QuoteReplyTopic: What method is best for growing out hair? Posted: April 12 2007 at 4:34pm
My hair is short-about shoulder length and I guess it breaks easily, because I got it cut august of last year and it isn't nearly as long as it should be (I haven't gotten it cut since). I dyed it about 4 months ago back to my natural color after doing A LOT of damage to it so I could stop with the dying/bleaching and just grow it out. I also straighten it.
Just recently I bought some wefts and put them into my hair and now my hair is to my chest. I love them, but I bonded them in with liquid glue and I'm having troubles. Since my hair is layered quite a bit, I have to go pretty close to the top of my head, and the wefts kindof show through. Also, the liquid glue isn't holding as well as I'd like it and they come loose.
So, I really don't know what method I should be using in this sort of situation. I am conditioning my hair with anti-breakage stuff and trying to avoid the hair straightener. I have to be able to do it myself, since I obviously can't afford to have someone else do it, but I also need to be able to do it myself.
Oh, and one last thing...I took the wefts out a day ago and out came LLLOOOTTTSSSS of my real hair, even with the remover I had problems. So it seems that bonding isn't good for my hair at all. I need something that won't destroy my hair, isn't expensive and I can do it myself...
It's a lot to ask for, but there are a lot of professionals here...
have you considered clip ins? that way you can take them out and do really good deep conditioning treatments to your own hair and you wont have the trouble of glue removal...if you purchase the clips and hair wefts seperately, you can easily sew the clips on and have any color combo/wave pattern/etc (oh, and im not in the profession of haircare )
I was thinking about it, but how do I make sure they are in securely? I go to school and work, and I can't be touching my hair every 3 minutes to make sure they are in good enough so I don't have a *disaster* in front of people.
I have tried clip in before, but I never really understood how to keep them in without them getting loose..
asinnamon
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Check out www.hairextensions101.com and www.shrinkies.net for demos on a tape method called protac. You can do a search on this forum too for 'protac' and find great info...
but protac can also be damaging to hair too right? basically your putting tape in your hair...I was thinking more like something not damaging.
I really wanted to sew-in the wefts but unfortunitely I don't know how to braid horizontally...so maybe clip ins are better...I just need to know how to keep them in tightly.
saucyblossom
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One thing I have found helpful to do when wearing clipins, is to tease the area where the clip will be placed very close to the scalp, then place the clip-in snapped into the teased area. I get all day hold this way. I'm very active, I am a high school teacher, and believe me I don't want an hair disaster in front of my class.....
but protac can also be damaging to hair too right? basically your putting tape in your hair...I was thinking more like something not damaging.
I really wanted to sew-in the wefts but unfortunitely I don't know how to braid horizontally...so maybe clip ins are better...I just need to know how to keep them in tightly.
For full sew-in's vertical braids are best. Horizontal braids are best for partial sew in's.. Have you tried looking for a stylist in your area that specializes in sew-ins? If you opt for a professional sew in install, your local BSS or Craigslist might be some options for you to begin your search for a stylist..
Edited by Divavocals - April 12 2007 at 9:59pm
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BunnyWabbit
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Pro-tac or tapes themselves aren't nessecarily damaging unless you have very weak hair. A beginner could possibly cause some damage from any method however gentle for the more advanced DIYer, simply out of inexperience. Careful installation, maintence and removal will, in the end, dictate if you are able to grow-out your hair.
Well I would have to say that it's pretty weak seeing how its been about a year and my hair is only about 2 inches longer then it was when I got it cut. It falls out a lot and breaks off sometimes when I brush it. I guess I did quite a bit of damage to it the previous year.
Come to think of it, maybe it was two years ago that I got it cut? I got it cut for senior pictures..that was the summer before senior year and I graduated in 2006...so almost two years..ohh boy...
Anyways, maybe I will try protac, but I need to make sure that it's not going to damage my real hair.
malibu
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You really need to trim your hair more often. You're hair is most
likely growing but it's breaking faster. I really don't think it has
anything to do with extensions.
I have one row sewn in and I love it. I've found several people who charge $25 -$30 per row.
well if its breaking, then I trim it....it will be very very short...and I want to grow it out.
I took my bonded wefts out today so I can put clip ins in and it was a disaster. My hair is so thin now I can't believe I bonded these things in. That is the last time I do that to my hair.
as for people doing it for me...I wish I could do it (considering the damage), but I simply cannot afford it. Not even $25 a row. If I could teach myself to cornrow then I would do it, but I can't even get myself to french braid.
well if its breaking, then I trim it....it will be very very short...and I want to grow it out.
I took my bonded wefts out today so I can put clip ins in and it was a disaster. My hair is so thin now I can't believe I bonded these things in. That is the last time I do that to my hair.
as for people doing it for me...I wish I could do it (considering the damage), but I simply cannot afford it. Not even $25 a row. If I could teach myself to cornrow then I would do it, but I can't even get myself to french braid.
Bonding extensions in won't necessarily thin your hair out. The hair you see upon take down is one of two things (and you will know which one it is depending on if you properly or improperly removed the extensions)
Broken hairs or hair ripped out at the roots -- Likely cause?? Improper/impatient removal techniques. Bonded extensions should slide out gently.. If you find yourself tugging and pulling you WILL rip and break hair in the removal process.
Trapped hair that has shed naturally -- All humans shed several hundred hairs per day. Extensions trap that shedding hair so it does not fall as it would without the extensions. It is natural to see a good deal of hair shake free especially if you've worn your extensions for several weeks. It is not a sign or damage or breakage.
Lastly, you cannot expect to have a healthy head of hair by hanging on to damaged ends. You are choosing to have longer damaged looking hair versus shorter and healthier looking hair. Additionally if you have split ends, those splits will continue to travel up the hair shaft. Eventually you will HAVE to cut your hair to improve it's appearance, and if you wait trying to hang on to your length you could end up with 4 inches of damaged hair to be cut versus 1 or 2 inches of damaged ends if you deal with this now.. Regular trims ensure that as your hair grows it's healthy from root to tip..
Edited by Divavocals - April 13 2007 at 9:37pm
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Links to my fav vendors & hair albums + Weave 101 information: divahairtalk.overthehillweb.com
Well my removal was not good. I first put bonding remover shampoo on the wefts and waited for it to soak. when that didn't work I had to do the acetone and it was still difficult. so that is probably why my hair is in such bad shape.
I should probably get it cut soon, but it's far too short as it is and if I get it cut I will HAVE to have extensions in because my hair would then be at my chin. I have never looked good with short hair, hence why I'm growing it out.
asinnamon
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I absolutely agree with DivaV about getting trims to avoid split ends damaging your length needlessly. I also agree with her on removal. You must not be afraid to use enough removal product, be it acetone or orange oil remover. I quite frequently have to go over my tapes a couple times with either acetone or shrinkies.net orange oil remover.
As far as protac causing damage, I think it is one of the gentlest methods out there. Yes it's tape, but it's stable and will not put uneven pressure on your hair. I personally can;t wear clip in for that reason, they pull and slip and snap my hair...Thats just me, they work perfectly for a ton of people. If your hair can support a bonded weft, you can do protac without issue.
If you search here on the forum, a member, mokipono I think, did a video on You Tube on doing a sew in and how to braid. You may be able to figure it out and do your own.
You know, you could always try something like a wig or head band kind of thing too....
If you still feel like your hair isn't growing and breaking not due to lack of cutting, perhaps you should see a doctor??
Definately Protac. It's very gentle on your own hair because it distributes the weight of the extensions evenly. Just add a bunch of rows with, say, 1 weft per row so you don't load it down. My hair doesn't like to hold onto Protac, but it's so cheap that I take down and reinstall every 2 weeks. For take down, I find that my favorite conditioner instantly removes them, so I get to condition the entire length of my hair and the weft. Once I rinse the tape off and let it dry, it's completely ready to put back in (no replacing the tape except every 4-6 weeks).
Since I've started wearing extensions about a year ago, my hair has grown 8 inches! and is really healthy because the extension hair *was* nicer than mine and I didn't have to constantly fiddle and fry in order to make my hair pretty. Now my own hair is glossy and soft and just the ends from pre-extension days are the icky parts. I've been trimming 1/4" every month (by myself) to slowly get rid of the fried ends.
Definately Protac. It's very gentle on your own hair because it distributes the weight of the extensions evenly. Just add a bunch of rows with, say, 1 weft per row so you don't load it down. My hair doesn't like to hold onto Protac, but it's so cheap that I take down and reinstall every 2 weeks. For take down, I find that my favorite conditioner instantly removes them, so I get to condition the entire length of my hair and the weft. Once I rinse the tape off and let it dry, it's completely ready to put back in (no replacing the tape except every 4-6 weeks).Since I've started wearing extensions about a year ago, my hair has grown 8 inches! and is really healthy because the extension hair *was* nicer than mine and I didn't have to constantly fiddle and fry in order to make my hair pretty. Now my own hair is glossy and soft and just the ends from pre-extension days are the icky parts. I've been trimming 1/4" every month (by myself) to slowly get rid of the fried ends.
misslou, i dont think i've heard of anyone else doing this....you take out the tape/weft intact every two weeks, wash them off and install the SAME tapes? if im understanding correctly, that is pretty cool!
It is pretty cool! Early on, when I accidently got conditioner on the tape and they slipped out, I just super rinsed it off. I planned on removing the tape fromthe weft when I had more time (it was morning and I had to get to work). When I got home, the hair and tape were dry, and lo and behold! the tape was in great shape! So i just stuck it back in. Been doing it ever since. I can't leave the protac in for more than a 3-4wk anyway, so this actually lets me get more mileage per tape and lets me really scrub my scalp.
what I'm wearing: 1 pkg 18" DLux SS #2 and protac
malibu
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hair disaster Diva's right. There's no point of holding onto damaged hair you can cut it a little each month if your concerned with length but that's what the extensions are for right?
Where are you from maybe we can find you an affordable extensionist. Can you post pics of your hair so we can see what your dealing with? Is your hair also thinning, the wefts shouldn't show unless you're not leaving enough hair to cover them. Do you know how to type your hair and what the texture it is. We can go by that also if you can't post the pics.
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hair*disaster wrote:
