Braid Maintenance I

Aisha

New Member
I don't know what happen to this post so here I go again:

Are micro braids bad for you hair?
YES! YES! YES! We can not stress this enough. "Micro" braids are stressful on your hair and scalp. A very small portion of your hair is used to attach human or synthetic hair. The added weight to your hair is what brakes your hair. To preserve your hairline, go for styles that use a generous portion of your hair. You do not have to have a "micro" hairstyle. Small to medium braids work better. Especially for those of you with permed hair. If you choose to have "micro" braids, please do not keep it in for more that 6-8 weeks. Instead of paying $350 plus for "micro" braids, go for a style that will cost you half the price, last the same period of time and keeps your hair intact. Remember the purpose of braids is to GROW your hair not BREAK your hair.

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How long should braids be kept?
Braids should be kept for 6-8 weeks only. Your hair will break if you go beyond that. Please don't fool yourself and say "it is just 'dead' hair falling out." PLEASE! Of course there is going to be some normal hair loss because you have not combed through your hair for the last 6 weeks. So when you do, your daily hair shedding will all come out at the same time. Anything besides that is not "dead" hair. Groom your hair properly.

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Are braids good for permed hair?
DO NOT ever touch-up or perm your hair the day before or on the same day you braid it. If you insist to process your hair follow these tips. For better results perm or touch-up your hair 2-3 weeks before braiding. Wear your braids for 6-8 weeks - ONLY! Then wait a day or two to touch-up & repeat the cycle.

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How should braids be cared for?
Wash your braids every two weeks. Clarifying shampoos and leave-in conditioners are excellent. Dry your braids thoroughly to avoid your hair to smell bad. Tie a scarf or any head covering of your choice over your hair before bed. Oil your scalp & hair at least 3x a week to retain moisture & control dandruff. The best time to oil your hair is in the morning or during the day. Do not oil your scalp and hair before bed because it will rub off in your bedding thus defeating the purpose of nourishing your hair and scalp. Once every two weeks pamper your hair and scalp with hot oil treatments & deep conditioning. Note: Heavy pomades will result into thick white caked residue. Use Nasabb's Unrefined Shea Butter and Nasabb's Kelechi Hair Oil to groom you hair and braids

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Human hair versus Synthetic hair?
With human hair, you have the option of wavy or straight. It is more versatile. You can curl, press or blow dry them. Human hair is high maintenance. With synthetic hair, your choices are limited. You can either dip the ends in hot water to seal or curl or you can burn the ends. Some synthetic hair is already curled. It all depends on your preference. The better quality of synthetic hair is KANEKALON. Make sure the hair says 100% KANEKALON on the package before you purchase. Low grade of cheap synthetic hair will not curl or seal with hot water. Stick with KANEKALON, works every time.

Some types of hair for braiding are HUMAN HAIR, KANEKALON, LIN FIBER, YARN, THREAD. YAKI HUMAN HAIR OR MINK HUMAN HAIR is an excellent texture for African Americans. SILKY STRAIGHT is great for Caucasian hair texture. Choose your texture according to your hair type & the style you want. REMEMBER: BAD HAIR = UGLY BRAIDS. BAD HAIR + BAD BRAIDER = NASTY BRAIDS.

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Is it normal for braids to fall out of your hair?
NO! NO! NO! If braids are done correctly, they should not fall out of your hair at random. Whether you wash your hair or run your fingers through your hair, your braids should not fall out. They certainly should not fall out while you are walking on the street either.

The only time braids fall out of your hair is if you attempt to braid very short hair, pull your braids with force, or get in a nasty fight. TIP: your hair should not be braided with gel, or rubber bands, hair spray or anything of that nature. All you need is a comb.

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What are some of the different types of braiding styles?
There are numerous variations of these styles. Some include silky locs, twists, bantu knots, threading, cornrows (aka french braids, corn braids), medium braids, small braids, invisible braids, fusion, interlocking, crochet, coiling. However there are fancy names out there for example casamas, Senegalese twists etc. Most of the time several names will refer to the same style so do not get confused with names and styles. Keep it simple. Do not wear a style simply because you saw it in a magazine or on a Hollywood star or on someone else. Go with what you can afford and makes you look good!

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Why do braids sometimes break hair
Many factors contribute to your hair sometimes breaking while in braids. If your hairdresser pulls too hard on your hair, uses unconventional methods of securing the braids to your hair, uses very tiny portions of your hair, your hair will break.

Also if you do not shampoo and condition on a regular basis your hair remains dry and will brake. Hair that is braided looses moisture therefore becoming more brital than normal hair. Also avoid micro braids. Your hair is guaranteed to break. Especially your hair line. Avoid thick huge braids, always go for medium size. Avoid too many braids. They weigh down your hair. It is extremely important for your scalp to breath. Do not apply gel to your braids. It will cake and break your hair. Do not wear tight pony tails. Your hair line will suffer. Do not perm your hair line while your hair is braided. It will break off. Do not color your hair while it is braided. It is a silly move.

Remember use Nasabb's Shea Butter & Kelechi Hair Oil for your hair grooming needs.

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Other tips and tricks of the trade
Braiding is all about technique & experience. Therefore your braids should always be soft, neat, smooth & natural. Unless you have to, TRY NOT TO JUMP FROM HAIRDRESSER TO HAIRDRESSER. Find someone who knows what they are doing, negotiate a price and stick with them. REMEMBER EXPENSIVE DOES NOT MEAN QUALITY! Always go for quality first.

Immediately after braiding, use witch hazel or sea breeze around your hair line twice a day for 3 days or longer to avoid bumps. After a day and a half, there should be little or no tightness of your scalp. Anything beyond that is excessive. You can use witch hazel twice a month or more to clean your scalp.

Take down your braids faster with a pointed edge like a tail comb or a tapestry needle. Comb out all the knots and bits out of your hair properly before you get it wet or shampoo it. This process is easy if you oiled & conditioned your scalp regularly. If you did not you will find out. Trim the ends of your hair after every braiding period. You will have a healthy hair growth.
 
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