How to Weave Hair Yourself
Once, long hair was the dream of many women, especially those of African descent. Having long, flowing hair was looked upon as beautiful to most of them and was a favorite among men, as well. Women soon found that it was easy to create the look of long, luxurious hair simply by adding extensions and hair weaves to their own natural hair. The use of the hair weaves soon caught on and was no longer a process loved only by women of color, but also became a favorite of Caucasian women. Because the hair weave became such a popular service, it also became extremely expensive. Now, women who can't afford the expensive process are looking for ways to add hair without spending a lot of money to get someone to do it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Hair Extensions (human or synthetic)
- Adhesive (Depending on the weaving technique you choose, you will either need glue, needle and thread, wax or clamps.)
Instructions
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Doing the Weave Hair Yourself
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When you decide to get hair extensions, it is very important to know how to buy the right hair. One thing you will need to look for is the right type. Whether you choose synthetic hair or human hair is completely up to you---however, if you plan to curl the hair or you are going to want to do different styles, human hair is much better for these activities.
You may also want the hair to look as close to yours as possible, and so you may need to choose a color, identified by a specific number. (This number is universal, so wherever you buy the hair, the number will always be the same for the color you want.)
Next, you will want to choose the texture of the hair. There are quite a few different textures available, such as kinky (thick, curly hair), yaki (straightened hair, also called relaxed), silky (usually straight like Asian hair) and Remy (the very best of the types of hair you can buy and the most expensive, as well).
When you are having your hair done with extensions, it is important that you understand what you need before you purchase the hair, because if you handle the hair, you may not be able to return it. -
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Next you are going to want to decide which methods you want to use to apply the hair. In some cases, a person on a budget may choose glue bonding, as it is very inexpensive and easy to do, as all it takes is gluing the hair (wefted) to your scalp with bonding glue. This method saves you money; however, you must have it done regularly.
You may also try having the weave sewn in. This involves having your own hair braided into a circular pattern; then, using wefted hair and a needle and thread, the hair is sewn onto your braids. This is one of the better ways to allow your hair to grow, and you can leave it in for about three months.
Braiding is also an option. This is where the hair is installed in small braids into your own hair. If you want only a small amount of hair, you may choose bigger braids; however, if you want a thicker look, you should have smaller and more braids installed.
You may also opt for the fusion method. This is by far the most realistic-looking of all the weaving methods. In this option, the extensions are fused to your own hair, which means that you will be able to style and work with this hair as you would your own hair. The only drawback of this particular process is that you really don't want to do it yourself, as it really would be hard to do. Instead, you would want a licensed professional to handle this process. This technique is also very expensive. -
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Installing the hair can be fairly easy, or it can be very difficult, in the case of a procedure like fusion weaves. Before you actually start this process, it is very important that you feel comfortable, if you do not, you will want to go ahead and allow a professional take care of it for you. Even though doing it yourself will save money, if you don't know what you are doing, you stand to lose your hair or damaging it, which will be more expensive in the long run.
If you are doing the type of weave that requires bonding, you will be simply adding glue to the weft of hair and placing it in small parted sections of your hair, until you have completed the look you are looking for. If you are going with the braided types of weaving, you can simply braid the hair into your own hair or sew the wefts of hair onto your own braids in the same circular motion of the braids until you get to the top, where your own hair will cover and blend with the extension. This processes are actually quite easy to accomplish on your own.
You may also opt to try the fusion weave; however, it is not advised that you perform this process by yourself, because when it is done incorrectly, you stand the chance of damaging your hair and experiencing hair loss. If you choose the fusion method, it is better to find a stylist who has experience. -
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Now that your hair is done and you look your absolute best, the last part of doing your hair extensions yourself is the upkeep of the hair. It is very important that you treat these extensions with the same care you give your own natural hair. If you want to have your hair look new for a long time, you should ensure that you care for it properly, so that your hair does not get brittle and start falling out. Adding hair extensions can help you stand out as the great beauty you are, but not if you fail to care for them properly.
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Tips & Warnings
Hair should be kept clean at all time---both yours and the hair weave---as failure to do so will cause split ends and hair breaking off, and in some cases, you may even get bacteria growing on the hair. Should you find that after you have removed the hair, it is brittle or your hair needs special attention, then you should allow the hair to rest for several months or until your hair looks healthy enough to withstand the weave process.
One thing you must remember with these processes is that failure to properly care for your hair during the time you have the weave can cause thinning of your hair, bacteria in your hair, breakage and eventually extreme hair loss. Be vigilant in the care of your hair so that you will look beautiful for many years to come.
