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Are you REALLY protective styling?

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amwcah

Well-Known Member
This is sort of a spinoff of LadyPaniolo's thread TWA to MBL in 3 years, *pics*. In this thread she mentioned that her family hasn't seen her real hair in years. I was suprised to read that some posters were amazed by this.

Personally, my family hasn't seen my real hair since January 2007. So, when you say that your protective styling, is it for a day, a week, a month or two, or what? Just curious.
 
I'm usually surprised because I can't imagine hiding all that beautiful long hair under a wig or weave. I bun, French braid or keep it in a ponytail for weeks, but definitely nothing longer than that. That's just me though. My fam & friends are usually surprised anyway.
 
I'm usually surprised because I can't imagine hiding all that beautiful long hair under a wig or weave. I bun, French braid or keep it in a ponytail for weeks, but definitely nothing longer than that. That's just me though. My fam & friends are usually surprised anyway.

True. She does have alot of hair to keep hiding.
 
Its possible. Couple years ago before I chopped off my hair, I always kept my hair up in a twist or a tucked in ponytail.

Got a fresh relaxer and came to work and everyone spazzed out. Folks asking "who is this new employee with all this hair!?" It was weird. They wouldn't shutup about my length.

They said I NEVER wore my hair down so they didn't know what I really had.

When I took out my kinky twists, someone said "to think you had all that nice hair under those braids!" Shocked her, cause she never saw me before with my own hair.

Folks assume that if you are protective styling that your hair must look like ish. I was just lazy and trying to protect my hair.
 
Its possible. Couple years ago before I chopped off my hair, I always kept my hair up in a twist or a tucked in ponytail.

Got a fresh relaxer and came to work and everyone spazzed out. Folks asking "who is this new employee with all this hair!?" It was weird. They wouldn't shutup about my length.

They said I NEVER wore my hair down so they didn't know what I really had.

When I took out my kinky twists, someone said "to think you had all that nice hair under those braids!" Shocked her, cause she never saw me before with my own hair.

Folks assume that if you are protective styling that your hair must look like ish. I was just lazy and trying to protect my hair.

^^^:lachen: at the bolded.

All what you said I experienced myself. Why do people just assume? I had some hispanic students ask me if my hair was mine. I said yes. One of them said, "that's a first." She wouldn't tell me why she said that, but another student told me. She stated the other student said that because most black people don't have long hair. She continued by stating that most black girls have short broken off ponytails. I looked around the classroom and it was so true.:ohwell:
 
I only get super annoyed when I leave my hair down every few months and my co-workers are oohing and aaahing lol about how long my hair is and ask if I'm wearing extensions. I'm like didn't you JUST see me with long hair 4 weeks ago? Duh!
 
:blush3: Hi ladies! My ears were burning, lol!

People are a trip when they see something out of the ordinary... SMDH. I wonder if I'll start getting comments like that :scratchch I guess I'd have to wear my hair out first :rofl:

Anyways, I think hardcore protective styling is one of the two critical elements for hair retention, with the other being deep moisture. Whenever I hear posters saying how they refuse to protective style, I just kinda shrug. IME, you either have your hair out and blowing around on the regular OR you can grow it long. Guess which one I choose, lol?
 
I wouldn't say i'm protecting to the point where i'm hiding my hair completely.. but I do keep it in styles that keep it up and out of the way .ex. Kinky's ,seneglase,braids,twist, half wigs, about to go back to phony pony's , 2 big braids...and so on...
 
I am a protective styler. I baggy/bun 24/7. I baggy my bun & cover it with a scarf during work days and while running errands. But I do believe it is possible to grow long hair without protective styling by respecting the moisture/protein balance of an individuals hair. Sylver2 is an excellent example of a person that wears her hair out every day and had waist length hair (we've all read her unfortunate salon mishap is now between BSL & MBL.)

For me, though, I protective style and have committed myself to 1 full year of baggying/bunning 24/7 until July 28, 2010 to see what kind of progress I can make.
 
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I've never used artificial hair in this journey, but I barely know where my hair is 'actually' at. :lol: Shrinkage is a so&so!
 
Yeah, JustKiya, I didn't really know how long my hair was either until I flat ironed. I stay away from heat, but it does have its uses... one of which is getting that hair stretched out enough to measure!

TeeWhyAre you have a point, Sylver has had her hair out consistantly and of course has amazing hair. I'm sure it is possible for some people... but I know I'm not one of them! My hair needs to be protected for it to flourish.
 
:blush3: Hi ladies! My ears were burning, lol!

People are a trip when they see something out of the ordinary... SMDH. I wonder if I'll start getting comments like that :scratchch I guess I'd have to wear my hair out first :rofl:

Anyways, I think hardcore protective styling is one of the two critical elements for hair retention, with the other being deep moisture. Whenever I hear posters saying how they refuse to protective style, I just kinda shrug. IME, you either have your hair out and blowing around on the regular OR you can grow it long. Guess which one I choose, lol?

Thank you for stopping by!:notworthy I'm taking notes.:yep:
 
JK & LP, I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in the I don't know how long my hair is bcuz I'm natural and never straighten club.

I'll straighten July 31st. That'll be interesting.
 
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My hair flourishes when I just put it up & leave it alone. Problem is I have hand-in-my-hair itis & am never able to keep with it. Right now I'm keeping my hair braided up under a wig. However DH gets to see it when I take it down & wash it before rebraiding. From November to December I got an inch of growth & when I took my hair down & showed it to DH, even he was like wow, your hair is growing fast.

So after over a year of hiding my hair, he probably won't be surprised by the end result. My family will probably be in shock, though. No one will see my hair until October of next year & then I'm going to put it back up until May 2011.

My wish is that I'll be WL by May 2011. However, I plan to continue protective styling. I'll be on the hunt for pretty hair ornaments & I'll be bunning to maintain the health of my hair. I will reserve wearing my hair out/down for holidays/special occasions.
 
My hair flourishes when I just put it up & leave it alone. Problem is I have hand-in-my-hair itis & am never able to keep with it. Right now I'm keeping my hair braided up under a wig. However DH gets to see it when I take it down & wash it before rebraiding. From November to December I got an inch of growth & when I took my hair down & showed it to DH, even he was like wow, your hair is growing fast.

So after over a year of hiding my hair, he probably won't be surprised by the end result. My family will probably be in shock, though. No one will see my hair until October of next year & then I'm going to put it back up until May 2011.

My wish is that I'll be WL by May 2011. However, I plan to continue protective styling. I'll be on the hunt for pretty hair ornaments & I'll be bunning to maintain the health of my hair. I will reserve wearing my hair out/down for holidays/special occasions.

You definitely have found what works for you. Also, you have a solid plan.

How is your hair braided underneath your wig?
 
It's my goal for 2010 to hide my hair as much as I can. I've been protective styling since the beginning of my journey but now I want to go hardcore!! APL here I come!!!

Thank you LadyPaniolo for being an inspiration!!
 
You definitely have found what works for you. Also, you have a solid plan.

How is your hair braided underneath your wig?

Thanks lady. I have it braided in what I call a beehive pattern. Basically it's braided in a circle pattern as if it was prepped for a sew-in.

 
I will say my hair retained a lot when I braided it up and kept it under a wig or phoney pony. Before I BCed I started bunning and rollerset and that helped also. I did it for 11 months straight and I think that's what got me to BSL so fast.

I have decided to do it again. My hair loves to be braided so I will be mixing sew-in, braids, and wigs at least until my nappiversary.
 
:blush3: Hi ladies! My ears were burning, lol!

People are a trip when they see something out of the ordinary... SMDH. I wonder if I'll start getting comments like that :scratchch I guess I'd have to wear my hair out first :rofl:

Anyways, I think hardcore protective styling is one of the two critical elements for hair retention, with the other being deep moisture. Whenever I hear posters saying how they refuse to protective style, I just kinda shrug. IME, you either have your hair out and blowing around on the regular OR you can grow it long. Guess which one I choose, lol?

@ the bolded: My sentiments exactly.
 
I've been hiding my hair since September 09 (when I started working). I hide my hair under wigs and lacefront wigs.

I love the simplcity of protective styling.
 
You can see my siggy for my progress. I've been in a weave since June and my hair thanked me for it big time. I hit SL for the second time in my life this month.

If I can keep hiding my hair until at least June 2010, I should be at APL. can't wait!
 
You can see my siggy for my progress. I've been in a weave since June and my hair thanked me for it big time. I hit SL for the second time in my life this month.

If I can keep hiding my hair until at least June 2010, I should be at APL. can't wait!

That is awesome! HHG!
 
I've never wornvmy hair out in the past 9 years-weaves only. Not because I was protecting my hair but because I was protecting my ego. I'm so self-conscious! But I never took care of my hair underneath, so I have nothing to show for it. From now until I reach my goals I'm protective styling 24/7-the right way!
 
I PS 95% of the time...IME it has helped me a bunch! I cowash nightly and air dry...Im usually in a bun for work but will do a braidout or caruso set on the weekends...I only flat iron for length checks every 2 months after my relaxer and my coworkers do the same thing when they see my hair down...they don't come right out and ask if it's all mine...but they say how nice it looks and ask y I don't where it "straight" more often...
 
Before I BCed my relaxed hair was always up. My friends never made a fuss about me hiding my hair until I my friend blew it out and curled it for me and everyone saw how long it was. If I wore my hair down all the time I would obsess over the length and I would be convinced it's not growing..but when I wear it up I don't think about it too much so by the time I take it down to wash or re-style, I think i've gained 3 inches of growth lol. Right now I'm in the dreaded in-between stage plus I have some areas to grow in before I can really PS, but I'm doing low manipulation styles and they are just as effective for me as full protective styles. The whole reason I'm growing my hair long is so I can wear those intricate bun styles.
 
i dont actually hide my hair... so long as i stay in a bun my hair is happy. not even really a bun, so long as its off my shoulders and back my hair is happy happy happy.
 
I am doing the Reniece Regimen from now until mid 2013.

I cornrowed/wigged for the first 6 months of my journey (June-Ded 09) with amazing retention. I am committing to at least 3 years

Between Reniece, her clients and LadyPaniolo the proof is in the pudding. HYH FTW~
 
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