Black Hair Care Tips for Braid Styles

Black hair care tips for braid styles:

• Be picky about synthetic hair. Cheap synthetic hair tends to irritate skin. It also dulls quickly. Neither scenarios are conducive to the length of time (at least 30 days) most blacks wear cornrows, micro braids or single braids. So, pay the extra dollars for quality synthetic hair. 

• Request semi-tight braids. Alopecia traction occurs due to excessive pulling of hair, the type linked to braid styles. Avoid falling prey to this condition. Tell your stylist in advance to give you 'semi-tight' cornrows or braids. Your head won't hurt after the braid session and you won't battle against receding edges. 

• Develop a dry wash routine. Cornrows, micro braids and single braids loosen or unravel if drenched with water. For this reason, it's important to clean them using a dry wash method. Here's what I did - dab at least three cotton balls with Witch Hazel; run the cotton balls through your scalp; and, lightly wipe braids with a wash rag dampened with Witch Hazel. This process grabs excess oil and grime.

• Condition your hair daily. Because of its natural curl, black hair tends to be dry. This dryness is compounded by hot or cold weather. Tackle dryness while wearing cornrows, micro braids and single braids through daily hydration. Spray oil onto your hair or dab oil in with a creme condition. 

• Wrap your hair at night. Before going to bed, wrap your head/braids with a silk scarf. This keeps your hair in place and any strays lying flat. Also, you avoid losing any additional oils that give your braids a shiny appearance. 

• Wear braids 1 to 3 months. This period is the length of time most cornrows, micro braids or single braids hold up before needing to be retouched or re-braided again. After 3 months, braid styles start to look ratty, unattractive.