Growing hair WITHOUT protective styling?

[macherieamour]

I dont really do protective styles. Shoot, after 3 hrs rollersetting and then wrapping my hair, im wearing it out!

I wear it out for a day or two but its gets annoying...always getting caught under my bookbag so I clip it up with a huge butterfly clip. I wear it like this for 4 days and then the last day I will wear a ponytail because my hair is dirty then.

I would probably retain more length if I kept it in a bun but I m willing to compromise a few inches to wear it out. Plus buns look really weird on me

 

[hennagirl]

My hair is down most of the time; the bun for me is simply more a matter of convenience than a necessity (when I'm washing my face, showering, or sleeping). My hair grows regardless of protective styling or not. I think sometimes we become too dependent on things, though. If you can't retain or grow long hair without protective styling or doing a zillion other things, then how effective is it really in the long run?

ITA, I wear my up only for a formal event, to wash my face or to exercise. I follow all the good hair care advice in terms of moisturize, protein, etc. but I don't understand the protective mindset.

 

[locabouthair]

braids used to work for me really well at one point and then after a while i stopped reatining length with it. but a friend from college grew her hair out nicely and she wore her hair down most of the time. not everything is for everyone

 

[Miss*Tress]

When my hair was shoulder length, I always wore it up. Once my hair reached APL, it's been pretty much 50/50 between protective styles and wearing it down ever since.

 

[20perlz]

I am still new to the board but I must admit I gave the protective styles up QUICK! I lasted all of January and a couple of days into February and ... OH WELL. I am used to wearing my hair down and although it was shoulder length people always liked it. My true problem was overusing heat. (Daily) and not moisturizing and deepconditioning. My compromise has been to rollerset, moisturize and avoid heat completely. But the buns...can't hang with em.

 

[Guyaneek]

I wear protective styles about 95% of the time. I have not been as committed to them the way I used to though. Reading this thread has convinced me that I am going to do protective styles for the colder months and enjoy my progress in the warmer months! And thats final

 

[Barbara]

I think protective styles are necessary for some who really want to see quick progress in growing their hair out. A friend of mine never wore protective styles and that's why it took her hair six years to grow six inches when normally it takes a little over a year to grow six inches for those who use the right kind of products and wear protective styles.

 

[LaNecia]

I wear protective styles almost constantly and it's boring but it's getting the job done. I think if I had of had all of my ducks in a row, I wouldn't have had to wear them for so long but I think this year may wrap up my need to wear them so often as I will have reached my goal length (between APL and BSL).

Interesting thread!

 

[Ms Red]

I did protective styling (baggie, etc.) from April 2005 until Sept. 2006. Yes, it helped my hair to retain some length but I got tired of that.

I've finally figured out that my hair is simple: it wants to be left alone! That means washing or co-washing then deep conditioning once a week, maybe twice a week in the summer. Moisturizing and no combing until the next week. I'm in my 'low manipulation' phase I guess, but it's working.

 

[skegeesmb]

In the beginning I couldn't do protective styling because my hair was so short, but it still grew. When I hit shoulderlength however I was the BUN QUEEN! But now that I'm at a decent length I don't worry too much about protective styling. I probably would be waistlength now if I did more protective styles. I get a couple of inches past brastrap, and then I break down and get a cut to just above BSL, and then the whole cycle starts again.

 

[Jas123]

After this next round of HYH..I will wear my hair out and enjoy..Sylver2 who is a big inspiration of mine grew hair hair waaaay long w/o protective styles.

 

[lashay06]

I couldn't vote because I'm not consistent one way or the next. I wear a lot of sew ins, but my hair takes a rest 2 sometimes 4 weeks before I do another install. Other than that I don't bun or phony ponies because I feel they do not compliment my appearance. Sometimes when wearing my hair down I may use a clip to pin it up in different styles if I feel that the material I'm wearing my be rough on my hair touching it.

 

[Leonora]

I prefer not to wear buns and ponies too often because the hair in the back of my head is the weakest and when ever I where my hair pulled up, I notice breakage weeks later. My hair seems to prefer staying free and loose. Beside, my scalp is tender and I can't deal with the constant pulling. However, that doesn't mean I don't wear pony-tails just not as a regular protective style.

 

[gimbap]

One day last week, a friend told me that my hair was getting longer, and I was like
The NEXT day, my Mom made a comment that my hair looked thicker, and I was like REALLY!?
And I don't do protective styles! So far so good!

 

[MonaLisa]

I wear protective styles almost constantly and it's boring but it's getting the job done. I think if I had of had all of my ducks in a row, I wouldn't have had to wear them for so long but I think this year may wrap up my need to wear them so often as I will have reached my goal length (between APL and BSL).

Interesting thread!

Co-signing with Vix...
my protective styling being falls/wigs - but they are also convenient to wear -

with no set backs *fingers crossed* I should finally hit APL and hopefully a little beyond before years end...then I can fall back a little on the protective styling (all the wigging and falls) and do more "thoughtful" styling (watching fabrics, keeping it pinned/clipped up during bad weather days, etc)

 

[caligirl2385]

MONALISA... YOUR HAIR LOOKS GREAT. U LOOK APL TO ME GIRL.

 

[SweetCaramel1]

i wear my hair bunned/pinned 90% of the time. it's easier when you're on the run. when i wear my hair down it starts to bug me after a few hours. so it's usually pinned up by the end of the day regardless.

 

[tricie]

I voted kinda; after my relaxer, I wear it out for awhile; after about 4 weeks, I get it braided (cornrows); after that I wore it out, and then I bantu knotted and wore a twist out until I got a relaxer.

If I can get it microbraided at 4 weeks post, and then wear it for 2 months, then that would be almost protected styling for the majority of time before the next relaxer; don't know if this 4a head could make it 12 weeks; I made to 8 this time, but I was really pushing it!

Worked pretty well!

 

[cat eyes]

My hair grows without protective styling, I just stay away from the heat.

 

[MonaLisa]

MONALISA... YOUR HAIR LOOKS GREAT. U LOOK APL TO ME GIRL.

Just happened to see this now cali. Thank you.
Not there yet, about 2" to go.

 

[Southernbella.]

I thought I had voted already, but I hadn't. I never wear protective styles.

 

[la flaca]

The only thing I've always done is rollerset and sleep with a high ponytail/bun.When my hair is dirty a bun is the only way too go Now I see it was good for my hair and did not even knew.

I think rollerset is is the best for growing healthy hair IMHP

Ps.: mu siggy is an example monday (first piscture) by wednesday(last picture)

 

[Hair Iam]

Tried bunning a couple of times, it wasn’t for me. I like Bantu knots for style more than protection. I have only ever braided my hair for 1 week in the last year. I don't like weaves. My natural hair likes a balance of moisture and oils to retain length. Bunning caused damage to my ends ...not doing that again . I think TLC and prayers grow hair

 

[frostydoll]

I don't really like wearing my hair in protective styles. I already have a young face so twists and braids with my hair don't look good. My hair texture doesn't work well with extensions or braids now that it's longer. My ends have been pretty crunchy lately though so I need to moisturize more.

 

[toyztoy]

My hair grows good w/out protective styles, but I will say I will put in a phony pony just to put my hair up sometimes. But I'm very busy 3 kids, husband and work full time. I care about the health of my hair but I dont have time for a lot of extra and I think less is better. I get my hair done every 2 wks the only heat on my hair is every other fri. by my hair dresser. I maintain whatever style I get w/ little maintance until I see her again.

 

[RosesBlack]

I wear protective styles because I don't know how to do my hair. Granted it's growing really well but it's boring. If I do master roller setting or flexirod sets I will do those more often.

 

[Blackoutzangel05]

I am transitioning and find that protective styles not only aid in my growth but protect my relaxed hair and new growth. Right now I am participating in the 2007 wig challenge because I love the versatility that 1/2 wigs offer. I twist the front or do bantu knots and then cornrow the back. I moisturize and seal 2xs a day and so far I have great feeling hair and can see growth. So protective styling works for me for now.

 

[Malice]

I'm a sporadic protective style wearer, but only micros, or a cornrow style, mostly micros, and that's like maybe once a year for a few months, when I'm doing a 4 to 6 month relaxer stretch and I do it for a break from doing my hair more than anything and the bonuses is when I take it out it's considerably longer than the last time I had it out. But my hair has grown before my eyes and everyone elses wearing it down for months straight though. I don't use heat, I do roller sets and pin curls when it's out, and I see my stylist for treatments every two weeks for treatments and DC's, in between i do practically nothing to it and handle it like lace until I see her again. I haven't pulled my hair into a ponytail or bun in almost 10 years, and I never will again, a loose pin up or clip is all, but ponytails/buns proved to be stress to my hair and caused much breakage.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

When I bun I end up with dry crunchy ends. I rely on rollersets 100% of the time. If im feeling lazy I'll do a updo like serenidy breeze (i spelled it wrong), but that's only when im holding out for my wash day.

 

[Dragnessa]

My hair is too short for protective styles right now, but I think that once it is long enough I will... It seems to be growing pretty on schedule with the 1/2' a month so Im happy about that... Just trying to keep out of it for the most part, I wash and go everyday and use a ceramic press on Fri to last me through the weekend.