Protective Styles: Do you wear them?

[Candycane044]

Nope, I never wear protective styles.

That is so encouraging that someone with hair as beautiful as yours doesnt do protective styles because i have a hard time with them.

 

[cocoberry10]

That is so encouraging that someone with hair as beautiful as yours doesnt do protective styles because i have a hard time with them.

I second that! And I haven't had much success with protective styles. They seem to incinerate my ends. Can someone who is 4a/b that wears protective styles give me some advice for how to do that! Otherwise, it's not happening!

 

[Nita81]

Do sew-ins count as a protective style? If so I've had a sew-ins starting late July. I plan to keep sew-ins for awhile.

 

[mochamadness]

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

Thanks Sylver!!! I'm trying to get to where you at girl!!!!! one day...

 

[SandySea]

I am now a protective styler. I'm wearing the doughnut chignon thing, and I've gotten several compliments. My days are extremely busy, and my up-do's were not staying neat. I'm wearing the style for convenience and to maintain a professional look during the day. But the added bonus is protection, from the style and from my more frequent moisturizing.

 

[JazzyFLPeach]

erplexed Sometimes...probably about 50/50.

I've tried doing the phony ponies over a teeny tiny bun that's conditioned and wrapped up in a baggie. That worked until my edges started getting "super funky." Lately I've been wearing the wig I call "Wilma" over a silk scarf. However, that's getting super boring and the bang of the wig is giving me major breakout issues so I'm going to try my first braidout this weekend. My hair is such a weird length that other than braids and wigs, I don't know what to do. When I wear sew-ins, I'm guilty of not taking very good care of the hair underneath so that's self-defeating.

 

[Jewell]

Thanks ladies for the replies! Bumping for more responses...

 

[Chicoro]

Yes! I wear protective styles. It is the only thing that keeps my ends from being crunchy. Also, by wearing protective styles I can minimize knotting and matting. The best thing about protective styling for me is that it helped me retain HEALTHY length. This is the longest my hair has ever been as an adult.

 

[MzTami]

I was on the Baggie Challenge but had to stop. It was thinning my temples and my ends were more frizzy, my scalp hated it(I did wear loose bun too). I don't like protective styles and neither does my hair. My hair likes to be left alone, please don't touch me type of hair!!

 

[Synthia]

I loathe protective styles.

It's not fun having long hair if you have to wear it up all the time.

I grow my hair long because I LOVE the drama And I've never really had breakage from wearing my hair down IF I nourish it faithfully. Wool coats are an enemy, but that's about it.

Neglect is more of an enemy to my sustained length than wearing it out.

The only time I'd wear up do's was when I was teaching and that was just to scare the kiddies and look stern and severe.

Occasionally I'll wear a sexy up-do for a special event... otherwise .... I like to feel my hair moving.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

My question is though:

WHEN do the protective styles end?? Like, for example...when I reach my goal of bra-strap length, I KNOW that I will want to wear my hair out and show the world my glorious head of healthy hair. But if I get lazy and stop wearing protective styles, my hair may break off yet again! THen I'll have to start from scratch with the protective styles.

My question is: When do we stop being able to wear protective styles. I don't know about you guys, but if I had past bra-strap length hair, I wouldn't want to wear my hair in a protective bun every single day. I almost feel like all this hard work to gain length is in vain because when we do acheive that length we'll still have to continue to wear protective styles.

You get what I mean??

 

[curlyj]

I am new to boards, but i've been lurking for some time now.
I luuuuv protective styles b/c this is when I am able to retain the most length...
Usually 1" per month...Unfortunately I never go longer than 2 months with my bun style(side dbl bun)...
I wish that I could go for 6 months or more like many others but I just get bored...
Having just had 4-5" cut off(In Aug.) by a horrible stylist(on natural hair)...I really need to go for a long stretch to get my hair back...Not a braid person!!!
Wish me luck!

 

[keke]

I already do them now, but hopefully next year i can start wearing my hair in cute/sexy updos and buns :^) so i can push up the goal of waist length even sooner. Hopefully i can make it to 2007 w/waist hair. :^D. Shoot imm have a party just for my hair. lmbo.

 

[HairQueen]

My question is though:

WHEN do the protective styles end?? Like, for example...when I reach my goal of bra-strap length, I KNOW that I will want to wear my hair out and show the world my glorious head of healthy hair. But if I get lazy and stop wearing protective styles, my hair may break off yet again! THen I'll have to start from scratch with the protective styles.

My question is: When do we stop being able to wear protective styles. I don't know about you guys, but if I had past bra-strap length hair, I wouldn't want to wear my hair in a protective bun every single day. I almost feel like all this hard work to gain length is in vain because when we do acheive that length we'll still have to continue to wear protective styles.

You get what I mean??

Hi Crystalicequeen123,

I have often wondered this myself but I think the answer is this: you wear your hair in protective styles every day until your hair gets to be in the best condition it can ever be in (ie thick with no split ends) and the desired length you want it to be.

Then, when u reach your goal you will be able to maintain that length and the good health of your hair IF you deep condition at least once a week, keep direct heat to a minimum and trim every 2-3 months. Your hair should then stay long and healthy.

This is what I THINK anyway (someone correct me if I'm wrong!) because if you think about it before you came to LHCF your hair wasn't getting any longer or thicker right? It just stayed the same length so when u reach your desired length it should stay there too...

 

[Honi]

I wear them most of the time and wear my hair down on special occasions. I'm trying to get creative with hairsticks, pins and accessories and stuff. Winter is coming so I don't want my newly cut ends (when I get it cut) to dry out and split.

 

[sylver2]

My question is though:

WHEN do the protective styles end?? Like, for example...when I reach my goal of bra-strap length, I KNOW that I will want to wear my hair out and show the world my glorious head of healthy hair. But if I get lazy and stop wearing protective styles, my hair may break off yet again! THen I'll have to start from scratch with the protective styles.

My question is: When do we stop being able to wear protective styles. I don't know about you guys, but if I had past bra-strap length hair, I wouldn't want to wear my hair in a protective bun every single day. I almost feel like all this hard work to gain length is in vain because when we do acheive that length we'll still have to continue to wear protective styles.

You get what I mean??

I get what u mean, thats why I don't do protective styles, I have never ever worn them in my life. Even when my hair was damaged at one point. Thats me though. My hair is fine w/o them, some are not.
I wear hair out every day. I am enjoying my hair.

 

[SouthernGirl]

Interesting thread...

I took the poll and answered "sometimes," but that's so crazy because I used to be an exclusive protective styles wearer.

I still wear my hair back mostly everyday, but I let my ponytail hang down. That's technically not considered protective since my ends are exposed, but it's a nice compromise for me. I get to have my hair mostly up, but I still get to see it out. I hope that I'm not damaging my ends and that I won't have to start over, but by skipping the heat, taking my vitamins, and using MNT it won't be in too bad of shape.

SG

 

[LDebagoria]

I'll be addicted to them until my hair grows past my shoulders!

 

[Candy_C]

Almost every day!everytime i take my hair down, its seems longer and longer. these protective styles are great for people who touch their hair alot (LIKE ME) stop breakage and they dont take long to do. plus theres so many variations! i jazz mine up with hair sticks (the oriental type) from Claire Accesories. peopel love my buns. also people like 2 touch my hair too much when its down, or ina pony. so buns all the way!

 

[Lady_Lioness]

I voted yes for protective styles...Since i've been doing alot of protective styling my hair has retained so much length...I found out that i didn't have to trim my hair at all because my ends were never exposed to cause split ends...

I didn't like them at first because for years I would always wear my hair out no matter what and i also felt that with my hair up i looked hideous...but thanxs to LHCF i incorporated that into my regimen and now my hair is the longest it has ever been.

 

[aileendq]

I usually do a loose ponytail with the ends well oiled. It has helped me with growing out the sides, which are stilll shorter than the back, but not as bad as before.

I alternate between pony and loose so I won't have ponytail breakage.

I do buns sometimes, but I find that pinning the ends under too much can break them.

I look ridiculous in a French roll, so I skip those.

 

[KiniKakes]

I wear a bun nearly everyday............ Ive retained tons of growth that way.

 

[Caramela]

I initially started wearing buns as a damage free way of styling. But now it's so convenient in the morning to just swoop it up into a bun. It takes like 3 minutes if that.
I like wearing my hair down too, but when it's 200 degrees outside like it has been, that's not really an option.

 

[KiniKakes]

I initially started wearing buns as a damage free way of styling. But now it's so convenient in the morning to just swoop it up into a bun. It takes like 3 minutes if that.
I like wearing my hair down too, but when it's 200 degrees outside like it has been, that's not really an option.

I know thats right! Hair all sticking to my neck and skin.... thats not cool. *smh*

 

[Priss Pot]

I like wearing buns, but they wreck havoc on my ends. When I use a hairtie/scrunchie, no matter the size, my ends come out frizzed up and scraggly lookin. I moisturize and seal, and they still come out lookin that way. I've opted for using hairpins to hold the hair around my sock bun in place, and my ends may still frizz up, but not as much as when using the hairtie. I can't wait till my hair gets long enough so that I can use my own hair to put into a bun.

I love rollersetting my hair too, but since I've been working out almost everyday, my rollersets won't last for longer than a day due to me sweating.

I'm thinking about just getting some micro braids to give my hair a break.

 

[winterinatl]

I like wearing buns, but they wreck havoc on my ends. When I use a hairtie/scrunchie, no matter the size, my ends come out frizzed up and scraggly lookin. I moisturize and seal, and they still come out lookin that way. I've opted for using hairpins to hold the hair around my sock bun in place, and my ends may still frizz up, but not as much as when using the hairtie. I can't wait till my hair gets long enough so that I can use my own hair to put into a bun.

I love rollersetting my hair too, but since I've been working out almost everyday, my rollersets won't last for longer than a day due to me sweating.

I'm thinking about just getting some micro braids to give my hair a break.

I have discovered that my ends break, probably because of the lycra knit headband I use to loosely hold my bun. I hate to stop using it because it works so well, but my bun is not large enough (with just the hair twisted around itself) for me to securely tuck the ends under and it stay. I found that if I use enough good hair day pins while it's wet, however, those ends come out silky smooth, moist, and straight! It just takes so much longer to do that kind of bun...erplexed

 

[danimani]

Only to bed. I like to show my hair off.

 

[Tee]

Almost everyday. I havent really wore my hair down much this year. i am normally in a bun or a ponytail braid out. I can protect my ends better this way.

 

[KhandiB]

I dont like them enought to wear them more than a week..

I like my hair out.. I cant do any style on wet hair... my hair always ends up lookin all frizzy every doggone time

 

[2cute2B4gotten]

I mainly wear ponytails with my ends out. I bun maybe once a week, if that. I use WGO on my ends every two days and they have been fine.