“Ladies! DO NOT wear your weave for longer than 2 months and when you shampoo it, make sure it gets COMPLETELY DRY or this could be you!” was the caption of hairstylist Robin, @prettyma216, Instagram picture of a sew-in that was poorly maintained for 6 months. That sew-in resulted in mold growing in the clients hair. And because there was mold growing in her hair, she had no choice but to cut all of her hair off and start over.
Ladies, we should only be maintaining our sew-ins for 2 months, 3 months max. Too often we mistake having a sew-in installed with not having to be responsible for taking care of our natural hair and that’s a huge mistake. There are certain steps and precautions that should be taken into account. Here are some tips to taking care of your hair while maintaining a sew-in.
Wash and condition hair every two weeks
Although your hair is away, you still have to take care of it. You need to make sure that you treat your natural hair as if your installation was not there. You need to wash your natural hair and the weave every two weeks. Getting in between the braids and getting to your scalp is a necessity. Afterwards, make sure to condition your hair to be sure put the nutrients, stripped by the shampoo, back into your hair.
Sit under the dryer
After washing and conditioning your hair, you should sit under a hooded dryer until your natural hair is dry. This could take up to 2 ½ hours. This part is critical. You CAN NOT skip this step. Mold grows in dark moist places. If your natural hair, under your weave, is consistently wet and not being cared for properly, you could potentially grow mold on scalp.
Style
For general care of your natural hair, try your best not to pull your weave so often. You may think, “Oh I’m not doing any harm to my hair. I’m just pulling the weave”, but that’s not 100% true. The hair tracks are sewn to your natural hair so when you’re pulling the weave, you are also pulling and putting stress on your hair. You want to prevent as much stress on your hair as possible.
Wrap your hair at night
Always wrap your hair at night with a silk or satin scarf. This will help you maintain your style and keep your sew-in looking fresh for a longer period of time.
Know when to take you sew in out
I know that we love our sew-ins, but after you have reached 3 months of having your sew-in installed, you need to take it out and give you hair some TLC. Before your next install, make sure to get your hair washed and deep conditioned.
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