Hair Diaries: Low Manipulation & Protective Styles

Since starting my blog & in my 'real' life, the questions I get asked the most are concerning my hair. I've decided to answer and provide as much information on my hair/hair care & products through a blog series called "Hair Diaries'. The posts will be more text but they'll be as informative as possible.

Questions/request are welcome :)

If you want to know more about my hair/hair routine at the moment check this out.

 The HAIRY Truth:

The trick to longer healthier hair is length retention. Every one's hair grows! I don't care what race you are, if you're breathing your hair is growing. The trick is to maintain as much length as possible. You lose length through breakage, damage, or split ends.

HAIR me out:

Low manipulation and protective hair-styles help maintain length by putting as little stress on the hair strands as possible. These styles are one of the many techniques to maintain hair length.

Low manipulation includes techniques such as finger combing. Instead of opting for a brush to de-tangle your hair, use your fingers. You'll rip out less strands and be able to feel and tackle knots with less stress. If you must use a tool opt for a wide tooth comb instead of a brush, it reduces stress on your strands as well as less damaged ends.

Quick tip: De-tangle from the bottom of your strands working up. You'll cause less damage this way.

The key is to manipulate your hair as LITTLE as possible. So no elaborate styles.

Protective styling is similar to low manipulation. The main goal is still length retention with an emphasis on protecting the ends of your strands. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair, thus the weakest. Simply by putting your hair in a bun you protect your ends from rubbing against your clothes or becoming damaged by the elements (sun and wind, etc.)

Protective styles include, wigs, weaves, braids, buns, and pony tails. Just make sure that if you opt for wigs, weaves, etc. you take care of you hair underneath with regular washing/conditioning. NO body likes STANK hair even if your weave is cute :)

For those opting for pony tails and buns be careful not to make them too tight because you can end up with tension breakage or worse traction alopecia a la Naomi Campbell. This occurs when you hair breaks in certain areas from excessive tension. Switch up the positioning of your bun/pony for variation and less stress on the same follicles.

Using these techniques as well as a proper hair regimen your hair should become thicker and longer.

Hope you enjoyed the read :)

xo.