Surprising Dos and Don’ts after Taking Braids Out
Hair care after taking braids out is a bit more complex than simply not perming. Many women with natural hair think they’ve done all they need to through their decision to forego the chemicals, but there’s much more to know. It also isn’t all about picking the right products for your hair. Read on to learn the dos and don’ts for hair care after removing braids.
Skip Shampoo after Taking Down Your Braids
Shampooing is usually the first step many take after getting all those braids unraveled, but they might be doing more harm than good. After having your hair up in braids for a month or more, it’s normal to crave giving the hair a good washing. However, first make sure the hair has been properly detangled. Immediately washing the hair can cause matting, which can lead to brakeage.
Use a Moisturizing Detangler
If your hair has been up for quite some time, you’ll most likely see plenty of residue in the hair where each braid began. While some of this can be avoided using the right braid care products while the braids are up, there will always be at least a bit of this found on hair that’s been up in braids for a while. This residue can make detangling difficult. Protect the hair and make the detangling process easier by using a light spritz of water and some coconut or olive oil.
Many women complain about it taking hours to comb out their hair after taking down braids. One of the problems is the combs they use for the job and when they use them. First start loosening larger tangles with your fingers, then follow with a large shampoo comb. Each time you get the hair to where the comb runs through it smoothly, change to a comb with smaller teeth until you can comfortably pull a medium tooth comb through the hair.
Use the Right Shampoo
After all of that work detangling, the last thing you want is to use a shampoo that dries out your hair, getting it all tangled up again. The importance of choosing the best shampoo for your hair type can’t be stressed enough. If you don’t know which shampoo will be best, learn how to read product labels and understand which ingredients are helpful and which should be avoided. You can always contact a professional hair stylist you trust for help.
Don’t Rush the Deep Conditioning
It takes time to take the braids out and then detangle the hair, but the post-braid deep conditioning treatment is not something to rush through. Many worry about over-conditioning their hair, but the real problem is in over-moisturizing. A good deep conditioning treatment for natural hair can be done in thirty minutes, but no less.
Braids have almost become the standard for women who want to grow their own natural hair and skip the harmful chemicals. But what many don’t realize is that improper carecan cause just as much damage. When you wear braids, the growth of your hair depends heavily on how you care for your hair after taking braids out.
