Is There Such A Thing As Too Much Protective Styling?

[whosthatgurl]

Right now I’m in between stylists and I’m still trying to find the right one. That has resulted in me not getting trims properly. Because of that I feel that’s the reason why I have so many single strand knots and tangles, especially towards the ends. I consulted with someone who I’m considering to let to do my hair and it was suggested that I may be wearing too many protective styles and to let my hair breathe.

When I wear wigs I wear them for maybe 2-3 weeks and then wear my natural hair out for a week. Normally in a twist out.

Is there such a thing has too much protective styling?

 

[Browndilocks]

Yes there is such a thing. You have to consider the hair that suffers as a result of the hair you protect. For example, if you are wearing buns all the time, you may experience thinning in the area where the bun rests on your head, if you're consistently wearing it in the same place. Your edges can thin out if your always pull your hair back. You can get split ends by wearing braids. Basically you can't win for losing, so you might as well find your own balance of being cautious and comfortable.

 

[whosthatgurl]

^ well I do declare. Thank you!

 

[PlanetCybertron]

It depends.

For some there is such a thing, for others it’s not.

And that’s dependent on your hair type, strand thickness, density, etc.

If you’re finding that protective styling is causing more issues than benefits after a certain length of time, it’s a good thing you’re being vigilant and targeting the issue before it gets out of hand. Perhaps not steadily detangling and separating your hair is a key issue, ergo, SSKs and unnecessary tangling. Which is understandable.

For me personally, too much protective styling just isn’t a thing. I don’t think my hair would be this length if I didn’t excessively protective style. My hair is too fine and fragile, even as a unit to withstand frequent detangling, and loose styles, and just being out and about.

So it’s very dependent on how someone’s hair is and how it acts.

 

[sunnieb]

Not for me!

Bunning daily is how I'm retaining all my length. However, it could be considered too much if you put your hair in a PS and never touch it. I take my bun down nightly and I cowash 4x a week, plus shampoo/dc.

I'm always up in my scalp!

 

[oneastrocurlie]

Yes if your hair suffers from it.

Sort of related, washing my hair more frequently reduces my frequency of getting single strand knots.

 

[Beachy]

@whosthatgurl
Yes, I think there is such a thing as too much protective styling but for a different reason than others have mentioned.

I am a hardcore Bunner. I could not wait for my hair to get long enough to do buns after seeing the ladies on here and YT doing their buns. Before my hair was long enough to bun, I would do a variety of styles (twist updos, flat-twist, perm rod sets, twist-outs, braid-outs, cornrow updo’s etc...) always leaving them in for 7-10 days at a time.

Fast forward to somewhere around year 2-3 when I realized I had a bun I could wear in proudly in public....it was on from that point. I have been bunning around 85-90% since then. Now don’t get me wrong my hair has not suffered (I am tailbone length) and I can do what most would consider a very intricate bun with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back. The problem is I can’t do anything else!! I am so out of practice I don’t even think I could get a decent twist-out/braid-out, forget about anything else, honestly the thought of stretching my hair and doing something with it is a scary thought...so yeah I think you can protective style too much!!!

 

[whosthatgurl]

Thanks everyone. I plan to go to a stylist soon (be it the person I consulted with) or someone where I am, to see if I can rule out needing another trim.

 

[sunflora]

@whosthatgurl
Yes, I think there is such a thing as too much protective styling but for a different reason than others have mentioned.

I am a hardcore Bunner. I could not wait for my hair to get long enough to do buns after seeing the ladies on here and YT doing their buns. Before my hair was long enough to bun, I would do a variety of styles (twist updos, flat-twist, perm rod sets, twist-outs, braid-outs, cornrow updo’s etc...) always leaving them in for 7-10 days at a time.

Fast forward to somewhere around year 2-3 when I realized I had a bun I could wear in proudly in public....it was on from that point. I have been bunning around 85-90% since then. Now don’t get me wrong my hair has not suffered (I am tailbone length) and I can do what most would consider a very intricate bun with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back. The problem is I can’t do anything else!! I am so out of practice I don’t even think I could get a decent twist-out/braid-out, forget about anything else, honestly the thought of stretching my hair and doing something with it is a scary thought...so yeah I think you can protective style too much!!!

Can you please share what type of bun styles you do?

This is more of a success story than warning of PSing. I'll gladly go right back to bunning. I did experience thinning around the sides of my hair though, as I believe I brushed them too hard with a nylon 'bbb'. I'd like to see other successful techniques.

 

[sunflora]

Thanks everyone. I plan to go to a stylist soon (be it the person I consulted with) or someone where I am, to see if I can rule out needing another trim.

I think it depends on many factors. Your hair type, what type of styles you do, etc. I think perhaps if you are natural with a coarse/dry texture and you don't moisturize your hair under your wig for 2-3 weeks, that could lead to ssks. Also, how well you stretch your hair. If you let your ends kind of coil up and do what they want, you'll be plagued by ssks - that's my life right now. And most importantly for styles like wigs, how carefully you remove shed hair when you remove your braids. That can definitely lead to knots. It could simply be that you need a PS that allows you to add more moisture. Some people really thrive with wigs, but I find those are people whose hair really just wants to be left alone. Your experience may vary.

 

[Beachy]

Can you please share what type of bun styles you do?

This is more of a success story than warning of PSing. I'll gladly go right back to bunning. I did experience thinning around the sides of my hair though, as I believe I brushed them too hard with a nylon 'bbb'. I'd like to see other successful techniques.

I guess you could view it either way but I honestly feel like I have protective styled too much. I have read post about people feeling like they have used wigs or weaves as a crutch. To me I have used buns as my crutch, so much so in a lot of ways I don’t really know how to manipulate my hair otherwise with confidence anymore.

To answer your question.....
In terms of bunning styles, I do wet buns with gel that I leave in for @ 10-14 days at a time. This has gotten progressively longer originally it was 7 days faithfully but as my hair got longer and my styles stayed intact, I figured there was no need to wash out a perfectly good style because it was a certain day of the week. I do not take my hair down nightly. I spray (moisturize my hair nightly sometimes 2x a day) and put on a scarf around my edges and a bonnet over my bun. I do not use brushes or combs. I use gravity (read ..... I hang my head upside down) with the weight of the gel and leave-in in my hair and my hands to do smoothing then I sit under a hooded dryer. I used to use my scarf and just air dry but that is no longer an option. I only use banana clips and hair pins not Bobby pins. I rotate the position of my bun each time I do my hair from left to right or a diagonal slant.

I hope that is helpful to you.

 

[LonDone]

I agree with @Beachy ... I'm capable of just the two styles I've been wearing in the last 6- years, which is the box braids PS or a ponytail, so yes too much PS can be limiting if you are already style-challenged.

It's also not beneficial if your own hair does not prosper whilst ps'ing - not every ps is for everybody or every head of hair.

 

[LonDone]

I agree with @Beachy ... I'm capable of just the two styles I've been wearing in the last 6- years, which is the box braids PS or a ponytail, so yes too much PS can be limiting if you are already style-challenged.

It's also not beneficial if your own hair does not prosper whilst ps'ing - not every ps is for everybody or every head of hair.

 

[Kindheart]

Bunning breaks my ends and thins my edges . My hair like twists and medium size braids . Too much manipulation can stress the hair and lead it to break .

 

[hothair]

I do. I found I got the best growth leaving my hair alone. I was the queen of braids, weave wigs when I started my joirney.

Leaving my hair free was best for my hair

 

[MileHighDiva]