How to avoid hair breakage and hair loss when wearing weaves

Weaves have become more popular than ever. There are so many styles and textures to choose from so it comes as no surprise that women of all colors and races are obsessed with them.

Another reason why many people love weaves is the fact that they’re great for protective styling. They let your hair breathe for a while, without compromising on how you look.

Weaves are great and all but, why are so many women experiencing severe hair loss and breakage from them?

The number of people dealing with conditions like traction alopecia is on the rise, which means that something isn’t quite right.

Here are essential tips that can save you from severe hair damage whenever you’re dealing with weaves.

Since your hair will be tucked away for some time, it’s important to do a pre-installation treatment. The treatment will preserve your hair and strengthen it in the meantime until you take the weave out. Assuming you already know what your hair needs, pick a conditioning treatment that will work for you. This could be a protein treatment or even hot oil treatment. This will help keep your hair well moisturized and nourished as you keep it for weeks under a weave.

Many people don’t pay attention to how their protective styles are installed. This has led to the ‘receding hairline epidemic’ we see these days where people’s hairlines are slowly disappearing. Don’t allow your stylist to install the weave too tightly. This will prevent a lot of breakage and damage. It’s actually better to do simple hairstyles that don’t last too long rather than those that are done too tight because you want them to last longer.

Protective styles don’t give you the leeway to be lazy when it comes to hair care. Ignoring it will only lead to damaged hair because protective styles can actually backfire. Do your best to moisturize your hair so that it doesn’t become dry and brittle. When it’s dry, it breaks off quickly. Also, top that off with oils which will seal in the moisturizer. Oils like coconut oil, argan oil or even ordinary hair food work best as a sealant.

You’ll need to care for your leave out more to prevent damage. Avoid manipulating it too much and using excessive amount of heat while curling, blow-drying and flat ironing. We know that excessive heat is one of the main causes of severely damaged hair so always be careful with this. If you must, use a heat protector. Also, remember to keep it well protected by wrapping your hair in a satin or silk scarf when sleeping.

Wearing your protective style for too long actually damages your hair. Weaves especially make it hard to reach your hair and wash it so your pores end up being clogged by all the products you have used over time. This leads to breakage. For this reason, ensure that you limit the time you wear your weave so that you get to clarify and cleanse your scalp.