How much protective styling is really necesary?

[soslychic]

I'd never even heard of protective styling until I came to this board and I am totally feelin' the concept. However...even though my hair isn't very long, I love wearing my hair down and I really don't know how much I could stand buns and french rolls all the time. So I was wondering, just HOW MUCH of this protective styling stuff in essential. More would of course be better, but ESSENTIAL, at least just to start out...

 

[sylviaetc]

i'm wondering the same thing. i love wearing my hair down, and feeling it bounce as i walk. *L* i'll check back to see the results of your post...

 

[CurlyCrly]

The first time I heard about protective styling was in the 80's and it was through a Wanakee brochure. However, I always wore my hair down and it grew to below my bra-strap. I still primarily wear it down. For me, as long as I take care of my hair, wearing it down is not a problem. I don't intend to change because I like wearing it down.

 

[KinksnCurlz]

I never heard of protective styling either until i started visiting hair boards. It has been my understanding that your hair moves back and forth across your clothing which "split" your ends, leaving it brittle. I think you should just switch up from time to time. 3 days out, 4 days in, you decide. Just keep in mind the more moisturized your hair/ends are, the less split ends you'll have.

 

[tekmommie]

I wear my hair down about 1/3 of the time. It is absolutely essential to keep the ends moisturized...this tends to happen more when you wear your hair up, well at least for me because I slather the Finishing Lotion on.

When I wear my hair down I get my moisture from the conditioners, when I wear it up I put more Finishing lotion/oil in it...you know to keep it together. So needless to say I never wear my hair down more than two days in a row, but usually it is one day down two days up (when I say down I mean straight not braid/twist outs, because I use more Finishing lotion/oil)

 

[Tracy]

Although I also enjoy wearing my hair down and am intrigued by the idea of wearing it up (always have been, I've always felt like I was missing the boat somehow on this very issue) here's the conlcusions I've come to in my many years on the boards:

1. I've seen as many people with gorgeous hair on the boards that routinely wear it down as wear it up BUT for folks who've had trouble retaining length over the years or just want to do so extra quickly, wearing the hair up seems to be a common thread.

2. I also think exposure to clothing and wear and tear from rubbing is what creates the real problems instead of the air as Wanakee's theories suggest. I do believe the air theory has some merit, but IMO it's the rubbing and getting caught under straps and stuff that really does the damage.

3. As your hair gets longer it's more pleasurable to wear up because longer hair just looks nicer pulled up than just above shoulder length or above hair does. That doesn't mean you CAN'T get it to look nice pulled up when it's shorter, but I became much less adverse to it (in fact it became a time saver and quick and easy way to look pulled together) as my hair got longer because my hair looked fuller in my updos and there was more versatility with the added length. So as it got longer I've worn it up more, which is really when I feel (based on my feelings in #2) it needed to be up anyway because it was as it got longer that it began to rub and get caught.

4. Everyone's hair will respond differently to protective styles - some people's hair thrives, some people's hair breaks. It all depends on how you do it and what your hair thinks.

So I'd play with it. At the length your hair is now, you may only need to wear it up about 2-3 days a week and then you can increase that as it gets longer as you wish and it gives you some time to see how your hair personally will respond to protective stlying based on the fact that people have had varying experiences.

 

[Peachtree]

Very good question. Personally, before discovering the boards, I wore my hair down 99% of the time (either hanging down my back or in a single ponytail). Yes I had splits, but I would trim them as needed. Overall my hair looked good. I grew it about 4" longer than it is now (not intentionally though).

Now, after discovering the boards, I wear my hair in protective styles about 50-75% of the time (either my ends are in a "down" braid / twist out or my ends are in braidout bun, etc). Yes, I still get splits, but I continue to trim as needed (just like I did prior to finding the board).

However, the major difference I've noticed after wearing more protective styling is that my hair appeared to be growing faster. Actually, it wasn't growing any faster than before; the growth rate remained the same, however, my "breakage rate" decreased, which enabled me to "RETAIN" more length.

My point.... protective styling (for me anyway) is not really necessary to achieve longer lengths. However, SOME protective styling * ends covering * (for me) is necessary if I want to achieve longer lengths * quickly *.

BTW, I love to wear my hair out too

.

Just for clarity, my def of "protective styling" is "hair styles that do not expose my ends".

 

[MiaLi]

Tracy and Peachtree, your words are definitely on point.

For me, it's 80% protective because as Tracy noted, it is easy to achieve a polished look in a minimal amount of time.

Find the balance that works best for your hair where protective styling is concerned and you will be able to measure the progress for yourself.

 

[azul11]

I get that you dont want your ends to be rubbing against your clothes and the whole thing about the hair getting caught in the straps of bags and what not but i dont get that whole air theory. sometimes when i find a flaw in one part of someone's theory it makes me question everything about the theory.

i used wanakee's system but i honestly didnt like protective styles. i like the idea of wearing a ponytail (drawstring as its called here) and wearing braids. but if i am supposed to keep my hair away from air then i would have to keep the ends in a bun 24/7. and then she had that whole trim every 6-8 weeks. i'm like okkkkkk....i'm not saying this cannot work but for me i just cant do this. i can see alternating and keeping the ends moisturized but this bun everyday thing i dont know. and some odd reasons my hair gets mad at me. this week i havent done the bun thing i have done an updo which i like better. and would like to do a ponytail but i dont know i'm not hair expert i just know what i personally like and what my hair responds well to. God bless you all.

 

[Guest]

I wonder that too. There is girl at our church always wears her her down, every day and her hair is gorgeous, she said what's the point of having it if you can't wear it.

I see lots of people who don't wear them and have great hair.

I on the other hand don't see why I have long hair cause it's always up, I may as well get a nice medium cut. But I'd probably try to put that up to...

 

[CurlyCrly]

I honestly think it has more to do with manipulation and caring for your hair (moisture and protein) than anything else. It is my belief that if the hair can hold onto moisture and is strong, it should be able to withstand non-protective styles.

There were lots of people who had jheri curls and wore their hair down all the time and had long, thick hair. What about the people (caucasian and asians specifically) who have long, healthy looking hair and wear it down all the time? Even those who perm wear it down all the time. I admit that they probably cut/trim their hair more than LHCF members.

When my hair was below bra-strap length, I put it up in a satin bonnet every night after putting it up in a loose ponytail on top of my head. I then put several magnetic rollers in the ponytail, rolled up my bangs, and pin-curled a couple of curls on the sides because it was too much stress to pull that section up. I took the ponytail, rollers, and pin-curls out in the morning, then finger combed and was ready to go in a few minutes. My hair was long, healthy looking and thick. I will never primarily wear protective styles because I don't believe in the theory.

 

[soslychic]

Thank you so much you guys. Your responses have been EXTREMELY helpful and I will definetly experiement to find the right balance for my hair. Thanks all!

 

[Stormy]

Re: How much protective styling is really necesary

Well...my MAIN reason for wearing protective styles is to keep from having to manipulate my hair so much as I get closer to touch up time. It really works for me!

 

[TwistNMx]

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder that too. There is girl at our church always wears her her down, every day and her hair is gorgeous, she said what's the point of having it if you can't wear it.
I see lots of people who don't wear them and have great hair.


[/ QUOTE ]
I agree with Mindy Mouse.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Any answers?

 

[lala]

SoSlyChic,

I can't really legitimately answer your question regarding how essential protective styles are in retaining length. I do know that for 6 months I wore my hair up in a bun on top of my head (due to laziness) and when I wore my hair down (to work) my female coworkers thought I had gotten a weave. I didn't spend a lot of time styling, I would just comb/brush it up, secure it with a ponytail holder and pin it it place. I don't know if it was the protective style or the lack of styling/handling.

 

[TwistNMx]

Lala,
Was your hair in a relaxed state at the time you wore it in a bun?
Thanx in advance.

 

[lala]

[ QUOTE ]
Lala,
Was your hair in a relaxed state at the time you wore it in a bun?
Thanx in advance.

[/ QUOTE ]


High Priestess,

Yes, my hair was relaxed at the time.