If you’re thinking of switching up your hair by trying a weave or maybe braids, but you’re concerned about damaging your hair.
Worry not. I have gathered some need-to-know info about weaves and braids and how they may affect your hair. Take a look!
Weaves and braids can cause damage to your natural hair if they have been braided too tightly as this leads to irreversible hair loss such as traction alopecia along your hairline, or central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) that’s usually concentrated at the center of your scalp. This can leave scarring which prevents any new hair growth.
Keep reading to find out exactly what to do to prevent any hair damage from weaves and braids so that you can enjoy these hairstyles without fear!
How To Prevent Hair Damage From Weave Braids
If you’re thinking of getting a weave or braids and want to know how to ensure that your natural hair stays healthy and protected from hair damage, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look!
The best way to prevent hair damage from weaves and braids is to ensure that you do not install them too tightly as this cause pulling and tugging, which can dislodge your hair follicles and cause permanent hair loss such as traction alopecia on your hairline especially. So avoid braiding your hair too tightly at all costs!
Keep reading to find out more!
1. Avoid thin or thick braids
If you’re some who wears braids frequently, you are most likely mindful of this point. Very thin and very thick can be very harmful to your natural hair, especially if your natural hair isn’t at its healthiest.
Thin braids naturally require a small amount of natural hair for each braid. This has its downside as thin/small portions of hair are considerably more delicate and more inclined to breakage than thicker portions of hair.
Not only is it quite tedious to braid really thin braids, just as it is to remove them. The removal process can actually cause your natural hair to shed and break if done incorrectly as the braids are very thin they require more care during removal.
The same can be said for really thick braids. Regardless of the way that these could cause terrible migraines and neck pain, they pull and tug on the follicle of your hair and cause pressure and pain that can lead to your natural hair and scalp being damaged.
2. Get A Professional Stylist
This is probably one of the most important things you need to consider when getting a weave or braids. However, we all like to save money by getting the neighborhood stylist who is self-taught and has recently started braiding hair as a side hustle to do our hair. This can do more harm than good in the long run.
It’s important to get a trained hairstylist to braid your hair to avoid any hair damage; sometimes people tend to have a “tight hand” when doing hair, which results in them braiding your hair too tightly, which, as we know, leads to man hair loss issues down the line.
The same can be said for when you’re removing your braids, do not try to do it yourself if you have braids that are very thin, you will experience a lot of pain, hair shedding, and breakage. Get assistance from a trained hairstylist to prevent the disappointment of losing clumps of your natural hair during the process of removing your braids.
3. Take Care Of Your Natural Hair
Braids and weaves are amazing protective styles that allow you to take a break from styling your hair on a daily basis. That said, having y a weave or braids does not mean that you should completely disregard taking care of your natural hair. This may be the time when haircare is most important actually.
I cannot stress how important it is to keep your natural hair and scalp clean, hydrated, and moisturized whilst in a protective style. This will help in decreasing breakage from the braids while additionally guaranteeing that you have healthy and strong hair.
Here’s how you can take of your natural hair whilst it is braided or under a weave:
- Wash your hair often. This is a no brainer; no matter what hairstyle you have, you should always make sure that your hair is clean! Clean hair is healthy hair. Washing your hair once a week with sulfate-free products will guarantee that any product development that may be choking out your hair or obstructing your hair follicles is taken care of.
- Moisturize your hair. If you have hair that tends to be more on the dry side, then you need to moisturize your hair on a regular basis, then go in with a hair oil to seal in moisture. Do this once weekly after wash day. If need be, you can apply hair oil twice a week. Try the tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer from Amazon for $14.90.
- Deep-conditioning and protein treatments will save your hair’s life. These treatments can be bought in tubs or sachets from Amazon and can be done in the comfort of your own home if you don’t want to splurge on a salon treatment. Doing a hair treatment once every two-three weeks is jus the thing you need to ensure your hair stays healthy and strong while in its protective style. Proetin is the building block of hair so its imperative to use it to reinforce good hair health.
Related Question
How can I grow my hair while wearing a weave?
When wearing a weave, it can be tricky to wash your hair as you have to get under the tracks and ensure you thoroughly dry your hair to avoid mold. So ensure that you get your hair washed once a week by a trained hairstylist and moisturize twice a week with hair oils as you massage your scalp to increase blood flow and stimulate hair growth.
Why does weave make my hair thin?
Wearing weaves back to back or for more than 4 weeks can cause your hair to thin as weaves are sewn in using thread, and when this thread rubs against your natural hair, it creates friction that causes hair shedding and can thin out your hair. To avoid this, don’t wear your weaves for longer than 4 weeks at a time and give your natural hair a break between protective styling.
Why does my weave itch so bad?
An itchy weave can result from your hair being pulled too lately during the braiding and weaving process, as it can cause your hair follicles to become aggravated and inflamed. Another reason could be that when hair is caught under a net or hair extensions for quite a long time without dampness, the scalp gets incredibly dry, making it itch more. So be sure to wash your hair once a week and avoid tight weaves.