WHY GET A WEAVE?
“A weave is a wonderful way to create a new style as it gives you the opportunity to add length to your natural hair,” says Charlotte. “Even more importantly, weaves give your own hair a healthy window to rest, grow out a relaxer and add fullness and body to your hair.”
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WEAVES?
Deciding which type of weave is right for you depends on a number of factors: how long you’d like it to last for, the length and amount of volume you’re hoping to achieve, for example. The choice can sometimes be confusing, so if you’re considering a weave anytime soon, Charlotte’s provided the following as a handy hair how-to to follow:
Sewing: “Hair is cornrowed, then wefts of hair are sewn onto the braided hair.”
Strand by strand: “Hair is divided into small sections, each braided an inch or more, with extensions then sewn or wrapped with thread to secure it.”
Interlocking: “This is a variation of the sewing technique but without the cornrow. Micro-thin weft is sewn onto your loose hair.”
Fusion: “Strands of human hair are attached to sections of your own hair with a keratin-protein bond that matches your hair colour.”
Bonding: “Wefts of hair are glued to the shaft of your hair close to the scalp.”
WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF WEAVE TO GET?
“Having over 25 years’ experience with weaving hair, I have found that the best and safest option is the sewing weave as this method works well with most hair types,” says Charlotte. “Stay away from bonding as this can also result in traction alopecia or balding in certain areas of the scalp,” she cautions.
“If you’re considering wearing a weave, you need to be aware how important it is to maintain the condition of your natural hair. The better the quality of hair, the more natural it will look. Less is best when it comes to the amount of hair used – many women make the mistake of adding too much.”
