Monday, April 6, 2015

Taking Out A Sew-In

Removing Extensions After The Sew-In

I showed you my latest sew-in then showed how I washed it. Now let's get into this takedown process.


I devoted this winter to growing my hair out after I cut it last fall. My hair has been through a lot since I've moved so, to be honest, that first sew-in had me spoiled. I went 10 weeks without having to do anything to my hair. It was glorious and my hair grew so much! The goal this time was simple. I just wanted to keep this sew-in for more than 10 weeks. When I tell you I was spoiled by not having to do my hair, I mean it!

I didn't accomplish that goal and that's okay. I was satisfied with knowing my hair had grown. When I was ready to remove the extensions I kept what happened the last time at the forefront of my mind and promptly scheduled a hair appointment! I was comfortable with removing the extensions and unbraiding my hair on my own, but once I got past the part I was definitely letting my stylist do the rest!

I figured I wouldn't have any trouble taking these extensions out since they were shorter. Some of the extensions had already started coming undone a few weeks prior to my taking it out so some of the stitching was my own. These stitches were looser, easier to find, and easier to cut! The stitches that were still in place were a bit tighter and harder to cut, but I made sure to cut the thread, not my hair!

The top right picture shows 2 things;

1. my hair with the netting still attached and
2. my hair with just the closure still attached.

It took about 30 minutes to cut all the threads and take down the extensions. I must admit it was most challenging trying to cut the threads in the back of my head and cutting the threads attached the closure.

If you look closely, you can tell how much scratching I'd don from all the flakes! You can also see why I didn't have as many suds as I should have during the wash! This is normal. If you keep your hair covered for 9 weeks, things are bound to get stuck under that net; loose hair, flakes, thread, etc. This is something I had to learn the hard way last time!


I took my hair out on a Thursday night. My appointment was Friday morning. As luck would have it, it snowed Thursday night and Friday morning was a mess. There was no street parking available so I ended up having to reschedule my appointment for Sunday. This would've become a Being Mary Jane weave emergency but thank goodness for wigs! I hadn't unbraided my hair yet, so I could easily slip a wig over my cornrows.

Unbraiding my hair this time took much longer when compared to the last time. I had fewer braids then so I was able to I zoom through the unbraiding. It took about 30-45 minutes this time! After unbraiding all my hair, my stylist used a jumbo rake comb (like this one) to comb the loose hair and debris out of my hair. This was the step I skipped the last time which caused major problems so I was sure not to miss it this time!!

My stylist was able to comb through my hair so smoothly. At first, I attributed it to the jumbo rake comb and vowed to buy one. Then I remembered I straightened my hair before getting it braided. This step helped tremendously with the takedown process; there were no tangles or tears! I'm still going to buy a jumbo rake comb, but I'm also going to make sure to straighten my hair from here on out!!

Now, the hard part was done! How much did my hair grow? Are the Hairfinity pills working?
Stay tuned!


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13 comments

  1. Are you trying to grow your hair long so you don't have to wear weaves or do you like the convenience of wearing one?

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  2. That's actually a great question! I got the last two sew-ins after I cut off all my split ends. My hair was significantly shorter, so I decided to hide my hair away so I wouldn't have to manipulate it or style it, giving it that change to grow back. That's my main reason my getting the sew-ins. After getting the sew-ins, the ease of minimal styling sets in very quickly. So, it's a side effect of having the sew-in but not my main reason. I love my curly natural hair, so any decisions I make regarding my hair are with my curly natural hair in mind!

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  3. Kudos to you for even attempting to cut the thread out yourself - I could NEVER! It's hard to pick through braided hair and figure out which is the hair and which is the thread. I just imagine myself cutting my hair and the thread and ending up with chopped/uneven hair in the end. PS: That "Being Mary Jane" scene was too real! Mara Brock Akil be knowing that Black woman hair struggle. It was great to see MJ open up to her niece about her insecurities with going to work with her natural hair.


    Drea
    thedreadaily.com

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  4. Let me tell you! I had many pep talks with myself during this 9 week stint that I had this sew-in. I've been down on myself about not being able to do my own hair as well as I would like to. I just know that doing hair isn't my strongest suit...and there's nothing wrong with that...BUT I said I wouldn't use that as a crutch anymore! Now that my hair is back, I plan on putting forth more effort to do more with my hair myself. Please believe I was nervous about cutting those threads, but I took extra time to make sure I singled out hair from thread.


    About Being Mary Jane, that show has really jumped way up on my list of favorites. Mara Brock Akil is hitting all the high points of my life and then some. All these episodes are so real and THIS is what I love about it...especially now that it's not that show where she's sleeping with a married man. That episode was a good one and it was good to see her open up to Neicy about not being perfect. It was good for their relationship. The issues that come up on the show are so real and the way they showcase them each week are so natural...it's not just some storyline! I could go on and on about this show, but you get the point! Thanks for stopping by!

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  5. I'm glad this process was smooth for you! I was waiting for a final result pic at the end! LOL! I'll stop by tomorrow to see it!

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  6. I've been contemplating getting a sew-in. The last couple of sew ins I had damaged my hair both because I didn't know how to take care of my natural hair with a sew in and also because the stylist braided my hair too tight. I've been getting it back to normal but I want to put my hair away in a safe and healthy way. Can't wait to see your results!

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  7. Yeah, I've had several people tell me that they've actually had damage with sew-ins. So while sew-ins can be great, it's best to get some good information about taking care of your hair during the process. You know, you could always go to a salon to get maintenance with the sew-ins too, but I usually like to do mine at home. Keeping your scalp and hair oiled and moisturized is another tip. I say, if you can find somebody you trust to install the sew-in correctly (without damaging your natural hair in the process) do it! Ask them to suggest some tips for taking care of your hair underneath the sew-in and if you feel it would be best, you could go back to them for some maintenance!! This hair thing is a process so don't get discouraged!! (I have to tell myself that all that time :-)

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  8. Closures are always the hardest part. Glad to hear you're happy with your growth, can't wait to see your results!! #BLMGirls

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  9. you're right. I think this time around I'm just going to make myself a wig and that way I'll be able to braid my own hair underneath not too tight and keep it nice and moisturized.

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  10. Yes. I enjoy wigs. They give you the sew-in effect, but you can take it off at the end of the day. I only have one good wig now. I've been on the search for another one, but it's so hard and I just don't have the nerve to make one just yet, but that might be the best option.

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  11. Glad your process was much smoother this time! I'll have to keep your tips in mind if I ever get a sewn-in. Can't wait to see your growth!

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  12. Thank you!! When she was putting the closure in, it was a really delicate process, so I wasn't surprised by how difficult it was to take out! I've apparently been taking a little break from blogging, but I'm hoping to get back on it very soon!

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  13. Me too!! I was having flashbacks the whole time i was taking this sew-in out. I was very nervous but I tried my best to keep a cool head. I'm really trying to approach my natural hair differently this year. I've got to do better with it. I'm also, thinking about getting back into trying to find a natural hair stylist here, but we'll see how that goes!

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