US20120145174A1

US20120145174A1 - Braid-on wig hair extension

Info

Publication number: US20120145174A1
Application number: US12/966,721
Authority: US
Inventors: Carol W. Frazier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-12-13
Filing date: 2010-12-13
Publication date: 2012-06-14

Abstract

The braid-on wig hair extension includes a base conforming closely to the wearer's head when installed, the base having an outer surface with display hair extending therefrom and an inner surface with a number of attachment tresses extending therefrom. The attachment tresses are combed together with tresses of the wearer's native hair, the combined wig attachment hair and native hair then being braided together to secure the wig to the wearer's head. Native hair not used for wig attachment may be dispensed with, e.g., by forming braids that conform closely to the wearer's scalp, removing the non-attachment hair, etc. The wig may be full or partial. The wig base may be impervious to the passage of the native hair of the wearer therethrough, or may be formed with pores through which the native hair of the wearer may be drawn for blending with wig display hair.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hair accessories, and particularly to a braid-on wig hair extension that is secured in place by braiding internally disposed tresses of hair within the wig to the native hair of the wearer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wigs, toupees, and various embellishments to the native hair (i.e., the rooted, natural hair) or scalp have been known for a considerable time. Such hair embellishments were often used in the past to indicate rank, social status, or profession, and in certain cases and societies are still used in this manner. However, most wigs and hairpieces are presently used to enhance the appearance of the wearer by providing the appearance of a fuller or more highly styled hairdo or head of hair, as in most societies a full head of hair, particularly if the hair is styled nicely, is found to be more attractive than a balding scalp.
A number of different methods of attaching a wig or hairpiece to the head of the wearer have been developed in the past. In many instances, the wig is provided with a closely fitting, generally hemispherical base that conforms closely to the underlying scalp of the wearer when being worn. Current wigs are generally provided with a circumferential or at least a semicircumferential elastic band to improve security. While such arrangements may be satisfactory in many instances, they still do not provide good security for the wig, and can lead to embarrassing situations when the wig slips from the wearer's head.
As a result many wearers of wigs, toupees and hairpieces will use additional clips or small combs to assist in securing the hairpiece to the head, assuming they have sufficient hair to provide for such attachment. However, such mechanical attachment means often results in discomfort for the wearer as the hard and perhaps sharp attachments are pressed into the scalp by the overlying wig. Such devices may also pull out the native hair of the wearer to which they are attached. Thus, many users of such attachments will put up with the discomfort only so long as absolutely necessary, and will remove the wig as soon as possible when privacy permits.
Certain wigs and hairpieces have been developed with bases and/or frontal areas formed of transparent (or nearly transparent) lace, to provide a more natural appearance. Obviously, such attachments as pins, combs, and clips cannot be used to secure such wigs or hairpieces to the head, due to their visibility through the transparent lace base of the hairpiece. Accordingly, such wigs or hairpieces with lace areas in the base are often secured to the scalp and/or hair of the wearer by adhesives (liquid glues or tape). While such attachment may provide a more secure installation, particularly when bonded directly to the scalp, the chemicals can be irritating to the skin and can be quite difficult to remove. The solvents that might be used for removal can be even harsher to the skin, and hair loss is a common occurrence with such attachment means. As a result, adhesively secured wigs and hairpieces are often left in place for extended periods of time (perhaps up to several weeks), but the adhesive attachment must be touched up from time to time in order to provide acceptable security for the wig.
More satisfactory solutions to the wig security problem have been sought by developing sewn on wig attachments. Generally, the wearer's hair is initially French braided for neatness and to provide a good base for stitching the wig or hairpiece to the native hair of the wearer. The wig or hairpiece may be stitched or sewn directly to the braids of the wearer, or a thin stocking cap or the like may be applied over the braided native hair and the wig or hairpiece sewn in place through the cap to the native hair braids. The wig or hairpiece is conventional, i.e., there are no additional strands or fibers of material, or additional hair, extending from beneath the base of the hairpiece to aid in the installation. The sewing or stitching is carried out by passing the thread directly through the base material of the wig or hairpiece, and then through the braids of the wearer's native hair.
The advantages to this technique are that it provides a much more secure attachment and allows the wearer to treat the hair as natural hair, i.e., grooming, shampooing, etc. The wearer can engage in any activities that might be enjoyed with one's native or natural hair, e.g., swimming, etc., without concern that the wig may part company. As a result, such stitched or sewn in place wigs may be left in place for weeks at a time, with conventional grooming techniques providing good hygiene. When the wearer wishes to remove the wig, he or she need only cut the threads. However, this attachment method does have certain drawbacks, in that the threads may cut or otherwise damage the hair, particularly if they are drawn too tightly. Also, care must be taken during the sewing operation that the stitching is not drawn too tightly, as this can cause some discomfort to the wearer. While removal of the sewn in place wig is relatively easy and can be accomplished by the wearer, the application or installation of the wig is often handled by another party who has at least some experience and skill with such a method.
Thus, a braid-on wig hair extension solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The braid-on wig hair extension may comprise various forms of partial or full wigs formed of natural human hair, synthetic hair, or a mixture of both. All of the wig embodiments include a base sheet having a configuration somewhat like a skull cap or the like, i.e., having an inner surface facing the scalp of the wearer and an opposite outer surface with the wig hair extending therefrom, the base sheet closely conforming to the head of the wearer when the wig is installed. However, the base further includes a number of wefts or tresses of hair (natural or synthetic) or other flexible strands of material extending from the inner surface, which serve to secure the wig to the native hair of the wearer. All of the attachment strands are natural hair, synthetic hair, and/or other cords, filaments, or fibers. The wig may be in the form of a full or complete wig, or a partial wig or hairpiece. The base of the wig may comprise a closely woven material that is substantially impervious to the passage of the wearer's native hair therethrough, or may comprise one or more areas of porous material (e.g., lace, etc.) that allow the wearer's native hair to be drawn through the pores and blended with the hair of the wig.
The braid-on wig hair extension also includes methods of attachment of the extension to the native hair of the wearer. The methods include the forming of attachment locks or tresses of the wearer's native hair, blending or combining these tresses or locks of native hair with the attachment tresses extending from the inner side of the base of the wig, braiding the combined tresses, and dispensing with the remainder of the wearer's hair that is not used for the attachment of the wig, e.g., braiding this hair to form braids lying close to the scalp, or perhaps removing this non-attachment native hair. Alternatively, where a wig with a porous base is used, some or all of the non-attachment native hair of the wearer may be drawn through the pores of the base and blended with the hair of the wig.
These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention, showing various features thereof.

FIG. 2 is an environmental front elevation view showing the separation of the forelocks of the wearer for braiding as part of a method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an environmental front elevation view of the wearer of FIG. 2, showing the completion of the forelock braiding in preparation for attaching a partial head braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an environmental left side elevation view showing braided attachment of the front portion of the braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention to the first attachment braids of the wearer, and braiding of the crown hair of the wearer.

FIG. 5 is an environmental top plan view of the configuration of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an environmental left side elevation view showing the braided attachment of the upper rear portion of the braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention to the wearer, and braiding of the upper rear area of the wearer's hair.

FIG. 7 is an environmental rear elevation view showing braiding of the native hair of the wearer on the back of the wearer's head.

FIG. 8 is an environmental left side elevation showing the braiding attachment of the braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention to a rearwardly disposed braided area of the wearer's hair.

FIG. 9 is an environmental rear elevation view showing the formation of a wig attachment braid across the top of the neck of the wearer and part of a process for attaching a braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an environmental front elevation view showing the completed attachment of a braid-on wig hair extension according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram describing the basic steps in the method of installing a braid-on wig to the native hair of the wearer.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The braid-on wig hair extension is configured or structured for braided attachment to the native hair of the wearer, i.e., that natural hair rooted in and growing from the scalp of the wearer. The term “native hair” is used for such naturally growing hair, in order to differentiate the native hair of the wearer from the hair of the wig, which may be natural human hair retrieved from another person and used to form the hair of the wig, or alternatively, a synthetic fiber. The braid-on wig hair extension differs from conventional wigs and hair extensions by having display hair, i.e., hair extending outwardly from the wig structure and being exposed to view when the wig is being worn, and attachment hair extending from the inner or concealed surface of the wig base opposite the display hair.
FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of an exemplary braid-on wig hair extension 10 configured in accordance with the present invention. The braid-on wig hair extension 10 has a base 12 configured to cover at least a portion of the scalp area of the wearer. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 through 10, the braid-on wig hair extension 10 is a three-quarter size unit, i.e., providing complete coverage for a portion of the head of the wearer of the device. However, it will be understood that the braid-on wig hair extension may be formed as a larger, fuller unit to provide a complete and full head of hair for the wearer. It may also be formed as a smaller unit to cover only a smaller portion of the head of the wearer, if so desired.
The base 12 is formed of a thin, pliable, head-conforming sheet of material, i.e., the base 12 is constructed in a generally hemispherical shape to fit reasonably well over the top of the human head. Peripheral elastic and/or other securing means may be provided. The base 12 has an exterior surface 14, i.e., the surface away from the head of the wearer when the braid-on wig 10 is being worn, and an opposite interior surface 16, i.e., the surface oriented toward the scalp of the wearer when the wig 10 is being worn. The display hair 18 of the wig 10 is attached to and extends outwardly from substantially the entire area of the exterior surface 14 of the base 12, where it is visible when the wig 10 is being worn. The display hair 18 may comprise natural human hair, artificial hair formed of synthetic fibers, or some combination of the two, as desired. The base 12 may be formed of a plurality of individual wefts or sheaths of hair combined and sewn together, a finely woven sheet of material, or may alternatively be formed of a fine, porous material. The porosity of such material (e.g., lace, etc.), if used, defines myriad native hair passages that allow strands or locks of the native hair of the wearer to be drawn through the passages to be blended with the display hair 18 of the wig 10.
The interior surface 16 of the base 12 has a series of attachment hair tresses or wefts extending therefrom opposite the display hair 18 of the opposite outer or exterior surface 14. In the exemplary braid-on wig hair extension 10 described herein, the attachment hair tresses comprise a forwardly disposed first attachment tress 20 a extending from the forward periphery 22 of the base interior surface 16, a crown attachment tress 20 b disposed across the crown area of the base 12 toward the rearward portion thereof, an upper rear head attachment area 20 c extending across the base 12 somewhat rearwardly of the crown attachment tress 20 b, and a nape attachment tress 20 d extending generally across the rearward edge or periphery 24 of the base 12. More or fewer such attachment tresses may be provided to extend from the interior surface 16 of the base 12 as desired, and different patterns may be provided, if so desired. The various attachment tresses 20 a through 20 d may be formed of natural human hair, artificial hair, fibers, filaments, cords, or some combination of these elements, as in the case of the display hair 18.
FIGS. 2 through 9 illustrate the progressive steps in the installation of the braid-on wig hair extension 10 to the head and hair of the wearer W. FIG. 10 provides an exemplary front elevation view of the completed braid-on wig hair extension installation. FIG. 11 is a flowchart briefly describing the basic steps in the method of installation shown in FIGS. 2 through 9. The initial step 100 in the method of FIG. 11 is the provision of the braid-on wig hair extension 10 illustrated in earlier drawings.
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a wearer W of the wig 10, illustrating the first step in the installation of the braid-on wig hair extension. Initially, first and second tresses or forelocks of hair T1 and T2 are combed from the frontal hair of the wearer W by combing, etc., generally as described in the second step 102 of FIG. 11. These two tresses T1 and T2 are then braided to form forelock braids FB1 and FB2 that lie to the left and right along the scalp line of the forehead, somewhat as cornrow braiding would be accomplished, generally as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings and described in the third step 104 of FIG. 11. These two forelock braids FB1 and FB2 are not used to secure the forward portion of the wig 10 to the head of the wearer, but rather as a means of neatly storing forwardly disposed native hair that will not be used for wig attachment. These forwardly disposed braids FB1 and FB2 will be unraveled, combed over and blended with the display hair of the wig 10 once it has been installed on the head of the wearer W. These first and second steps of forming forelock tresses and braids will frequently be accomplished, but are not absolutely necessary in the installation of the wig 10 to the hair of the wearer W. In the event that the forelock tresses and braids are omitted, the process remains the same but begins at the wearer's natural hairline.
FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the initial procedure in the actual attachment of the braid-on wig hair extension 10 to the native hair of the wearer W. FIG. 5 is a top plan view showing the completion of the procedure illustrated in FIG. 4. The procedure of FIGS. 4 and 5 is described generally in the fourth and fifth steps 106 and 108 of the flowchart of FIG. 11. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the braid-on wig hair extension 10 is everted to extend to the front of the wearer W, and the forward periphery 22 of the base 12 is aligned atop the head of the wearer immediately behind the forelock storage braids FB1 and FB2 (visible in FIG. 4). Some of the wearer's native hair disposed somewhat behind the frontal storage braids FB1 and FB2 is combed out to form first and second wig attachment locks, a portion of the first or left side attachment lock L1 being shown in FIG. 4. The first row attachment tresses 20 a of the braid-on wig hair extension 10 are also combed out and blended with the corresponding wig attachment locks, the combined first row attachment tresses 20 a and corresponding attachment locks (e.g., first attachment lock L1) being braided together to form wig attachment braids. A portion of the first wig attachment braid AB1 is illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings extending from the first attachment lock L1. The completed first wig attachment braids AB1 and AB2 are shown in the top plan view of FIG. 5. These wig attachment braids are also braided to lay close to the scalp, as in the case of the forelock storage braids FB1 and FB2.
FIGS. 4 and 5 also illustrate a subsequent step in the installation procedure, as described generally by the fifth step 108 of the flowchart of FIG. 11. It will be noted that there is a longitudinal distance or span between each of the attachment tresses 20 a through 20 d from front to back along the inner surface 16 of the wig base 12. It will also be noted that in most cases, the wearer of the braid-on wig hair extension 10 may have somewhat more native hair than is necessary to form wig attachment braids. This excess hair must be dispensed with in some manner. The manner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings (and various subsequent drawings) is the braiding of the excess hair to form one or more scalp-conforming (i.e., cornrow style) storage braids SB1 atop the forward portion of the crown of the wearer's head. These storage braids SB1 are formed so that they may be positioned beneath the area of the wig base 12 between the first attachment braid row AB1 and AB2 and the following attachment braid row, the left side of which is shown as partially formed attachment braid AB3 in FIG. 6. It will be noted that the sinusoidal pattern shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 for the storage braid(s) SB1 is not mandatory. Other braiding patterns may be used as desired, the main point being the compact storage of the wearer's hair that is not used for wig attachment. The formation of such storage braids SB1 may be preferred by the wearer W of the wig 10, in that the excess hair stored in the form of braids SB1 may be quickly and easily unbraided when the braid-on wig hair extension 10 is removed. Alternatively, the excess hair may be cut and disposed of, if so desired, or compactly arranged beneath the wig 10 in some other manner.
FIG. 6 of the drawings illustrates the next two steps in the installation procedure, corresponding with the sixth and seventh steps 110 and 112 described generally in the flowchart of FIG. 11. In FIG. 6, the base 12 of the wig 10 has been folded farther rearward from its forward attachment along braids AB1 and AB2, and the intermediate second attachment tress 20 b is shown extending to the rear. This intermediate attachment tress 20 b is combed and blended with corresponding native hair of the wearer and braided together to form third and fourth wig attachment braids. The third attachment braid AB3 is shown partially completed in the left side elevation view of FIG. 6. (It should be noted that the braiding process for attaching the wig attachment tress 20 b to the attachment braid AB3 is not shown in its entirety in FIG. 6, in order to avoid concealing the first storage braid SB1.) Excess hair disposed rearwardly of these third and fourth wig attachment braids may be formed into cornrow type second storage braids SB2 lying close to the scalp for storage, as shown in FIG. 7, in the manner of the first storage braids SB1, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As in the case of the first storage braids SB1, the hair used to form the second storage braids SB2 may be compactly arranged in some alternative manner, or cut, if so desired.
FIG. 7 of the drawings is a rear elevation view of the head of the wearer of the braid-on wig hair extension 10, showing the formation of a second area of storage braids SB2 rearwardly of the third and fourth wig attachment braids AB3 and AB4. As in the cases of the other storage braid areas SB1 and SB2, the braids may be put in any pattern, so long as the hair is stored compactly and does not interfere with the attachment or wearing of the braid-on wig hair extension 10. This step of forming a second storage braid area SB2 across the back of the head is indicated generally by the seventh step 112 of the flowchart of FIG. 11.
FIG. 8 is a left side elevation view showing the next step in the braid-on wig hair extension attachment process. This step is similar to that shown in FIG. 7, but occurs farther back on the head of the wearer W of the braid-on wig 10, immediately rearwardly of the second set of storage braids SB2. In FIG. 8, the wig base 12 has been folded farther back over the top and back of the wearer's head, the second set of storage braids SB2 shown in FIG. 7 being concealed by the braid-on wig hair extension 10. In FIG. 8, the tresses of native hair of the wearer have already been combed out and blended with the third row tress 20 c (shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 5, and 6) to form a third row of attachment braids, the fifth attachment braid AB5 of the left side being visible in FIG. 8. Both the seventh and eighth attachment braids AB7 and AB8 are shown in the rear elevation view of FIG. 9, discussed below. This formation of a fourth row of attachment braids across the upper rear portion of the wearer's head is similar to the procedure for forming the third row of attachment braids, described generally by the eighth step 114 of the flowchart of FIG. 11.
FIG. 9 is another rear elevation view illustrating the final braiding step in the attachment of the braid-on wig hair extension 10 to the hair of the wearer. In FIG. 9, the braid-on wig hair extension 10 has been folded further rearward and downward over the back of the wearer's head to the nape of the neck. A final left and right wig attachment braid pair AB7, AB8 has been formed behind the ears, and extends across the base of the head at the top of the neck of the wearer. This final wig attachment braid pair AB7, AB8 is shown in FIG. 9, formed as described further above for the other attachment braids, i.e., by combing and blending tresses of the wearer's native hair with the lock(s) or tress(es) forming the rearward attachment tress row 20 d, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 through 8 of the drawings. The final, tenth step 118 of the flowchart of FIG. 11 generally describes the procedure shown completed in FIG. 9. The final distal end of the braid pair AB7, AB8 is tucked under the base of wig hair extension 10 for concealment. Alternatively, the final end of the wig attachment braid pair AB7, AB8 may be interlaced into the braids AB7, AB8 themselves, or any other suitable method may be used to secure and conceal the ends of the braid pair.
Once the final attachment braid AB4 has been completed, as shown in FIG. 9, the forebraids FB1 and FB2 of FIG. 3 (if included) are unraveled, combed out, and blended with the display hair 18. The braid-on wig hair extension 10 is then combed out to form the finished wig installation, an example of which is shown in FIG. 10 of the drawings. The braid-on wig 10 may remain in place for perhaps a few weeks or more due to its secure attachment to the native hair of the wearer. The wearer is able to perform any task or activity that might be done with only her native hair. Thus, the braid-on wig hair extension 10 may be washed, combed out, styled, and/or otherwise treated, just as in the case of the wearer's native hair.
The braid-on wig hair extension 10 may comprise various embodiments in addition to that illustrated in the drawings. For example, it has been noted further above that the base sheet 12 for the wig 10 may be formed in many ways. A common material used in the formation of the base sheet for a wig is a porous or non-porous material, mesh, netting, combination of wefts, or transparent or semi-transparent lace material. Such porous material conventionally has myriad pores or passages therethrough, indicated as 26 in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The size of these pores may vary to serve as native hair passages 26 through which some of the native hair of the wearer may be drawn and blended with the display hair 18 of the wig 10 for more volume and/or a more natural appearance and to provide additional security for the installation.
While it is envisioned that most such braid-on wig hair extensions 10 will be of high quality and formed using natural human hair, the attachment method described herein is not limited to such, but may be used with wigs formed of synthetic or artificial fibers as well, and/or wigs containing a combination of natural hair and synthetic fibers. Moreover, it will be noted that while a three-quarter size braid-on wig hair extension 10 is illustrated throughout the drawings, the braid-on wig hair extension may be manufactured in various sizes adapted to cover all or only a portion of the head of the wearer, if so desired. Regardless of the specific structure or size of the braid-on wig in its various embodiments, the wig and method of attachment shown and described herein provide a much more positive and secure means of securing a wig to the native hair of the wearer, permitting the wearer to treat the wig just as she would her native hair.
The braid-on wig hair extension may be worn for many weeks and will remain secure until removed, even as the native hair grows out. However, the braid-on wig hair extension can be quickly and easily changed by unraveling the existing attachment braids AB1 through AB8 to remove the unit, and then combing and braiding the attachment tresses 20 a through 20 d of the new braid-on wig hair extension with the wearer's native hair in the manner described further above. The storage braids need not be disturbed, and can remain in place on the wearer's head during removal and replacement of the wig. If it is desired to remove the braid-on wig hair extension completely without installation of another braid-on wig, all braids (attachment and storage) are unraveled. This process can be performed quickly and easily by the wearer of the braid-on wig.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A braid-on wig hair extension, comprising:

a wig base made from a thin, pliable, head-conforming sheet of material, the wig base having an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface;

display hair extending from substantially the entire exterior surface of the wig base; and

a plurality of attachment hair tresses extending from the interior surface of the base.

2. The braid-on wig hair extension according to claim 1, wherein the wig base is formed of a porous material having a plurality of passages adapted for passing native hair therethrough.

3. The braid-on wig hair extension according to claim 1, wherein the wig base is adapted for covering substantially the entire scalp of the wearer when installed thereon.

4. The braid-on wig hair extension according to claim 1, wherein the wig base is adapted for covering a portion of the scalp of the wearer when installed thereon.

5. The braid-on wig hair extension according to claim 1, wherein the display hair is formed of strands of material selected from the group consisting of natural hair and synthetic fibers and filaments.

6. The braid-on wig hair extension according to claim 1, wherein the attachment hair tresses are formed of strands of material selected from the group consisting of natural human hair, artificial hair, fibers, filaments, and cords.

7. A method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer using the apparatus of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

(a) combing a first attachment tress of the wig base into a first lock of the wearer's native hair;

(b) forming a scalp-conforming braid of the combined first attachment tress and the first lock of the wearer's native hair;

(c) combing a final attachment tress of the wig base into a final lock of the wearer's native hair; and

(d) forming a scalp-conforming braid of the combined final attachment tress and the final lock of the wearer's native hair.

8. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 7, further including the steps of:

(a) defining at least one area of non-attachment native hair on the head of the wearer; and

(b) dispensing with the non-attachment native hair.

9. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 8, wherein the step of dispensing with the non-attachment native hair comprises forming at least one scalp-conforming braid thereof.

10. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 7, further including the steps of:

(a) combing at least one intermediate attachment tress of the wig base into a corresponding intermediate lock of the wearer's native hair; and

(b) forming a scalp-conforming braid of the combined intermediate attachment tress and intermediate native hair lock.

11. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 7, wherein the wig base is made of porous material, the method further including the steps of:

(a) drawing at least some of the wearer's native hair through pores in the wig base to the exterior surface thereof; and

(b) blending the externally disposed native hair with the display hair.

12. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 7, wherein the display hair is formed of strands of material selected from the group consisting of natural hair and synthetic fibers and filaments.

13. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 7, wherein the attachment hair tresses are formed of strands of material selected from the group consisting of natural human hair, artificial hair, fibers, filaments, and cords.

14. A method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer, comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a braid-on wig hair extension formed from a wig base of a thin, pliable, head-conforming sheet of material having an exterior surface and an interior surface opposite the exterior surface, the extension having display hair extending from substantially the entire exterior surface of the wig base and a plurality of attachment hair tresses extending from the interior surface of the base;

(b) combing a first attachment tress of the wig base into a first lock of the wearer's native hair;

(c) forming a scalp-conforming braid of the combined first attachment tress and the first lock of the wearer's native hair;

(d) combing a final attachment tress of the wig base into a final lock of the wearer's native hair; and

(e) forming a scalp-conforming braid of the combined final attachment tress and the final lock of the wearer's native hair.

15. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 14, further including the steps of:

(b) dispensing with the non-attachment native hair.

16. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 15, wherein the step of dispensing with the non-attachment native hair comprises forming at least one scalp-conforming braid thereof.

17. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 14, further including the steps of:

18. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 14, wherein the wig base is formed of a porous material, the method further including the steps of:

(b) blending the externally disposed native hair with the display hair.

19. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 14, wherein the display hair is formed of strands of material selected from the group consisting of natural hair and synthetic fibers and filaments.

20. The method of attaching a braid-on wig hair extension to the native hair of a wearer according to claim 14, wherein the attachment hair tresses are formed of strands of material selected from the group consisting of natural human hair, artificial hair, fibers, filaments, and cords.