Hair Weaving: Quick Weaves

By Marquetta Breslin
If you have ever had a weave completed in a salon, you know that time is of the essence. You often spend time sitting at the salon waiting for your stylist to finish their last client. Once she's done, you may have to wait another 1 to 3 hours just to get your hair relaxed, cut, and styled.

Sound familiar? Well, my friend, a quick weave can be your ticket to shorter time at the salon. A quick weave usually takes about half the time to complete as a regular weave does. With this in mind, a quick weave can also be one of the most beautiful weaves you've ever had.

The beauty of a quick weave is that it's just like a full head weave. Well, minus the full head weave. Unlike regular full head weaves, a quick weave does not require you to cornrow the natural hair. Instead, the hair is formed into a slick, flat canvas for the wefts to be applied to. The canvas is formed by slicking the hair straight back with gel. Once this is complete, the client must sit under a dryer until the hair is perfectly dry.

Sitting under a dryer is the longest task in a quick weave. Once the hair is dry, hair weaving tracks are applied with an adhesive substance. The tracks are measured to the desired length; then, they are cut if needed and placed on the canvas. Then, once the bond is dry, the hair is styled as usual.

Here are some facts on quick weaves:

1. Choose the hair that you use wisely. Since all the natural hair is slicked back, the quality of extension hair you choose will make or break your style.

2. Since quick weaves can be challenging with little or no experience, make sure your stylist is aware of how to complete a quick weave and that they have experience in applying quick weaves to other clients.

3. You should choose not only a beautiful style for your quick weave, but also one that is low-maintenance. Since your extension hair makes your weave, you don't want to choose an elaborate style without knowing how to take care of it. Ask your salon professional for styling tips on the particular style you choose.

4. When it's time to take your quick weave out, always try to see a salon professional. If you think you are able to take the quick weave out yourself, make sure you're using high-quality bond remover. Always follow label directions exactly; not doing so could damage your hair.

The actual process of completing a quick weave can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the amount of natural hair you have and your stylist's experience with quick weaves. When the quick weave is removed, there will be a lot of excess build-up on the hair from the gel. This is a good time to wash with a good-quality clarifying shampoo and follow up with a deep conditioning treatment.