Stepdaughter's hair line breakage..HELP!!!

[tammiematthews]

My stepdaugher has been in cornroll braids for about a month now. Last night I noticed that her hairline has terrible breakage! Obviously the person that braided her hair last time, braided it too tight! Anyway...I'm getting my daughter and my hair braided next friday, for our trip to St.Louis. The young lady who does my daugher's braids does a great job! She never braids my baby's hair too tight and I always have her to braid Shanti's hairline down and not to the back. My stepdaughter's mom wants the girl who does Shanti's braids to do hers...but..here's my problem. My stepdaughter's hair line. Because there is already breakage, how should her hair be braided. I certainly would not advise that it's braided to the back...but how should her hairline issue be addressed? Suggestions you guys..her mom is listening to my advice at this point so I need something good.

 

[cafe_au_lait]

Hi! Since no one has replied to you, I am no expert but I will try my best!

First off, I think that you are smart for getting her cornrows, because any loose style of braids (like box braids, twists, or micros) are too tempting to move around/put up/play around with, all of which can overly stress a fragile hair line. So if you do cornrow it, then make sure she knows not to pull then every which way into tight ponytails, etc... and braiding down the side instead of back and GENTLY is a wise idea... If it were me, I would also encourage her to MOISTURIZE and to wrap them EVERY night so they stay neat and can be worn for as long as possible (at least a month) to give her hair a chance to grow (and so that her hair is not breaking from dryness under the braids).

Another option that you might want to consider would be to get the girl's hair twisted to the scalp in the front and loose in the back, a style that she could keep for 2 weeks or so and then have redone -- this would be beneficial because:
1. the twists aren't as tight as the braids, so even if they went back they wouldn't be as stressful to her hairline,
2. she wouldn't be messing with it/brushing it to cause further breakage to her front and sides, and leaving it idle and moisturized would give it time to grow, and
3. Leaving the back dorn and out would still allow her to play in her hair -- i.e. put it all up, leave some down, curl it, a side bun, etc... that way, maybe she won't get bored with it and will keep it longer, all without stressing her front and sides! (If she is old enough, you may even want to cornrow the back and have tracks sewn in, providing that she takes care of the hair under the tracks)

I hope you find a style that both of you and her hair can love!!! Young black girls wrap their self esteem up so much into their hair, and I want her to feel beautiful both inside and out. I'm glad that she has not one but TWO mothers looking out for her!

 

[stacy]

I am still having hairline issues after having tight braids in my hair for only one week about five years ago. The hair has not grown back. MY personal suggestion would be to stop braiding (at least the hair line area) for at least six months to a year (depending on the severity of the damage). There are too many style alternatives to risk permanent damage to her hairline (I think it is harder to grow back hair loss due to traction alopecia). Try a cute puff with a band in the front, two-strand twists, or comb coils. You can do this whole head or just the front half with cornrows in the back. These styles may require more effort on her mom's part (may not last more than a week versus a month), however.

 

[lkg4healthyhair]

IMO, if her hair or hair line is damaged from braids I would suggest taking a break from braided styles. I am sure this is not what she wants to hear but I can't imagine her hair getting better by putting more conrows in.

HTH

 

[tammiematthews]

cafe_au_lait-thanks so much for the suggestion!! Those were all great suggestions. She took her braids out last night, we did a deep condition and she's wearing a cute pony today. Here roots are monster thick!
lkg4healthyhair- I will suggest that to her mom..I also thinks he should take a short break from braided styles to give her hairline time to heal from the breakage.
stacy-Also....great suggestion! I will also suggest this to her mom...sometimes she takes her to the beauty shop..so we'll see how that works out.

 

[ThickHair]

I agree the problem is with the braids not the style of braid. Suggest twists they do not pull on the hairline and if you do with without added hair that would be the best.

 

[Tonya]

When my hairline came out from too tight briads...I just Surged liek crazy.