PROTECTIVE STYLING - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Protective styling is any kind of styling that tucks the ends of your hair away. Now you all know that the ends of your hair are the oldest parts of your hair, and as such, are prone to breakage. Protective styles protect the ends of your hair from weather elements such as the wind, and too much sunlight, from mechanical damage such as excessive combing/brushing and just any other things that can cause your hair to tear and break.

Protective styles include weaves, twists, braids, buns, roll tuckn’pin updo’s etc.

BENEFITS OF PROTECTIVE STYLING:

• ·         It aids in length retention/hair growth

• ·         It protects your hair

• ·         It gives your hair a break from daily styling

• ·         Its low maintenance

• ·         It saves time

Now I know most of you ladies probably wear weaves, braids etc 90% of the time and you wonder why your hair is not growing.

IT IS NOT A PROPER PROTECTIVE STYLE IF:

You neglect your hair while in protective style. 

This is the common tend for most ladies. If as long as you have those braids/weave you don’t wash, condition or moisturise your real hair in any way, you won’t see any difference in the growth of your hair. Your hair will get so dry and weak and will definitely break as you take down the braids/weave. 

The braids are too tight or too small. 

You will not end up with beautiful voluminous hair, you will end up with traction alopecia. 

I know the micro braids (masai) look hot and neat, but hey, I love my hair way too much to do that.

You keep the style in for too long.

 The maximum time I’d recommend for any particular style is 4weeks. The longer you keep the style in, the more tangled it will get and this can cause breakage.

Your hair stylist has no clue about healthy hair practices. 

Sometime in 2012 I  went to a certain salon to have my hair braided In fish-tail. After the hairdresser finished plaiting, she got a scissors and started cutting bits of my hair to make the style look neat. I know she is not the only hairdresser who does that, lol. Explain to them what you are trying to achieve with the protective style before they go up in your hair and give you a weird trim. Oh yes, by the time I took down that ‘mukule’ my hair was uneven all round.

You are styling your hair excessively. 

I love how creative ladies have become when it comes to styling their braids. I see everyone rocking a chi high bun like this. And I must say it looks elegant. Just make sure you not pulling too much on your hair as you style your braids, as this can lead to hair loss.

DO YOU WEAR PROTECTIVE STYLES????? HOW DO YOU CARE FOR YOUR HAIR WHILE WEARING PROTECTIVE STYLES??