# Hair after taking down braids/weaves/ twists



## fairyhairy (Mar 18, 2011)

Would like to know how does your hair look after its been take out from a protective style like a weave or braids? 

I have just taken my hair out of crochet braids and the ends look awful! Thin and some breakage for sure, and lets not start on my edges.

 I'm starting to think maybe I just can't do protective styles like this anymoreerplexed 

so does your hair look frizzy and damaged but once washed back to normal?
Its always feel like a shock to the system seeing it out after a month or so hidden


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## iri9109 (Mar 19, 2011)

how did you take care of your hair while in the braids?
usually after braids or a weave my hair doesnt look that great until after i wash and DC...one time when i was relaxed i had a weave and when i took it out i had lost so much hair and had alot of breakage, but i wasnt taking care of my hair underneath.


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## 1rarejewel (Mar 19, 2011)

My hair feels rough when I take out my twists/braids.  I did notice though that this last time my hair felt worse than usual, but forgot that I decided last minute to get my twists and forgot to soak my braid hair in vinegar water first like I usually do.  That definitely makes my cuticles feel smoother.  I usually get a plate full of shed hair when removing twists/braids, so maybe the friction of shed hair and (this time) unprepared braiding hair ruffled the cuticles making my hair feel terrible.  

I would say mine feels okay, but I really haven't felt it naked and loose in a while.  It was soaked in conditioner when I detangled after my twists, but I did a henna twice, dc twice and it's been in dry twists and box braids since removing my last set of twists.  I'm trying to do as little manipulating as possible, babying my hair from the brutality I've invited.  I personally have to remember, if I get twists done again, I CANNOT get them without soaking the hair in vinegar for about an hour or two first. I too have lots of splits, so I've been doing the search and destroy..but it's like weeding, clip one and I see many more.  I won't trim because my hair is not even anywhere.  It's all different lengths, so no matter how much I trim off, I'll still have splits at shorter lengths. 

I hope your hair gets better.  Definitely DC and baby it for a while.  HHG!


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## fairyhairy (Mar 19, 2011)

I Moisturised but didn't deep condition, so may have paid for that, my hair felt soft but just looks a state. I have just invested in a steamer so doing that today, I also baggied overnight with coconut, am thinking i may do a light protein treatment to help with strengthen, Am going to nail this hair thing 

still would like to know if anyone else experiences this


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## mischka (Mar 19, 2011)

Texture-wise my hair feels terrible after taking down braids for a weave, and it takes a while to get the moisture levels back to normal again. But my hair is usually thicker, not thinner.


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## fairyhairy (Mar 19, 2011)

the body is thicker but ends are just urgh, to be honest, i'd happy to have a cut rather than this, lost my camera otherwise i'd post pics


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## Sheena (Mar 19, 2011)

My hair always looks a mess after braids/weave.  I just make sure to thoroughly detangle my hair, then generously apply coconut oil and leave it on for at least an hour.  Shampoo, then dc with Motions Silk Protein conditioner for 30 minutes with heat.  Rinse, apply Sunsilk hydra TLC cream and a spray on heat protector, then rollerset.  After the hair is completely dry, I flat iron.

Should probably have mentioned this first but I have fine, relaxed hair of medium density so basically, the aim of the process above is to ensure the texture of my new growth matches the texture of my relaxed hair as closely as possible so as to prevent breakage.


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## glamazon386 (Mar 19, 2011)

If you don't keep your hair moisturized while it's braided up it does look pretty rough upon takedown. As long as it still feels soft, you're good. Once you wash it and DC, it'll be fine. I usually use some tupe of heavy moisturizer before braiding like a butter and my hair usually looks like a braidout upon takedown.


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## itismehmmkay (Mar 19, 2011)

Just took my weave down.  I had worn back to back weaves for the past year (while prego and until my LO turned 6mths).  It was looking crazy.  Mostly because I was basically all natural and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it.  I ended up relaxing it a few days later and have been washing/conditioning daily which has always brought my hair more alive.  So it's basically coming back to life


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## Nonie (Mar 19, 2011)

OP, braids and twists are not really protective styles if you are talking about singles left hanging down. Protective styles are styles where ends are buried and hidden. Weaves are mostly protective styles if the hair is cornrowed before the weave is sewn in.

That said, I do wear braids/twists loose and my hair looks fine but I believe it's because I dust regularly. I did my last dusting last Sunday so this might not be fair, but if you like, when I get back (need to run a few errands) I will  post how it looks. If you haven't seen my previous posts of what happens when I don't dust, I'll use that pic to show you the difference.


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## cmw45 (Mar 19, 2011)

Nonie said:


> OP, braids and twists are not really protective styles if you are talking about singles left hanging down. Protective styles are styles where ends are buried and hidden. Weaves are mostly protective styles if the hair is cornrowed before the weave is sewn in.
> 
> That said, I do wear braids/twists loose and my hair looks fine but I believe it's because I dust regularly. I did my last dusting last Sunday so this might not be fair, but if you like, when I get back (need to run a few errands) I will  post how it looks. If you haven't seen my previous posts of what happens when I don't dust, I'll use that pic to show you the difference.



Nonie is right. I tried to C&G for a year using braids/twist half the time and weaves the other half of the time. My hair during the first half of the year (weaves) looked great. After the braids and twist I had problems with my ends and my stylist chopped off at least two inches all around when I went to her in January. I washed and took really good care of my braids, however, the ends of the hair are still constantly exposed; something else I didn't realize until a PM conversation with Nonie last fall. I am going to continue my protective style journey until BSL using weaves and wigs exclusively.


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## itsjusthair88 (Mar 19, 2011)

This is a great thread, I was just worried about my hair in braids/twists (which I hollered at Nonie about...THANKS!!! You are always so helpful) and I think it's about what you do, before, during and after you take them out. Before I put them in, I DC overnight and while I'm putting them in, I use a heavy moisturizer and my Eco styler to seal in some moisture and that reeeeally helps, during, I spray with a water/aloe/condish mix once a day to keep the hair moisturized and after (or during takeout) I don't even touch my dry, untangled hair, I immediately do a light protein and then _another_ over-night DC before I even shampoo, I shampoo the next day and then I DC AGAIN!!! It sounds like a lot but I am in my third self-installed twists and it has worked for me. I am worried about my edges too, so I am going to focus on getting my cornrows right after I take these out.


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## MzSwift (Mar 19, 2011)

My hair appears thinner right after I take down my extensions.  After about 2 weeks and a couple of washes/DCs, I get to see the progress from my protective style.  My hair just needs a little time to readjust after PSing.  I hope that's what's going on with your hair as well!


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## mEmYSELFaNDj (Mar 19, 2011)

Before I started my hair journey when I would take down my weaves my hair be horrible, dry, brittle, crunchy, and look shorter than it did prior to the install. After starting my hair journey when I take weaves down my hair is moist, thick, longer since I retain all length and new growth, no breakage, pretty much bomb and looks like a wearable braid out. The difference between pre hair journey and now is, before I would never moisturize or condition my hair while in an install. Now when wearing weaves I co wash my hair anywhere between 2-3x/wk. And an occasional DC. Guaranteed you need to up your moisture while in a weave and it will make a world of difference in your hair at take down time. Trust me.


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## fairyhairy (Mar 19, 2011)

Hi all thanks for all the responses, I had my hair in cornrows then attached the hair through the braids so my hair wasn't exposed this time hence i was thinking it would be in better shape, have done a dc with steam it looks ok but still think i need a cut or trim

ETA
sorry should have clarified that better when i say braids and twists i mean extensions


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## fairyhairy (Mar 19, 2011)

Nonie, that would be very kind of you xx


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## wednesday (Mar 19, 2011)

My hair feels great after taking down single braids. Especially yarn braids. I moisturize daily and sometimes baggy at night, i also wash and condition every 2 weeks. It feels awful after weave though, but that's probably because i use a net and end up with a lot of gross build up under there.


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## Nonie (Mar 19, 2011)

fairyhairy said:


> @Nonie, that would be very kind of you xx



@fairyhairy, here's a photo of my hair after being in braids for 4 months w/o any dusting. The top pics show how much the ends thinned and the bottom pics show what I was left with after I chopped off the ugly ends:






I noticed the thinning a lot more because for two years, I'd been wearing braids as I was above and because I do my own braids, I'd undo and redo a braid and snip off a bit before redoing, and the images below show how thick my ends were:

This was after one year of regular dusting:



​
This was after two years of regular dusting and just 4 months before the thin-ends pic I posted first in this thread :



​

I started back on the regular dusting in Jan this year and dusted for the second time this year last Sunday and I feel my ends are doing well, even though I am not very good at protective styling religiously. I just undid this twist section to show you:



​
I don't say that my ends are perfect but even though I've been in twists since August, I do feel happy with them than I did with the ends I posted first in this post. I suppose if I sealed and PSed, they'd be better, but I'm lazy and not very good at keeping strict rules.  

​


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## fairyhairy (Mar 19, 2011)

lol, understand the ps laziness, i think dusting maybe a way to go after hair is taken out of a protective style, I really to invest time in a more solid regime and give my hair a bit of a bootcamp, and learning how to style my hair in a more healthy manner that is quick and easy. I like having my hair out in the sense of easy access for washing, I guess i'm after styles that doesn't involve me sat down for three hours to put in or take out


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## Nonie (Mar 19, 2011)

fairyhairy said:


> lol, understand the ps laziness, i think dusting maybe a way to go after hair is taken out of a protective style, I really to invest time in a more solid regime and give my hair a bit of a bootcamp, and learning how to style my hair in a more healthy manner that is quick and easy. I like having my hair out in the sense of easy access for washing, I guess i'm after styles that doesn't involve me sat down for three hours to put in or take out



fairyhairy, check out Yassylane's regimen. It's pretty easy and her hair is to die for.


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## fairyhairy (Mar 19, 2011)

Nonie said:


> @fairyhairy, check out Yassylane's regimen. It's pretty easy and her hair is to die for.



now thats what i'm talking about lol


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## itsallaboutattitude (Mar 19, 2011)

fairyhairy 

If I don't remember to make sure my hair has some kinda oil or grease prior to it getting braided then my ends look fried and dried.  

I usually ask my braider to put my Anita Grant Organic Sapote and Coconut Pomade on the length of my hair.  If it's done right, the length of my hair will retain the "grease".  I too wash and condition my extensions.  

I do tree braids so if I don't have grease on my hair prior to braiding, It is kinda hard to get that moisture down into the braids.  I am really only conditioning my new growth and my extensions. 

Note: she doesn't put the pomade on my scalp and not too heavy either.


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