by Ariane of BlackNaps.org
Weaves can be used as a protective style to help you retain more length. However, it is crucial that you take breaks in between protective styling with weaves for the health of your hair rather than installing them back to back or even worse keeping them in for way too long.
Many of you are probably familiar with the viral video that a hairstylist shared of a client who actually kept her sew in weave in for 6 months. The results were moldy and broken off hair. Under no circumstances, is keeping a weave in for 6 months ever okay, 2 months should be your max (on average I keep mine it for 1 month to a 1 month and half).
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DON’T GET TOO SUCKED INTO THE EASE OF WEARING WEAVES TOO FREQUENTLY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO MOISTURIZE, CLEANSE AND CONDITION OUR HAIR AS WELL.
You also run the risk of thinning your edges out or even getting conditions like traction alopecia if too much tension is constantly applied to same area of your hair.
A GOOD NATURAL HAIR CARE REGIMEN IS BALANCED.
I must admit, I love the convenience of styles like crochet braids. They aren’t too heavy, they don’t give me the itchies, the style lasts for ages, and they look very natural. In the mornings, all I have to do is moisturize if needed and go. Crochet braids will continue to be used as a protective hair styling strategy for me for length retention, but I will always, always take breaks to give my hair the proper care it needs and avoid excess tension.
TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR HAIR.
Sometimes, the last thing I want to worry about is my hair these days but I definitely see the value in taking time to learn more about my hair. After taking a break from my beloved crochets, I learned how I can effectively wet style my hair, which is something I thought previously was totally impossible for me. When our hair is tucked away in extensions we are not getting a deeper understanding of what works for our hair because we aren’t seeing much of it.
The above photo is a before and after of my daughters here she has kinky 4c Hair and receive a silk press and trim . She does not wear sew in extensions but I just wanted to show her texture and what I do as an option for her to style her hair from time to time.