Hairstyles are arguably one of the most important aspects of a person’s appearance. They have the power to either up your sex appeal, or have your friends take a look at you and say “you must have missed your alarm this morning.” Since weave has come onto the scene, we can now achieve anything we want in the world of hair styles without damaging our own mane. It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry that has proven to present lucrative opportunities for many, such as beauty brand maven, Ming Lee.
Although weave and extensions are a source of debate in many circles—especially with those who prefer natural styles—there are actually some pros to installing some quality tracks!
- It helps stop breakage
Because your natural hair is braided up and unexposed, it’s a lot less likely that hair will break and your ends will split. Maintaining a healthy, protective weave style will keep hair from rubbing against clothes, chairs, and car seats while also providing protection from the elements. Weave can also help mitigate damage and breakage by literally “taking the heat” from styling instruments such as blow dryers, flat irons and wand curlers, saving us natural and relaxed ladies from heat damage and devastating breakage. This is a major plus for those of us looking to achieve healthy hair and length retention.
- It’s convenient and easy to maintain
Like most protective styles, weaves are generally quite easy to maintain. With quality hair, it doesn’t take much time to make your extensions look presentable before running out the door in the morning. Nightly routines usually don’t require too much effort either, just a simple bun or wrapping your hair at night should be sufficient enough to keep your hair on fleek for the next day!
- It’s versatile
With weave, the possibilities are endless! Some women love to change up their style on a normal basis, and depending on your choice of installation, you have the ability to do just that.
Sew-ins, which require wefts to be sewn onto cornrows, can be a bit of a commitment, but this type of style is great for protecting natural hair from damage and breakage, as hair is braided up and kept off the shoulders.
Another popular method for installing extensions, the quick weave, is great for short term styling, since the style typically lasts only up to four weeks. Quick weaves also offer convenience, as installation includes bonding wefts to a weave cap which is placed over natural hair. This is a good alternative to a sew-in if you are short on time, or just don’t want to make the commitment to a long-term style. With a quick weave, you can be short and sassy one week, long and luxurious the next!
Bonding extensions to natural hair is another alternative to the styles listed above, but is known to be the most damaging. Although this may be a quick and simple method of styling, hair bonding glue has the potential to do major damage to hair if care is not taken when removing it from natural hair. In addition, it is important to be aware of contents of bonding glue, as the chemical contents may cause reactions in some individuals.
- It can give you a sleek image
For many of us curly girls, straightening our hair and ruining our natural curl pattern is a huge no-no. With the help of hair extensions, we can still get a sleek, trendy image without altering our natural, God-given locks!
