???Can One's Hair Suffocate????

[Xtal]

???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

If I do not wear my hair loose in between braids/weaves, will my hair "suffocate"?
Currently, I only want leave my hair out for 1-2 days in between having it braided, basically
enough time to clarify, deep condition, moisturize, and prepare for rebraiding.
Does anyone wear or has anyone worn braids constantly and gotten good
growth and strong hair?

If I decide not to do this, I need some ultra-conservative transition styles to
work with in the meantime. Any ideas???

 

[zoya_j]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

Your hair can still "breathe" with the braids. I wear weaves for 4-6 weeks, wear my hair out for about a week and then weave again. I'm thinking about getting flat twist extensions this time though, they last me about two weeks.How long do you leave your extensions in at a time?

 

[Stormy]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

Does anyone wear or has anyone worn braids constantly and gotten good
growth and strong hair?

I have. When I wore braids constantly I was very pleased with the results. I do believe in taking a break from them and letting your scalp breath. I used to wait anywhere from 1 week to 1 month. I only wear braids about once or twice a year now that I've found other protective hair styles.

 

[Xtal]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

I leave my extensions in for 6-8 weeks maximum. I always get a different style
so it just depends on the staying power of the style.

Stormy,
I think I may try to wait a couple of weeks like you suggested.

zoya_j,
What are flat twist extensions??? That sounds like a style I might like!

 

[Supergirl]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

I have heard that if the hair is covered for a long period of time, it can weaken it. That's probably moreso due to the lack of conditioning than having it covered though.

 

[Xtal]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

Supergirl, I never thought of that!
I do "deep condition" while I'm in braids, but I doubt it does any penetrating.
It just keeps me in the habit.

I will definately try to deep condition more times before it goes back into the braids.

Thanks!

 

[cutebajangirl]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

Wearing braids for 1 year freshman year in high school I how I went from no hair to shoulder length hair . I washed them daily and re did them myself monthly. I now wear braids and weaves in the winter. It def. grows my hair. I use to think my hairline was thinning until I saw pictures from when I was younger and it looks the same.

 

[Nonie]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

I wear braids all the time. I'm constantly redoing them though and that way I keep them neat and take the strain off the section of my hair I started the braid the last time to begin on the new, unstrained growth. I wash 'em twice a week, moisturize like crazy (which sometimes involves sleeping with a plastic cap on) and deep condition every time I wash my hair. (This moisturizing practice has only just become a ritual since joining this board. Prior to coming here, I simply made do with washing and deep-conditioning and still managed to grow about 5-6 inches in about a year.) And with my newly found knowledge and hence new attitude, I anticipate even better results. I guess if my natural Type 4A/B (with the emphasis on the B) wasn't so hard to comb and manage, (and perhaps if I had found this board a while back and gotten some practice) I might have had the courage to take a break from braids every now and then - even just for a brief new naptural look. But the thought of having to deal with the mammoth is terrifying enough to cause me mental anguish. (Plus I'd hate to reverse the progress I've made thus far). So suffocation or not, my hair doesn't seem to mind one bit; and neither do I. Keeping my hair in braids, years at a time, is the only way I've ever been able to grow my hair. Hopefully this time, I'll get to maintain and keep all that I grow and achieve that oh-so-elusive length I seek. And I am pretty confident I will...thanks to all I'm learning from my dear family here at LHCF.

 

[Nessa]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

NOpe I don't think. I mean your hair grows, regardlws.

 

[debyjay]

Re: ???Can One\'s Hair Suffocate????

I completely agree with Nonie, I wore braids for 6 months re-did them every 2 months and did not wash them only dry cleaned which I now know is bad bad bad but I got a lil over 5 inches in those 6 months. I washed them one time and they slid right down my back so I just never washed them. I used ORS Herbal Cleanse. And moisturized with their olive oil spray. Now that I have all this knowledge from this board I anticipate better resutls.