Imagine a beautiful sunny afternoon where the breeze is crisp, the sun is glimmering, and humidity is almost nonexistent. What would your hair look like? Perfection, right? The style would last all day, the moisture would be maintained, no frizz, just the perfect hair day every curly girl dreams of! Ok, back to reality, especially if you live in Houston, Texas where humidity and heat are always high. Our environmental factors are not a natural girl's best friend so we must find different ways to keep our hair strong while still looking cute. Protective styling is the best way to keep the ends of your hair tucked away, keep manipulation of your hair low, and limit the stressors placed on the hair. I am a big advocate of protective styles and feel protective styles are a must. Yes, sleeping with a scarf or bonnet and a silk pillowcase is good (Hope everyone does this), but we also want to be sure we are using styles that will keep our hair as strong as possible. There are many ideas and opinions out there on the internet about protective styling. As a certified hair loss practitioner, I KNOW that a healthy scalp is the key to healthy hair. In my professional experience, a low maintenance protective style is the necessary break curly hair needs to maintain strength and health. Braids, wigs, and twists are some of the protective styles I prefer. Check out my Pinterest board here with some of my favorite protective styles. When choosing a style for the purpose of protecting your hair there are four big things to keep in mind: 1. Ensure protective style is suitable for your hair type and texture There are four hair types and three hair texture categories to break down the type of hair every human has. You can have kinky, curly, wavy, or straight hair type and fine medium or thick hair texture. Depending on who you talk to these categories can be broken down further but this is the basics. These factors should be considered when deciding what protective style is best for you. 2. Know how to maintain & how long to keep protective style Every protective style has its limits. Getting a protective style that you are unable to maintain and/or you keep it too long defeats its protective purpose. Partner with the stylist doing your hair or a professional you trust to ensure you receive the necessary information about your style. 3. Clean your hair and scalp prior to protective style Starting with a clean base allows for a strong style. When your hair and scalp is clean your style looks fresh and it lasts longer. Scalp buildup can be the reason for hair loss if it is allowed to build up and clog your hair follicles. If your reason for protective styling is for long and strong healthy hair, be sure to keep your scalp clean. 4. Keep your hair and scalp moisturized There are many things that can cause your hair to be dry, damaged, and brittle. Be sure the reason is not due to you. Moisturizing your hair and scalp is one of the ways you can prevent breakage and promote hair growth. In addition to the four things to remember, a bonus tip is never forget to protect your hair (especially your edges) at night while you sleep. The easiest ways to do this is by sleeping with a silk pillowcase, a scarf, and/or a bonnet. Our curls sometimes get twisted, tangled, and roughed up with fabrics other than silk. Not protecting your crown at night can lead to dry brittle hair negating all the good the protective style is doing. Long healthy hair requires commitment, not a miracle. All I want is world peace, and healthy hair for everyone! Now that you learned a little more about protective styling and to let you know, I have in my favorite protective style… braids. Tell me, what is your favorite protective to rock this summer? Leave us a comment or email letting us know or book an appointment with LaShaunta to learn more ! XOXO <3, LaShaunta C
