Braids and Damage

**LeMimi13** · January 29th, 2015, 10:01 AM

I see so many websites saying tjay braids break your hair, but I've alsp heard some people say it's better than letting hair down because of the rubbing. Which is better for my hair, since I want to prevent breakage and splits?
I am not comparing iy yo heatstyling, just letting it down

**Nadine <3** · January 29th, 2015, 10:07 AM

Braids are fantastic at preventing damage, however there are factors to consider. Careful with the type of hair tie you use on the ends, as some of them can be very rough on your ends. I get the little terry cloth ties usually used on small children at the dollar store and those are great! The little silicone ties are nice, but I don't like to use them as often because they can cause damage for me. Some people like to braid in some ribbon and tie off with that. Usually though, I skip the hair tie and just bun my braids with spin pins.

**JustPam** · January 29th, 2015, 10:09 AM

It's the hair tie that would cause the damage rather than the braid itself, I use the cheap little clear elastics for ends of braids now rather than fabric/thread covered hair ties, and just snap them to get them off.

**LeMimi13** · January 29th, 2015, 10:15 AM

Thank you! I love these Invisiboble hair rings. Are those like spin pins? I can't find any spin pins around here..

**spidermom** · January 29th, 2015, 10:18 AM

What really causes damage for me is leaving my braids free to hang down. They swing around, hairs work their way free and tangle up in each other. Then when I try to take the braids out - POP! SNAP! Therefore, I pin my braids up.

**Madora** · January 29th, 2015, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by LeMimi13

I see so many websites saying tjay braids break your hair, but I've alsp heard some people say it's better than letting hair down because of the rubbing. Which is better for my hair, since I want to prevent breakage and splits?
I am not comparing iy yo heatstyling, just letting it down

If braids break your hair, then my mane would be a bloody mess by now. I've been braiding my hair daily for over 40 years and have never had trouble with breakage. Braiding your hair is a good way to protect it, provided you do not braid it too tightly, and you vary the place where you put the elastic. Also, if you DO use elastics, be sure they have no metal in them and that you take them off the same way you put them on. Just don't pull them off. Wearing your braid up also protects it from rubbing against fabrics, or chairs, back packs, etc.

**LeMimi13** · January 29th, 2015, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Madora

If braids break your hair, then my mane would be a bloody mess by now. I've been braiding my hair daily for over 40 years and have never had trouble with breakage. Braiding your hair is a good way to protect it, provided you do not braid it too tightly, and you vary the place where you put the elastic. Also, if you DO use elastics, be sure they have no metal in them and that you take them off the same way you put them on. Just don't pull them off. Wearing your braid up also protects it from rubbing against fabrics, or chairs, back packs, etc.

How do you make them stay up? I alwaus have troublw with that, as they either pull my hair and hurt (its thick) or they just fall..

**Marika** · January 29th, 2015, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by spidermom

What really causes damage for me is leaving my braids free to hang down. They swing around, hairs work their way free and tangle up in each other. Then when I try to take the braids out - POP! SNAP! Therefore, I pin my braids up.

This 100 %. Love the look of braid(s) hanging down but too much damage for my very fine hair. I think this is mainly 'fine hair problem'.

I like invisibobbles too and haven't found them damaging. However, they aren't like spin pins which are usually made of some kind of metal (?) and look a little bit like screws. And obviously they are pins, not hair ties like invisibobbles. I bought some spin pins from eBay but they are really bad quality.

**LeMimi13** · January 29th, 2015, 10:57 AM

Hmm.. I really need yo get spin pins

**spidermom** · January 29th, 2015, 02:29 PM

What I do is poke a stick through the braid in the place I want to secure it, then wind the end of the braid around the stick, then pin the braid down with roller pins (the long ones), being sure I secure the ends under the braid, then pull the stick out. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries because you're right - they have a tendency to slip down if not securely pinned.