Paging the Braidy Bunch

[HoneyRockette]

Do you feel braids flatter your features more? In other words, do you think you look cuter with braids than without? I never thought I did but I wore my braids down this weekend at work for the first time (I usually wear my hair up at work) and everyone complimented me non stop all weekend. Now I don't think it would be a problem keeping my braids in for 12-18 months. Braids are easier for me to maintain, plus I look cute.

Do you think it would be easier to keep and maintain braids if you knew you looked super cute or does it not matter to you?

 

[AmilLion]

I think I looked very nice with my braids, but I prefer my natural hair better especially the look right after a relaxer.

However, I find that wearing any hair extension over an extended period will cause some type of damage to the hair.

 

[Kitkat]

Good for you, HoneyRockette!! You go, girl!! (hope you don't mind my jumping in!) /images/graemlins/grin.gif I really liked the way I looked when I had my braids, and I think they did compliment my features. Sure, if you KNOW that you look cute, braids are definitely easy to maintain!!
AmilLion, I don't completely agree with you. I've never had weaves, but I don't think that damage from extensions like braids is a foregone conclusion, even if you wear braids for a long time. If you have braids and don't care for them properly, your hair will get damaged. It can happen by not washing enough, not spraying your braids and scalp regularly, and not removing them properly. If you're doing the right things, hair can thrive in braids worn for a long time.

 

[AmilLion]

I just find that the weight of braids in addition to your hair not being able to be fully and properly condition have aided in some type of hair loss. I'm not saying that you have to lose chucks of hair to notice a loss, but within wearing braids for an extended period (more than a year) you can and will notice damage.

When I wore braids for 6 months, yes my hair grew very long, I conditioned it and washed it weekly, however, I know "MY" hair and "I" would eventually lose more hair strands with the additional weight and etc than if I were to have worn my natural hair (hense, I lost density but gained length). However, when wearing braids for only 6 months, I noticed that the hair is (replaced), therefore, I didn't notice that much lost.

Its kind of hard to explain.

But when I started wearing weaves and braids beyond a year, that's when i noticed, I required more trims because my hair started to look stringy, but don't get me wrong, I would get a good 1 - 1/2 a month of growth, but what good will that do me if my ends were beginning to thin out.

With "my hair", I wear weaves or braids, I require a trim each time I take the weaves or braids out (beyond one year), however, if I were to where my natural hair and lets say wear protective styles, a trim's required every 4-6 months maybe.

I'm stressing I and my because these were my personal experiences with weaves and braids. As I've worn them from June 1998-August 2002 (alternating from net weaves, to cornrows, to micro braids to regular box braids).

 

[Kitkat]

I hear you. I know that everyone's experience is very individual, so what applies to one might not apply to someone else! /images/graemlins/grin.gif
Let me ask a question - do you think you would have achieved the length you have now without braids and weaves? From your description, your hair seems quite long. And which method was the least stressful for you? I've only had box braids, which I loved!

 

[AmilLion]

I think braids doesn't aid in hair growth, I feel that is somewhat of a camouflage (kind of hard to explain).

Honestly speaking, I think I would have acquired the same amount of growth from wearing braids/weaves vs.. wearing my natural hair, however, I feel that my hair would have been more dense if I would have grown it out naturally. The only reason why I attest this is, when I got my first relaxer after completely removing hair extensions from wearing over an extended time, when I would feel into my scalp I could feel little sharp hairs sticky through. Now that I'm wearing my natural hair out, I don't have the sensation any longer. But I noticed that feeling each and every time I took out my braids. However, I always acquired length without a doubt.

I'm not totally against weaves and braids, but I feel from my past experiences that when putting in a weave or braids, your hair should be in the healthiest condition and you should NOT wear over extended periods.

Another effect that I experienced with weaves and braids were traction alopecia. Now, I didn't suffer from the traction alopecia because the braids were too tight, it was due to the braids twisting and moving around. When I would remove the braids, I would notice in areas especially my crown, many strands of hair attached to the braid with the hair follicle attached thus resulting in less density in that area. However, in the back I maybe not have experienced any loss and gained hair length, but at the crowd, I'm two steps back from where I started. I hope this is making sense.

The weight of the braids was also a factor as well especially while their wet, if you have synthetic or human hair. It's very heavy when wet and puts excessive stress on the hair itself and follicle.

With weaves I suggest net weave but that is the less amount of stress throughout your hair, however, in order to sew the track down you require a base and that's usually a cornrow around your entire scalp. Mind you, you have the entire weave and its pressures basically concentrating on this one section. So when washing, this area will be stressed more than the area that the net isn't sewn down to.

If you decide to do the traditional weave, when your looping that thread and needle through the plaits, the cotton is rubbing against directly your hair strands. Now, if were hesitant to wear our hair down on cotton and wool clothing for fear that our hair will come out, I applied the same theory to the thread. Additionally, if you use Yaki hair for weave, no matter how great of a brand you purchase 99% of yaki hair gets bushy at the base of the neck over time. Combing that constantly, even though you feel like its not much, it is some sort of stress to your natural hair.

Pheww.....sorry for the long winded reply...However, I feel I will weave braids or weave to attain a certain look that I would like and probably wouldn't keep it in no longer than one month. For healthy hair growth, I opt and I find with my hair its better growing out my hair naturally (relaxed), I'm able to retain more density and lessen the need for trims. But your right Kit Kat, everyone's hair may not react as mine did. But I felt the need for those who've worn braids/weaves for short periods and/or those who've never worn them to know what wearing them over extended periods can do to the hair. This is why I feel a lot of celebrities after a while stop wearing weaves because of the effects, take Beyonce, Ashanti, Mary J. Blige, Lil Kim for example. I'm sure they probably experienced the ill effects of wearing them soo often and soo much as I did. I was almost two steps from having to wear wigs, but I stopped it and got in to healthy hair care and my hair never looked this good, been this healthy and strong.

 

[AmilLion]

If wearing weaves, I find the best method and the healthiest method for the hair because you are able to condition it and treat it as if it is your own his is the interlock method or inbetween method.

Interlock - the stylist sews the thread to your hair and sew the track itself to the thread. Using this method, all of your hair is out, you have length, your hair is somewhat protected by the weave that's out, you can give yourself protein/moisturizing conditioning treatments and etc.

Inbetween- the stylist will make a few plaits horizontally throughout your hair while leaving sections of your hair out to cover the tracks.

 

[Ennyaa]

Could you elaborate more on how the interlock is done? How exactly is the thread sewn to the hair first? I might want to do this for just a few tracks to make the top of my hair the same length as the back. Also do you know any salons that specialize in this? I live in NJ and would prefer a place there but I work in midtown so I could do NY too.

 

[AmilLion]

There's this one lady in Brooklyn that does it. I love Angie and she's wonder at the interlocking, but I wouldn't trust her with hair care. (in email I'll explain)

As far as the interlocking, basically what's done is the stylist is able to sew the thread to your hair (not an individual strand) using special slip knotting skill. The thread is taught, but when its time to come out, it isn't difficult to take out. I really enjoy this method to add length or body to the hair while being able to care for your hair the way you normally would.

Here's a mental picture of interlocking. Imagine parting your hair across from ear to ear combing the top section upwards and the bottom section down. Take thread and start the slip knot threading near the part using (chunks) groups of hair securing (kind of like making many tiny flat ponytails with the thread).

Voila, once you have the thread sewn down, sew the track onto the thread.

I actually know how to do this method, but not very good, I haven't practiced it in a while. The girl I mentioned, I can e-mail you the salon information, she's in located Downtown Brooklyn. I believe she charges $15 per track or maybe $20.

 

[Mahalialee4]

I am very curious. I do not question that braids, weaves allow hair growth to accumulate and therefore longer length to show. My hair is natural 3b and very fine. Currently I have some stiffness in my body/taking physio etc and I was using the Crown&Glory Method of braiding and alternating with wraps, rolls, and natural braids. Now I am shampooing and rinsing and just keeping my hair parted in the middle. It is well conditioned, I use moisturizing leave ins + Infusium 23,plus emu oil or olive oil in vey tiny amounts to avoid product buildup. twist the ends gently into long rolls and pin up. That's 2 rolls. Leave for 2 days, take down, apply olive oil roll back up. On the third or fourth day, shampoo 1x, deep condition and repeat. If I want a special style I will do a wrap under the hooded dryer. I said all this to ask if you think that this minimal amount of handling along with consistent moisturizing and conditioning will give me the same amount of growth in the same time frame as braids for 2 months? I have not eliminated the braids, just put them on hold for a while. Bonjour.