GB2327605A

GB2327605A - Scalp patch for hair extension

Info

Publication number: GB2327605A
Application number: GB9715507A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Taiwo Arogundade
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-07-24
Filing date: 1997-07-24
Publication date: 1999-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-24
Also published as: GB9715507D0; GB2327605B

Abstract

A hair extension has the form of a scalp patch comprising a flexible sheet substrate, eg of polyurethane, bearing hair on one surface and having a marginal area devoid of hair whereby the patch may be sewn onto cornrows (Fig 3) braided from a subject's natural hair. The hair may have a parting or crown and the patch is adapted to cover the top of the head as part of a hair extension method in which wefts of hair are attached to cornrows formed lower on the head.

Description

TITLE: HAIR EXTENSIONS This invention relates to hair extensions.

Hair extensions are semi-permanent additions of false hair to a subject's head: The hair can be human hair, animal hair (yak), synthetic hair or other fibres. Hair extensions can be applied in a number of ways, including gluing, clipping, sewing, fusion braiding and knotting. Once in place, hair extensions can last for several months at a time before having to be removed and replaced. Hair extensions are not to be confused with fashion items like wigs, toupees or hair pieces which are casual items that are not fixed to the head in a semi-permanent manner.

Hair extensions can be partial extensions, for example at the back section of the subject's head to add body and length, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

The hair at the front of the subject's head is then used to conceal the extension connections at the back. Some subjects may wish to cover the major part of their head in hair extensions, usually because a substantial amount of their hair is short, fine, damaged or broken. Alternatively, they may have just had a bad hair cut and want to have long hair all over. These subjects leave out only an inch of their own hair all the way around the perimeter of the head. Everything that remains is put into hair extensions. The hair left out at the perimeter of the head is then used to cover over the hair extension connection points, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. The result is a completely natural looking head of extensions with no apparent joins. A further category of subjects may want to cover their entire head in extensions without leaving any of their own hair exposed. For this category it is difficult to achieve a satisfactory result because there is no natural hair to cover the hair extension connections so a completely natural looking head of hair must be re-created by the stylist without the benefit of a natural front hair line or internal parting. Some subjects choose this procedure because their hair is so short or damaged, or they are so bald, that the little hair they have would not effectively cover the hair extension connections. This procedure appeals to other subjects as it allows them to experiment with different colours, hair lengths and hair cuts without the risk of damaging their own hair. This is extremely popular with Afro-Caribbean subjects as their hair is perfectly suited for this type of procedure.

This type of work is most often done using a method called weaving. Weaving is a method of sewing the hair extensions to a false foundation called cornrow braids created from the subject's own natural hair. The subject's hair is cornrow braided by braiding the natural hair in a series of rows which lie tlat against the subject's head and which when complete resembles rows of corn, hence the name of cornrows. Cornrows are illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Cornrows protect all of the subject's own natural hair in a state that is safe and comfortable for the subject and that allows for the perfect foundation on to which extensions can then be applied. The extensions most commonly put on to cornrows are called wefts of hair. A weft is a long strip of hair that closely resembles a grass skirt (Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings). These wefts or strips of hair are sewn on to the cornrows using a curved needle and thread.

Commonly, the cornrows are entirely covered in wefts of hair so that when the process is complete no part of the subject's original hair shows through at all. None of the cornrows, wefts of hair or stitches must show. This is usually achieved by producing the cornrows in lines from the bottom up or the top down and sewing the wefts systematically one row on top of another, thus covering each row progressing up the head (Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings). This procedure is performed by many hair salons every day all over the world.

The difficulty with this conventional method is that when the stylist gets to the finish of the weave at the top of the subject's head, there is a small gap or space that cannot easily be made to appear like a natural hair parting or separation. Currently, this section is closed by sewing several small pieces of wefts together one on top of the other to create a bunch of wefts (Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings). This is done on either side of the section to be closed and the two edges are then brought together and sewn. This tends to create a fountain-like effect at the top of the subject's head (Figure 7). Such an effect lacks realism and is often a clear sign that the hair is not natural, a fact which most subjects want to conceal. Not only is the procedure to create this effect arduous, difficult and ineffective but is also bulky and unnatural looking.

The invention aims to overcome this problem by providing a scalp patch, a kit of hair extension parts and a method of applying a hair extension which provide a more realistic result at the top or crown of the subject's head.

According to one aspect the invention provides a hair extension piece in the form of a scalp patch comprising a substrate of a flexible sheet material carrying hair extending from one surface of the sheet, a marginal area of said one surface being devoid of hair and forming an edge strip for stitching the scalp patch to cornrows on a subject's head.

Preferably the scalp patch has a parting or crown to provide a realistic finish to the top of a subject's head.

According to another aspect of the invention a kit of hair extension parts comprises a scalp patch having a substrate of a flexible sheet material having hair extending from one surface of the sheet, and at least a weft of hair adapted to be stitched to cornrows on the subject's head, with the scalp patch being adapted to cover an area at the top of the subject's head.

According to a yet further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of applying a hair extension to a subject's head, comprising attaching wefts of hair to cornrows on the subject's head and attaching a scalp patch to a top or scalp region of the head, the wefts and scalp patch complementing one another to provide the subject with a complete hair extension. This method is particularly valuable where none of the subject's natural hair (if any) is ultimately visible. More than one scalp patch may be applied, for example one having a parting and one having a crown.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to Figures 8 to 17 of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 8 illustrates, in close-up, the appearance of a scalp patch according to the invention and incorporating a parting in the hair of the patch, Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view through a scalp patch according to the invention, Figures 10 to IS illustrate various embodiments of scalp patch according to the invention, Figure 16 is a detailed view, to an enlarged scale, showing an edge strip of the patch of Figure 15, and Figure 17 illustrates the positioning of the scalp patch according to the invention and the realistic effect achieved thereby.

Each of the scalp patches of Figures 10 to 15 has a substrate of a flexible sheet material such as polyurethane to simulate the skin on the subject's scalp. Each scalp patch has an area of hair extending from one surface of the substrate. A marginal area of this surface is devoid of hair, leaving a continuous edge strip of substrate (about Smm wide) which is used to stitch the patch to cornrows on a subject's head. The hair will normally be sufficiently long to cover the edge strip and project beyond the outer peripheral edge of the substrate, although this will depend on how the hair is made to lie and how it is intended to blend with adjacent hair wefts and any further scalp patches.

The scalp patch of Figure 10 is rectangular, having a central elongate parting. A close-up of the parting, showing how the hair extends away from the parting in a realistic manner, is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9.

The scalp patch of Figure 11 is circular, having a central crown from which the hairs radiate in a natural manner. Such a scalp patch can be used to overcome the unnatural effect illustrated in Figure 7.

A scalp patch according to the invention can be made of any shape or size to suit the subject's requirements, examples being illustrated in Figures 12 to 15. The edge strip used to stitch the patch to cornrows is well illustrated in Figures 15 and 16.

To treat a subject's head a kit of parts is used, typically consisting of at least one scalp patch and two packets of hair wefts, with each weft packet consisting of about 40z of hair.

The hair wefts are stitched to cornrows on the subject's head, around the back and sides, leaving a central area on the top of the subject's head. This central area is covered by the scalp patch which is attached by stitching the edge strip to the cornrows to complete the hair extension procedure. Figure 17 shows the step of addition of the scalp patch and the resulting appearance of the subject's head. The completed hair extension is then brushed to conceal the stitching, cut and styled.

Claims

1. A hair extension piece in the form of a scalp patch comprising a substrate of a flexible sheet material carrying hair extending from one surface of the sheet, a marginal area of said one surface being devoid of hair and forming an edge strip for stitching the scalp patch to cornrows on a subject's head.

2. A hair extension piece according to claim 1, wherein the scalp patch has a parting or crown to provide a realistic finish to the top of a subject's head.

3. A kit of hair extension parts, the kit comprising a scalp patch having a substrate of a flexible sheet material having hair extending from one surface of the sheet, and at least a weft of hair adapted to be stitched to cornrows on the subject's head, with the scalp patch being adapted to cover an area at the top of the subject's head.

4. A method of applying a hair extension to a subject's head, comprising attaching wefts of hair to cornrows on the subject's head and attaching a scalp patch to a top or scalp region of the head, the wefts and scalp patch complementing one another to provide the subject with a complete hair extension.

5. A method according so claim 4, wherein two scalp patches are applied, one having a parting and one having a crown.

6. A hair extension piece, or a kit of hair extension parts, or a method of applying a hair extension to a subject's head, substantially as herein particularly described with reference to Figures 8 to 17 of the accompanying drawings.