The truth about braids for hair growth & length retention

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Braids are one of the most popular protective hairstyles for black women. They’re the perfect holiday hairstyle, last a long time, easy to style and keep your ends protected. Braids can have a positive impact on length retention and helps you make the most of your new growth. How? You may wonder! Well, your hands are kept out of your hair whilst wearing the style which minimises wear and tear that comes with daily styling. But with any protective style moderation is key! It’s also important to know how to maintain your natural hair whilst wearing braids to get the most out of your hair growth and minimise any breakage or excessive shedding when you finally decide to take them out.

We’ll be giving you a run down on how braids can contribute to your hair growth goals. Plus TIP’s on what TO DO/ NOT DO to make the most of your length retention whilst wearing your braids. 

Are braids good for length retention?

Braids are a great way to retain length but to get the most out of your hair growth you need to ensure you maintain them effectively. The length, size and tightness of the braids all have a part to play. Here’s 3 ways braids contribute to length retention:

• Less Manipulation – when wearing braids, you don’t have to deal with daily styling! Your hair is left alone giving it the opportunity to thrive without constantly touching it. Excessive styling of hair is known to contribute to shedding and breakage if not done with the right styling tools, being done too frequently or being heavy handed. It’s okay to leave your hair alone and let it breathe which is what braids offer you.
• Minimal Detangling – Detangling is part and parcel of every Naturalista’s life. Type 4 hair is prone to tangling due to its tight curl pattern. When detangling, it’s all about detangling with care and using products with the right amount of slip to make the process easier. As your hair is tucked away in braids for at least 6 to 8 weeks – you’ll experience less hair loss from the detangling process.
• Protected Ends – The ends of our hair is the oldest part which means it’s prone to breakage, split ends and knots. Keeping ends protected helps minimise split ends travelling up the hair shaft and can contribute to length retention because you’ll be snipping a minimal amount when it’s time for your trim.

Can braids make your hair grow longer?

The truth is braids does not make your hair grow. There is a big misconception regarding growth and retention when it comes to braids. Scientifically, hair starts from  “new cells forming in the hair bulb. Once the cells stick together and harden, the full strand of hair develops. They attach to the hair from below and gradually push up out of the skin”. ¹There are various phases to the hair growth cycle known as the Anagen, Transitional and Resting Phase. The Anagen phase is also known as the growth phase. “At any point in time, about 90 percent of a person’s total amount of hair is in this growth phase.” So as long as new cells are continuously created in the hair bulb then your hair is likely to grow longer. Click here to learn more about the hair growth cycle.

Now there are various things that can contribute to hair growth such as genetics, diet, lifestyle, hair maintenance routine etc. But braids alone can’t grow your hair. You’re likely to feel like your hair has grown quicker and longer faster because you can clearly see your new growth as your braids begin to grow out. The truth is the growth is just more visible because it’s more obvious compared to if you were wearing your hair in a bun or twist out everyday. Don’t let this discourage you from wearing braids because although it doesn’t contribute to growth. Braids help you retain length you wouldn’t have been able to hold onto if your hair wasn’t protected. 

Is it healthy to put your hair in braids?

We’ve all seen the horror stories that come with braids, especially when you’ve seen people experience thinning edges, alopecia or scalp irritation. But it’s important to note that wearing braids is healthy whether you decide to use your own natural hair or braiding hair to create your braids. Aside from it being a great protective style, wearing braids can add many benefits to your natural hair. Here are 5 ways braids can contribute to your hairs health:

• Helps lock in moisture and hydration within the hair strands
• Prevents split ends for natural wear and tear
• Prevents breakage 
• Protects hair whilst you sleep 
• Low Maintenance 

Are braids good for thinning hair?

In a nutshell NO. If you’re hair is already fragile and thinning. Wearing braids could lead to additional damage. Braids are usually done with synthetic or human braiding hair. Although they’re not heavy when you feel them, you’ll be attaching the braiding hair to individual strands of your hair which will add tension to your hair follicles. If you’re not careful – you could end up with alopecia. 

So what’s the option if you like wearing braids. Well, you might want to opt for something like crochet braids. In this style, your hair is cornrowed down and the braiding hair is crochet’d on top of the cornrows. The reason why this method works so well is because your natural hair is already braided down to your scalp. Leading to less pulling on tugging on your natural hair when styling. 

Why am I losing so much hair after braiding?

It’s normal for your hair to shed between 50 to 100 hairs a day. Once you’ve taken out your braids, it might feel like you’ve lost alot of hair but it’s most likely to be hair that shed and was trapped in between the braids. So don’t panic if you notice alot more hair falling out then you normally do. Now there’s a difference between shedding and breakage. I’d say it’s important to distinguish between the two to know if you should be panicking or not. A quick way to tell the difference between the two is shed hair tends to be the full length of your hair strand whereas breakage tends to be shorter and brittle strands. 

Here are a few ways you can minimise excessive shedding and loss of healthy hair strands whilst removing your braids

1. Take ur time :

Don’t be in a rush when taking out your braids. Be prepared for it to take a couple of hours, you want to use the same amount of care at the beginning of the braid removal process as the last braid. You can rope in a friend and take breaks in between if needed. 

2. Don’t be heavy handed :

This is pretty self-explanatory, it’s likely some of your braiding hair can get tangled with your hair when pulling or tugging. So be gentle to ensure you’re not pulling and ripping out your natural hair. 

3. Loosen from the tip upwards :

Always loosen the braid from the tip before moving upwards. 

4. Detangle with care :

You can use a detangling product and spritz your hair with water to make the detangling process easier. Depending on how long you’ve had your braids in, you’re likely to experience some build up. So take your time to remove the build up from each section as opposed to detangling it all at once. Remember: working in sections and on damp hair makes detangling easier.

How long should I wear my Braids? And How often do braids need to be re-done?

Stick to 8 weeks and if you want to stretch your braids a little longer than 10 weeks max. Like any protective style, there is a limit to how long you can wear it. For instance, if you keep your braids in for too long, you can end up with excessive buildup which would make the removal and detangling process harder. 

Braids around your hairline tend to grow older quicker than the rest purely because it tends to be the shorter part of your hair but also because it’s the area you tend to style the most. You can always get this re-done around the 3 – 4 week mark. This helps the style look fresher but also minimises any pulling of the hair along your hair line. 

Top Tips for Using Braids for Length Retention

Additional Tip’s for using braids to achieve optimal length retention

Having the right maintenance routine will have a huge impact on how much length you retain whilst wearing braids. We’ve broken down some Do’s & Don’ts of what to do to help you on your journey.

* TIP : Everyone’s hair is different so test them out and see how they work for you. You can always adopt the tips to suit you as and when needed.

Do’s of Wearing Braids for length retention

1. Wash your scalp :

We would recommend at least once a month if you want to limit frizz. How often you wash your braids really depends on your lifestyle. For instance, if you’re a regular in the gym and your scalp is itchy from sweat then you might want to wash your hair more often.

2. Ensure your hair is fully DRY :

This is an important step! If you’re hair is damp and not fully dry then you’ll have an irritable scalp and your braids will smell like mould. You can definitely air dry your braids but to speed things up then use a blow dryer to dry the roots and let the rest of your braids air dry.

3. Moisturise & Seal ends :

Get into the habit of moisturising and sealing your ends. Although your hair is protected, it still needs moisture to thrive and not become overly dry. You can mix your leave in conditioner with some water in a spray bottle and spritz across the length of your braids. For extra protection, seal with an oil to keep your hair hydrated for longer.

4. Re-do Braids Along Hairline:

If you noticed the braids along the hairline are pulling on your edges. Then theres no harm in re-doing it so it doesn’t rip out your hair. You can get it re-done every 3 – 4 weeks which will help keep your hair looking fresh and limit the damage to your hair follicles.

5. Have Break:

If braids are your go to style then have a break in between braids. Like any protective style, moderation is key. Excessively doing the same hairstyle can lead to damage so its best to give yourself at least a week or 2 break before re-braiding.

6. Speak Up:

If you notice your stylist is braiding your hair too tightly then speak up there and then! Don’t let your stylist go rogue with what they want to do and end up regretting it after. Let them know straight away if there pulling your hair too tight and stop them from continuing. Change stylists next time if you’re not happy.

Don’ts of Wearing Braids for length retention

1. Tight styles :

Don’t constantly wear your hair up or in tight ponytail styles. This adds tension to your hairline and can end up pulling on your hairline eventually damaging your hair follicles. This isn’t to say you cant wear your hair in buns or ponytails but just limit the amount of times and alternate your hairstyles.

2. Wear for too long

The advise is to stick to a maximum of 8 weeks. Some people do like to stretch their hairstyles so could potentially wear braids for longer such as 10 – 12 weeks. However, I wouldn’t go beyond that time and would pay extra attention to your hairline.

8 Ways to Style Your Braids

Final Thoughts 

Braids are a great protective style and great way to maximise length retention. The key is to still have a maintenance routine whilst wearing them to ensure your hair and scalp is healthy. You’ll want to stick to medium sized braids and minimise tight hairstyles to make the most of your new hair growth. Braids offer you a variety of styling options whilst protecting your natural hair at the same time. It also requires minimal effort whilst wearing them so they’re a WIN WIN for Naturalista’s who don’t have as much time on their hands.

SOURCES :

1. What is the structure of hair and how does it grow? : IQWiG (Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546248/
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