Are two braids a good protective style?

[Leslieslsa]

I like wearing my hair in two braids. Is that style a pretty good protective style?

[Firefox7275]

The most common definition of a protective style is one that protects the ends, braids do not unless bunned or otherwise secured on the head tucking the ends.

[PerkyCurlz]

The main thing wearing braids (two or one) did for me was stop the breakage I had due to wearing ponytails. I still have to worry about breakage at my ends, either from the elastic or from friction. Now that my hair is long enough, I have figured out a few buns that holds up to a 12-hour shift in the ER.

[PerkyCurlz]

double post

[leslissocool]

I wear braids exclusively (they are easy to bun, and if a kid snag the stick it's still good) and I have no damage from it :cheese:.

[Naiadryade]

Well, braids certainly keep tangles at bay for the most part--provided you don't wear the same braids for days on end--so they are protective in the sense that you won't have the damage from knots and detangling that you might if your hair were worn down. As has been said, braids don't exactly protect the ends... but they aren't the worst, either. Certainly most of the people I know IRL who have hip+ hair wear 1 or 2 braids as their most common styles, so that's a pretty good sign to me!

I would caution against wearing the same style every day, though. I'm also a 2-braid enthusiast, especially in the summer when I'm working outside with kids all the time and it's hot. I have fallen into the trap of wearing 2 braids every day, and because of it I have some shorter hairs in a vertical line at the back of my head, where the part between the 2 braids is made, because the day to day wear and tear of being exposed so much ended up damaging them and they broke off. :( It's not the worst thing, though, again... you can't tell at all when my hair is down, and because of the placement, they end up inside buns and single braids too. :shrug: I'd rather have damage there than the kind of canopy damage folks get from wearing a ponytail every day.

[Kimberly]

This is one of my favorite styles, when I can get my hair to part at all evenly. Keeps my hair from getting into everything, and if I am doing something where they might get into my way I tie them together in the back with a ribbon.

[Naiadryade]

This is one of my favorite styles, when I can get my hair to part at all evenly. Keeps my hair from getting into everything, and if I am doing something where they might get into my way I tie them together in the back with a ribbon.

Oh yes, I do this too! Not with a ribbon though; I just use the 2 hair ties from the ends of the braids. One of them goes where a low ponytail would sit, and the other goes around the ends of both braids. It actually looks really cool with them bound together... almost like a square braid. I've gotten comments on it.

[PerkyCurlz]

Oh yes, I do this too! Not with a ribbon though; I just use the 2 hair ties from the ends of the braids. One of them goes where a low ponytail would sit, and the other goes around the ends of both braids. It actually looks really cool with them bound together... almost like a square braid. I've gotten comments on it.
I do this with Flexi-8s. I wear a large at the nape of my neck, and a small at the end.

[Madora]

As someone who has been wearing braids for a good many years, I'd say they were very protective, provided you do not pull them tightly and change the way you wear them. Also be careful of how you remove the end fasteners (elastics). Just don't pull them off. I've found wearing braids up keeps them more tidy and easier to unbraid after many hours than a braid that has been flopping around for hours. The loose braids to be a little more persnickety when combing out time comes.

[meteor]

I love braids and to me it's a tie between updos and braids in terms of protection, because updos sometimes feel heavy or pull close to roots, and braids don't but they don't protect the very end (tassel). I used to wear braids every day and never had any issues.
To avoid potential damage, why not use ribbons/parandi to tie off your braids instead of elastics and lightly oil the tassel? Also, be mindful of chairs, straps, doors, etc - braids can get caught in things if you aren't careful.

[spidermom]

Depends. If they're pinned up and protected from the sun, yes, they're protective. If they're swinging around and exposed to the elements, no.

When I've worn braids loose and swinging around, the tangles in the hairs that fluff out of the braids are worse than tangles I get if my hair is worn completely free. They knot up together.

[Kimberly]

Oh yes, I do this too! Not with a ribbon though; I just use the 2 hair ties from the ends of the braids. One of them goes where a low ponytail would sit, and the other goes around the ends of both braids. It actually looks really cool with them bound together... almost like a square braid. I've gotten comments on it.

That sounds really cool. Wouldn't have thought of it, since my tassels spiral themselves and hold well without hair ties. I might have to try this.

[Pamala513]

I wear 2 braids,but only at night when I go To sleep. It keeps my hair from tangling.

[Sharysa]

Two braids/pigtails are definitely better than leaving it loose all the time. I've been wearing two braids to sleep and whenever I feel lazy for almost two years, and I'm nearly waist-length by now. You just need to make sure to switch things up so you don't get damage from putting your hair in the exact same braids every day.

Personally, I switch between a Dutch braid, a normal braid, and pigtails.

I'm fine with the very slight end-damage; my hair's really tough, and I want to get fairy-tale ends anyway.

[YamaMaya]

A side braid is my go to casual style, I know I shouldn't wear it every day, but it's just about the only braid I'm good at at the moment...I'm still trying to master braiding in the back and they always end up messy looking and I can't go out looking like that :shrug:. I can't really do many buns because of my layer situation, so I tend to stick to braids and just be very cautious about my elastics.

[0xalis]

It's much better than leaving it down, but if you live somewhere with anything but perfectly mild weather 24/7, you should keep your hair up when the weather is anything but perfect, at least when you're outside. Also, leaving your hair in a braid under a coat will cause a LOT of friction to the hair, which isn't good. I actually have a satin-lined coat, so I could wear it down or in a braid under it if I wanted, but my hair's too short for it to matter!

My friend has classic length hair that she always wears in a braid or low ponytail, but it's pretty thin and not in the best of shape, but in better shape than it would be if she always left it loose!

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Is there any reason why they wouldn't be protective? Sure, the ends aren't in the braid but I would still consider it a very good protective style.

[Sharysa]

Braids aren't quite as protective for people with fragile hair, since a hanging braid would be rubbing on clothes and chairs/couches.

[Pierre]

Two braids bunned up are very protective. I wear them all the time, except after washing my hair. Then I put it up and wait a day or so and make two braids again.

[Marika]

Depends. If they're pinned up and protected from the sun, yes, they're protective. If they're swinging around and exposed to the elements, no.

When I've worn braids loose and swinging around, the tangles in the hairs that fluff out of the braids are worse than tangles I get if my hair is worn completely free. They knot up together.

I agree with this 100 %.

[Leslieslsa]

Mine is actually different. When I unbraid it it is really soft and tangle free! That is why I do it. Now if I wear it in a pony tail it rats up.

[Lockoptimisten]

What about doing a topknot with the ends round the knot and put a claw-thingy to secure it with? That should be very protective style, right?

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