What’s your favorite protective style, and how do you keep your hair healthy while rocking it?
For many Black women, protective styles are a go-to for maintaining hair health and promoting growth. However, the irony is that sometimes these very styles, if not done right, can lead to breakage.
Let’s delve into the ultimate guide to safeguarding your hair from breakage during protective styling.
Understanding the Protective Styling Conundrum:
The Appeal of Protective Styles: Braids, twists, weaves – these styles provide a break from daily manipulation and promote hair growth.
The Hidden Threat: If installed too tightly or if neglected underneath, protective styles can cause more harm than good.
Tips for Safeguarding Your Hair:
Healthy Foundation: Ensure your hair is well-conditioned and moisturized before installing a protective style.
Professional Installation: Choose a skilled stylist who understands the importance of not compromising your hair’s health during installation.
Adequate Rest Periods: Avoid consecutive long-term protective styles. Give your hair breaks between styles to breathe and rejuvenate.
Moisturize Underneath: Don’t neglect your natural hair underneath. Regularly moisturize and cleanse your scalp.
Protect Your Edges: Avoid tight styles that pull on the hairline. Opt for styles that are gentle on your edges.
Choose Low-Tension Styles: Select styles that don’t put excessive tension on your hair. Tension is a significant contributor to breakage.
Regular Maintenance: If you notice any discomfort or changes in your hair, don’t hesitate to take down the style for inspection.
The Impact of Safeguarding Your Hair:
Length Retention: Minimizing breakage ensures that the length you gain is retained.
Preserving Hair Health: Healthy hair is beautiful hair. Safeguarding your hair promotes overall hair health.
Confidence Boost: Knowing your hair is flourishing underneath your protective style boosts confidence.
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Brandelyn Green is the Founder of VoiceOfHair, a platform to help women of color find the best hair care products, regimens and hairstyles! Since starting VoiceOfHair in 2014 she has grown the social media platform to over 1MM+ on Instagram and Facebook. As a natural who is also a salon goer, she wanted to create a platform where people could find the best products, hairstylists, advice and trends.
