Protective Styling

Hello, Lovelies,

So....you all know that I've been protectives styling since August. I started off with the mini twists for about 2 weeks then I got crochet braids done and I've had those since late August (I'm taking them down soon, though, but after a week or so, I'm reinstalling them).

I believe that protective styling is key in achieving our desired hair length and it helps with out hair's health.

Protective styles give your hair a break from being tugged and pulled, combed and blown around, et cetera. Therefore, it aids in minimising breakage. Breakage plays a huge part in us not achieving our desired length because as our hair grows and breaks off, we don't see the growth, that's why many of us think that our hair length is at a standstill.

Between when I got my crochet braids installed and now, I have grown over an inch of hair and I see that under the crochet braids. So, I'm closer to my goal of BSL.

As you might've guessed, my favourite protective style is the crochet braids. Why?

1. My hair is fully protected from the elements
2. My hair can rest
3. They look super good
4. They can be done at home
5. They can last for a really long time
6. I can still have curly hair everywhere even though it's not my hair
7. I want BSL or below BSL hair, with these things installed it's like voila! longer hair! (then they're taken down and it's like umm.....you're getting their hun')
8. They're easy to take care of

    Et cetera

There are other protective styles like the mini twists, box braids, cornrows, roll, tuck 'n' pins, weaves and wigs. They all are good (not my favs, though).

Anyways, moving on....

Protective styles can cause damage if not done properly or you forget about your hair when you're protective styling. This damage could be

• The breakage you are trying to prevent
• Dandruff
• Traction alopecia....

     Et cetera

So, in order to prevent the possible cons when protective styling, ensure you:

1. Do not make your protective style tight
2. Do wash and condition your hair while protective styling even if not as often
3. Don't tug and pull at your hair in the protective style
4. Moisturise your hair as needed
5. Do not make your protective style too thin (like mini mini-twists or mini box braids)
6. Do not leave your hair in protective styles like mini twists and box braids for too long (unless you want dreadlocks, that is)
7. Do not neglect your hair

Remember, when you take down your protective style, give your hair a break from being in a protective style for a long time. This could be done by wearing your hair out for a few days before protective styling again.

I miss my hair often, but I love this protective styling journey. I'm going to continue with my crochet braids when I can, but someday, I hope to try marley/havana twists (they look so good!) and maybe a weave for the first time since I've been natural (scared of taking down weaves, though x_X).

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What are your favourite protective styles and which ones would you like to try some day?

How do you care for your hair while protective styling?

Natural Hair and Deficiencies (Health 'n' Hair)

Hey Curlies,

You might be able to tell from the title and the picture above that I have some sort of a deficiency.

Sometime ago, last year or the year before that, I read something about how deficiencies could affect hair growth and thickness and I just shrugged it off. I was like, "I'm going to take care of my hair and my hair's going to grow!" I did take care of my hair and my hair did grow, I should say, but the thing that really bothered my happened about a week ago. I was looking at videos and picks of people who are at their 2nd year of being natural (I'm at that) and I was like, "what? You just started your second year and you're at BSL?" or "We've been natural for the same period of time, my hair's just nearing halfway to BSL and yours is like just a tad bit above BSL?" I had like an almost major hair envy.

So, some of you might be wondering, some of you might have already figured out what deficiency I have. It's iron-deficiency/anaemia. I've had it for some years now. People blame it on my diet (vegetarian) and sort of eating disorder (SED - which I've had since I was a new born (according to my mother)).

I was on iron pills for a couple of months then my dad asked me to stop taking them. He put it this way, "your life can't depend on a pill." Some time later, the dizziness, tiredness and exhaustion that comes with anaemia returned. I tried to take as much of green-leafy vegetables as I could, but sometimes, the whole anaemia thing still got to me.

I was away for a couple of weeks in the middle of nowhere and on one particular day (the day before I headed back home), I stopped breathing for a while. I told the (I'll call her) house parent that was there when I headed back to my room (after I started breathing again) and I told her what happened because I knew she was a nurse. When my mum came to get me the next day, she insisted that I head over to a hospital as soon as possible because I had exams coming up soon (those exams have started). I didn't go to the hospital for the first week or so, but i kept complaining of headaches and tiredness and dizziness (and someone saw me at school and told the nurse that I had suddenly gone very pale). My mum called my aunt, who's a doctor and told her what was going on and she insisted that I should be placed back on the iron pills. We went to the pharmacy and couldn't find the pills i had been given before so, we went to a hospital where my blood count was checked and the doctor prescribed iron pills for me.

(I feel a bit better now, just so you know)

Anyways, I've come to learn that the iron deficiency played a part in how fast my hair grew. My hair seems to be growing faster now. Like back when I first started taking iron pills. Sometimes, I'll feel like these tiny bumps like goosebumps all over my scalp and as they go, I got a lot of new growth. I have those goosebump-like things right now. At some point, if you've been following my blog for about a year, you will know that the hair on the sides of my head where below collarbone length. Right now, they are just touching my collarbone (and yes, I remember the bad extensions and stuff that made me lose a lot of hair, but that are should have grown past collarbone by now if not for the slower growth).

I am proud of myself for being able to grow my hair out this much even with my growth being slowed down. I feel like i have achieved something great.

The point of this post is to let you all know that if you have any deficiencies, you should see your doctor and get your meds or whatever you need if your goal is quick growth, length retention and healthy hair. If you're not on meds, take proper care of your hair. Treat your hair like a person. Don't torture your hair in any way.

Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals can affect your hair growth so don't be as ignorant as I was.

Thanks for reading! :)

~SammyWithTheBigHair