Braids are an all-time classic hairstyle loved for being low maintenance, incredibly stylish, and great at protecting your natural hair from breakage. However, if you’ve ever noticed your edges looking thinner after rocking some braids, you know that it's not always the case. Sure, braids can be a great protective style, but they also put a lot of tension on your hair. If you don’t take extra care to keep your hair healthy while wearing them, they could cause chunks of your hair to break off.
In this article, we’ll reveal expert tips and tricks for preventing breakage and keeping curls flourishing while rocking your favourite braids.
Do Braids Cause Breakage?
Braids are a healthy protective style so they do not normally cause breakage. The only reason braids sometimes result in breakage is due to the excess tension and strain placed on the scalp and hair when they are installed too tightly or incorrectly. Additionally, neglecting your hair care routine while wearing braids can leave your curls feeling dry, brittle and more prone to breakage. This is why it is extremely important to pay attention to your hair before, during, and after wearing braids.
Tips For Preventing Breakage When Wearing Braids
Prep Your Hair Before Braiding
Braids are a long-lasting style that keep your hair tucked away for several weeks, so making sure your hair is thoroughly moisturised and strengthened before getting them is key to preventing breakage. Cleanse your hair with our Hydration Shampoo to remove all build-up and follow up with our Manuka Honey Deep Conditioning Mask to infuse your hair with moisture and strengthen your strands in preparation for the manipulation that is going to occur while your hair is braided. After deep conditioning, apply a generous amount of our Manuka Honey Leave-in to further hydrate and soften your hair, making it easy to manage and braid.
Avoid Tight Hairstyles
Tight hairstyles are the most common cause of breakage when it comes to braids. They put way too much tension on your scalp, which often results in weaker strands that gradually break off in small pieces. So it is very crucial to keep your braids comfortable and not too tight. There is a common misconception that your braids will only look neat when they are extremely tight. However, this is not true at all, as long as you apply a strong hold gel like our Twists & Braid Gel, your braids will look sleek, neat, and shiny.
Keep Your Braids Moisturised
If you're not keeping your hair moisturised while it is in braids, it will inevitably become dry and brittle, no matter how good your prep was. After several weeks of wearing your braids without adequate moisture, they will start to get frizzy and break off. So, keeping up with hydration is extremely important. Spray your hair with our Everyday Curl Refresh at least once a week and smooth it down the length of your braids. Then, follow up with a little bit of Sofnfree's Hair & Scalp Oil to seal in the moisture and keep it from evaporating too quickly.
Don't Wear Your Braids For Too Long
Most people who wear braids have a habit of leaving them in for up to two or three months. However, that is way too long to leave a protective style in. After six weeks, your hair will start to crave proper nourishment, moisture, and a good cleanse and if it does not get enough of these things, it will become dry and slowly start to break off. Even if you are moisturising your hair while your braids are in, take them down after about 6-8 weeks maximum.
Consider Leaving Out Your Baby Hairs
If you notice that most of your breakage occurs around your edges when you get braids, you may want to consider leaving out the strands around your edges when braiding your hair. The hair strands around the hairline are newer baby strands that are usually weak and delicate, which is why they often can break off very easily. So, to avoid getting breakage around the hairline and ending up with bald edges, it is better to avoid braiding your baby hairs. If you’re worried about your braids looking neat, just apply a generous amount of our Twist & Braid Gel to your baby hairs to keep them sleek and flat.
Protect Your Hair Before Going To Bed
If you have natural hair, you likely already know the importance of protecting your hair with a satin or silk bonnet before going to bed. This rule is even more important when you have braids, as your braids can easily tug on each other and create friction, frizz, and ultimately result in breakage. If you cannot wear a bonnet, use a silk scarf or opt for a silk pillowcase.
Skip The Hair Extensions
Braiding hair extensions usually puts a lot of extra weight and tension on your hair strands, and they tend to increase your chances of getting breakage. So it is very beneficial to avoid using them and just get your braids done with only your natural hair. This is especially beneficial for those with thin or damaged strands that are already weak. However, if you absolutely can not skip the hair extensions, then use them correctly and in moderation. Do not overload a lot of extensions on a small section of hair.
Don’t Neglect Your Scalp
A dry and neglected scalp is a recipe for weak and itchy hair, so keeping your scalp well nourished is extremely essential for maintaining healthy hair, especially when you're wearing braids. Apply a rich hair oil like Sofnfree's Strengthening Oil or our Manuka Honey Hair & Scalp Oil to your scalp 1-2 times a week and massage it in for about five minutes to allow proper penetration and increase blood flow to your scalp.
Be Careful While Taking Down Your Braids
Your hair is usually at its weakest and most delicate while you're taking down your braids. because your strands have been tucked away for several weeks and have not received adequate nourishment or moisture. So, it is extremely crucial to be as gentle as possible while taking down your braids, as your hair can easily break off if you're not careful. Spritz your hair with our Everyday Curl Refresh to soften and hydrate the braids, then apply a few drops of our Hair & Scalp Oil on your fingers before loosening each braid gently. If you find any tangles or knots while taking down your hair, do not try to comb it with force; just apply more of the Hair Oil and use your fingers to slowly detangle the section of hair and gradually remove the tangles.
Take Breaks Between Styles
Braids are a great protective style, but they require a lot of manipulation, so wearing them non-stop can be a lot for the hair, as it would be putting constant tension on your strands. So, taking breaks between styles is extremely important. After wearing braids for an extended period, take a break and rock your curls in their loose state or low manipulation hairstyles like buns for a few weeks before getting a new braided hairstyle again.
Braids are a great protective style for maintaining healthy natural hair and looking stylish, and although they sometimes get a bad reputation for causing breakage, that doesn’t have to be the case. If you want beautiful, healthy curls while wearing braids, stick to the tips we discussed in this article and keep your hair nourished before, during, and after your braids with the products in our Loc & Braids Bundle; your hair will thank you for it.