Protect your hair

[maaria]

How do you protect your hair best?
Oiling few times a week and let it be, or well oiling a few times a week an do an updo?
My hair is not so long yet but I can do an updo (a small one:D)

[Charentais]

I'm new, so I'm not sure that what I'm doing really helps me yet, but here's what I do:

Oil at night
Braid for sleep
Sleep on satin pillow

It's not long enough to do many updos!

:)

[Fractalsofhair]

Right now, oiling and headbands, along with putting it into a scarf for sleeping(thinking of getting some more silk ones). My hair is too short to put into a ponytail just now, so I need to give it time.

As it gets longer, updos and hairtoys shall be gotten. I'm already saving, so if anyone sees me asking for hairtoy suggestions with a high budget... My hair will be APL, BSL and then waist/goal for those purchases. (Maybe just BSL and goal.) and I'll have been saving for a while. Overall, what I'll mainly be doing is no bleaching and no blowfrying.

[Angharad]

For protection I use oils, have my hair braided and/or in an updo, braid my hair when I go to sleep, minimal washing (once a week max.), skip chemical stuff in hairproducts as much as possible, use tangle teezer for brushing instead of a normal brush/comb, no heating from blowdryer and when I don't have to go someplace in the evening have deeptreatments or cassia (cassia helps to protect against damaging is my experience).

[Canarygirl]

those of you who braid, how do you gather the end of the braid without risking damage to that portion of the hair? I've read that using any kind of elastic (even coated) can cause breakage if used repeatedly in the same place.

[Angharad]

My hair doesn't need an elastic or something at the end of the braid because it's thick and wavy; my braid stays in place all day and night.

I think if you put quite a lot of sheabutter on the ends they are somehow protected from harm; maybe you can put a satin ribbon around the end of the braid; it looks nice and doesn't put that much strain on your hair.

[Charentais]

Love the satin ribbon idea...

[Angharad]

Thank you, Charentais!

[AJoifulNoise]

I do oiling and updos 6 days a week. Both to help my hair, and to get it out of the way.

[Marika]

Buns are the best thing ever happened to my hair. No product could ever protect my hair the way updos can! But having said that, a good leave-in conditioner can also be a real "hair saver" when your hair is growing longer.

[*Rose Red*]

I wear my hair as an updo, especially for work in hospital but also in my sparetime for sport or so. I wear it down when I´m going out, but most of the time it´s up.
I use oil for the lenght, and I dilute my shampoo. Sometimes I do an c/o wash, and I deep condition my hair once a month. that´s all :-)

[ipickee]

I oil three times a week, and wear my hair up all the time. I only braid a few times a month for fear of breakage.

[lcholland2002]

I oil with Anita Grant's Creamy Cafe Latte or Monoi de Tahiti coconut oil, braid, and put up in a bun 5+ days/week. I CO 1-2 days/week and shampoo (no sulfates) 1 day/week. I deep condition 1 day/week and use Scrunchies or EZ Buns to secure the updos. I sleep with my hair oiled and up or in a SatinSakk, and I use satin pillow cases. The crispy ends after braiding were an issue for me until I began using the Anita Grant Creamy Cafe Latte on the tassel. I adore and collect Susan Maxwell Schmidt's hair sticks and wear them with all my updos. Her boutique is called LongLocks Boutique and you will not be disappointed. I no longer dye my hair or use heating appliances on my hair, and using a wide toothed comb as a tool has helped. I like Mason Pearson Rake combs or the wide toothed horn combs at Heavenly Harvest. I hope this helps, but please keep in mind that this is just what works for me. I did a lot of experimenting with products and regimes to find what suited me best. Good luck!

[maaria]

Ok thanx everybody for your comments, now I know what to do:joy:

[Spring]

those of you who braid, how do you gather the end of the braid without risking damage to that portion of the hair? I've read that using any kind of elastic (even coated) can cause breakage if used repeatedly in the same place.

I cut a piece of satin scarf about 7x7 in sq, and after moisturizing, oiling and putting my hair in one big braid, I use my satin square like an end wrap before securing with a soft ponytail holder.:p

[ginalaurie]

I make hosery ties for my hair to tie off my braid (which I wear about 5 days a week, updos tend to give me a headache). I've never noticed breakage with hosery ties. To make them, I buy a pair of toddlers tights, usually the smallest I can find, 2-3 years, or so. Then I just cut them horizontally across the legs into about 1" segments. I wrap these around the end of my braid about 3 or 4 times. They stay in place and just glide off when I remove them. One pair of tights will make 20 or 30 ties.

ETA: I've also used ladies knee-highs, too.

[AnnaMarie]

I try to wear my hair up in a bun most of the time during the day, secured with a hair stick, the ends safely tucked away. At night I sleep on a satin pillowcase and keep my hair braided secured with a satin scrunchy. I try to do a different bun and braid alternately. :)

[dukkelisa]

I only leave my hair down while it dries from a wash. Then I braid it with my palms rubbed with oil. I do a high braid so that I can create a crown around my head. This style works best for me because it is up all day and then at night, I simply take out the hair pins and my hair is already braided for the night. In the morning, I take out the braid and very lightly brush my hair with a boars bristle brush (not more than 4-6 strokes) and rebraid with oiled hands and put it up.

Since my hair attained shoulder length, I have worn it up. I believe this has protected my hair and kept it healthy.

[JamieLeigh]

I wear it up as much as possible. I only oil once a week, because my hair soaks it up like crazy and it's hard to rinse out. :p

[Radulfr]

I usually wear mine in a single braid - when going out.

[LadyLongLocks]

I protect it by wearing it up 95% of the time. I also always try to distribute the weight with small clips while in the bun.I pre condition before every shampoo to protect the ends.
I use large combs and not brushes. I examine hair toys for rough edges.