Protective styling; It’s a topic that comes up often in natural hair care discussion. And while it’s a proven way to retain length and improve the quality of natural hair, it’s far from a natural hair requirement and it definitely rubs some naturals the wrong way. Here are 5 signs that protective styling is just not the thing for you…
1. Your hair can retain length without protective styling
Does your hair sprout like weeds regardless of what you do to it? Then you, my friend, have strong hair and probably don’t need the added “oomph” of protective styling for length retention. We’ve featured quite a few women who don’t need protective styling to retain length (check out Elle, Geri and Jess).
2. You value styling over length
Why should I go natural, only to keep my hair hidden all the time?, is a common refrain from naturals who don’t like the idea of rocking the same style for 1 to 2 weeks at a time. If you are one that likes to switch it up on the regular, and ‘length goals’ aren’t a concern of yours, then feel free to mix it up!
3. Length is not a concern for you
This is pretty self explanatory. Growing natural hair out is a time commitment, and so is maintaining long natural hair. While waist-length natural Geniece recently shared that maintaining long hair doesn’t have to take forever, it does undoubtedly take more time than managing short hair. If long hair maintenance is not your cup of tea, feel free to bypass protective styling.
4. Your hair is prone to locing
Have you kept your hair in a style for a few days, only to discover that certain areas started locing? Now of course, this would be a blessing if you were transitioning to locs, but if you plan on rocking loose strands, this obviously won’t work for you. You will either have to abandon protective styling altogether, switch to loc resistant styles (like cornrows or flat twists) or cut down on the number of days that you keep your hair in protective styles.
5. You have a scalp condition
Some scalp conditions, like dandruff or psoriasis, require you to wash and/or apply product to your scalp at an increased rate and protective styles can get in the way of that. Before you take on a protective styling regimen, get your scalp condition under control. And keep in mind that protective styling often comes with some minor product buildup on the scalp. Be sure that this won’t agitate any existing scalp problems.
Alternatives to Protective Styling
There’s more than one way to retain length. While I would venture to say that for most naturals, protective styling will be the most effective, there are still plenty of ways to resist breakage.
Low Manipulation Styling
So you can’t put your hair in a set of twists and leave it for two weeks… but you CAN rock styles that don’t require excessive tugging and pulling. Try as much as possible to recycle styles, like converting a second-day twistout into a bun or updo — instead of starting from scratch with a new style.
Decrease Combing
Combing is a major culprit when it comes to breakage. Be sure that your combing technique isn’t causing breakage and try to incorporate finger combing where possible.
Keep your Ends Stretched
Stretched ends won’t tangle up on each other, and will ultimately lead to less breakage. Try setting your ends on rollers or placing your hair in bantu knots.
Regular Deep Treatments
Remember your treatments! Moisturized hair is strong hair, and strong hair is breakage-proof. Incorporate regular strength and deep conditioning treatments into your regimen. And if your hair is shedding or breaking at an increased rate, reach for the protein.
Alright ladies, sound off! Is protective styling for you? Do you incorporate it in your regimen? Why or why not?
Best article to date!!! I love protective styling but I can’t stand it in the same breath. However, I know from my past history of not protecting my ends I’ve suffered severe damage and therefore hesistantly submit to PS. This is a great article to share with new naturals and I think I’ll do just that!
Agree totally…this article is on point. I have worn braids and sew-ins forever and for ME personally I’m sick of them. I don’t even care to wear the wigs but I be wearing them during the winter months for protective styling and help with retaining length during the cold months. For now no more braids and sew-ins, the two strand twist/twist outs are my new best friend. For some we all know that between work, school, and kids…braids and sew-ins are what works best. As long as these things are not damageing your hair keep doing what you have always done.
I just hit my 3 year anniversary!! Woohoo. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/My17Bf
And, I attribute my growth to protective styling. I wear 2strand twists most of the time. Although it has helped me to reach new lengths, I would like to now start wearing my hair out more….but…
PS is more of a necessity for me — as my hair gets extremely tangled, matted, and dry when it is worn out!!
I’ve tried rocking buns (and one would think they are easy), but I am bun-challenged and they end up looking like gigantic lopsided cotton balls dangling on the side of my head. :(
You have beautiful hair!
+1
Congrats gorgeous!!
Great article, although protective styling has proven to promote hair growth, there are additional ways in increasing the growth. I feel moisture is key and paying attention to what your hair needs, because even with protective styling breakage could be a problem if not done properly.
agree 100%
It has not been working for me. I have not put a perm in my hair since December 2008 and it’s now June 2012 and I have not really retained any length. My hair looks to be the same length is was when it was permed. I mean after 3 years I would have expected to see more change. That’s why a week ago I decided not yo wear waves anymore. I told my self if I do it will only be for 1 month or less out of the year. No more year-round weaves for me. I want my hair to grow and actually be healthy after all it’s been through,
Good luck, I hope you experience the progress that you’re looking for :)
Coco, thank you. Its going to be a journey especially once I get back to Buffalo for school in the fall
+1 Good luck and you can do it =)
I do low manipulation styles. I LOVE two strands but my scalpy thin twist are not whats up. I would totally do more protective styles if my hair was thicker/more dense.
That’s the same reason why I don’t do protective styling anymore. My hair is too fine and thin for twists and braids, plus they look very scalpy. Not a good look. Also, my edges are too delicate for buns. Which leaves me with WnG’s, twist/braid outs and updos.
+1
The keys to length retention are
1)MOISTURE
2)Sealing with an Oil or Butter.
3)Covering your hair at night with Satin scarf or using a pillow case
I do single plaits or two strand twist 2-3x a year max when i can be bothered.
My signature style choice is a braid out or a puff. You can’t go wrong there.
Protetctive style can be part of your routine here and there if you want but doesn’t HAVE to.
Ditto–I totally agree!
I had to do another big chop because my hair was just damaged from lack of moisture. I was not consistent enough with DC, moisturizing and I realized I wasn’t sealing my hair as well as I needed to.
I think some of us need really heavy oil to seal. Im finally seeing hair that retains moisture and STAYS sealed by doing the LOC method (liquid, oil, cream) and I have to use mineral oil/pomade as my cream. It’s that serious! For a year, my hair was never really properly sealed…I’d wash, add conditioner and seal and hours later, my hair would be dry and crispy and I didn’t understand because I was doing what I was supposed to do. Of course it’s why so much of it was so damaged and tatterred. So yes, just wanted to echo that CONSISTENTLY adding and sealing moisture adequately onto the hair is extremely, extremely important.
@df
My highly porous hair NEEDS (natural) pomade to seal as well. It’s very well-behaved but it needs a LOT of pure water and for that water to be cemented in with either a heavy, non-drying oil or heavy, non-drying pomade.
And my hair varies so much that humectants, proteins and alcohols, etc. can be a disaster especially with the kind of regular moisture and sealing my hair needs.
I use Cafe Latte by Anita GRant it is sooo creamy and seals moisture well.My ends are a bit dryer as they need to be dusted a bit so i add castor oil untili do.
@ DF: I feel ya! Before the internet, and about a year after discovering natural hair blogs, my hair was never properly sealed even though I moisturized constantly;I didn’t know how heavy my sealant needed to be to retain that moisture! Ha! Finally, I understand my hair-Freedom!!!
After big chopping about 9 months ago after a 10 month transition, my hair is now neck length when in a twist out and about shoulder length when stretched all the way out. People comment about how fast it’s growing and I wear twist outs 99% of the time. I usually wear it down, in an up do, or half up half down. I spray my hair with water, seal with grapeseed oil, and retwist nightly and my hair is healthy.
I wore two strand twists for a week a couple of months ago and my hair and scalp(especially the crown)were drier than usual, even though I was moisturizing the twist and my scalp.
Basically my hair is spoiled and likes to be touched every day-lol! ;) But at the rate that it is growing, I certainly don’t mind.
Protective styling certainly isn’t for everyone–do what works for you!
I love it! Your hair is spoiled! It’s wonderful that you have found what works for you. It is so true that we all have to find what works for each of us. It is SUCH a process, but once we figure it out, it is great.
Happy growing!!!
Thanks Zenith!!! You’re right, it IS a process to find out what works for your hair, but it is such a relief when it happens. Happy growing to you too girl! :)
Great article. My hair grew to shoulder length in a year without PSing and good thing because I can’t imagine not being able to wear my stretched afro almost everyday. I understand why PSing is a necessity for some women, but I’m glad to read an article the points out that there are other alternatives to PSing.
I really loved this article! Because I have dry scalp, long term PS would be disastrous for me. I wear buns a lot, because it has to be low manipulation styles for me.
I Love this site, but sometimes these articles kill me. On any given day I can do a search and find articles that state protective styling is teh way to go and the only way to achieve length, and to not do protective styling we would be doing an ijustice to our hair.
I just re-read my comment, I am saying in advanced, please excuse a few of the typos that I made in the comment.
You right. One day its do this. The next day its don’t do it. Thats why you have to figure out your hair for yourself because it can be confusing (and daunting) for someone new. I don’t think PS helps or harms me. I just find it easier. When I would have my hair out I would have to moisturize and braid it up every night, then tie it up. In the morning I would have to unravel the braids and pull and tease it to the way I like-EVERYDAY. Boo. Now, when I keep it in twists I might moisturize it at night and tie it up and my morning routine is not so long. Two strand twists on my real hair makes life simple. Weaves and braids with extension would help my hair grow but I’d lose hair during the take out process. And a lot of icons keep saying it. They didn’t see growth until they cleased their diet and drank more water. EVERYTHING is connected.
***Like***
Don’t protective style, don’t sleep in a bonnet, don’t care about growth, don’t care about any of that. I wear my hair how I feel like it, and not everyone has the goal of growing super long hair. Best article to date; finally proof that not all “naturals” are so doting and overly sensitive about hair.
some people have stated that they have to PS or their hair tangles up…that doesn’t just affect length, it more importantly affects health of the hair. At the end of the day, we all have to take the time to figure out what works for our individual heads of hair and stick with it.
True… I’m just talking about what I do though. Sure my hair tangles, its very curly. I keep it moisturised so that it’s not matted and messy. But I think I’m more from the Solange school of though. I just don’t curr… about no hurr. It’s just hair, it is what it is, it does what it does. I’m not going to fight it’s nature or take extra precautions to make sure it’s not going to tangle or grow. It’s all good! My hair is in a stretched wash-n go now. Only stretched because after a week of wash n go, I twisted it to give it a more froey look. To each her own! I say boooo to protective styling, unless that’s just a look I want. Style without any other purpose but being cute ;]
I’ve recently started experimenting w thewash& go. After 2years of protective styles which seem to weaken my edges and make my ends more prone to breakage. Not to mention over trimming my ends constantly.
Loving my wash and gos for the summer and length is coming along:)
My relaxed hair didn’t really start growing till I started protective styling but for me it meant either wearing braids for 2-3 months or just tucking in my ends via buns, etc.. I never even thought of doing twists and braids as a protective style and I’m still not interested because it’s just too much dang work. I’d rather find an alternative. My hair is still short so my protective style is just not touching it after I’ve moisturized and sealed daily.
As it gets longer, i’ll probably do buns and the cool styles that I’ve seen developed from hair tucking/rolling. I’m also going to get braids. Anything that takes less than 30 minutes when I do it on my own. Anyway, I know how important PS is for black hair, I’ve seen the results with my relaxed hair and I’m willing to do it for my natural hair. I just have my limits lol…
As much as I don’t like being a “slave” to a hair style for a week at a time, protective styling is a must for me. I’ve worn my hair out, and usually pay dearly for it come detangle/wash day. My hair fares best in twists/cornrows for most of the week, then can rock it free for two days tops before its back into another PS.
My hair does the same. Protective styles seem to be the way to go for me. I have to most of the time keep a PS for about a week. But I notice my ends lock. ButifI don’t PS my hair gets dry. So after a few day to a week I’ll free style letting my hair be free and out to relax from the twists or whatever PS I had in my hair. When my hair was shorter I use to twist my hair every night and do a twist out in the am but as my hair grew that got to be too much. But still I am learning my hair and I’ve been thinking of heavily adding protein to my hair treatment. Hope it helps with the locking.
I was religious about PS during the transition phase and immediately after post-BC but have found it doesn’t really make a difference for me – more of an aesthetic choice than anything else (i.e. change from a wash n’ go). I should’ve taken the hint when my sister who transitioned 5 years ahead of me barely combs her hair and it’s way past mid-back.
Sad to say protective styling is not my friend. I have attempted twists/braids yet after a day or so I either want to play with my hair or the twists/braids are unraveling. Basically I am a WNG girl and my hair is cool with that.
All 5 reasons apply to me…and I always repeat the reasonement at #2. I just want to enjoy my hair…I don’t use heat, don’t manipulate all the time and keep my ends stretched.My hair is doing just fine…gromwing like weeds and is super soft thanks to my weekly DC’s.
My version of a Protective style a single french braid or 6 to 8 twists pinned up.
I’m more of a low manipulation girl. I think hair should be enjoyed and wearing it in a bun most of the time doesn’t do it for me. I braid my hair in the summer and then enjoy it out in the winter. It’s working for me.
i protective style (just putting it away) almost every day. i might wear it out on weekends. that’s about it though.
me 2
#4 is so me! I can’t seem to put my hair into protective styles due to it locing up on me. It locs up after 3 days!!! Its kinda frustrating when I want to put my hair away for awhile, but the good thing is that its still growing like a weed…even with just low manipulation styles (mostly braid outs).