Protective Styles
Written by Samara on August 19, 2009Protective styles are hair styles that will allow the hair to grow without any breakage. Please note that protective styles will not make your hair grow faster, longer, or thicker. These styles will only protect your hair and allow it to grow without breakage. Protective styles can be used in both relaxed and natural hair. These styles are a great way to allow the hair to rest and grow.
The following styles are considered protective styles:
- cornrows
- Two-strand twists
- single braids
- bun
Cornrows are a beautiful alternative to other styles that can help both natural and relaxed hair grow by reducing the amount of breakage. If you decide to use this style to aid in growing your hair, be sure that your hair isn’t braid extremly tight because cornrows can cause breakage around the edges. Proper care is also important when wearing cornrows. Hair should be moisturized daily with a moisturizing lotion or spray. The hair should also be taken down weekly for a weekly shampoo and conditioning treatment. You may keep the braids in if you like and shampoo and condition them, but to prevent fuzziness I recommend taking the hair down weekly.
Two-strand twists are also a great alternative. They can be woen in both natural and relaxed hair, but work best in natural hair because they hold better. Twists will not cause breakage of any time and they can be styled in a mulitude of ways. Be sure to moisturize them daily and cleanse and condition weekly.
Single braids (not to be confused with microbraids), are also a great alternative. These braids are a little bigger than microbraids, which ease in the removal of the braids as well as preventing the hair from breaking off unlike microbraids. When you go to your hair braider let them know what size you will like your braids to be and advise them not to braid the braids “scalp bleeding” tight to your head to prevent the unnecessary pulling that causes breakage and thinning around the edges. Be sure to cleanse and condition the hair weekly and mositurize daily following the braid care regimen.
Bun’s can also be a protective style, but should be used with care. Just like ponytails, they can cause damage if you constantly pull your hair back daily into a tight ponytail and tie it up into a bun. This style should be used as a last minute protective style, but it shouldn’t be used as something that you make a habit of wearing daily.
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12 Responses to Protective Styles
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Right now I am in the process of transitioning to a full head of natural hair. I havent had a perm since may, and I have about 2 good inches of natural hair, while the rest is relaxed hair.
What are cute protective styles for braids? I’ve been told I cant get twists yet because i still have relaxed hair.
Also,I’ve decided to cut my relaxed hair off at a time(maybe every 3 weeks)Is this a good time frame? I’d rather not cut all the relaxed hair off at once, and I realize that my hair will take a while to grow. What would u recommend for a thick headed girl with two hair textures?
You can wear 2-strand twist. Just use a curl rod at the ends to curly the ends. You can also try a curly set, cornrows, braids, kinky-twists, bantu knots, and buns. Every 3-4 weeks is fine for your trims because the hair grows on average 1/2 inch a month so as your hair grows you can cut it. Do not straighten your new growth and enter the Protective Styles Challenge for the winter to gain 3 inches of new hair by the Spring!
Thankyou so much for the fast reply to my question. I really do appreciate it, however I do have 1 more quick question. I want to do the protective hair challenge, and I looked at your fall/winter hair care regimen. How should a person properly wash/condition their hair when its in a protective style? Should I just take out my hair twice a week,keep redoing it after every wash?(please tell me there’s an easier way)
If your hair is long enough for a ponytail this challenge will be so much easier for you because you can wear a bun. You can also wash your hair while it’s in a protective style. Cornrows and 2-strand twists look fairly decent after a washing. Limit your washings to at least once a week to make it easier, but don’t go past a week without co-washing or shampooing. Also getting kinky-twists or single braids will make the protective style challenge easier because these styles last longer and hold up between washings.
Hello, Samara. I’m trying to grow out my hair. I’ve worn a Wave Nouveau for 19 years; my last touch-up was January 5, 2010. I still use the Wave Nouveau products, but I just began using Organix Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner, Coconut fragrance. I leave the conditioner in. I wear my hair down as I’ve always done. Now, I mostly finger-comb my hair. I’ve worn a satin cap at night for years. I’m somewhat concerned about what to do when my new growth really begins to come in; I’m not sure the styling options you mentioned in your blog will work for me. Wigs my not be an option, either, because my head is larger than normal. Any suggestions?
Two Strand Twists, wet sets and cornrows are best until you are ready to cut off the chemically treated ends. Also for the conditioner that you are using, is it an actual leave-in conditioner? If not you may need to check the label to make sure that it isn’t protein in the conditioner which is usually the case when using rinse out conditioners. Protein build-up can lead to dry, brittle hair that will eventually break off.
Hello Samara -
I feel so blessed having found your site – filled with a wealth of information. I stopped perming my hair Oct 2009. I have recently completed a two strand twist on my hair, which I would like to dread. I have searched your site for info on dreads to no avail. Do you have any recommendations or advice for starting dreads? Currently, I am using Jamaican mango & lime products for my dread journey. You have not reviewed this product – what do you think. I also use Paul Mitchell and Organic Stimulator products – I really like PM’s leave in conditioner. When I checked my shampoos, I found that they all have sulfates
. I plan to look into the Curls line. I tried the vinegar and baking soda on my daughter today (she has micro braids – I know). She said that her scalp feels really good. One more questions…. how do you feel about washing my hair with a wave cap on to prevent unraveling?
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and research.
Gwen
I do not have knowledge on starting dreads because I have never maintained a style like this. I also don’t encourage the use of products containing beeswax. Shampooing with a wave cap is a good idea. It will keep you from losing your style.
Hello Samara,
I am seeking information, so that I can change my current style. I do wear a chemical relaxer on my hair currently. I am very active and sweat in my head ALOT! I have spoken with my beautician about my options, she is not so keen on braids because she said they tear out my edges, which are very scarce as is, so I stopped wearing micro braids about 10 years ago. I have gone 4 months without a relaxer, but my hair seemed so tough and hard to work with. I recently purchased Karen’s body beautiful products and they really make my hair feel and look better.Have you tried the products? My aunt came to visit me and she has in her hair a Wave Nouveau right now and it looks really good, it made me want to try it. What is your opinion of them? My aunt said I will have to have natural unrelaxed hair to do the wave nouveau, so I am apprehensive about the inbetween stage, and I am a little fearful. I model and wear wigs to shoots, which I don’t mind, but I do not want to wear them all the time because they get hot and I sweat and my hair underneath ends up being really dry and hard feeling afterwards. My beautician said that being that my lifestyle is active, braids would be the only other option as to how I would wear my hair if I no longer wanted a relaxer, used to always wear braids and my hair broke off really bad. Can you help me?
Sincerely,
Charity Davis
You do not have to wear braids to keep your hair managed. There are so many options out there. Your hair may seem to be hard to manage because you are not used to managing your natural hair, or you may be dealing with scab hair since you are coming out of a relaxer. You can wear an afro, 2 strand twists, bantu knots, or cornrows instead of damaging microbraids.
I don’t really recommend the texturizer. With your life style, a texturizer requires too much maintenance. I for one tried it and hated it, just to cut it off and go completely natural. Natural hair is very versatile.
Concerning your edges,your edges won’t grow in fully until you give up all chemicals. I suffered the same damage from braids and my hair never grew back until I went natural.
Karens Body Beautiful Products Info:
http://growblackhair.net/blog/tag/karens-body-beautiful
While transitioning make sure you deep condition your hair weekly and wear protective styles. Moisture is key. Please see:
http://growblackhair.net/transitioning.php
Good Luck!
im currently gtowing my hair out out to get dread locks. i wanted to know if it is safe to wear a du rag at night or will a du rag stop the growth of my hair