Fine Hair Braid Results

[Mahalialee4]

My fine haired sistahs!!!Do you ever do the full 2 month 3 month braiding thing and if so, what effect does it have on your hair shaft? Do you get unreasonable amounts of shedding? any breakage? How much growth did you get? Were you following Robin Woods the Braid Lady's regime or your own? I really want to do the braid thing but this fine hair is a pain for braiding. I have to make my sections much larger I think because if I do the normal one inch section it ends up looking half the size it should be to be able to last longer than 2 weeks. I really need some input here. I am talking about with or without extensions...Bonjour

 

[Shatani]

bumping for responses

 

[jaded_faerie]

bumping...very curious

 

[ChocoKitty]

Bump, bump, bump...

 

[kristina]

Hi,
I just got out of braids last week (keep them in for 2 months) and before discovering this site I used to keep my hair in braids continually. Oh and my strands are really fine. I have the crown and glory video and I know how she discusses using bigger boxes for fine hair to keep the breakage down. My last experience (and keep in mind that I didn't part well and it was my first time self braiding) was that it was the bigger sections that matted up the worst- in the back of my head. I currently vetoing extension hair all together because I think that no matter how careful, you going to break some hair during the takedown if you keep in in for 2-3 months. And I'm not just talking about shedding (which would be no problem), I'm talking about the hair that getting glues to the knot where you attached the braid hair. I didn't spray oil on my scalp and I washed once a week but I still had a hard knot and fused together hair. I'd even say that with the exception of my edges becoming jacked, my hair is thicker because I used kept them in for five months and only did the takedown twice a year (not that I'm advicing you to do this). Of course, this is just my experience and if you have thick hair the breakage from the takedown won't be that obvious. Hope this helps.

 

[Mahalialee4]

bumping for more replies

 

[nchristina]

When I had my hair braided, it was braided consistently for four year. I had my hair taken down every two or three months and I can say with certainty those braids destroyed my fine hair. Not only did I have fine hair to begin with but the breakage and knot fusions really thinned it more. In those four years, my hair only grew to between 5'' and 7'' from a beginning point of 3''. and was very thinned out. Since taking my hair out of braids my hair has almost doubled in thickness and length.

 

[Mahalialee4]

I was checking Anais Karim's Album and she states that she has very fine hair. Why can braids work for her and not us? Am I doing something wrong? I am going to post her and see what her routine for braiding is!!! I still have hopes of braiding for growth. Bonjour

 

[SandySea]

I always keep my braids in for at least 2 months, but I try not to go longer than that. Last summer, when I first started trying to recover from thin hair, I wore braids for 3 months (I got the front rebraided). My hair grew like wildfire during that time, probably because of a summer growth spurt. Even my braider and her daughter couldn't believe the growth. However, the mistake came in not using braid spray like I should have and in getting impatient with my unbraiding. My hair came out looking thin at the ends. But, in hind sight, my hair was growing in thicker which made the ends look thinner by contrast. I got them cut off and started anew.

I have worn braids off and on for years with no problem when I take care of them properly. Even the tiny braids that I had last fall didn't do any damage to my hair.

 

[jaded_faerie]

I always keep my braids in for at least 2 months, but I try not to go longer than that. Last summer, when I first started trying to recover from thin hair, I wore braids for 3 months (I got the front rebraided). My hair grew like wildfire during that time, probably because of a summer growth spurt. Even my braider and her daughter couldn't believe the growth. However, the mistake came in not using braid spray like I should have and in getting impatient with my unbraiding. My hair came out looking thin at the ends. But, in hind sight, my hair was growing in thicker which made the ends look thinner by contrast. I got them cut off and started anew.

I have worn braids off and on for years with no problem when I take care of them properly. Even the tiny braids that I had last fall didn't do any damage to my hair.

What is your regimen when you are in braids? TIA

 

[SandySea]

Well, my regimen has been adjusted several times. The most important thing is to keep your braids moisturized with the spray of your choice. Basically, I lightly misted my hair everyday with African royale braid spray (long time favorite) and elasta qp spray leave-in. Because I wore human hair braids, every few days I would run some Motions wrap lotion though the loose ends of my braids (only the ends) to keep the curls springy. On wash day (about every 2 weeks) I would put my hair in about four to five plaits and place them in a mesh shampoo cap from Sally's. I took a squeeze bottle ( the kind used for hair color) and diluted a moisturizing shampoo and gently lathered my hair, in the cap,without too much manipulation. This shampoo method would allow me to cleanse my hair without causing slippage of the braids and tangling of the loose ends. After shampoo I soak the braids with my leave-in, smooth on a little bit of gel, and tie my braids down tightly with a sheer scarf, cut leg from pantyhose, or a net. I would then sit under the dryer or blow dry until lightly damp, then I air dry.

I arrived at this regimen by a lot of trial and error. But when I do the above, I have very positive results and little hair loss and gunk at the roots. Hope this helps!!

P.S. Always throroughly remove the gunk and shedded hair before the shampoo or you will end up with matted and tangled hair. Remember, your hair has still been shedding for the period that you have worn the braids. To de-gunk I use a brush covered with the cut leg of a pantyhose (recycle ), gets the gunk out beautifully. Also, use braid spray or braid ease-out while removing braids to moisturize and lubricate hair to minimize breakage and soften new growth.

 

[jaded_faerie]

Thanks for the tips, I plan to get braids in about 2weeks and hopefully this regimen may work for me.