Long live your weave! How to stop shedding

A stylish weave gives a woman instant ego boost. Finding quality weave can be an expensive venture. What with many fake weaves being hawked all over? A woman’s nightmare is when she spends Sh30,000 or more on a weave then the silky hair starts shedding. When you spend a fortune on a weave, you expect it to serve you for long.

Whether your weave is local synthetic or straight from an Indian woman's head, weave shedding is a common problem. A bit of hair shedding is, however, normal, not just with weaves but also with our natural hair. But if it is a continuous process, it becomes frustrating.

Most shedding on a weave is as a result of poor wefting and processing by the manufacturer. You should therefore buy a weave from a reputable manufacturer. There are ways to tame the weave or stop the hair loss completely.

Don't sew the wefts: Instead, ask your stylist to sew over and around the wefts to stop it from breaking down over time. This method secures the weft without actually penetrating it. When you pierce the weft over and over with the weaving needle, it loosens the wefts and leads to shedding while decreasing the life span of the wefts.

Don't cut the wefts: Some stylists cut the wefts right in the middle to divide the weave into two so that it is longer and can cover a bigger surface area. This weakens the wefts leading to hair loss.

Ask your stylist to ensures/he folds over the track to get to the next braid or row. Cutting the weft leaves the weave vulnerable; it is like having a bunch of loose seams on your favourite dress. Use a little nail glue to seal each part of the weave that is cut if you don’t want it folded over.

Sealing: This is the process of using a sealant to lock in the hair at the weft. A sealant is a glue or liquid adhesive and it is available in beauty shops. Simply apply it on the weft. This way, your precious investment will serve you longer.

Less manipulation: Avoid styling your weave a lot as this leads to so much pulling on your hair, thus more hair is shed. Also limit the number of times you flat iron it. If possible, wear the hair down more instead of putting it up in a ponytail.

Minimise product: Too much product use on the weave leads to tangling. When there is so much wax and petroleum on the hair, it attracts dust, pollen and dirt, leading to tangling. You are then forced to put more tension on the wefts as you detangle. In case you experience product build-up, a clarifying shampoo will come in handy.