After going through the process- the appointment, then spending hours at the shop to get your hair done- it is worth knowing how to maintain your braids and keep them for a longer period. Not only it is good to know how to maintain your hair while the braids are in place, but it is also worth knowing what are the best protective hair styles to wear.
Among the very popular braiding styles- box braids, senegalese twists and cornrows- box braids happen to be the most versatile. Box braids can be worn in many styles and they can last anywhere from six to eight weeks. Box braids can be washed and rewashed with little damage done to the style.
To help you enjoy your braids for a longer period, refer to the tips below:
Tip #1: To prevent breakage of your edges, avoid having small and tight braids, especially the front. Ask your stylist to make sure the parts are slightly bigger to reduce the pulling of your most fragile (around the edges) hair follicles.
Tips #2: Wrap your hair at night to help maintain the braids and keep them looking new and fresh for a longer time. When choosing the wrap, it is advisable to use satin bonnets. Satin bonnets are a better choice than cotton bonnets because cotton sucks out the moisture in hair, leaving it dry.
Tips #3: Be extremely gentle on your hair when taking your braids out. If you notice your hair has locked (which happens most of the time,) consider soaking the damped hair with deep conditioning until the locks loosen up. Only then you should comb through the knotted hair.
Tip #4: Keep your scalp moisturized at all time. You can utilize moisturizing products like essential oils such as jojoba, peppermint or rosemary. Essential oils are great products because they tend to have an emollient property that soothes the scalp and unclogs hair follicles, which encourages hair growth.
You should also be aware that keeping your braids for too long is not always a good idea as your own hair will start to lock and how fast this occurs depends on the texture of your hair.
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