Protective Styling vs. Low Manipulation

[yardyspice]

Newbie here so school me ladies. This came up in a previous thread and I wanted to get some more feedback from everybody. Do you have to do both or can you do either to see results. For instance, braids are low mani but can they really be a ps when your ends are exposed to the elements? A full head weave seems to be the only true ps+low mani. Thoughts?

 

[Fine 4s]

Newbie here so school me ladies. This came up in a previous thread and I wanted to get some more feedback from everybody. Do you have to do both or can you do either to see results. For instance, braids are low mani but can they really be a ps when your ends are exposed to the elements? A full head weave seems to be the only true ps+low mani. Thoughts?

Hey yardy,

I've retained length because of both my low-mani and protective styling methods. My ends are rarely exposed. Most of my days are spent in braids and each of those braids are tucked in.

You do not have to do both.
Low mani allows me to avoid snagging, pulling, breaking and overly manipulating the strands. Protective styling allows my hair to remain protected from the outside elements and in the winter from getting caught in sweaters, hats are other non-friendly clothing materials.

If I'm wearing a braid-out for a week then that's a low-mani because I'm not combing but my hair is exposed to the elements. Wigs are not the only true LM and PS styles possible unless you're even more extreme that me in that the whole head must be protected from the elements. In that case, I hear you. For example, braids with or without extensions are both low mani and protective because each strand is protected as it is woven together like a big hug

 

[loolalooh]

Cosign with the above.

 

[aa9746]

Right now I'm doing both: I leave my hair braided for at least 3-4 weeks under a wig. I'm also whole head baggying. I'm being extreme because my hair grows slow and I have a hard time retaining my fine strands. So far it's been working for me. My plan is to wear my hair out more when the weather warms up.

 

[yardyspice]

I co-wash and bun daily with a detangling session once per week. I consider this low mani and protective styling. Do you all agree or is the co-washing part not low mani enough?

 

[Fine 4s]

Co-wash or poo-wash, bunning and weekly detangling I would consider low-mani and PS. It's all a matter of perspective to some extent but there are some fixed basic concepts.

For example, co-washing alone is not a technique we'd considered low-mani since low mani refers to maintenance like combing and styling or everything post washing.
Let me entertain though: a washing technique could be low mani like if your just letting the water rinse through the hair without manipulating the strands but dang, that's extreme low-manipulation even to me Got me thinking now...

 

[aa9746]

I co-wash and bun daily with a detangling session once per week. I consider this low mani and protective styling. Do you all agree or is the co-washing part not low mani enough?

Sounds low mani to me.

 

[brucebettye]

I do ps and low mani by wearing buns daily and I only wash and detangle my hair once a week. I also do not use a brush to put my hair in the buns, I just make sure my hair is damp and I use my hands and hair gel.

 

[**SaSSy**]

Both lo-mani and PS are good for the hair, but I personally believe what got me over that dark place in hell call "stuck between SL and APL" was PS. I started incorporating lo-main more after I got to APL.

 

[My Friend]

IMHO, the only real PS is the bun. The bun allows complete protection of the ends. Again, imho by having the ends inverted it may allow the ends to absorb the natural oils from the scalp or the natural oil higher up on the hair strand.