BRAIDS FOR A YEAR?

[blazingthru]

I was told it would be a good ideal to keep my hair braided up for a year.
I haven't check the boards to see if anyone has done this. I don't mean keep it braided up in the same style for a year but to take it out and give it a break for a week and rebraid it back up. I think I would stop worrying about the growth issue and basically keep my hands out of my hair as well. I have braids now, I have had braids, as of today for one month. I am taking them out and washing, deep conditioning, moisturize condition and leave in moisture then get it rebraided up in a few more days. then continue the cycle for a year.

Except to take my picture each month, my hair will be braided up. What do you think about this ideal? do you think my hair will be so weak and fragile when I take it out, that it just won't be worth it. I will do a BC in October to cut all the perm out of my hair I would have transition for a year by then. So far I am getting an inch a month- but not in the back. Usually my back and top grow in together I swear I should have five inches in the back by now but it looks like not much is happening.

 

[Country gal]

I tend to get lots of growth with braids. I use to wear braids often for long periods of time before coming to this site. After a while, my sides did suffer from the braids. I am curious to see how other LHCF members did with braids. I am sure you will get good advice on braid care here. I am doing twist challenge three weeks out of the month. I will probably re do the twists weekly and have one week free. I think wearing twists will aid in growth and less breakage.

 

[rai]

there's a new crown and glory thread. I will see if I can bump it up for you. Also check out. www.growafrohairlong.com

 

[MzTami]

Trudy,

When I use to wear braids consistently, my hair was weak and fragile and was breaking more than it was growing. I like braids because of the convenience but other than that they didn't do my hair any justice.

 

[littleaudie]

I braid hair & have worn braids for a year or more once or twice in my hair transitions. I used braids for 5 months this time around. This is my second attempt at more natural hair. I felt comfortable enough to b/c and just wear a twa w/headband, small twist after 5 months. I will braid my hair again in a month or two. but only for 6-8 weeks.
It's a good way to reach some hair goals depending on the style and way you maintain the hair. I have to admit it's hard to wear braids for that long with out just wanting to touch your hair.

Just be patient once you remove the braids.
Make sure your edges are not too tight.
Make sure the braiding hair is washed b4 braided if it's human hair (that's a whole board by its self)
Make sure you use vitamins and drink lots of water just like you would if you hair were out.
Keep your scalp clean. Please don't leave them in too long. 8weeks max depending on style.
Trim some of the relaxed edges b4 you re-braid.-as much as you can stand. It will push you closer to your natural goal, and your b/c wont be so painful.

 

[DiamondStar]

Trudy,

When I use to wear braids consistently, my hair was weak and fragile and was breaking more than it was growing. I like braids because of the convenience but other than that they didn't do my hair any justice.

I had braids for 3 months, and my edges were basically non-existant when I removed them. My hair was in its weakest state when I was in and out of braids. But, some people do have success with them.

 

[ayoung]

Trudy,

I agree--check out the growafrohairlong site. She has really great info on how to wear braids to grow your hair--and not damage your hair--like not getting small braids, keeping hair moisturized, eating well, and vitamins.

Good luck! I think you should be able to do it!

 

[KiSseS03]

I think braids are a great way to grow you hair, as long as they are done right and taken care of properly.

I had a barely ear-length cut last January that I HATED and I wore braids successfully for almost 4 months to grow it out. I got the really big braids (like the growafrohairlong site) and made sure they weren't too tight. I washed my hair once a week with diluted CON shampoo, conditioned with Infusium Leave-In and used a little Wonder 8 Oil once or twice during the week. I rebraided every 6 weeks faithfully (it was 3 sets.) By June my hair was touching my shoulders.

I'm wearing braids again right now, until school ends in April (3 sets again) hopefully I'll be at armpit length or close by then!

 

[hairspan]

I AM ALSO DOING THIS, I ALREADY HAVE MY DESIRED LENGTH, I'M JUST GETTING BRAIDS TO PROTECT MY HAIR FOR A WHILE SINCE I'M GOING TO THE GYM & MY HAIR SWEATS A LOT, GOOD LUCK

 

[IrisDaVirus]

I've worn braids for longer than a year on several occasions and my hair thrived. I had a routine of washing, deep conditioning, trimming when necessary, and rebrading every eight to ten weeks. I also made sure to never wear braids too tight or so small I'd exhaust myself removing them.

 

[Healthb4Length]

Have you guys checked out the Crown and Glory challenge or the Braided Buddies Challenge. Both are real good, plus you don't have to use extension hair to grow it out you can do cornrows, flat twists and 2 stranded twists with the Crown and Glory method and get optimal results.

 

[ekomba]

I was told it would be a good ideal to keep my hair braided up for a year.
I haven't check the boards to see if anyone has done this. I don't mean keep it braided up in the same style for a year but to take it out and give it a break for a week and rebraid it back up. I think I would stop worrying about the growth issue and basically keep my hands out of my hair as well. I have braids now, I have had braids, as of today for one month. I am taking them out and washing, deep conditioning, moisturize condition and leave in moisture then get it rebraided up in a few more days. then continue the cycle for a year.

Except to take my picture each month, my hair will be braided up. What do you think about this ideal? do you think my hair will be so weak and fragile when I take it out, that it just won't be worth it. I will do a BC in October to cut all the perm out of my hair I would have transition for a year by then. So far I am getting an inch a month- but not in the back. Usually my back and top grow in together I swear I should have five inches in the back by now but it looks like not much is happening.

i m about to go back on cornrows for the whole year and twist outs for events i notice the most growth in cornrows the only problem is the sides and hairline. i know they will suffer the most so i have to have all the aids, lotions to apply to my hairline i cant make skinny braids they will eat up my hairline

 

[Phoenix]

I have been wearing braids since Oct. 12th 2004 & I'm having a lot of luck with them. I think it really depends on your hair. My hair has always done well in braids, but I've also heard braid horror stories from others. I think it's important to figure out which type and size braids work for your hair. I always make sure that my braids aren't too small or too tight and I leave the edges unbraided. I wash once a week and spritz several times a day with a mixture of filtered water, hot six oil, and glycerine. I also use MTG every other day. I use Unbraid Spray to take them out & I've had no problems.

Oh yeah- I did have some thinning around the edges at first (when they were braiding all the way to the baby hair) but not braiding the edges and using MTG really filled my edges in quickly.

 

[blazingthru]

I braid hair & have worn braids for a year or more once or twice in my hair transitions. I used braids for 5 months this time around. This is my second attempt at more natural hair. I felt comfortable enough to b/c and just wear a twa w/headband, small twist after 5 months. I will braid my hair again in a month or two. but only for 6-8 weeks.
It's a good way to reach some hair goals depending on the style and way you maintain the hair. I have to admit it's hard to wear braids for that long with out just wanting to touch your hair.

Just be patient once you remove the braids.
Make sure your edges are not too tight.
Make sure the braiding hair is washed b4 braided if it's human hair (that's a whole board by its self)
Make sure you use vitamins and drink lots of water just like you would if you hair were out.
Keep your scalp clean. Please don't leave them in too long. 8weeks max depending on style.
Trim some of the relaxed edges b4 you re-braid.-as much as you can stand. It will push you closer to your natural goal, and your b/c wont be so painful.

This is great advice I will think on this a little longer. I dont' want to cut my hair because I am on a challenge no trim for a year and growing it all out to shoulder lenght which is what I am hoping to reach before the year is up in August, Oct is just a few months a way so it will not be a big deal but in Oct I plan to get rid of all the perm. At this point I am only leaving the braids in for a month, I can't stand it no longer then that. My hair was always good when I kept it in braids, I never use to wash it either. It got damage because I had so much new growth I ran and got a perm and then it ended up breaking off.

 

[blazingthru]

I tend to get lots of growth with braids. I use to wear braids often for long periods of time before coming to this site. After a while, my sides did suffer from the braids. I am curious to see how other LHCF members did with braids. I am sure you will get good advice on braid care here. I am doing twist challenge three weeks out of the month. I will probably re do the twists weekly and have one week free. I think wearing twists will aid in growth and less breakage.

I wanted to get twist but my hair is to short for it I have lots of hair on top and hardly any on the sides. I have cornrows. I have large cornrows. I have a lot of new growth on the top and sides nothing in the back. I will have to wait until it gets longer to do a complete twist in my hair, I can't wait until it grows out so that i can twist it up cute. Thanks

 

[blazingthru]

Trudy,

When I use to wear braids consistently, my hair was weak and fragile and was breaking more than it was growing. I like braids because of the convenience but other than that they didn't do my hair any justice.

MzTami this is what I was worried about ---the damage!, I never knew how many damaging things that I had done to my hair over the years and this is my concern but to be honest with you, I never had breakage and bald spots or anything after braids. This time I am cornrolling it because I am concerned about the matting factor in the braids. I dont' wash it, I know I should but I put MTG every other day Surge 14 and moisturizer spritz three times or more a day. I got great growth.

 

[blazingthru]

Trudy,

I agree--check out the growafrohairlong site. She has really great info on how to wear braids to grow your hair--and not damage your hair--like not getting small braids, keeping hair moisturized, eating well, and vitamins.
Good luck! I think you should be able to do it!

Yeah I checked out the site. This might sound crazy but watching her take her braids out grossed me out the back door. I couldn't stand it I think taking your braids out is a personal issue. Anywho. I been good about taking my vitamins and eating better, I just have to get on the bandwagon with the water, thats probably why my back hasn't come totally in yet. its terrible how short it is back there. After three months, even if it grow slowly I should have something to grab back there.

 

[patient1]

Yeah, seeing her pick through all that gunk was. . .grossly informative. I've never had those types of issues when I've removed my braids.

On topic, be careful of your edges and keep your hair moisturized at all times. When you're at home, I'd saturate my hair focusing on the damage prone areas. I'd oil my scalp more than twice a week. At least every other day.

p1

 

[CORBINS]

I have just removed my braids after wearing them for 7 months and my hair is really healthy. I removed the braids around my edges every other week to remove any build-up. I made sure they stayed moisturized and I even deep conditioned them while my hair was braided. I never completely removed the braids until the 7th month, but I did re-braid them when they needed to be. I also did not put a relaxer in. The only time I had problems with my edges in the past, was when I braided over relaxed hair. It can work if you have a good routine down and you have to know what your hair can and cannot tolerate.

 

[tastesosweet]

I cut my hair to the scalp about 4 years ago and grew it out wearing braids/twists for two years straight. The main thing to keep in mind is to not neglect your hair once its braided. It's so easy to just get up and go without tending to it and that will cause it to dry out and break off. Try to maintain some moisture, oil your edges, and make sure your braids/twists aren't put in too tight and you should have success. Good luck!

http://public.fotki.com/tastesosweet/

 

[blazingthru]

Thanks everyone for all the advice I think I can do it. I never have breakage around my edges and I have this great butter mixture I put on there its shea butter, mango butter, coco butter- Pineapple essence, orange essence it smells wonderful and it keeps my edges so soft and shiny. I Like. I moisturize my hair just about three times a day with my own mixture of braidX and distilled water, coconut oil a little almond oil and orange essence. I use MTG every other day and Surge 14. I spray a lot of moisturizer because I am concerned about the Surge14 being to strong on the braids. I am taking my hair out tonight I might post some update pictures but this growth chart thing drives me nuts I can't wait to actually see something major. I am going to do it anyway because I will look back and say look how are this sister done came.