The Experts Guide About the Sew-in Weave Techniques in 2021

What is a sew-in weave?

A sew-in weave is when your natural hair is braided up into either a cornrow style straight back, circular, or the sides braided to the ear and the back braided down. Your natural hair is braided to protect it and also will allow little upkeep for your natural hair. Then you thread a needle and use the threaded needle to sew the extensions to the braids. There are different types of sew-ins: partial sew-in and full sew-in.

A partial sew-in is when you allow a portion of your hair to be left out to cover the wefts of the bundles and the bases of your hair are braided up. There are also different types of partial sew-ins: traditional, flip over, and versatile. Traditional sew-in is when about 15% of your hair is being left out. You can part your hair in a middle part or side part sew-in. The hair that is left out will cover the tracks on the braids. A flip-over sew-in leaves your front hairline will be left out to blend in with the hair extensions. A versatile sew-in is when hair is left out to cover apart and the entire perimeter of your hairline which will allow you to put the hair in a ponytail.

A full sew-in is when the whole head is braided and then a lace closure or frontal is then sewn on the top of the braids. A lace closure full sew-in uses a 4x4, 5x5, or 6x6 hair closure as the parting space on the top of a fully braided base. A frontal full sew in a 13x4 or 13x6 frontal closure which covers your entire front hairline from ear to ear. 360 frontal, which is a hairpiece that will recreate your whole hairline around your head,

How long does a sew-in weave last?

A sew-in weave lasts around four to eight weeks. Eight weeks if you are taking proper care of the hair. Four weeks if you are not taking proper care, for example, not tying it down at night, brushing it out when you are showing it off, not putting too much hair products in the hair. If you leave a sew-in longer than eight weeks it can cause a risk of damage to your natural hair and your scalp. Make sure you are properly oiling your scalp while having a sew-in.

What is the difference between a quick weave and a sew-in?

A quick weave like its name is a method of installing bundles onto your hair quickly or at a fast pace. The most common way this method is done is by using a glue adhesive that bonds to the track of your weave and then onto a wig cap or cornrows. The total time it takes to do a quick weave is between 30 mins to an hour depending on how many bundles of weave you wish to install. The cutting and installation time is much faster and basically cut in half, unlike a sew-in. Although quick weaves are fast to install they do not last long and may not be as secure as a sew-in. If you are lucky a quick weave may last between 2 to 4 weeks before you have to take it out and reinstall it again.

Is a quick weave better than a sew-in?

A quick weave is great for people who want a hairstyle for a short period of time and change their hairstyle a lot and if people are unable to braid their hair. Quick weaves are fast and easy to install, but the style is not healthy for your natural hair. The bonding glue causes damage to your natural hair even if you use the cap for protection. If a quick weave is not installed properly it can cause hair breakage and even hair loss.

How long does a sew-in take to install?

A sew-in usually takes about two to six hours to install and it all really depends on your natural hair. It depends on your hair length, the texture, and the kind of sew-in you want to install. The typical process will also depend on your stylist, professional hairstylists are trained to complete the process faster than if you were doing it yourself.

How much is a sew-in weave

The cost of a sew-in depends on so many things. The person doing it, the bundles you get for the sew-in, what kind of sew-in you are getting and that can all run you from $100 to $600. The bundles for a sew-in can cost between $60 to over $600 dollars depending on the hair type, texture, and length you want.

What is a good weave for sew-in?

There are two types of weave you can use for sew-ins human hair and synthetic hair. Both of these hairs come with different textures and lengths, but when it comes to styling the hair synthetic hair won’t be able to take the heat or coloring as human hair can. Synthetic hair is cheaper than a human hair. Human hair is of better quality and lasts longer, but it is costly.

The best human hair for a sew-in is Mink Brazilian Hair, Malaysian hair, Indian hair, and Peruvian hair. Mink Brazilian Hair is thicker, durable, and versatile. It is the most popular hair to use for a sew-in because the bundles create such a full look with fewer bundles. Malaysian hair is shiny, bouncy, and silky. Malaysian hair will give you that more thick and volume look, the hair is very shiny, but after a couple of washes, the hair will give a more natural look. This hair’s heavy density will allow the curls to last all day with no added products, it has a lot of bounce, a heavy body, and an all-day shine. Indian hair is bouncy, thick, and soft. Indian hair has a thick texture, is very airy, light, and has a bounce. This hair doesn’t shed or tangle easily and can give a variety of hairstyles (straight, wavy, and curly). Peruvian hair is soft, thick, and light. Peruvian hair is very manageable, soft, coarse, and naturally wavy. This hair has a lot of body, which means you would not need a lot of bundles to get a full look, and even with a lot of bundles the hair will still feel very light and this hair blends very well with African Americans and medium Caucasian hair textures.

Can a sew-in weave ruin your hair and scalp?

If you are not properly taking care of that hair and if the hair is not installed properly. If you are not oiling your scalp properly it can cause dry scalp and itching and irritation to the scalp because the scalp is not getting enough moisture. A partial sew-in can possibly cause heat damage to your natural hair because too much heat can be used to blend your hair with the extensions.

How often should I wash my hair if I have a sew-in weave?

You should only wash your sew-in once every two weeks and I suggest you go to the stylist/professional to get it washed. Most women take matters into their own hands and wash the weave themselves, but while doing so they make sure to use the correct products. Investing in nontoxic or sulfate-free shampoo is ideal when getting a sew-in. Gently wash from the ends to the root of the hair. Suggesting you use a paddle brush to issue the products in the hair. Please make sure that the weave and your braids are dry before doing anything to the hair after washing it. If you do not allow your natural braided hair to dry that will sometimes cause fungus or mildew on your scalp, which will cause damage to your hair and scalp because of the irritation it will cause.

Why choose to sew in weave?

Even though they can range from being affordable to pricey, they give your hair a break and they allow your hair to grow long and healthy because you are not applying or heating your natural hair. A partial sew-in looks more natural, more versatile and there is no need for any glue or adhesives. A full sew-in is low maintenance, fully protective styles (which allows your hair to get a break and chance to grow), and no need for hair blending to the extensions

How many hair bundles do you need for a full sew-in?

The number of hair bundles needed for a sew-in all depends on what hair you want, the length you want, and the styles you want for your hair. Typically, three bundles can do a full sew-in (14”-20” hair will give that full look). If the hair you want is straight hair you might need more bundles because straight hair is less dense than curly hair, so the more bundles the fuller the hair will look. There is a rule that states the longer the length of the hair the more bundles you will need because the longer the hair the shorter the track. Plus, you will either need closure or a lace frontal. With a lace closure, 3–4 bundles will give the full look. With a lace frontal, 2–4 bundles can do for a full head. With a 360 frontal, 2–3 bundles will give that full look. The length to bundles ratio would be 10”-12” will need about 2 bundles of hair, 14”-20” will need about 3 bundles of hair, 22”-26” will need about 4 bundles of hair, and 28”-30” will need about 5 bundles of hair.

How can I make my sew-in weave last longer?

A couple of ways to make your sew-in last long will be to wear a net cap over the braids, oil your hair with a product that helps with itching, maintain the hair, and make sure you are treating the hair with hair as if it is coming out of your very scalp.

Wearing a net cap over the braids will allow the braids to stay in longer because less stress will be put on the braids from the extensions being sewed on the braid and will allow the braids to stay in place.

Oiling your hair with a product that helps with itching. An oil that can be used is tea tree oil because it helps to reduce and eliminate itching. 

You can also add a couple of drops to some water and put it in a spray bottle and spray your hair. Maintain your hair, which means washing your natural hair.

Maintaining the weave all depends on the kind of weave you have installed in your hair. If you have installed synthetic hair you will need to brush the hair often because it will tend the tangle up and sleep with a bonnet. If you have installed human hair weave you will need to moisturize the hair daily, brush it daily and sleep with a bonnet. These will allow your sew-in to last longer.