People who wear braids GET IN HERE!!!

[SSBD]

Okay so i need help to know what is wrong with my braid regimen

Everytime i get braids i always have a lot of new growth, but my ends split so bad...So everything that grew gets cuts off on the other end. So i stay stuck at the same length.

After the last time i got braids i ended up doing the bc so now my hair is very healthy, but short and i don't wan't to get a lot of growth just to have to cut it and end up at the same place.

So is there anything i can do to stop this...should i just not wear braids anymore ...

I know i should wash them more, but i do condition them daily...the only reason why i didn't wash more before is because i didn't want them to look old really fast. I really want some more braids, but im not going to do it if my hair just doesn't respond well to them

ARE THERE ANY OTHER LADIES WHOSE HAIR DOES NOT RESPOND WELL TO BRAIDS???

 

[Lusa]

Are you conditioning and moisturising your hair while it's in braids? You may also look at the sort of hair you're using, I know certain types of kanekalon are a little rougher on my hair. There's some real rubbish out there.

 

[SSBD]

Are you conditioning and moisturising your hair while it's in braids? You may also look at the sort of hair you're using, I know certain types of kanekalon are a little rougher on my hair. There's some real rubbish out there.

Yes i condition and moisturize my hair...

 

[bravenewgirl87]

Are you conditioning and moisturising your hair while it's in braids? You may also look at the sort of hair you're using, I know certain types of kanekalon are a little rougher on my hair. There's some real rubbish out there.

Ditto. I use Surge 14 Revitilizer on my braids and amla, jasmine, jojoba oil mixed with moisturizer. You can also mix it with some sort of butter, like Alvacado or Shea.

 

[sholly6]

I wear cornrows and wash and dc every week. However, you might try and baggy method on your ends to keep them condition it will prevent split ends.
That way you can keep more length.

 

[PaulaDiddy]

Hmmmm, interesting.

I am a braid lover! and of course the split ends happens to me. However I need to know how your braids are done, what kind of extentions you use if any, how long you keep your braids in and so forth.

 

[SSBD]

Hmmmm, interesting.

I am a braid lover! and of course the split ends happens to me. However I need to know how your braids are done, what kind of extentions you use if any, how long you keep your braids in and so forth.

I keep them in about 6 to eight weeks...usually they r done at an african brading shop, but i want to learn how to do them myself brcause they do it to tight and they used a lighter way to close to my scalp(I could have just hit that lady ). I just kinky twist hair and the regurlar braiding hair, im not sure of the brand. I haven't done this exactly like this yet, but this is what i plan to do...

Spray braid spray and conditioner on daily
Baggy and wash and dc every week
Im hoping this helps solve the problem, but im just scared that it won't and im stuck with the same problem

 

[sareca]

Oil it! My braid regimen includes alma and coconut oil treatments. I coat my braids in oil (steam it or leave it overnight) then rinse in the morning. I HAVE to oil my hair, no matter how it's styled. Yeah, I know what Robin says about oil and buildup.

 

[PaulaDiddy]

O...okay.

There is not much problems. I do argee with the others for keeping the hair moisturized. Remember oil by itself is not moisturizing the hair. If your real hair is hanging out the braids it is pronerous to split ends. Protect them. By the 4th week my ends are usually hanging out the braids (depending how my braids are done).

Braids are not the problem for split ends. Keep at it. Also before you get braids, do a baggie on the ends or a good condition treatment.

Learning how to braid on your own is very easy. When you get it, you won't believe how easy it is. It is a whole lot cheaper too. I now braid my own hair. Plus my friends and family gets a discount from me .

 

[newflowers]

Oil it! My braid regimen includes alma and coconut oil treatments. I coat my braids in oil (steam it or leave it overnight) then rinse in the morning. I HAVE to oil my hair, no matter how it's styled. Yeah, I know what Robin says about oil and buildup.

Well.... Sareca also says that you should treat your hair in braids the same way you would without - I still find this to be excellent advice.

I think there is a big difference between using heavy icky greasy pomades and products of that nature as opposed to using natural oils - consider emu or camellia or rice bran or coconut and I know that other ladies use others like castor oil which seems to be a big favorite. Try a natural oil and see how that works for you. Steam or overnight treatments do work very well to keep your hair moisturized and very soft.

I understand the washing and conditioning and then having to have your hair rebraided more often, but I also think if you are trying for health and length, there is no alternative. Frequent washing supplies both moisture and prevents the build up that can cause matting and other bad things. Condition, condition, condition with good products. Deep condition weekly. The key I've found for preventing the buildup is to super rinse the hair when you do wash and condition and deep condition. Rinse until you think it's clear and then rinse some more.

At this point, I also spray with the ApHogee Green Tea and Keratin Reconstructor and then oil with one of the ones I listed above. I really like the camellia and rice bran, and am totally falling deep in love with emu and cococut (I use Vatika).

Perhaps you may consider that leaving braids in for 6-8 weeks is too long. I understand that this schedule may have a lot to do with finances, but you may wish to consider shorter braid periods. I do mine every 2-3 weeks with a few days off in between during which I do super conditioning treatments and wash and oil. I have not lost any hair at all and my ends are very healthy. The frequency may also account for the lack of build up and matting as well.

I also think you have to be really adamant (even mean) about the tight braiding and if anyone ever comes near your hair with a lighter again, that may be grounds for acquital after you've murdered them. I can't braid to save my life and had a disastrous experience at a braid shop, so I pay one of my students to do it. We discussed the too tight thing beforehand and she is very good about following my direction there.

Crown and Glory is really working for me. I hope you can find a method or combination of methods to keep your hair. Goodluck.

 

[caramelty]

I agree on the lighter DO NOT LET THEM PUT THAT LIGHTER ON YOUR HAIR....they claim they are burning just the braiding hair but isn't your hair braided into the weave???........Last time I went to the african shop to get my hair braided they went at my hair with the lighter and I stopped her she was like it makes it look neater I told her I would use mousse when I got home. They started speaking in their language so I assumed they were talking about me but oh well.

 

[PuffyBrown]

I agree with everyone else. The first thing is to make sure that they are not too tight. I do not braid my hair the same day that I wash it. After washing it I double up on the moisturizer and let my hair dry completely. I use a wide tooth comb while doing this and never comb it with a fine tooth comb because hair is very fragile when the braids first come out. When I wash, with braids out I just handle the scalp area and not the hair. I just started using the Crown and Glory method and this seems to be good but I am not all that good at it yet. I co wash once or twice a week and baggy every night. I have two moisture concoctions that I made, one with sulfa one without which I alternate. I never skip a day without moisture. Moisture is a substance that contains a certain concentration of water. Soap actually dries our hair out so I do not use the soap until I take the braids out which is every two to three weeks. Sometimes I like the thicker braids at which time, it will only last a week.
I do protien treatments 2 times per month and deep condition every week.
Another good tip too is to remember when you moisturize to wet the braid to where the natural hair is braided in not just the scalp. My hair is really very moist and soft when I take it down. I don't really have a lot of split ends, but I do have uneven growth. I haven't figured that one out yet.

 

[taj]

Yes, I use to have the same issues with hair braiding and split ends! My hair grows like crazy and even faster when braided. After the braids are taken out, I have a lot of new growth as well as split ends. I realized that washing, using a dc, leave in conditioner and trimming are vital before braiding. Keep it moisturized and shorten the length of time you keep them in. Repeat steps of washing, dc, etc. in between braiding. No need to trim again until next retouch. I also wait 1-2 weeks for a retouch after braiding.

 

[bluwatersoul]

I do my own braids and that is the only way I am able to look presentable while taking the proper care of my braids. With the washing, conditioning, and growth, I am constantly battling back the fuzzies. I havent had a problem with ends, but I try to pay attention to the entire length of the braid, and while my hair is braided it is also bunned during the day. I treat the kanekalon before I use it at all, doing a wash and a DC and oil(jojoba and evoo) before I braid. It seems to help, and I am contemplating baggying as well.

 

[Nonie]

I do agree that you ought to take care of your hair the very same way you would it if were out of braids. The oldest hair on your head is usually the most worn out and is most prone to splitting, unless you're taking extra care to keep ends protected, say by wearing protective styles or sealing your hair ends with sth.

For me, who was a no leave-in person for years, regular trimming was the only way to avoid my ends becoming so unsightly that only scissors could help. What I would do is every few weeks, I'd start touching up my braids and trim about 1/4 inch each time I undid a braid. I would do that one at a time till I had touched up and trimmed each braid. I could tell which ones had not been trimmed because they'd be the ones that were loose. I would start at the back and work my way forward. Weekends were the best time for this.

I do know that trimming was what worked for me since after joining this forum and finding out that some pple don't believe in trimming, I decided to give that a go. The result was very thin ends that I had to cut off - basically kissing good-bye whatever progress I'd made. In fact, I have pics to show how bad not trimming was for my hair:

After a year of transitioning and slowly cutting off my relaxed hair w/ each touch up, I had this much growth (notice the more or less uniform thickness through the length of the hair):

I stayed in braids for another year trimming again every time I redid a braid and again my hair stayed thick through the length:

But six months later after not trimming, I looked at my hair and just wanted to die! The pics on top show the thin ends - ie split ends, and the ones at the bottom how much I had to trim to get it to where I was happy with it:

 

[cutiebe2]

DO NOT be afraid to wash your braids. Not washing/conditioning due to styling is not the way to go. Den1 has some good tutorials in her Fotki about washing the hair using a stocking cap which will cut down on the fuzziness afterwards.
Follow the advice the other ladies have already given you and you should be fine

 

[SSBD]

I do agree that you ought to take care of your hair the very same way you would it if were out of braids. The oldest hair on your head is usually the most worn out and is most prone to splitting, unless you're taking extra care to keep ends protected, say by wearing protective styles or sealing your hair ends with sth.

For me, who was a no leave-in person for years, regular trimming was the only way to avoid my ends becoming so unsightly that only scissors could help. What I would do is every few weeks, I'd start touching up my braids and trim about 1/4 inch each time I undid a braid. I would do that one at a time till I had touched up and trimmed each braid. I could tell which ones had not been trimmed because they'd be the ones that were loose. I would start at the back and work my way forward. Weekends were the best time for this.

I do know that trimming was what worked for me since after joining this forum and finding out that some pple don't believe in trimming, I decided to give that a go. The result was very thin ends that I had to cut off - basically kissing good-bye whatever progress I'd made. In fact, I have pics to show how bad not trimming was for my hair:

After a year of transitioning and slowly cutting off my relaxed hair w/ each touch up, I had this much growth (notice the more or less uniform thickness through the length of the hair):

I stayed in braids for another year trimming again every time I redid a braid and again my hair stayed thick through the length:

But six months later after not trimming, I looked at my hair and just wanted to die! The pics on top show the thin ends - ie split ends, and the ones at the bottom how much I had to trim to get it to where I was happy with it:

wow u had some serious growth...im sorry u had to cut so much...but thanks for the tip

 

[SSBD]

Well.... Sareca also says that you should treat your hair in braids the same way you would without - I still find this to be excellent advice.

I think there is a big difference between using heavy icky greasy pomades and products of that nature as opposed to using natural oils - consider emu or camellia or rice bran or coconut and I know that other ladies use others like castor oil which seems to be a big favorite. Try a natural oil and see how that works for you. Steam or overnight treatments do work very well to keep your hair moisturized and very soft.

I understand the washing and conditioning and then having to have your hair rebraided more often, but I also think if you are trying for health and length, there is no alternative. Frequent washing supplies both moisture and prevents the build up that can cause matting and other bad things. Condition, condition, condition with good products. Deep condition weekly. The key I've found for preventing the buildup is to super rinse the hair when you do wash and condition and deep condition. Rinse until you think it's clear and then rinse some more.

At this point, I also spray with the ApHogee Green Tea and Keratin Reconstructor and then oil with one of the ones I listed above. I really like the camellia and rice bran, and am totally falling deep in love with emu and cococut (I use Vatika).

Perhaps you may consider that leaving braids in for 6-8 weeks is too long. I understand that this schedule may have a lot to do with finances, but you may wish to consider shorter braid periods. I do mine every 2-3 weeks with a few days off in between during which I do super conditioning treatments and wash and oil. I have not lost any hair at all and my ends are very healthy. The frequency may also account for the lack of build up and matting as well.

I also think you have to be really adamant (even mean) about the tight braiding and if anyone ever comes near your hair with a lighter again, that may be grounds for acquital after you've murdered them. I can't braid to save my life and had a disastrous experience at a braid shop, so I pay one of my students to do it. We discussed the too tight thing beforehand and she is very good about following my direction there.

Crown and Glory is really working for me. I hope you can find a method or combination of methods to keep your hair. Goodluck.

You do this for your indivual braids??? I don't really get a lot of breakage with french braids, but i mean i keep my single braids in for 6 to 8...

Thank you ladies this is very helpful

 

[bLackButtaFly]

I don't think this was discussed, but be very mindful of how your removing your braids. You can get alot of extra breakage and splits from just like wrenching the braids out of your hair. Coat them with conditioner to make it easier to slip off, or use a removal spray. Sometimes we all get alittle anxious to get them out, and just rip through them. Be gentle, and take your time.

 

[YoGirl]

Your problem is NOT the braids. It is when you let them put the lighter to them that is making your ends look that way. Take it from someone who knows. (ME) I used to have outrageous growth, but my ends looked like someone chewed on em, and I didnt realize for a loooonnnngg time why it was so. Then it dawned on me, and I will never let them use a lighter to "clean" up the braids.

 

[LovedAlot]

I agree with all of the posters before me. I wear braids all of the time because I am transitioning. I get them redone every 3-4 weeks depending on the growth. I can go about 6 months with no trimming. I think I am able to do this because of how I treat my hair while in braids and out of braids. Is your hair braided all the way down? If not, this is probably your first problem. If they are braided all the way down I would suggest what everyone else has. Mositure, Moisture, Moisture. I rinse my braids every other day. I also moisturize twice daily. When taking my braids out, I don't coat them with anything. I unbraid each braid very carefully and I comb out that section when the braid is removed. This way I don't a lot of tangles. Once out of the braids I do a prepoo (except the times I use a heavy protein), then I wash my hair with a clarifying shampoo, then a moisturizing shampoo, then I condition my hair between an hour up until overnight. After rinsing the conditioner out, I apply my leave in and serum and braid it in four sections and let it air dry. It dries really soft. Then I rebraid. I forgot to mention that I shampoo and condition my hair in four sections. This method makes the process so much easier. I hope this helps. Just make sure you baby those ends. One question though, How were your ends before you started braiding your hair?

 

[SSBD]

One question though, How were your ends before you started braiding your hair?

They were and our now in good condition...now do u have french braids or singles???

 

[glamazon386]

brcause they do it to tight and they used a lighter way to close to my scalp

This is probably what messed your ends up. They could have singed your hair with the lighter.

 

[ebonylocs]

I don't agree that 6 - 8 weeks are too much. (of course everybody's hair is different).

If you are deep conditioning at least weekly and moisturizing your braids at least daily, you should be able to keep them in at least 6-8 weeks without problems. Of course, you might want to redo the front ones more frequently for neatness sake (especially since constant care and moisture will make them fuzz more quickly).

See what works for you with the moisturizing. Crown and glory technique (growafrohairlong.com) advises using a sponge daily to apply your liquid leavein to your braids. I find that spritzing is enough for me because I wash twice weekly and add lots of oil to my conditioner (alma and hemp currently).

And definitely DON'T let them singe your hair!