**2010 Braid Challenge**........sign-up here

[kandigyrl]

Checking in. I've been out of braids for about 3-4 weeks and will be getting some microbraids (thinking more on the medium side) installed tomorrow. First time getting micros since they ripped out my edges years ago. I'm still a little afraid but I know a lot more now than I did back then so I hope all goes well this time around.

 

[Misseyl]

I've been using Kanekelon hair (synthetic). If you decide use this, try using perm rods on the ends and dip the ends in very hot water. This should curl the ends for you. Hope this helps.

Thank you, I'm going to try Kanekelon and see what happens.

 

[jcdlox]

checking in. I'm in the second installation of braids and will be taking them out next Saturday. This will likely be my last round because my braider is moving to Dallas! I just found her and now she's moving?! At least the braids got me through the winter. I'll be 12 weeks post relaxer so I can't wait to see how much growth I have retained.

 

[coolsista-paris]

hi ladies! so i put in these crochet braids last saturday (13 th february). here it is:



i gonna try keeping them a month.

 

[Arian]

Reposting my question......I've been washing and now a lot of my real hair has come out of the twists....what do I need to put on them to keep them from splitting? I thought about rubbing a little shea butter on the length of the twists and some split end treatment from joico...any other suggestions?

 

[Laela]

I'm late, but here are my braids...I was too lazy to do them any smaller. My natural is thick, so the style may just last 2 months. I'll try to braid them smaller next time to last three. C&G'ing all year... hopefully. Happy hair growing Ladies! My regi includes GNC's Women's Ultra Mega Wellness Program; lots of water; fruit Smoothies

 

[Firstborn2]

Reposting my question......I've been washing and now a lot of my real hair has come out of the twists....what do I need to put on them to keep them from splitting? I thought about rubbing a little shea butter on the length of the twists and some split end treatment from joico...any other suggestions?

If your hair has been up for 10 weeks shedded hair is to be expected. When I take my hair out of braids every 6wks, I have a lot of shedded hair. Tea rinses have helped stop excessive shedding but natural shedding, nothing I can do about it.

For splits the only thing that has help me is deep conditioning 2x a week, I've tried everything, moisturizing, oiling, protective styling and still major splits. DC has drasticly reduced my split ends. HTH

 

[dany06]

I've pretty much made the month mark. I took my braids down yesterday. I'll probably be back in braids next week.

 

[caligirl2385]

checking in - been in individuals for close to 8 weeks. not sure how long i'm going to keep this set in.

 

[Foxglove]

Experienced braiders- How can I make my senegalese twists shorter? I asked for BSL length braids but she made them classic length and by the time I noticed it was too late to turn back. I want to make them 6-8 inches shorter. She sealed the ends with hot water. Can I soak the braids in hot water and snip where I want or do I have to burn the ends? I want to avoid burning the ends bc I hate the sharp/hard ends.

 

[maghreblover]

I've been in braid extensions now for exactly two months and three days. I'll be taking them down this weekend. If anyone has any tips, i'd be really grateful! thanks!!!

 

[msbettyboop]

I am in the process of taking out my braids now and will be cornrowing under wigs until Aug. I’d prefer braids but it’s getting a little too expensive for me and I don’t know how to self-braid but I do know how to cornrow. Anyhoo, I have a question for the ladies that wear wigs. Is it absolutely necessary to use a wig cap? Is it ok to just put the wig on my head and hold it in place with bobby pins? Those wig caps look really tight and I’m afraid for my edges and nape. I plan to wear the wig only when I’m in the office. Outside the office and weekends I will be allowing my head to breathe.

 

[757diva]

Still wearing the braids. This weekend I am going to deep condish with mi hair steamer bonnet.

 

[Sieda]

I am in the process of taking out my braids now and will be cornrowing under wigs until Aug. I’d prefer braids but it’s getting a little too expensive for me and I don’t know how to self-braid but I do know how to cornrow. Anyhoo, I have a question for the ladies that wear wigs. Is it absolutely necessary to use a wig cap? Is it ok to just put the wig on my head and hold it in place with bobby pins? Those wig caps look really tight and I’m afraid for my edges and nape. I plan to wear the wig only when I’m in the office. Outside the office and weekends I will be allowing my head to breathe.

I absolutely hate wig caps and only wear them when I'm in desperate need of new corn-rolls. I experienced major breakage from wearing a wig cap (I didn't moisturize enough as well). Also, cut the comb below in half and sew one half to the front of the wig and the other half to the nape. It lays flat and is very secure.

This stuff us a DREAM for edges... it's like JAM, but for the sista gyrl! Worth every penny - there are youtube video's on it (for visual demonstrations).
http://hickstotaltransformations.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=5&parent=2

HTH

 

[msbettyboop]

I absolutely hate wig caps and only wear them when I'm in desperate need of new corn-rolls. I experienced major breakage from wearing a wig cap (I didn't moisturize enough as well). Also, cut the comb below in half and sew one half to the front of the wig and the other half to the nape. It lays flat and is very secure.

This stuff us a DREAM for edges... it's like JAM, but for the sista gyrl! Worth every penny - there are youtube video's on it (for visual demonstrations).
http://hickstotaltransformations.com/store/index.php?p=product&id=5&parent=2

HTH

Thank you

 

[Laela]

Still putting up with these braids.. lol

did a wash over the weekend.

 

[djkforeal]

I am in the process of taking out my braids now and will be cornrowing under wigs until Aug. I’d prefer braids but it’s getting a little too expensive for me and I don’t know how to self-braid but I do know how to cornrow. Anyhoo, I have a question for the ladies that wear wigs. Is it absolutely necessary to use a wig cap? Is it ok to just put the wig on my head and hold it in place with bobby pins? Those wig caps look really tight and I’m afraid for my edges and nape. I plan to wear the wig only when I’m in the office. Outside the office and weekends I will be allowing my head to breathe.

Hi lafani,
I don't think that it is absolutely necessary to wear a wig cap under your wig, but I would not recommend wearing a wig without one because of all the snagging the wig can do to your hair underneath. When I wear a wig cap or knee hi's under my lace wigs I cut a small slit on each side by my ear to loosen it up a bit and that really helps because I get headaches very easily from things being too tight around my head. I think your edges and nape would be more at risk with that wig rubbing directly on them and you can still take the wig cap and wig off very easily each night. I hope this helps you.

 

[lilsparkle825]

lurking for style/maintenance tips...

i'm on a personal HYH challenge, which mainly consists of braids/twists. i had box braids for 6 weeks, took a 10 day break, then installed crochet braids, which i have had for 2 weeks today and will wear for another 2 weeks. haven't made up my mind 100%, but i will more than likely go into senegalese twists after that for 6 weeks.

there's some great growth in here so far...keep it up ladies!

 

[msbettyboop]

Hi lafani,
I don't think that it is absolutely necessary to wear a wig cap under your wig, but I would not recommend wearing a wig without one because of all the snagging the wig can do to your hair underneath. When I wear a wig cap or knee hi's under my lace wigs I cut a small slit on each side by my ear to loosen it up a bit and that really helps because I get headaches very easily from things being too tight around my head. I think your edges and nape would be more at risk with that wig rubbing directly on them and you can still take the wig cap and wig off very easily each night. I hope this helps you.

Thank you for this. I was just thinking today that the wig might harm my hair if i just put it on without anything protecting my hair but I can't really do the wig cap. It looks too tight and I don't like tight things on my head. I will give knee highs a try. I'll let you know if it works

 

[Minnie]

Hi Ladies,
This is my first post since joining (I think). Currently I am wearing cornrows under a wig. Everything seems to be going well. I re-braid once a week after shampoo and dcing. This has been my regi for about a month.

 

[lovelyone80]

i am at the 2 month mark. I am taking my kinky twist down this weekend, my hair is a mess. it grew out quite a bit.
I will take a break from braids for two weeks or so. I will probably do cornrows or twists until I go and get long singles.

I need a good wash and a DC stat!!

 

[Maracujá]

I still have about a month to go and my braids are not looking good, I've already washed them twice!

 

[757diva]

I kept those braids in for about a week or 2 lol I decided since I just got mi hair steamer that I am going to wear mi hair in cornrolls or twist underneath mi wigs so I can use mi hair steamer lol But mi hair is doing wonderful.

 

[Loves Harmony]

Checking in: Just got my hair done in some french braids after taking the kinky twist down a week ago.

 

[kinkipt_85]

k, i just spend the last 2 days installing some new yarn braids but i did them way shorter this time. i plan on keeping them in for at least 3 mths. before i did them, most parts of my hair measured 7.5 inches. hopefully i can get to 8/ 8.5 in. by june.

 

[GreenD]

I can't wait for the end of March as I can't believe I've had my hair braided since Jan. 1. I get a bit overwhelmed when I take all the braids out to start all over again. But it's a small sacrifice to keep braids in for 3 months (under wigs of course). I think that's my plan for the year, to keep my hair braided for 3 months at a time, take out to flat iron (length check for my APL challenge...or is that this challenge?) for 1 week and put braids back in.

Ugh, I hope these next 3 weeks fly by....

 

[Misseyl]

Checking in -- My last touchup was in October and I braided my hair in December. I've rebraided them once since then, after 6 weeks, and I'm going to rebraid again next week. What I do is give myself a good wash the first day and when my hair is dry I rebraid each braid individually. I don't take it out entirely, then rebraid after a week or two, so I don't really know how much progress I'm making but by the end of the year I should probably have about 6 inches of new growth.

I did a terrible thing in October/overprocessed my hair which ended up breaking off my hair, I in turn cut it off so that it can be the same length. So I'm tempted to wear these braids until December of 2011. I don't know if I can go that long but I'll see how I feel after the first year.

 

[CherieMarie]

I still have about a month to go and my braids are not looking good, I've already washed them twice!

Same problem im having! I have had my braids in for 4 weeks and im fighting the urge to take them out because they are looking unkept to me . I might take them out next week. I got two new lacefronts and im dying to try them out.

 

[Jozze]

Checking in: I'm still in the same yarn braids six weeks later. I will be taking them down after two -three weeks but I'm not sure if I put more in straight away or not. I'll check in closer to the time and let you know.

 

[Sieda]

Checking in. I guess I failed the challenge, however, I felt like my hair was dry-rotting in my corn rolls. I re-braid my hair monthly , but the dryness and split ends became too much to bare. Here is my hair today. I may go back to corn rolls in a week.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=451196