Hair weaves or hair extensions are used mainly to add length and volume to the hair. Hair weaves can be clipped or glued to natural hair. Using a hair extension or a wig allows you to enhance your look and gives you a complete makeover. It also allows you to add color to your hair without the harsh chemicals damaging your natural mane, and you can even flaunt a new texture of hair. The concept of hair extensions and wigs is completely for cosmetic purposes and hence it has to be chosen with care so as to prevent any major damage. Extensions were quite prevalent in the olden times as we have seen pictures of Cleopatra from the Egyptian civilization wearing unique square-cut short length hair extensions, and she is still today considered a beauty icon. Tribal men and women of Latin America are shown with thick long braids with huge bird feathers tucked in them. None of us can forget our comic book favorite Viking Hero Asterix with two neat blonde braids and a headband. In Asian countries, all the mythological women are shown to have long black cascading hair, which is probably artificial hair extensions. Even in the 17th century, European nobles wore white wigs with a pigtail for whatever the reasons they had but not for cosmetic purposes. But the fact is that long hair has been an all-time favorite for both men and women.
A thick mane of bouncy hair is on everybody’s wishlist and every morning we faithfully spend a long time in front of the mirror searching for newly-grown hair. Some are lucky to have a crowning glory but most of us have not been so blessed by Venice and cannot afford to be careless with our mane. To reduce our trouble, Agni Wednesday has a gift of human hair weave hairstyles that is a quick fix for your limp and lifeless hair.
Types Of Hair Weaves
There are two types of hair extensions. Here we will discuss the two types and the benefits and drawbacks of using them. They can either be single drawn hair weave or double drawn hair weave. But both these types are human hair weave hairstyles and made of either natural or artificial hair that is taped in, glued, or weaved with natural hair.
Single Drawn Hair Weave
This is the most common type that is available in the market. Standard single drawn hair bundle has a 50-50 share of full length and short length hairs. That is if you take a 20-inch long extension 50% of the hair will be 20 inches long while the rest 50% will be 15 to 18 inches long. This will make the bundle look thicker at the top and thinner at the end. They are made of natural human hair and give the look of natural hair growth due to their tapering ends. In fact, the sorting of the hair length is not done so the bundle will have hair of varied length, making it thicker at the scalp and tapering at the free end, giving it a natural growing hair look. Moreover, the hair is from a single source donor so it has a uniform shade and texture.
Benefits Of A Single Drawn Hair Extension
- It has a natural finish, that is, it is thick at the head and thin at the top, just the way our natural hair grows.
- It is much cheaper because the source is one and the sorting on length is not done.
- Its source is one so the texture is also even and the color variations are also not very vivid.
- Its cost is very low because the processing and the production of this human hair weave hairstyle are very easy.
Drawbacks
A lack of volume is a big demerit of the type of hair weave. It does not give an instant glamorous makeover. You have to trim a few inches to get full bouncy hair. So you need to buy 2 inches longer hair and then trim it off. It does not blend well with all face shapes and the makeover is not very distinct.
Double Drawn Hair Weave
All of its strands are of the same length so that its thickness is the same from top to bottom. So in a 20-inch long hair bundle, 90% of the hair is 20 inches long while only 10 to 15% of the hair is of shorter length. The thickness is uniform and is of good quality with more volume and longevity. The sources of the hair are multiple so the texture is somewhat of a mixed variety.
Benefits Of A Double Drawn Weave
- Its strands have the same length so it has a uniform thickness and gives an instant makeover.
- It has the best quality weave where the hair is arranged in a regular pattern to give a more smooth and polished look.
- The sources of the hair are multiple so the color variation has to be artificially tinted to give it a smooth finish.
- Compared to single drawn, its cost is higher but its quality, volume, and longevity are much better.
Drawbacks
Expensiveness is the biggest drawback of double-drawn weaves. Even if you buy a few strands the cost is comparatively high. They are quite heavy and might cause damage if you have thin natural hair. It is not suitable for everyone because it may cause harm to the scalp skin. So, always consult the best hair weave near me before selecting a double drawn hairstyle.
Types Of Hair Used In Hair Weaves
Hair weaves are made from both natural hair and artificial material. Some of the most common materials used are:
Synthetic fibers: Synthetic fibers are made from various substances and are available in the single weft or bulk strands. They do not last long and are easily damaged by friction. They are cheap but lack quality and texture.
Futura: Futura is a special type of synthetic fiber that can tolerate very high heating and lasts longer than a human hair. They have a natural shine and are tangle-free. They are extensively used nowadays but cannot be color dyed.
Human hair: Human hair which has the cuticle intact is called virgin cuticle hair is very durable and of unmatched quality. The hair is sewn on a track without any chemical processing to get the premium quality hair extension.
Types Of Installation Of Weaves
Weaves can be installed in many ways. Some are temporary and you can remove them easily, while others need a lot of time and a specialist to remove them.
The tape-in type lasts for two to three months and can be easily removed by blue removers. The hair can be washed like normal hair.
The clip-in type allows easy removal of extensions that are clipped onto the natural hair by making numerous sections in the scalp.
The bonding weave lasts for a month and weft hair is glued to the natural hair using adhesive. This does not cause much damage to the natural hair.
The fusion method allows attaching extensions to strands of natural hair in a small squared section glue gun. This allows frequent shampooing but causes scalp itching.
Micro ring waves have small rings that are clamped to natural hair to which wefts are glued. They need re-fixing every few months but do not cause damage to the skullcap.
The netting extension allows placing a net cap over the natural hair onto which extensions are glued or sewn. It is easily removable and washable.
Tracking is the most common method nowadays and it lasts quite long. In tracking, natural hair is braided from bottom to top and then extensions are sewn onto the braids. You can have a full head weave or a portion of the scalp, depending upon what look you prefer.
How To Integrate The Hair Extensions
The integration is done in a track-and-sew method. Hair is braided in the direction of hair fall and wefts are then sewn onto the braids with specially designed needles and colored thread. The color of the thread depends on the color of the extension that you are using. Wefts are sometimes directly glued to the scalp using a special adhesive. This type of hair weave integration needs very tight braiding which is quite a health risk. Today’s stylists do such a perfect job that it becomes impossible to know if the person is wearing an extension. It is done by sewing or gluing the weft to the natural hair close to the scalp so that it appears to grow directly from the scalp. It is long-lasting and less harmful. A special type of lengthening rebonding is done in Asian countries that involve rebonding and ironing followed by gentle pulling and tugging off natural hair to lengthen it.
Some Precautions That You Should Take While Using A Hair Weave
Hair extensions need careful shampooing with mild shampoos that have no harsh chemicals. The instructions given about camping the hair should be strictly followed.
Heat curling or drawing is not recommended for most types of hair weaves so check the instructions before doing it.
Rough handling while styling the hairs might loosen the integration or weaving which will permanently damage the extension. A patch test is always good to check if the adhesive suits your skin.
The use of extensions and adhesive can cause skin itching and dermatitis in many people. It may even cause a headache when used for a long duration.
Tight weaving causes traction alopecia and bald spots that need immediate medical treatment. In such cases, you should stop using the hair extension or any chemical on your hair and let the scalp skin breathe naturally.
When you start reusing hair extensions, check out the options for the best hair weave near you to select one that suits you better.
Conclusion
Therefore you must make your choice regarding the double drawn or single drawn hair weave according to your needs. You must make sure that you have the priorities set right when you are deciding for a double or single drawn weave. Install them well and make sure to choose the bundles of good quality for longevity. You must take care of them regularly to maintain their shine and gloss. Make sure to choose the best which compliments your real hair as well.