By Jc of The Natural Haven
I know this one is controversial because many of us love our braids with added hair, weaves and wigs. Yes, I really am saying stop using them (eek don’t stone me!).
When are extensions ok?
Let me contradict myself for a moment and say that using extensions as a temporary style to ‘save’ your hair/mind from damage is perfectly fine. The possible scenarios
1. You are transitioning, one day you become convinced that you have to chop your hair which you do only to panic because you are not comfortable with how you look – slap on that wig, put in some extensions, don’t drive yourself crazy over it. Work on the mental transition first before the physical.
2. You have been battling your hair for a few weeks, you are not sure what techniques work for you and the only thing growing is frustration. Sure cover your hair up for a short time (1-2 months)
When do Extensions Become a Problem?
In priniciple extensions are fine if used for a short period of time or for temporary styling. If they become part of a daily routine, they can seriously hinder your progress towards great hair. Why do I say this?
1. When hair is in extensions, you forget about it. You don’t need to worry too much about handling it or keeping its moisture balance………..the key skills necessary for natural hair.
If it is your intention at one point to simply wear your own hair and nothing else then the best way to gain experience in this is to actually start doing it. I know that some people will say,
‘Oh but I moisturise my hair even when it is under a wig’ or ‘I still wash and condition my hair in braids’.
My response is that of course you do but you don’t have to deal with fuzz or shrinkage or even handling your hair when wet. Get the full natural experience, learn what your hair likes and dislikes….deal with your hair
The Ultimate Benefit of Abandoning Extensions
2. The top benefit of wearing your natural hair 100% of the time is beyond the physical experience but rather a mental one. You have to love the person in the mirror and you have to see her as beautiful (failure is not an option if you want to be happy with your self image).
It is a life altering experience to know that your beauty does not rely on what others tell you but rather what you see. This has been my experience and I can confidently say that yes I am cute all day, every day :)
Ladies, what are your thoughts??
I feel that if you take care of your natural hair while wearing extensions there is no need to “abandon them” . I have had to big chop again recently after 3 years natural, and I am not feeling the twa stage at this time. I have opted for various extensions until my hair has reached a length I am comfortable with. I have rocked braids, currently in kinky twists, and will do fluffy twists and so on. Meanwhile I will cleanse my scalp, moisturize my hair and wrap up at night. Bottom line do what works for you!
I feel that there is no need to “abandon extensions” as long as you are taking care of your natural hair properly. I have recently had to bc again after 3 yrs. natural, and I am not feeling the twa stage. I have opted to wear various extensions until my hair has reached a comfortable length for me. I will continue to treat the extensions with the same care as my natural hair, Cleanse, moisturize, condition etc.Bottom line do what works for you!
I agree with the author. Weaves, wigs and braids are temporary styles but shouldn’t be a crutch to rely on indefinitely. You can’t realize or appreciate the beauty of your natural hair if you never see it.
I myself am rocking braids this summer because humidity is not my friend and because my hair grows a lot in the summer I’m trying to retain as much length as possible but come Sept 1st it’s back to my natural hair and I’m looking forward to it.
I think protective styles (using braids/weaves) are useful especially for women who try to maintain a family, workout schedule, and work. I use protective styles a couple times a year to give me a break from doing my hair everyday (due to my demanding work and workout schedule).
My initial reasons for ‘going natural’ was to grow a healthy head of hair without the dependence of perms and other chemicals. Now, 1 1/2 later, I have realized the ‘going natural’ had become an journey of discovery. I never know how beautiful our hair is and the many many ways we can manipulate it and wear it. Regardless of the style (braid, wash-n-go, twistout), my hair is shown me that I am more than any one hairstyle or comment.
I didn’t loose my identify when I had a perm and I will not gain one as a natural. Defining who I am is more than ‘my hair’.
I totally agree 100% I think braids especially can hender a person’s hair growth. Lots of ppl use them as protective styles, but from my experience ppl that wear braids a lot don’t really experience that much length retention. I think it’s fine when you’re going on vacation or something, but otherwise I just don’t see the point. Unless you just like the way you look with braids of course.
I think another thing to add is that the person adding extensions may not like the natural hair thing and complelty abuse your hair. That has def been my experience in the year and 3 months I’ve been transitioning. My hair has been so abused by people who think its ok to use a tail comb to comb through natural hair. Big chop is def coming soon, even though I intended for a 2 yr transtion. It’s time.
Wow! This was an interesting article. I do not discriminate against naturals wearing weaves or hair extensions. If that is your preference then that’s cool with me. I use to wear wigs as protective styles during the winter (This past winter I opted out. My natural hair is as long as my wigs lol) and braids during the hot, humid summer months. This year I prefer wearing my hair and learning as much as I can about it. Natural hair is so versatile. There is so much you can do with it.
First off: I want that woman’s puff. Someday it WILL be mine. :)
Some of these comments are reminding me of that old classic saying, “A hit dog will holler.” ;) Also I wonder if people are really understanding what Jc is saying.
If you went natural with the desire to really learn about and understand how your natural hair works, you can only do so much of that if you stay in extensions (or weave or wig) 100% of the time. If you went natural with the desire to experience what life is really like as a natural, you really can’t experience that if you stay in extensions 100% of the time.
Again, if either of these was your original desire, you will have to ask yourself at some point if the extensions are being used as a crutch because you’re just not ready. IT’S TOTALLY OKAY IF YOU’RE NOT READY. If neither of these were your intention, that’s totally cool also. No judgement!
Outside of this, extensions can be worn for all kinds of reasons. When I finally decided I wanted to grow my TWA out I wore extensions off and on solely to keep myself from cutting my hair. Once I finally made it to a year’s worth of length, I largely taught myself how to care for my longer natural hair (because VERY little information was available back then). But I still would switch up with extensions on occasion…until the day when I looked in the mirror and felt fake wearing them. Basically I didn’t feel like myself…and I really needed to feel like MYSELF. That was in 2000 and I haven’t worn added hair since. I actually thought about getting extensions this summer because of my schedule but I decided against it. I’m wearing my own twists and (somehow) making them work. :)
I need a break from my fro. I have been natural for nearly 2 years and although I love it, I am tired of the time that it takes to maintain it :} So yes i shall rock the mess out of these long kinky twist all the while conditioning and keeping moisture in my hair. People can say what they want but until they help me with this mess,I will keep up with my break from my fro, lol even gonna take them down for a month and get them right back up :}
I love my long Kinki twist. I have been natural for almost 2 years and while i love my hair and the way it looks, i need a break. It takes too much time and im tired, lol. I do condition and moisturize but I also plan to take a break for a month and get these jokas right back in. Each person has their own style and we cant force what we feel is right on others. I say do what you need to do so that you stay sain bc hair regardless of the state can be too much after a while much love :}
Oj.
oops it posted twice :}
I did my BC a few weeks ago and I am planning on wearing braids and weaves. My hair is already hard to comb. I used to love wearing extensions and weaves, they make me feel pretty. I’ve tried to go natural in the past but it nevr worked. Now, with the help of this site, and many others, im coming into my own. this is a test for me to see how much longer i can go. And how i will embrace my Natural hair.
But wigs, weaves and extension braids are easy and can help with some of the pressure of styling ur own hair, espcially if ur a newbie like me.
Patience
I highly recommend braids to help grow hair to a comfortable length after a BC. I did this 11 years ago and I’m so glad I did. Wore braids for the 3 years it took to reach MBL. Yes, I had to play catch up and learn things about my hair after I stopped wearing the braids, but you have your whole natural life to learn your hair. Who cares when you do it? Wearing braids helped me overcome the awkward phases and stalled growth that so many other ladies seem to experience. And it saved me so much time! The main reason that I stopped wearing the braids was because quite frankly my hair got too long! Plus, I look much cooler with a BAA. But I definitely recommend that route if you prefer longer hair; totally helps you bypass the short hair experience.
Well I have a roomate who has low self esteem. she feels prettier with longer hair. The media brainwashes some of these females and shes afraid of natural hair. I was scared at first too. But then i realized that I have to start loving the person without the makeup, fake contacts, and the weave. And since Ive been going natural for a year and some change lol I feel better mentally and physically. I have a “glow.” My roomate is bigger, and her hair is very short and damaged, and shes dark skin. Because how the media portrays bigger women, and dark skin women arent pretty which is ridiculous she feels like shes part of the people who just arent pretty enough to make it. Its sad for real… I hate how the media infects the minds of women, but upon myself Im glad i did my natural journey. :)
Hey Alexis…maybe you were put in this young ladies path for a reason. You are in a position to help and teach her the pros and cons of going natural. Teaching her how to transition until she is fully ready. Even with that said she will have to learn to validate herself and not look for others to validate her, but with your help as a roommate and friend I’m sure she will over come. I know this is off the topic of the article but I had to give my Two cents. keep spreading the positivity.
good lookin out RR. alexis, rachel is on to something….;D
yea i got off track lol sorry. but i mean extensions arent always a bad thing. i love getting kinkys and etc… but sew ins destroy my ends terribly. But i love getting braids. I want to try tree braids, and senegalease twists. I have friends who look at me crazy because of my natural look, but there the ones who have to depend on weaves. sadly, ive learned that i dont need 18 in. of hair to feel beautiful. because one day i would have my own 18 in. of hair! lol!
I totally agree,you should encourage her. :)
I think it’s more complex than just assuming someone is insecure. I wrote about it here: http://beyondthetracks.tumblr.com/post/23170561908/wearing-weaves-a-call-for-no-judgement
Also, if a person is at school or on vacation, they might not have time/products for their original regimen…so in that case, braids are a great choice.
I wish I can wear my natural hair out but I’m restricted to wearing wigs due to very big bald spots on both sides of my head my hair been like this for awhile now all I can do is just wear a wig I don’t want to be a circus show people laughing at me so I keep it cover and no it don’t look like I have a wig on it looks just like a sewin there been plenty days when I want to wear twist out buns mini flat twist but I can’t
Co-sign. I know how to handle my hair in its natural state but love playing with different looks. Let your own common sense guide you, if extensions leave you bald walk away. That would be the only time i would suggest not using them. My mom has fine hair and a tender scalp, she is a perfect example of someone who should abandon extensions.
I transitioned with kinky twists for about 10 months (had them redone every 3 months). I LOVED them. After having long relaxed hair for most of my life, I was not ready for a TWA. When I big chopped I was beyond a TWA, but I still was not comfortable wearing my hair out. I had kinky twists installed again for 3 months. After that, I took them out (December 2011) and have worn my hair out since.
Would I get kinky twist again? Yes! I am considering them for the summer, just to mix it up a bit and give my hair a break. I absolutely love my natural hair, but I also love hair diversity. I think the MOTIVATION about weaves/braids is what matters most. If you stay in kinky twists, braids, wigs ALL the time, you may need to evaluate how you really feel about your natural hair, not to mention that this is not good practice for healthy hair. However, if it’s just something temporary, then that’s a whole different story.
Whew! I havent’ read all the replies yet but see below for the ONLY reason I do not wear weaves or wigs. For me it was traumatic to put in a weave and take it out and my own hair not be this big full head of hair. First I had damaged it severely due to over processing MY FAULT and I thought weaving it up would help but it made me feel worse very unattractive in my own skin. Now that my hair is sooooooooooo healthy and great I still felt some kinda way when I wore a phony pony…I just want to be comfortable in my own skin and hair…I’ve talked to many others and apparently I am in the minority in how I feel about my hair after I take the weave out so I was kind of glad you mentioned the below…its not just me
The top benefit of wearing your natural hair 100% of the time is beyond the physical experience but rather a mental one. You have to love the person in the mirror and you have to see her as beautiful (failure is not an option if you want to be happy with your self image).
I can so realte! :-) I call it the BEFORE and AFTER effect! LOL I don;t like that feeling either so whatever i di make sure there isn’t a drastic change inmy appearnce with my hair and make-up. I felt that way with length too i would have long extensions and take them off and it cannot compare! LOL
I can so relate! :-)
I call it the BEFORE and AFTER effect! LOL
I don’t like that feeling neither, so whatever i make sure there isn’t a drastic change in my appearnce with my hair and make-up. I felt that way with length too i would have long extensions and take them off and it cannot compare to reality! LOL
Meh, I’m in twist extensions right now and I absolutely love my hair.
I can’t keep my hands out of my hair is my problem,
yaaasssssssssss me too
i love my hair tooo much
i love playing it and doing styles in it
i’d do 3 different styles a day if i could
and because i love it so much it breaks
but when i have extensions i don’t play in my hair
I have to disagree with the following:
“‘Oh but I moisturise my hair even when it is under a wig’ or ‘I still wash and condition my hair in braids’.
My response is that of course you do but you don’t have to deal with fuzz or shrinkage or even handling your hair when wet. Get the full natural experience, learn what your hair likes and dislikes….deal with your hair”
I’ve been natural 3+ years so trust that I know (and LOVE) my hair. I’ve dealt with it for that long and now I wear wigs when I am not at home. And since my hair is in braids under the wig, moisturising is pretty easy. I don’t worry about frizz and shrinkage because no one sees it and it is much cleaner on wash day than when exposed.
The main reason I wear wigs is because now that I know how to take care of my hair, I am focusing on maximising it’s growth potential. My hair is fine, thin AND slow to grow. I am reaping the benefits of low manipulation and protection.
I abandoned extensions years ago, if left in too long my thick coily hair would lock around the fake hair and the only way to remove it was to cut it all off! This happened twice and I have never ever had extensions of any kind since. This was all way before the ‘natural hair movement’ I had an extremely unfashionable fade for a decade which I adored I just thought that one day I would see how my hair grew and here I am with 12 inches of thick coily crazy hair.
My sister in law wears a protective weave and never ever shows her natural hair – in fact I still haven’t seen it and she just gave birth to a little girl – I wonder when she is going to put weave in her hair…
The two points made in this article are true. Yes, you do prolong learning how to love your hair in it’s natural state when you wear extensions early in your “natural life”. But it’s not the worst thing in the world if you do. Every woman has to come to terms with her feelings and appearance in her own time. Whether you have an inch or a foot of hair, learn to love it in your own time. Part of learning to love it includes listening to it, taking cues from it, and developing a hair care routine that works for it. Everyone’s journey is different. Just enjoy it without complication.
BEAUTIFUL!