Braid-on wig hair extension

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.

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:
 (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.   
     
     
         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:
 (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.   
     
     
         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:
 (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.   
     
     
         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.