Braid waves won't go away? Help!

[HairPlease]

I've noticed now, for the 3rd time, that my braid waves from my sleep braid do not go away. After a shower, detangling, conditioning, air drying, and detangling again, the braid waves remain. They're manifesting themselves as atrocious kinks and krinks in the middle of my lengths. This is *not* my natural texture, I assure you, it's the braid waves. How is this possible? What can I do to get rid of them? Why is this happening to me? -panic-
I realize the solution is to put a bun on top of my head and sleep with that, which I'm now doing, but the "waves" will not go away. If it helps, my hair is moderately damaged but under control, mainly mechanical damage at this point from a rough session with a gloss.
I do not use any product besides shampoo and conditioner, so it's not that.

[Johannah]

I'd try to blow dry on cold setting.

Further than that, I don't have a clue how this is possible :?:

[vampyyri]

That's very odd... I wish my braid waves stayed past a wash, but usually as soon as water hits my hair, they're gone.

I hope someone else can chime in to help you out. Never heard of this before myself... :hmm:

[samanthaa]

Maybe your texture has changed over time and you're now mistaking your natural waves for braid waves? It seems impossible to me that braid waves would stick around after washing.

[meteor]

To make absolutely sure, I'd simply stop braiding hair. After a wash and combing hair out while it's drying or blow-drying it, the braid-waves should be straightened out. It's also possible that some old product build-up was helping set the braidwaves for longer.
Also, I find with some textures (like mine, for example), if hair is allowed to drip-dry without touching, it can actually look a lot like braid-waves too.
It could be that your texture is wavier than what it appeared before or simply changed over time or could be affected by humidity, maybe? :hmm:

One thing I notice is that it's very important to watch out for the shape/pattern you are setting your hair in when you are in wet or humid conditions. For example, even when I do "braided washes" (they help avoid excessive tangling due to thickness during washing), and then I unbraid hair right after and rinse it, my hair always dries in very defined braidwaves, even though I dry it loose. It's probably similar principle that works in "squish-to-condish": by scrunching hair while "squishing" conditioner in, I'm setting hair in strong waves, even if I rinse it all out later and don't touch it again and avoid any CG techniques.

[HairPlease]

Thank you all for the quick responses! It doesn't seem physically possible to me, either. It's weird because the waves are right where my braid starts and stop where my braid ends (where I tie it off). Maybe my hair did change texture over time, it's always been the same, but I haven't done a formal hair typing yet. Maybe I'm a 2a. It's just so weird how they're right where the braid is/was.

Meteor, I did clarify twice... I doubt it's product buildup... unless... maybe it's from the clear gloss dye? Perhaps that's setting my hair in the braid waves! Maybe in a month when it all washes out my problem will go away.

[neko_kawaii]

My texture is very similar to braid waves. Unless I plop and scrunch the scalp and ends dry straight.

[lapushka]

Is it like in your signature picture? Because that to me doesn't look like braidwaves, rather natural 2a waves. IMMHO.

[turtlelover]

You might be seeing more of your natural wave since you have more moisture in your hair since you've been taking better care of it.

[HairPlease]

Good call, neko_kawaii, lapushka, and turtlelover. Yeah, that's them in my sig pic alright. It just annoys me so much when they're really defined in the middle of my lengths when it's straight at the ends and roots like braids... maybe I could figure out a way to make the ends and roots wavier in the case that these weird waves are natural?

[neko_kawaii]

Plop for waves at the roots and scrunch for waves at the ends.

[HairPlease]

Plop for waves at the roots and scrunch for waves at the ends.

Mmkay, I'll give that a go, thank you. :)

[calmyogi]

When I saw the pic I thought the same thing lapushka said. It looks like natural waves to me too.

[Llama]

There is no way braid waves could stay in your hair after being soaked in water. The only way they would be able to withstand that is if chemicals were involved (like a perm). Any waves that are left after you have washed and brushed your hair are going to be natural waves/texture.

:)

[restless]

It just annoys me so much when they're really defined in the middle of my lengths when it's straight at the ends and roots like braids... maybe I could figure out a way to make the ends and roots wavier in the case that these weird waves are natural?

How do the ends feel? Dry and damaged? You mentioned your hair is somewhat damaged and my ends behaved the same up until a year ago. They just wouldnt hold a wave/curl after getting their fair share of dye and heat damage, but I got rid of those old ends last year and now they wurl perfectly fine. Im a 2 as well (2b/c though and not a 2a like you) and my roots are mostly straight too, except for the bangs. My wurls are unpredictable, but they usually begin at ear length or so.

[HairPlease]

Llama, that's what I hoped. Thanks for re-affirming. :)

restless, The ends feel pretty moist, maybe a tad grabby here and there but nothing serious. I do intend to maintain at waist and get rid of them, though. They could be better... none are split, at least.
It's interesting how you have straight roots, too. A couple acquaintances of mine always accuse me of faking wavy hair with braids or heat tools (I don't even own any) because my roots are always straight and they always say people with real curly/wavy hair have curly/wavy roots. LOL.

[TatsuOni]

I too think that your hair texture has changed. My mother is 54 and has suddenly gotten waves in her hair, so it can happen:)

[lapushka]

Up to 2a the roots can be pretty straight. As of 2b it gets up to the roots; that's also the difference in waviness right there.

[littlestarface]

Llama, that's what I hoped. Thanks for re-affirming. :)

restless, The ends feel pretty moist, maybe a tad grabby here and there but nothing serious. I do intend to maintain at waist and get rid of them, though. They could be better... none are split, at least.
It's interesting how you have straight roots, too. A couple acquaintances of mine always accuse me of faking wavy hair with braids or heat tools (I don't even own any) because my roots are always straight and they always say people with real curly/wavy hair have curly/wavy roots. LOL.

No one can say what wavy hair can or cannot do, wavy hair in itself is a straightish curly so that right there is a unpredictable type. I have straight mix with waves and some wurls around my face, that doesn't make me a faker just cuz my hair decides it wants to be prissy and act like 3 different types :rolleyes: I wish my hair would make up its mind tho.

[Phanaferous]

If you want to get the ends to have a wave, you could try heatless curling them. Rag curls or flexi-rods, etc.; only roll them up as far as you need. I don't have natural waves and do enjoy the look of braidwaves but not the straight tail that was left over. What I do now is braid down to the last 2-3 inches, then take what would be the tail and wind it around the end of the braided section. Sort of using the braid as a roller. I found these "finger protectors" to use to keep the wound up tail hair in place.

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Stretchy-Finger-Sleeve-Protector/dp/B0057UNQUY/ref=pd_bxgy_200_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4XKE7T61VWA6NKY1TTNV

When I take the braid out I have my waves and the ends have a slight curl. I like the more "finished" look of this, and it keeps me from using ye olde curling iron.

[HairPlease]

Phanaferous, that's a great idea! Thank you!

[kattmara]

restless[/B], The ends feel pretty moist, maybe a tad grabby here and there but nothing serious. I do intend to maintain at waist and get rid of them, though. They could be better... none are split, at least.
It's interesting how you have straight roots, too. A couple acquaintances of mine always accuse me of faking wavy hair with braids or heat tools (I don't even own any) because my roots are always straight and they always say people with real curly/wavy hair have curly/wavy roots. LOL.

The underlined part: mine felt totally fine too and there where no splits but they apparently where damaged enough from before (heat and some bleach I guess) and did not "curl" or bend, it was just a couple of months ago that I happened to trim of the last damaged part and now they have "changed" texture to fit the other hair, or more correctly - the healthy hair have replaced the slightly damaged hair.