Weaves and wigs are such a versatile solution to bad hair days all over the world.
Ladies that want instant transformation such as lengthier, fuller hair can identify with this.
You may not know this, but human hair falls into two wide categories – the processed and unprocessed hair.
By now, you must be aware that best quality wigs are made from unprocessed hair.
But, what is unprocessed hair? How do you tell processed and unprocessed hair apart
Does this mean processed hair is not good?
Read on to find answers to all these questions.
Processed hair
Processed hair undergoes a chemical treatment as part of its production process.
However, this does not mean this process is bad. The hair can undergo a sleep or chemical process, such as dying or bleaching.
Chemical treatments are meant to make the hair to appear in a specific way.
The hair is soaked for a given amount of time in an acidic bath to get rid of its cuticles and all its natural features.
Processed hair advantages
The removal of cuticles allows for coloring and treatment in whichever way one pleases. Usually, a silicone coating is applied to boost its natural shine and replenish its previous appearance.
Disadvantages of processed hair
The main disadvantage of processed hair is the significant reduction in its lifespan as compared to if it was left unprocessed. Wigs and hair extensionsmade from processed hair do not last.
Unprocessed hair
This is hair that’s still in its natural state, with the cuticles intact. It has not been subjected to any chemical treatment, and is usually obtained from a single donor.
This hair hardly tangles, because all the strands face the same direction. It is also referred to as Remy hair or cuticle hair.
Even though it is much more expensive than processed hair, it can last you a lifetime.
Raw, curly unprocessed hair can be flat ironed to achieve a straight pattern. What’s more, this hair does not lose its natural curl pattern even with heavy styling.
Related Article:Top 4 Benefits Of Remy Human Hair Extensions
Advantages of Unprocessed hair
The main advantage of unprocessed hair is the fact that one can get an exact match or their hair especially when they want to color it.
Its original tones stand out, making it easy for the stylist to achieve a better color application by observing the tones it pulls.
When compared to processed hair, unprocessed hair’s lifetime is much longer. Due to this, one reaps greater value from the money invested.
The hair hardly gets damaged and is easy to manage due to its softness. The absence of the silicone coating ensures that it maintains its natural state.
Disadvantages of unprocessed hair
Unprocessed hair is way expensive as compared to processed hair. However, one gets to reap all the benefits that come with this cost.
Take your natural hair for example. Naturally, it is kinky and curly. To achieve a straight or perm curl, you will need to take through a chemical process.
This does not necessarily mean its damage is unhealthy for you. The same case applies to unprocessed and processed hair extensions and weaves.
Related Article:Which Is Better For You: Wigs, Hair Extensions Or Weaves
Differences between unprocessed and processed hair?
- Unprocessed hair last way longer than processed hair, making it a great investment in the long run.
- Unprocessed hair is hardly available, not to mention its scarcity and high cost. This makes it very hard to source.
- Processed hair effortlessly blends with our natural hair texture because of the chemical alterations it has gone through. Unprocessed hair wigs are not easy to match when making a purchase.
- Processed hair gives you a wide range of textures and colors to choose from. Unprocessed hair, on the other hand, has an obvious natural look and feel due to the unaltered cuticles that are still in place.
So, which one is a better choice?
Unprocessed hair is ideal for those that wish to color the hair themselves so that it gets to match with their natural one.
It will last longer and is easy to manage after washing because it does not have the silicon coating.
If you wish to have hair that’s already colored and treated, processed hair will be your best choice.
The silicone layer is used to coat the strands so that its shine and general appearance are greatly enhanced.
However, you need to be extra careful when shopping wigs on website. Some sellers label their hair as unprocessed yet it’s processed just because they are keen on making sales.
Remember, unprocessed hair is hardly available and costs much more than the processed hair.
How will you identify the unprocessed hair?
- Natural human hair has an outer layer of scales that are overlapping, just as the scales of a fish overlap. By gently running your finger and thumb down the hair strands, from the roots to its ends, you should notice that they travel smoothly. Running the same fingers in the opposite direction (ends to roots) should result in a bit of friction hence a feeling of roughness.
- You can tell the cuticle direction by keenly observing the roots and the ends. This is more conspicuous on naturally lighter colors.
- If you notice a black die coming out when washing your unprocessed human hair, then you can be sure you were duped! Natural human hair does not shed of its natural color unless it is dyed.
Which other methods do you use to differentiate processed hair from unprocessed hair? Let us know in the comment section below!
This is a guest post by Candis Hall: The Marketing Manager of Dynasty Goddess Hair, with a factory in Thailand & Office and Shipping Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, they are one of the top retailers in Virgin Remy Hair Extensions in the USA.
