's braided up underneath? without allowing build-up?

 

[curlcomplexity]

i took a really close look at my hair, grabbing the short strands at the back as best as i could and comparing their length. compared the length all over and what i noticed is that the length is uniform, even in the short parts! meaning that my hair must have been cut off when the sew-in was removed!!!!! i'd think if my hair had broken off, it'd be different lengths, more jagged, not all the same "broken off" length around my head!! someone please tell me i could be wrong because i don't want to believe that the assitant stylist could've made such a huge error!! cutting off 8 inches of hair!!!

regardless, its gone now. from what i understand from the posts above is that the best way to take care of your own hair when you have a sew-in is to wash it weekly and let it air dry completely, or sit under a bonnet dryer? my braids were protected by a net before they sewed in. how do i best moisturize my hair that's braided up underneath? without allowing build-up?

As for moisture, I always use a empty coloring bottle and fill it w/ a mix of moisturizers and oil. I use that mix and apply it to the braids and scalp every few days. The tiny nozzle of the bottle makes it very easy to get to the braids and scalp. I wash w/ this method as well.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

WyldCurlz: I'm so sorry this happened to you! Ironically, the same unfortunate experience happened to me about 9 months ago when I got my first (and LAST!)weave taken out. I have to admit, the corn rows were pretty tight. However, I was getting my hair washed, conditioned and moisturized every other week at the salon, and in between salon visits I would wash my hair myself and oil my hair underneath. Not only that, but I barely kept my weave in for 2 months! So I know what the cause of my breakage was.

The only culprit to my breakage and massive thinning came from the stylist taking my weave out. She didn't even have the patience to unbraid my hair. She just basically took a fine tooth comb and began raking it through to loosen my corn rows. I kept asking her if it was customary to comb so hard and take out the weave this way. She kept swearing that she's been doing weaves for years and knew what she was doing.

Well, by the time she took my hair out (I didn't even want her washing my hair), my hair was soooooo thin, limp, life-less, and whispy that I basically cried in the car. ALLL of my hard work down the drain!! I don't even know why I got a weave in the first place (oh yes...that's right...I wanted to give my hair a "break", and I was going on a cruise in a month)!!! My hair is finer in texture than most 4a/b's. I don't know what I was thinking....

My hair went from this:

To THIS in about 2 and a half months.

Can you imagine that?? Needless to say....that cured me of ever wanting a weave again...

But on the positive front, my hair is slowly but surely growing back in nicely again. It's thicker now, and stretching my relaxers and co-washing has helped tremendously. You really just have to baby your hair after a disaster like this. My stylist cut my hair after the weave fiasco, and I have to admit...it was probably needed. My hair is doing SOOOO much better now.

Don't worry...you'll survive! If you want to see more pics of my "weave disaster", you can just look in my fotki album. There are plenty of pictures there, as well as newer pics showing my more recent progress.