Protective Styles, A Habit That's Hard to Break

[Supergirl]

Protective styles have become a way of life for me. I feel like I should wear my hair down more often. I am one that gets stuck in protective style ruts. I'll get stuck wearing the exact same protective style for months and as you know that isn't good for the areas of hair that are stressed by a particular style.

Does anyone else feel like they've gotten into a habit of protective styling and you're having a hard time getting out? What can we do to make ourselves wear our hair out more often?

 

[adw425]

Yes...Every night I say that I should flat-iron or french braid down the middle (which I used to wear often) or try something new, but the bun is just so darn easy. It takes me about 40-60 minutes to flat-iron because I have to do it in little, tiny sections and whenever I think about it, I just feel tired. Also, I work out Monday through Friday, so any style that is out/down will not survive my workout. The other side of the coin is that I really do love my bun and I have seen it get bigger and bigger over the last three years and that is a hoot to me. When I was relaxed, I had to carve out 30 minutes at least to devote to hair because I wore it down all the time. It takes me about 30 seconds to do my bun and I am out of there.

 

[caribgirl]

Oh I so agree- I am addicted to baggying and wearing my half-wig. I know that my hair will grow if I change my routine but a part of me feels as if my hair won't thrive without them erplexed.

We have so many challenges to hide our hair- perhaps we are psychologically scarred .

Perhaps we need to do a challenge to wear our hair in a different protective style every 2 weeks or so to break our habit of depending on the same one for too long.

 

[MizAvalon]

Yes, they're definitely a hard habit to break. I promised myself that in '08 I was going to start enjoying my hair more but I still really haven't yet.

I'm really going to try to enjoy something else besides buns.

 

[Traycee]

I was wearing buns everyday before I knew what protective styles were....Just make life easier....

 

[JustKiya]

I consider protective styles just as valid of a style as wearing my hair out would be. I actually prefer protective styles (less detangling, fewer hairs touching my face, etc) - and I don't think that's a habit that I need to break. I wear my hair out, when I want to, and I wear it up, when I want to.

 

[cmesweet]

My hair was usually in a bun or phony pony before I learned about protective styles.Since, I've been doing it for years, it is a hard habit to break.

 

[Ivie184]

Yes!!! I've become a two-strand twisting freak!!! Literally!!! My hair is always in two-strand twists and you will rarely see my hair in a puff, wash 'n' go, plaits or any other style. I've become accustomed to twisting my hair and although I would like to try other styles, I have not made an attempt to try something different. Maybe this summer....

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Protective styles have become a way of life for me. I feel like I should wear my hair down more often. I am one that gets stuck in protective style ruts. I'll get stuck wearing the exact same protective style for months and as you know that isn't good for the areas of hair that are stressed by a particular style.

Does anyone else feel like they've gotten into a habit of protective styling and you're having a hard time getting out? What can we do to make ourselves wear our hair out more often?

I think they can become a way of life.
Honestly - people with LONG hair ( my mom is one of these folks) Wear protective styles all the time.

 

[ChanelNo5]

I know exactly what you mean, I've been in a bun for the past two years . Talk about "that girl", yeah, that girl with the bun erplexed.

What I plan on doing about it this year is A. Mastering rollersets, and B. Pincurling. Hopefully I will be able to enjoy my hair more often without any negative effects.

 

[wheezy807]

I'm also love my protective styles, exspecially buns. I think these last few weeks i've just been getting tired and bored. So now i've been changing it up and trying different styles. And when i'm tired of that i'll return to my buns, lol.

 

[Mrs.Green]

I don't know if its a habit yet but I can't even enjoy my relaxer think my hair is gonna all break off if i don't pin it up.

Wore my hair out for all of an hour then pinned it back up. At this point I'm paranoid of breakage erplexed.