Nothing dims the fab feeling of a new weave quite like shedding. You run your fingers through your silky bundles and a few strands come loose. No big deal, right? Just to make sure, you grab your paddle brush, do another run-through--dagnabit, more strands! While some hair shedding is normal, not only with weaves but also with natural hair, it's Frustrating with a capital 'F' to see hair constantly slipping out with every comb-through or fierce hair flip. Whether your hair is synthetic or straight outta India, weave shedding is a common problem that protective style aficionados deal with daily.
While fighting the shedding powers that be may seem pointless, there are ways to either minimize or completely stop the hair loss. Keep reading, and we'll fill you in on the 411.
Seal The Hair
When most of us think sealing, we think about it in relation to moisturizing our hair, but this is a whole 'nother kind of sealing specific to weaves. Using a sealant before installing your hair is crucial to prevent shedding. 'Sealing' is the process of locking in the hair at the weft with a sealant--typically a liquid adhesive or glue. We all know buying hair is an investment, so sealing your hair is your own personal insurance plan. Dritz Fray Check and Aleene's Fabric Fusion are two tried-and-true sealants we recommend for sealing your weave.
Check out a tutorial on sealing your wefts from one of our top Mayvenn stylists, Peakmill below:
Manipulate Less
The more styling you do, the more you'll be pulling on your hair, the more your hair will be shedding. We know half the fun of rocking a weave is endlessly watching YouTube videos for style ideas from your favorite weave-slaying hair guru, but constant manipulation will leave your bathroom floor looking like Chewbacca just did a head-to-toe shave. Try limiting how many times you flat iron your hair by wrapping it at night, or wear your hair down more instead of putting it up in a ponytail.
Sew Around The Wefts
If you're a stylist doing a sew-in (or you're doing your own hair), avoid sewing the needle straight through the track. This not only causes shedding, but it also decreases the life span of your wefts. The trick is to sew around the track so it doesn't break down over time. That way, wefts and clients get their life!
Have you tried to seal your weave? What have you tried to stop weave shedding? Let us know in the comments!
