Protective Styles: Do you wear them?

[Jewell]

I have recently decided to be an avid protective styler for the next 10-11 months so that I can get to waist length with no trims, just light dustings. How many of you ladies do protective styles, how often and what's your goal/reason in doing them? I was inspired by SimplyCee and Babygurl's progress to jump on the bandwagon. So far so good!

 

[FlowerHair]

Yes, most days I wear some type of protective style. A bun or something similar. The purpose for me is to not damage my hair.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

I do protective styles as often as possible b/c I saw how much length I retained at the beginning of the year. Sometimes, it just isn't practical for what I'm doing, but I do it when I can. I have a lot of reasons: I wanna save my ends, I don't want to have to manipulate my hair a lot, I like the "style & go" of protective styles b/c I don't like a lot of fuss, I prefer to have my hair out of my face (though not necessarily in a bun), the sun it's somethin else in CA and I want to protect my hair from that, and I have a terrible case of hand in hair disease once I get past 6 weeks. I just sit and play in the springy coils ALL day. So yeah...they're lots of reasons I protect it on up!

 

[deedabug]

i do them...

i started like the beginning of september to give my hair a break...i never really realized what a protective style could actually do...

less having to comb means less detangling...

what i do for protective styles is twists...worn 2 weeks then taken down and redone..its really good for me...

 

[foxybrownsugar]

I have been doing protective styles since late 90s. The reason? to keep me from constantly combing my hair and retain length. I mainly do buns and twists now. Back then i did alot of single braided ponytails with no scrunci. I use to tuck the ponytail under. I did this before going to bed. I do/have done all of these style loosely, never tight for years. Now, I want to see how far my hair will grow doing these things cw's,water,vitamins,healthyeating,exercising, protective styles & no relaxers.

 

[chocolate01]

When relaxed I never wore protective styles, I wore my hair down and out most days. Now that I am natural I do protective styles all the time. I wear twists for 2 weeks, take them down, wash and redo. I think my hair is doing really well because of it.

 

[karezone]

I try to do protective styles, but it seems that all they do is break off my hair. The ponytails and other updos. braids ruin my edges. So right now I am looking into weaves.

 

[CarLiTa]

I wear protective hairstyles basically all the time, but I still don't think i'm in that low manipulation mode enough... I still think I do too much.

I wear them because they're convenient. I was never the girl who wore her hair out all the time, except freshman year, which broke all my hair off. I have to do a better job at keeping my ends moisturized because protective styles won't mean a dang thing if your ends aren't moisturized and that's what i'm aiming at accomplishing to minimize trims, etc.

U know what? i'm gonna do it now... have to restart bagging everynight and keeping my ends out of sight for the next 10 weeks. I got my EVOO and EQP mango butter to help me. I'm gonna go prepare a hair spritz since I ran out

 

[Victorian]

When relaxed I never wore protective styles, I wore my hair down and out most days. Now that I am natural I do protective styles all the time. I wear twists for 2 weeks, take them down, wash and redo. I think my hair is doing really well because of it.

Now, see I did the exact opposite. When my hair was straight I wore my hair in a ponytail with the ends tucked about 95% of the time. Not because I was consciously trying to do a "protective" style, but because that's just how I did my hair.
Now that I'm natural it's in a wash n go everyday, never anything protective. Probably when it's much longer I'll do more. I just can't be bothered right now...

 

[mermaid]

I voted "sometime" because if I'm too tired I just flop into bed with whatever style my hair happens to be in (ponytail, loose, ponytail that has fallen loose; etc.), during the day I have been keeping it in ponytails but moving the position to minimize stress in the same spots; low, middle and high.

 

[loonatick]

i wear protective styles all the time. Two strand twists or box braids for 10 days at a time then twistout, then wash and twists again!!! Thats my cycle. Just waiting for length so i can put the twists in a decent ponytail.

 

[simplycee]

I have recently decided to be an avid protective styler for the next 10-11 months so that I can get to waist length with no trims, just light dustings. How many of you ladies do protective styles, how often and what's your goal/reason in doing them? I was inspired by SimplyCee and Babygurl's progress to jump on the bandwagon. So far so good!

Thanks girl! I'm still wearing protective styles. Its boring but whenever I do wear my hair out it always feels like a treat. I was so proud when I got my touch up this past friday and my hair stylist said "no trim needed, your ends look fine to me" !

 

[Sweet_Ambrosia]

My hair has been thriving ever since l started wearing protective styles early last year. I wear them 90% of the time mainly to retain length & its also convenient for me. My staple styles are buns, braidouts & phony ponies.

 

[LeNghtyDreAms]

I wear protetive syles 6-7 days a week. At first it was bc i read on this site that a lady went from shoulder length to waist length in a year doing nothing but buns. Now i just do them bc it's easy to manage and less manipulation. My ends look great and i havent had a trim in 6 months!

 

[Peachtree]

Most of the time my hair is in a protective style... half of the time for "protection"... & another half for "convenience". I can get my hair in a bun in 1 split second... other styles take far too long when I'm rushing out for work in the morning.

 

[amy1234]

I'm wearing protective styles more often because I really want to reach my goal. The only times I get it straightened is once a month at the most.

 

[SUPER SWEET]

i do them...

i started like the beginning of september to give my hair a break...i never really realized what a protective style could actually do...

less having to comb means less detangling...

what i do for protective styles is twists...worn 2 weeks then taken down and redone..its really good for me...

Me too....I'm on the protective train till NEW YEARS EVE

CONGRATS on the engagement

 

[A_Christian]

I wear a bun at work almost every day and usually have my hair covered with a scarf the minute I get home. I usually wear my hair down when going to an event and on the weekends etc.

Wearing a bun everyday helped me retain tons of length when I was in high school so hopefully it will help now as well although I'll wear my hair down sometimes too (only against a top made of a silky fabric .

 

[NapturalGlory]

--------------------------

 

[Mestiza]

I love wearing my hair in a bun, a lot. It's a fast style, looks great and keeps people from messing w/ my hair so much!

 

[mochamadness]

Nope, I never wear protective styles.

 

[MissCapricornCutie]

If wearing a hat, scarf and claw clips count then guess I "kinda-sorta" wear them to a degree because I don't like to comb my hair (I'm tenderheaded & therfore, slightly lazy) or go to the hairdresser (I'm too cheap!)

I really would like to explore some different choices because I like variety and right now I feel stifled and am tempted to cut for some pizazz!!!

 

[cocowhite]

I keep my hair in a protective all day until I get home, then I let it down and wrap it in a bun or braid and satin scarf....My main protective style used to be hair weaves, but now I have moved to different types of phony pony, buns most of the time and my somewhat new lacefront wig, until I reach my desired goal.

 

[sylver2]

Nope, I never wear protective styles.

YUP!! what she said...and btw your hair is da BOMB!!!!

 

[soapdiva2]

I try to do protective styles, but it seems that all they do is break off my hair. The ponytails and other updos. braids ruin my edges. So right now I am looking into weaves.

me too. My hair seems to do great in a bun for a while then all of a sudden I will take it out and there's lots of shedding which lets me know I have breakage. It's usually in the spot in the back where the bun is positioned. Anybody else get this?

 

[tenderheaded]

I've used protective styling for years, but only because I was lazy! Of course, back then I wasn't washing and conditioning the way I have since June. I use the french twist - sometimes I part my hair ar different points, and sometimes I just comb it all back. I pull it to the top of my head and kind of wrap it around itself. And lastly, I make a mid head ponytail and pin it under. I can wear these styles with a business suit and still look professional.

 

[simplycee]

.... I make a mid head ponytail and pin it under. I can wear these styles with a business suit and still look professional.

This recently became my favorite style. Easy to do, a change from the bun and protective at the same time.

 

[esoterica]

i have been wearing sew-in weaves since january 2005, and will continue until i reach my waistlength goal.

 

[carmella25]

I have been wearing protective styles since 2002. My hair use to be at neck lenght and now Ive reached my first goal of brastrap lenght this year. From doing protective styles and conditoner washes daliy.

I do the baggie metod 100% of the time 7 days a week, wigs, weaves and extensions.

I feel that I have trimmed much less since protective styling. I will only dust when needed.

My next goal is waist length, and after that tailbone and beyond. I want to see how long I could grow my hair.

I also have started to only relax my hair once a year. I never show it any way. Its always protected.

I just recently relaxed my hair. I waited 15 months. I should be putting up photos soon.

I hope this helps

Carmella25

 

[Babygurl]

I have recently decided to be an avid protective styler for the next 10-11 months so that I can get to waist length with no trims, just light dustings. How many of you ladies do protective styles, how often and what's your goal/reason in doing them? I was inspired by SimplyCee and Babygurl's progress to jump on the bandwagon. So far so good!

Aw girl, Im shocked you even mentioned my name, but thanks! Yes protective styles were my saving grace and helped me retain a LOT of my growth. I still to this day wear buns 99% of the time. I wear my hair out every now and then but I have gotten used to the ease and simplicity of buns (and how easy they are to dress up). I definatey recommend protective styles. They are not for everyone but when it works....IT WORKS!!! It did for me!