Braidouts and growth - newbie question (sorry if this has been asked already...)

[melodies815]

Hello all.

I am a near constant lurker and hate to even trouble anyone with this question since I know most questions have already been answered MULTIPLE TIMES in MULTIPLE THREADS...

...but after searching just about all day, I cannot figure out if just doing braidouts would help me to achieve the growth that some women have gotten - APL, BSL, and MBL.

I did my first braidout last week and left it for the entire week, slowly transitioning to a band loosely wrapped around my entire head for a cute, curly puff in the back. Mind you, by Friday, I looked positively electrified and quite close to natural, though I am very much relaxed. But I pre-pooed, clarifying shampooed, deep conditioned for an hour, and used Cantu Shea butter as a leave in and then finally braided last night. I put a little humectress on my ends this afternoon. The braids are still in and I will take out for church tomorrow. It looks like a good set.

This is the kind of routine I could easily keep up with for an entire year.

Seriously.

I know this is too much information, but for all who know how to take care of hair and have had good experience growing, I wanted to give the info to see if my regimen is a good one to start with. I would love to know if doing braidouts for a year would be good for my growth. As it lengthens, I can put it up a bit so it doesn't rub against clothing, shoulders, etc.

I am SL, 4a.


I would appreciate any feedback available.

God bless!
Christi
http://www.public.fotki.com/missdexter

 

[frizzy]

With braidouts make sure you keep your ends moisturized. I loved them but they were hard on my ends causing me to have to trim.

 

[melodies815]

With braidouts make sure you keep your ends moisturized. I loved them but they were hard on my ends causing me to have to trim.

Oh...that makes me a little sad. Only doing them once per week, I did not notice any ends issues, but this is only my first full week. I thought about using MegaTek for strength so I could keep doing the style, but I don't know....

Thank you so much for your response!

cj

 

[frizzy]

I think my hair was in a fragile state when I was wearing braidouts, I was newly relaxed again, and I was in DRY Southern Cali during that time, and it was shoulder length.

Braidouts are really convenient and easy to do, I will do them again, but I will make sure I add plenty of moisture to the ends and keep my eye on them for any damage.

ETA--I went over to your FOTKI and you braidout is very nice, your hair looks really healthy!

 

[Simply_Kelz]

I did braidouts a good majority of this last summer, and retained length. However, I did almost no-manipulation, and almost daily cowashes.

 

[melodies815]

I think my hair was in a fragile state when I was wearing braidouts, I was newly relaxed again, and I was in DRY Southern Cali during that time, and it was shoulder length.

Braidouts are really convenient and easy to do, I will do them again, but I will make sure I add plenty of moisture to the ends and keep my eye on them for any damage.

ETA--I went over to your FOTKI and you braidout is very nice, your hair looks really healthy!

Oh...that is so kind of you. This site says for some reason that I have been a member since 2007, but I have actually joined in the past week or so. I know NOTHING about haircare and have just winged it up to this date.

I love the style you have at the bottom of your profile. BEAUTIFUL!!! even though I can't see the whole pic. I miss really short hair, but I have a hubby who likes long hair. Somehow, I caught his passion and now want to see just how long it will get. I am relaxed, but I think I do very little manipulation of my hair. Hopefully, I can retain some growth.... I am studying you guys' success like crazy....

cj

 

[frizzy]

Thanks melodies815 (cj)! I noticed you are a singer too, go on girl!

 

[melodies815]

I did braidouts a good majority of this last summer, and retained length. However, I did almost no-manipulation, and almost daily cowashes.

I wonder about cowashing. Can you do them while the hair is in braids? It seems like you have to do too much to the hair every single day. Probably, I just don't understand them, so please forgive my ignorance. I cannot imagine spending too much time on my hair daily.

So far, what I am doing is just the braidouts, gently conditioning the ends daily, air drying when I do wash on a weekendly basis and...honestly....as absolutely little as possible while still maintaining the needed moisture. I was doing really bad breaking last year from not enough moisture with the hard water we have here. My remedy was self-done kinky twists for 5 months, which I will put back in in a week or so.

If I have any health, the twists are why... lol

Anytime my hair is out, I want to do braidouts.

Hope it works...

 

[melodies815]

I did braidouts a good majority of this last summer, and retained length. However, I did almost no-manipulation, and almost daily cowashes.

Also..forgot to mention....your hair is growing soooo nicely!!! What amazing progress since January!

I want to be like you!!!

cj