Growing Hair Long With Braidouts

[Isis]

Who has successfully grown their hair to brastrap or longer with braidouts? If you have, what is your braidout regimen?

I didn't start out with braidouts (didn't know what it was yet) on this board, but mainly wore buns and updos to repair the damage. I learned that braidouts (and twistouts) are considered a protective style also because of less manipulation, mainly fingerstyling at the most. And my hair does stay moisturized longer. Although I am experimenting with rollersets, I will probably continue wearing braidouts to grow my hair out but mainly to keep it healthy.

As I mentioned on another thread, I learned from some of the ladies here to make 4 braids or plaits every night for the braidout during the day. I don't comb my hair except on wash day on wet hair and just fingerstyle. I make sure I add moisturizer to my ends. I also braid my hair after it has dried since it the waves are looser and it shows more length.

If you have grown your hair to brastrap or longer with braidouts, please share your regimen.

 

[Isis]

So no one is doing this anymore?

 

[Divine Inspiration]

I've been consistently doing braidouts for the past few months...especially during the 23 week stretch, but my hair was approaching brastrap when I came to LHCF so I wouldn't consider myself a braidout grower.

However, after week 8-10 of being post-relaxer, I started to poo once a week and CO wash once a week. I'd deep condition and allow my hair to airdry. Then I'd do plaits (braiding my own hair is a challenge that I don't have the patience for) or I'd do bantu knots. I loved (still do) the convenience of this style and I like the look on me. I use Giovanni Direct with a little Aloe Vera Gel as a leave-in before setting my hair. I'd also put Giovanni's Shine of the Times or NTM HSS on my ends to keep them from frizzing up.

I know I didn't fit the profile exactly, but I HTH.

{DI}

 

[Isis]

I've been consistently doing braidouts for the past few months...especially during the 23 week stretch, but my hair was approaching brastrap when I came to LHCF so I wouldn't consider myself a braidout grower.

However, after week 8-10 of being post-relaxer, I started to poo once a week and CO wash once a week. I'd deep condition and allow my hair to airdry. Then I'd do plaits (braiding my own hair is a challenge that I don't have the patience for) or I'd do bantu knots. I loved (still do) the convenience of this style and I like the look on me. I use Giovanni Direct with a little Aloe Vera Gel as a leave-in before setting my hair. I'd also put Giovanni's Shine of the Times or NTM HSS on my ends to keep them from frizzing up.

I know I didn't fit the profile exactly, but I HTH.

{DI}

Thank you Divine Inspiration for your reply and regimen. I bet you look beautiful in your braidouts! Congratulations on doing a 23-week stretch too with it also! How are you airdrying your hair before plaiting?

 

[Divine Inspiration]

Thank you Divine Inspiration for your reply and regimen. I bet you look beautiful in your braidouts! Congratulations on doing a 23-week stretch too with it also! How are you airdrying your hair before plaiting?

Thank you!! The 23 week stretch was easy til about week 19 or 20. Then I had ot start praying and putting on mood music to detangle!

To answer your ?, I just part it and style it while it's wet (w/ leave-in) and then I just let it hang and dry. Sometimes I'll sit under the dryer so that the top will dry b/c right now I have lye relaxed hair in the top that is thicker & fuller than the no-lye relaxed hair towards the ends so it takes longer for the roots to dry (which is the case for most folks anyway, I think ).

 

[Isis]

Thank you!! The 23 week stretch was easy til about week 19 or 20. Then I had ot start praying and putting on mood music to detangle!

But you did it successfully! Since I am relaxing, I want to eventually only relax twice each year, which you are almost doing, instead of four times. Braidouts seem to be a very good way to do it since it hides the new growth well. Thanks for sharing your airdrying technique for your braidouts - I haven't tried just letting my hair hang and dry yet.

 

[Candy_C]

Who has successfully grown their hair to brastrap or longer with braidouts? If you have, what is your braidout regimen?

I didn't start out with braidouts (didn't know what it was yet) on this board, but mainly wore buns and updos to repair the damage. I learned that braidouts (and twistouts) are considered a protective style also because of less manipulation, mainly fingerstyling at the most. And my hair does stay moisturized longer. Although I am experimenting with rollersets, I will probably continue wearing braidouts to grow my hair out but mainly to keep it healthy.

As I mentioned on another thread, I learned from some of the ladies here to make 4 braids or plaits every night for the braidout during the day. I don't comb my hair except on wash day on wet hair and just fingerstyle. I make sure I add moisturizer to my ends. I also braid my hair after it has dried since it the waves are looser and it shows more length.

If you have grown your hair to brastrap or longer with braidouts, please share your regimen.

well i'm on my WAY to brastrap with braid outs ( i do twists). i have successfully gotten past armpit length with them, so i guess its a start.

never before could i get past shoulder length, then within 5 months i was armpit then past. braidouts r excellent for our hair, i suggest people start braiding their hair at night cos its really the way 2go moisture wise. keeps those ends split and breakage free

 

[vikkisecret]

This sounds like something I need to go back to. When I was younger my mom would always have my hair in twists and when i think about it was approaching brastrap then too....until my babysitter decided to play in my hair and add...and unbeknowst to me I combed through it! **Ouch** I know...all that beautiful hair on the floor and the sink. anywhooo enough whining....what do you ladies secure your ends with when doing braidouts/ twistouts?

 

[AnjelLuvs]

I usually put rolls on ends....

 

[vikkisecret]

I usually put rolls on ends....

Thanks!

 

[AnjelLuvs]

That actually was suppose to state "rollers", but I think you got that... LOL

Thanks!

 

[Candy_C]

This sounds like something I need to go back to. When I was younger my mom would always have my hair in twists and when i think about it was approaching brastrap then too....until my babysitter decided to play in my hair and add...and unbeknowst to me I combed through it! **Ouch** I know...all that beautiful hair on the floor and the sink. anywhooo enough whining....what do you ladies secure your ends with when doing braidouts/ twistouts?

i twist them around each other, lift to the top of my head, truck the ends under and clip about 2inches below the ends.

 

[Sistaslick]

My mom grew her relaxed hair out with twistouts. It went from just below shoulder to brastrap in about 9-10 months. She wasn't taking any particular care of her hair though. She would get her twists set at my cousin's salon and would come home and take it down. She would wear the twists for days and when they would fall she would wear a crinkly bun or pin them up. She would get her twists done every 2 weeks. She wasn't especially cute toward the end of the 2 weeks , but there was no denying that her hair did grow from this style. Another lady from our church did the same thing with spiral sets. When I left home her hair was shoulderlength frizzy on the ends from rubbing When I saw her 2 and a half years later she was pretty much waistlength. My cousin styles all of their hair and was commenting to us how the church lady keeps it simple and just comes in every two weeks for a wash and rod set.

It does work! I just don't know how I would go that long without washing. My scalp would be on fire from all that itching I may consider doing a modified version of this for the next 6 months to see whats up

 

[Ayeshia]

my relaxed hair thrived because of this...no heat required and very little manipulation!!!!!

 

[baglady215]

I think I'm going to start trying this. I'm SO TIRED OF BUNS!!!

 

[onepraying]

my relaxed hair thrived because of this...no heat required and very little manipulation!!!!!

Yeah, if you can stand just wearing the same style all the time, I believe it works, such low manipulation envolved.

OT: Ayeshia that siggy pic is kewl! Your spirals are looking so pretty!

 

[LaNecia]

OT: Ayeshia that siggy pic is kewl! Your spirals are looking so pretty!

Co-signing!

 

[vikkisecret]

i twist them around each other, lift to the top of my head, truck the ends under and clip about 2inches below the ends.

About how many twists do you do on your head in all. My mom used do like 6 i think...And this is when your lounging around the house or sleeping right?

 

[Browndilocks]

NAY has grown her hair significantly with braid outs and twist outs.

 

[Isis]

NAY has grown her hair significantly with braid outs and twist outs.

You are so correct Browndilocks. Nay has grown her beautiful, natural hair down to her waist doing this! She is one of my great hair inspirations.

 

[madamdot]

How do you do twist or braid out? I have neck to top of shoulder length hair and the few times I have tried doing a braid out it just ends up frizzy.
I've seen people with it and I love the textured look. I have a LOT of fine, very dry hair so I think if done right then it could look good. But I seem to be doing something wrong.

Also, how do you maintain it overnight without manipulation because I cant imagine retwisting or plaiting overnight but with a scarf overnight it would turn out flat and with a bonnet I end up with frizziness and dryness

 

[sylver2]

I wore a braidout for nearly the entire summer.
I washed once a week, conditioned then did 6 loose box braids. In summer I let it air dry, in winter I have to sit under dryer. I wear it like that all week and only have to rebraid once twice. I rub in ntm silk touch, put on scarf.
I like loose braidouts like the one in my avatar.
I been getting lazier and lazier and also 16 weeks post, I have been wearing braidouts more now.

 

[mscounselor]

my hair always falls during the day when I do it. The only time it lasted was when I wet it and added gel to it...it was such a mess.
Guess practice makes perfect.

 

[bee]

I wear my hair like this 95% of the time. I wash/co wash once a week, use generic as my leave-in w/ water and castor oil added to the bottle, wgo after wash & cond, vitapointe or olive oil lotion on the ends, diluted lottabody spray, cornrow 4 braids, put 2 rollers on the ends and take them down in the morning.

I found that I lose alot of hair during my wash. I HOPE that's from not combing my hair all week. My sister gave me a trim last week and that cut down on the shedding somewhat. I have been wearing my hair like this for about 3 years and it has really grown (a little beyond my shoulders). I've been trying to achieve brastrap and maybe, if I keep my ends trimmed more regularly I may just get there.

Any suggestions on how to cut down on the shedding during the wash? I've tried not combing the conditioner thru (definite no-no!) Each time I was my hair, I lose at least 3/4 of a palm full (meaning that my hair sheds enough to fill up about 3/4 of the palm of my hand). Is that normal?

 

[Isis]

I wore a braidout for nearly the entire summer.
I washed once a week, conditioned then did 6 loose box braids. In summer I let it air dry, in winter I have to sit under dryer. I wear it like that all week and only have to rebraid once twice. I rub in ntm silk touch, put on scarf.
I like loose braidouts like the one in my avatar.
I been getting lazier and lazier and also 16 weeks post, I have been wearing braidouts more now.

I like your loose braidouts also and prefer mine that way. When I wear my scarf over my braidout, it seems to flatten it out and I have to rebraid. How do you keep your braidout waves looking good during the week with your scarf method?

 

[Isis]

I wear my hair like this 95% of the time. I wash/co wash once a week, use generic as my leave-in w/ water and castor oil added to the bottle, wgo after wash & cond, vitapointe or olive oil lotion on the ends, diluted lottabody spray, cornrow 4 braids, put 2 rollers on the ends and take them down in the morning.

I found that I lose alot of hair during my wash. I HOPE that's from not combing my hair all week. My sister gave me a trim last week and that cut down on the shedding somewhat. I have been wearing my hair like this for about 3 years and it has really grown (a little beyond my shoulders). I've been trying to achieve brastrap and maybe, if I keep my ends trimmed more regularly I may just get there.

Any suggestions on how to cut down on the shedding during the wash? I've tried not combing the conditioner thru (definite no-no!) Each time I was my hair, I lose at least 3/4 of a palm full (meaning that my hair sheds enough to fill up about 3/4 of the palm of my hand). Is that normal?

Up to 100 strands per day is normal. Since I don't comb except on wash days, I have more strands built up to shed by the time wash day comes, so this could be the reason why.

Bee - have you been shedding all along or in recent times? Do you do a protein conditioning treatment like with Keraphix or Emergencee? If I get any excessive shedding, my first thought is that my hair needs some strength from protein and I'll condition with a mild recontructor like Keraphix, followed by a good moisturizing conditioner like Humectress.

 

[byrdmail]

I wore a braidout for nearly the entire summer.
I washed once a week, conditioned then did 6 loose box braids. In summer I let it air dry, in winter I have to sit under dryer. I wear it like that all week and only have to rebraid once twice. I rub in ntm silk touch, put on scarf.
I like loose braidouts like the one in my avatar.
I been getting lazier and lazier and also 16 weeks post, I have been wearing braidouts more now.

Sylver, your braidout looks fantastic. I hope one day I will be able to do one that looks like yours.

 

[bee]

@ Isis: I can't really remember when I noticed my hair shedding but this last wash, I used Sally's generic Joico K-Pak after I washed. After the K-Pak, I used Sally's generic Nexxus for moisture. My hair was noticeably softer and the shedding lessened--somewhat. I may try doing this once a week to see if the condition of my hair changes.

BTW, does anyone know if Nay has a journal I can view?

 

[Isis]

@ Isis: I can't really remember when I noticed my hair shedding but this last wash, I used Sally's generic Joico K-Pak after I washed. After the K-Pak, I used Sally's generic Nexxus for moisture. My hair was noticeably softer and the shedding lessened--somewhat. I may try doing this once a week to see if the condition of my hair changes.

BTW, does anyone know if Nay has a journal I can view?

I'm glad to hear your shedding lessened with the generic Nexxus.
Yes, Nay has hair pics in her album. You can check her profile for the link. Nay was also LHCF Feature of the Month a few months ago.

 

[sylver2]

I like your loose braidouts also and prefer mine that way. When I wear my scarf over my braidout, it seems to flatten it out and I have to rebraid. How do you keep your braidout waves looking good during the week with your scarf method?

Thanks, after i take scarf off, I just pick hair out with fingers. Fluff up, add serum and go