Caring for my braids

[starfish]

Hi,
This past Saturday I had single braids put in all over my head. I exercise/train every day and I was tired of doing, or not doing, something with my hair. (My hair is wet every day just from sweat) I used syntheic hair and my braids are BSL. (My hair is in between APL and BSL). Here's the regimen I intend to use to take care of them.

1. Spray daily with mixture of water, JBCO, Jamila oil, emu oil and a little So Sexy conditioner.

2. Wash every week-10 days with a net cap over my head (not washing the ends, only my scalp and the part of the braid where my hair is) with:

• diluted KeraCare shampoo
• ACV rinse
• 10 en 1 conditioner

3. Sit under the dryer to dry braids

4. Oil scalp

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks Ladies!!

 

[cutiebe2]

Your regimen looks great but I would change two things
1. you might want to wash more often since you are working out. I would wash it at least every week or 2x per week. I work out everyday too so this is what I have had to do. And since you are using a net over it you wont get too much frizziness

2.I would do a DC with heat but I would't sit under the dryer to dry the braids. Unless you are in a real rush you do not want any unessasary heat on the hair.

hth

 

[SvelteVelvet]

Your regimen sounds pretty thorough. How long are you keeping them in? If for a couple of months don't forget to touch up the braids around the edges once you start getting some growth. It'll help thwart breakage in that area.

Did you do your braids yourself or did you have them done at a salon. I'm pretty sure my hair will be APL by the time I take my braids down and I was thinking I'd wanna get them done again for the rest of the summer months, but I'm a little apprehensive because of how long it'll be. Maybe I'm just being silly. How was your experience?

 

[starfish]

Cutiebe2:
Won't I get funky braids if I don't dry them? Won't mold grow in my braids for being wet for so long?

My regular hair takes more than 24 hours to dry naturally, it retains alot of moisture, so I was thinking that the braids would take longer. I have a Pibbs dryer and can set the temp to med/cool. On the other hand, if I'm washing 1x or 2x/week, then they'll just be wet all the time.

Hair care for daily exercisers who sweat is too much and you're right. There's no way I could wait 10 days with all this sweat buildup on my scalp.

SvelteVelvet:
Thanks for the reminder to touch up the braids once they grow out. I was thinking about getting my entire head redone after a couple of months anyway. I had them done at a braiding salon. Although it took 8 hours to put them in the woman who braided me didn't put them in too tight. They're extremely long, but I like long hair and it's cheaper than getting a weave cuz the cost of hair is cheaper.

Thanks!

 

[SvelteVelvet]

Cutiebe2:

SvelteVelvet:
Thanks for the reminder to touch up the braids once they grow out. I was thinking about getting my entire head redone after a couple of months anyway. I had them done at a braiding salon. Although it took 8 hours to put them in the woman who braided me didn't put them in too tight. They're extremely long, but I like long hair and it's cheaper than getting a weave cuz the cost of hair is cheaper.

Thanks!

Cool, well that makes me a little less skittish because your hair is definately longer than mine at almost BSL. I know I won't do as good of a job as the braiders in the shop as far as the braids staying in my head and not budging, I love to see the true progress of growth, not just slipped bases, so I'll do it.

If you are going to get them redone, I know it's expensive, but due to your lifestyle and the amount of times it'll need to be washed, maybe try wet & wavy human hair. It's softer and of course you can wet it and go. I've had human braids before where I let water rinse through it every morning in the shower, used shampoo once a month if at all. I did not experience any type of moldage, my scalp and hair was always clean, and had mucho growth when I took them down. You might need like 24 inches or so though. I needed 18 this last time, I'm probably going get 24 myself.