Braid care

soslychic

New Member
I'm planning on getting braids in about a week to give my hair a break, but mainly to get some growth. My hair is already short (about 1/2-1 inch below neck in back), but I have noticed a ton of split ends and want to trim so I don't think I would be happy with the length of my hair before I get some more growth. Question: Since I'm not experienced in looking and finding split ends and I can't bring my hair around in the back to the front to see, do you think I should go ahead and trim about 1/2-1 inch so as to be sure that they are gone and I can start again (I've never had a trim basically)

So on to the braids: I've done a search for braid info, but I still have a few questions.

I want small braids, but want to avoid micros for fear of breaking my hair and causing more harm that good. But how small are micros? Could someone provide a pic or link?

Also, can I continue to use my CON shampoo for the braids or do I need a braid shampoo? And how often should I wash?

I plan on having my hair braided for about 5 months as to obtain a lot of new growth before relaxing and beginning to care for my actual hair only again. So if I leave the braids in for one month at a time and then take them out, giving my hair about 1-2 weeks rest, do you think I will experience any breakage from wearing braids for so long a time? I'm going to have my mom do it who has done it before so I can be sure that it isn't so tight.

HOw often do I need to oil my scalp (jojoba oil)

Can I condition my braids? IF so, how often?

I want to make my own braid spray so that I know exactly what goes in it. How does this sound:
glycerin
infusium 23
distilled water
drops of extra virgin olive oil
drops of castor oil
(the quantities of all of the ingredients I've yet to figure out. suggesions on that would be appreciated too)

Anything else important that I didn't mention please let me know.
Thanks in advance to all that respond.
 

Nessa

New Member
I am doing the same thing you are doing because I have chin lenght hair and all. But you can condition your braids. If you go on the site www.growafrohairlong.com, you just get a bowl mix braid spray, with a leave in condition in my and her choice Infusuim 23. And get a towel dip it in and squezee it along the braids. And you could just oil your scalp when needed. or put braid spray. If you want


Just shampoo your hair one a week or every two weeks. And every two weeks or once a month just use a clarifying shampoo. A good clarifying Shampoo is Dax Vegetable shampoo. I have heard it's great. And then put a scarf so the braids are nice and shining, and in proper maintanience. Well I gotta go.
 

soslychic

New Member
Ok, I just took another look at that site and does anyone think that waiting 2 months after having braids in for 1-2 months in really necesary? How about 2 weeks to a month with CONSTNAT care and deep conditioning treatments and a protein and moisture, moisture, moisture.
 

Nessa

New Member
I don't know if you wanta to hear from me. But 2 months is too much for me. Well 2 weeks to 1 month is good. But for me two months is way too much time for me though.
 

BabyCurls

Indy Girl Growing Strong
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, I just took another look at that site and does anyone think that waiting 2 months after having braids in for 1-2 months in really necesary? How about 2 weeks to a month with CONSTNAT care and deep conditioning treatments and a protein and moisture, moisture, moisture.

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="purple">I just had my hair rebraided late in May, and my hair is strong due to the leave-in conditioner and braid spray. I wear cornrows, but am planning on wearing extensions sometime in September. I'll be wearing my current style right up until the end of this month. I have no problems keeping in for 2 months, though.

For the deep conditioning, it is best to do it after taking your braids down, and not while wearing them. You don't want the buildup to be on the base of the braid, and it'll take a long time to take them out and braid them back in your hair. Just continue with the conditioner wash or use a leave-in conditioner as a substitute after washing with shampoo. </font>
 
H

HoneyRockette

Guest
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, I just took another look at that site and does anyone think that waiting 2 months after having braids in for 1-2 months in really necesary? How about 2 weeks to a month with CONSTANT care and deep conditioning treatments and a protein and moisture, moisture, moisture.

[/ QUOTE ]
Ditto Soslychic. This is my beef which the C&amp;G Method. I have been wearing braids since April and I plan to wear them for a while. I am wearing braids to grow out a very short hair cut and I wouldn't be able to swing it for two months with a half tapered cut with an inch and a half of new growth and no relaxer. I got my hair braided back to back. I just made sure to use a protein treatment before I rebraided and Infusium 23 everyday to reduce breakage. Lord knows if I could grow my tapered cut out with braids or a relaxer I would, but that just isn't feasible.
 

RabiaElaine

New Member
I also agree that the wait period is just too long. I actually took out micro braids (bad, bad, not using them again) and then relaxed my hair the next day, back in April. I didn't really lose any hair or experience muck breakage. This could also be because the lady underprocessed my hair.
Maybe you shouldn't relax your hair right away like me, I won't do it again because of the risks. But I think if you can wash and deep condition your hair twice before rebraiding or relaxing, you'll be ok.
 

soslychic

New Member
Thanks all!! Can I daily rinse my hair with braids in or woiuld that be damaging for some reason? So you're saying that I shouldn't condition while they are in at all except for a leave in?
 
H

HoneyRockette

Guest
Daily rinsing in braids wouldn't be damaging, but your braids will frizz up like nobody's business. I haven't found a way around that yet, not even with a stocking cap. You can condition if the conditioner is well diluted.
 

Kengne

New Member
<font color="red">Since I'm not experienced in looking and finding split ends and I can't bring my hair around in the back to the front to see, do you think I should go ahead and trim about 1/2-1 inch so as to be sure that they are gone and I can start again (I've never had a trim basically)</font>

--Yes! Don't be stingy though when cutting the ends; no point in hanging onto see-through or thin-ass ends.

<font color="red">I want small braids, but want to avoid micros for fear of breaking my hair and causing more harm that good. But how small are micros? Could someone provide a pic or link?</font>

--Micros are usually done on hair sections parted 1-3 mm wide. Yes, millimeters. Here's an example

Tight Micro Braids

And I've even seen smaller than this. If you're looking to give your hair a break I do not recommended micros; you're more likely to get breakage.
hwell:. But if that's what you want some things to keep in mind:- 1) ask the braider to NOT braid your hairline and/or make the parts BIGGER on the temple/sides. When I wore small braids I had her canerow the entire side hairline; only the forehead hairline was left out (because I feel the hairs there are stronger). The end result: the top braids fell over and covered the canerowed sides. I also never wore any pulled back styles because this puts tension on the strands.

If you are worried that the braids are too tight, or the parts too small PLEASE tell the braider this or take them out yourself!! Don't let vanity for a cute style ruin your hair.

Sosolychic I think small braids e.g. parts the size of a half a centimer AT LEAST or more, are really the best choice. Another thing: if you dont intend to wear your hair in any up styles, ask the braider to make the parts big in the back, middle and sides but smaller towards the front and crown area. You'll get the illusion of thickness without having to make teeny weeny parts over your head AND it'll cut down on the time you use to take those bad bwoys down.


<font color="red">Also, can I continue to use my CON shampoo for the braids or do I need a braid shampoo? And how often should I wash?</font>

-- I know some people wash their hair while in braids but I personally never have because :1) it tends to ruin the hairstyle and get it all raggedy-looking, QUICK and 2)there are other, simpler ways to get your scalp clean. I've heard of people using Sea breeze or witch hazel on a cotton ball and gently scrubbing away dirt in between braids etc..about every 1-2 weeks. Yes it takes times and thats why I do what alot of people do: Dont wash period
. Yes I have to deal with the buildup at the end of 2 months but it's a little price to pay for the appearance of neat braids right up until its time to take em out. And my hair has never suffered from what I've seen.

<font color="red">So if I leave the braids in for one month at a time and then take them out, giving my hair about 1-2 weeks rest, do you think I will experience any breakage from wearing braids for so long a time? </font>

---1 Month only?
Girl i think you can easily go 2 months. I've even heard of people going to all 3, 4 months but
but I think that's like asking for hair breakage to come on over and sit down.
With the amount of money I pay to get a good set of braids ($100-120) I can't afford to get them done and keep em in for only 1 month! Lol..

BTW &gt;&gt; And if you should relax your hair in between braidings, please wait AT LEAST 1 week (2 is much better) before getting a relaxer and ANOTHER 1-2 weeks before getting new braids. When I was relaxed I would never have considered perming freshly unbraided hair, or getting braids on freshly permed hair.

But if you don't relax, still wait around 1 week before putting in individual braids again. If it's just cornrows I think you can skip the waiting period because they put less tension on the hair anyways. This is what I've been doing since I went natural last year. After taking out braid extensions I gave my hair a 2-3 day breather, wash, deep treat, condition and then put it in cornrows for 1-2 weeks BEFORE putting it back in extensions. But now that my hair is long enough to cornrow by itself I probably wont be going back to extensions for a long, long time.

<font color="red">HOw often do I need to oil my scalp (jojoba oil)Can I condition my braids? IF so, how often?</font>

--Oiling your scalp per se is not necessary. But I do suggest you use a braid sheen CONDITIONER spray and/or leave in conditioner every dayum day lol. I did this (almost) every day and when I took out my kinky twist extensions it was the softest, and most conditioned that it'd been in a loooong while with the least amt of shedded hairs I've EVER seen in my life. After 2 months I'd lost hair around the 1/2 the size/density of a small cotton ball!!
.

As for that 2 month waiting period in between braids...Please. It should not take your hair 2 months to recover from braids, unless your hair comes out of a previous set weakened and thinning. :rolleyes:

Hope this info helps!! Good luck.
 

soslychic

New Member
Oh and as far as the month thing...my mom will be doing the braids so guess how much ti costs?....nada! lol. And I really want to just keep them in for a month at a time because in the past, they have always gotten fuzzy and plus, I want to make sure I do a deep condition as soon as possible. My hair will be craving it!
 

soslychic

New Member
One last question (I think). Is there anything that I should put ON each section BEFORE braiding? for shine or condition or whatever? Or will that cause the braid to slip?
 
H

HoneyRockette

Guest
They usually put Dax on my hair right before they braid it but I don't know what that does.
 
Top