E-Z-melt hair and fire? Hmmm...

(Disclaimer: I've done searches, but, due to the fact I've got no brain, I can't come up with anything. )

Here's the deal: I've been busy the past three days getting braided extensions... um, braided into my hair. They're made of easily-meltable material (some kind of synthetic, doubtless -- the package doesn't say what they're actually made out of. It also claims that they're 'non-flammable', but seeing as we use a lighter to burn [hence seal] the ends of the braids, I'm not too sure about the truth to that claim) and, well, they're long.
Hence the question: normally I'd just wear a bandana (as my REAL hair is cut really short) but these are much too thick -- not to mention unwieldy and heavy -- to stuff under a hat, much less a bandana. I don't like dunking them in water because they get even heavier (read: like a small sheepdog sitting on my head) and then I get topheavy and fall over. I kid you not -- the weight is literally staggering.
I've got little or no problem not spinning fire for the next few months (I've got glowsticks and beamers), but it's not really something I want to resort to...

Any other suggestions, anyone? Or am I the only one silly enough to put meltable extentions into my hair?

When I had long hair I braided it into 4 french braids and hand made a head wrap that would wrap around the length of each braid, leaving me with 4 wrapped tails whirling arround as I spun. Also at Biker (Motorcycle ie harley) stores they sell leather wraps that are like a tube for the length of your hair, it just snaps arround it.

Since your hair is short already you probably don't have to worry about it melting into your hair, just messing up the style right? I'd braid it, wrap it and tuck it into a shirt. Try a hooded sweatshirt, that should cover all of it.

Read the other thread on long hair and fire poi (I think in the help section) - there may be some more suggestions there if you want. If it were me, I'd probably cover it up pretty well...it could be nasty..!

Thanks Cody, that's good idea... But it's less the 'melting-of-the-hair' that I'm concerned with and more the 'melting-to-the-skin' that I'm worried about...

Yeah, PoiGirl, I know... >< But I looked in it and the only ideas they'd had were either some kind of hat or to wet the hair... I was going to ask in that thread, but I figured it's kind of a completely different problem...

Pengwino had this problem when she had her extensions in.
The sound the same- where they were sealed at the bottom using a lighter.
She spun fire whilst she had them, and they were ok.

But... PLEASE don't take this to mean that they'll be fine and they won't melt/ stick to skin. They could well do.
You could always send her a pm...

Thanks, Mand! Yes, mine were sealed at the bottom with a lighter, too... ><
The only reason I'm really worried at all is 'cause the ones in the back come down nearly to my butt, and I'm not used to this long hair (mine's been short for several years now)... I just migth sent her a PM...

Just a small note, the plastic hair by itself will melt real fast, but when it's braded it takes more heat to melt. Even kevlar thread will burn and melt if exposed to a lighter by itself. Just food for thought, I'd stick to the sweat shirt.

PS My Girlfrend is having this done this afternoon for burningman. She's getting red and orange.

Nove, I had exactly the same thing when I started... Long braids with extentions (and my hair was really short too, imagine my parents' shock when they saw me at the airport! I digress...) Hit my head once, they melted a bit so I had to get them re braided.

Eventually I learned to knot all of the braids on top of my head (think queen amidala... only that it's one on top instead of two on the sides)... then cover it with an extra large beanie...

Good luck!

She didn't have a problem with it at all

(Witnessed by myself, and video of evidence!)



~ Bobo

*noddles*

Thanks for the suggestions, though, guys! I'm probably still going to use a few of them -- braiding 'em and putting them up and all -- but, Bobo's right... They were surprisingly less of a burden than I thought they would be.

alternatively.... http://www.entertheninja.com/ninja_fun/shirt_ninja.shtml
works quite well if you use a cotton shirt. Ninjaaaaa!

I wanna be a shirt ninjaaaa when I grow up.

Hey, that's _awesome!_ I would _so_ do that...

I, too, want to be a shirt ninja when I grow up!!

but beware, for the training of shirt ninja is rigorous- aspiring shirt ninja must defeat a poodle wielding idiot and a killer tomato to prove themselves...

My 10yr old daughter is now a shirt ninja!

I gave the ninja thing a go, just because I felt like it... And it's so VERY cool... *laughs at her own ability to amuse herself*

Everyone should try at least once to become a shirt ninja... ^^;;;

Nove, Katch help. My girlfrend just got her braided extentions done today. Her neck is messed up from an old work injury. The additional weight is really bothering her. It's only about to mid back (looks unbelievebly cool as hell) but she's thinking of cutting some of the length off to reduce the weight.

How did you cope with the weight? did you get used to it? As far as fire poi, I'm going to make her a special bandana that will also wrap arround the length of it.

Thanks

Cody... If she keeps it tied up it should ease some of the tension on the roots of her natural hair. She'll get used to the weight eventually (except right after a shower when the extensions are wet and remarkably heavy). How long is she planning to keep them on?

She got them for Burningman, they are great for desert maintenance. She was thinking of keeping them for a month or two or untill they would need to be redone, then take them out.

The tension on her hair/head isn't as big a problem as the weight on her neck. How long untill it didn't bother your neck anymore?

I'd say less than a week... Can't really remember. I did relish the weight for a while (finally experiencing what it's like to have long hair). I wish her the best of luck! (Really miss my own extensions now!!!) Hope they didn't burn the ends to seal them...

They did burn the ends with a heat scissor. Whats wrong with burning the ends?

She had them cut off some of the weight about 4 inches and she said it really hepled.

Thanks for all your help

Whoops, sorry I didn't get back in time to answer your question!

But, yes, the weight is pretty brutal for the first few days (mine wasn't so bad, because my braids are really tiny), so... make sure to give her lots of neck massages. The 4 inches _would_ help, because there's a LOT of hair that goes on to those things.

When she washes them they'll get really really heavy, like Katch said, so maybe you'll want to give her a heads-up on that?

I think what Katch meant was that if they burnt the ends it meant that they were meltable... Keep 'em away from fire. I learned the hard way. *pokes semi-melted braid*

Thanks for all the help. I think we got the melting part covered. She is getting used to the weight and I have been the neck massage king

Burning the ends also creates hard, sharp plastic bits that really ruin the back of shirts and stuff... A friend of mine scolded me for burning the ends on my first set, and when I did my second I realised there was a reason why they weren't burning the ends of my braids.

My braids were really tiny as well, but there were a lot of them... Everytime I'd flip my hair there was just this remarkable increase in momentum. It was actually quite cool. Hope it helped. Good luck anyway... braids are funky cool!

Try putting your hair into a bun, then try using a do-rag. If that won't work try using a scarf, if wrapped right it looks really good.

HOLY COW!!!!!! I set my weave on fire last week.!!!!!!!! It sucked!!! try dread falls, they are removable when you wanna spin, and just put them back in when you go out. So much easier and safer. covering wont help unless you hava kevlar bandana.