If you’re thinking about using a weave for protective styling and want to maximize your development, there are a few things you can do to help your natural hair thrive underneath the weave. When it comes to protective styling, the most common mistake is to “set it and forget it,” which many individuals do since they assume their hair is being safeguarded.
Protective styling allows you to experiment with different styles, colors, and lengths without having to make any permanent decisions about your hair.
Read on to learn more about how you can help your natural hair grow faster and stay healthier.
Cleanse + Oil Scalp:
Cleaning your natural hair might be difficult, especially if you can’t reach your scalp. While protective styling, it is critical that you cleanse your scalp at least twice a month. It’s better to use a customized shampoo combination on a weave. I usually dilute my sulfate-free shampoo with water.
To extend your reach and make it simpler to get into those hard-to-reach places/crevices, use a bottle applicator. You can also gently oil your scalp with a comparable applicator. To ensure natural hair development, oiling the scalp should be combined with another procedure.
Scalp Massages:
Another difficult one when wearing a weave, however, scalp massages are a godsend when wearing one. Especially if you can’t reach that pesky weave itch and are frantically patting your head in the hopes that it would go away. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Massage your scalp 2-3 times a week, either with your hands or with one of those fancy scalp massagers that have been popping up all over.
There are two reasons to massage your scalp. One, you’re assisting in the removal of debris from the scalp, preventing clogging of your pores. Hair is unable to reach its full potential as a result of this. You may also aid to energise and promoting growth by massaging your scalp with a carrier oil.
Hair Should Nott be Braided Too Loosely or To Tightly:
When protective styling with a sew in hair weave, this is frequently the deciding factor. Everything hinges on the foundation of your protective style. It’s a big red flag if your braids are so tight that they’re giving you headaches days after you’ve had the weave installed. Another red flag is the appearance of white pimples around the edge of your scalp.
You should never, ever sacrifice your hair’s health for a style. The same is true if you think your weave is still looking great after ten weeks. This is causing undue stress on your hair. For 4-6 weeks, your protective style should be in place.
Maintain Your Nape And Edges:
These two places are exceedingly delicate and require special attention. Alopecia is a true condition that might be permanent if the damage is severe enough. If you want to keep your style looking fresh for a longer period, don’t lose your edges or harm your nape. I don’t care how “unkempt” the style looks after it’s finished; at least I know my edges will be left intact when I remove the weave.
Only Wear For 4-6 Weeks:
I don’t want to repeat myself, but it’s critical to remember that you should not, and I repeat, should not, wear your protective style for more than 6 weeks. I’ll be honest, I’ve pushed my protective style to its boundaries multiple times since I didn’t want to go back to caring for my natural hair and thought the style still had some “oomph.” I’ve worn weaves for up to ten weeks at a period and have always regretted it. One, your hair requires oxygen to survive, and being buried for more than 6 weeks causes the hair to deteriorate.
When you finally remove the protective style, such as butterfly locs there’s a good chance you’ll see more than simply shed hair. After the sixth week, damage begins to occur. It may not happen immediately away, and it may not always be the case, but you don’t want to get into the habit of leaving your protective style in for so long that you end up endangering your natural hair’s health.
