Braids Are Destroying Your Hair and Here’s Why

Braids aren’t automatically the problem. But we DO need to talk about the synthetic braiding hair we’re putting directly against our hair and scalp for 6, 8, sometimes 12 weeks. A lot of synthetic braiding hair is treated or coated during manufacturing.

Alkaline treatments can be used as part of processing the fiber and helping prepare it for packaging and storage. But now think about what happens next…

We install that synthetic fiber and leave it wrapped around our natural hair for WEEKS. And a lot of y’all are not shampooing your hair while the braids are installed. So you have synthetic fiber, product buildup, sweat, oil and whatever residue is on that braiding hair

sitting against your hair and scalp for an extended period of time. Healthy human hair naturally lives on the acidic side of the pH scale, roughly around 4.5–5.5. Alkalinity can cause the hair fiber to swell and increase cuticle lifting. The longer the hair is exposed to an

environment that keeps pushing it away from its ideal pH, the more vulnerable it can become to dryness, friction, tangling and breakage. Lightener is alkaline. Relaxer is alkaline. After those services, we don’t just ignore the pH of the hair.

We cleanse and use products designed to help bring the hair back toward its normal acidic range. But with braids, we’ll leave synthetic hair installed for 6, 8, sometimes 12 weeks, barely shampoo the natural hair underneath it, and never question what the braiding hair was

Follow me on Instagram if you want more education like this 🙏🙏

Me seeing this after buying hair to do my braids tomorrow

😂😂😂

Synthetic hair is coated with an alkaline lye to make it shiny and not tangle, and that coating is what causes the itching, red bumps, and scalp burn for a lot of people. Leave it in a basin for 20-30 min with luke warm water and add half a cup apple cider vinegar.

Idk, my hair has always thrived in braids🤷🏽‍♀️it’s really a layered topic, a lot of the conversation should be around diet, nutrition and hormones. This is where the issues stem from. Demonizing protective hairstyles really ain’t it.

I feel like we all skipped over the "ALL false hair, including human hair contain LEAD and other heavy metals" news far too quickly.

That’s not it. It’s just the tension. Your hair is only strong enough to hold its own weight.

No.. 🤍 1. Going 2 an inexperienced braider who pulls ur hair too much is bad. 2.Braiding all the time without letting ur hair just be is bad. 3. Going to the salon a lot & using heat often kills ur hair. 4. Combing ur hair everyday breaks ur hair

Part 2. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

🙏🙏🙏

Facts. This is why im natural and never let stranger's touch my hair

It’s the chemicals they are putting in some braiding hair now!

Is there a solution? Or just braid natural hair?!?

I was today years old! You gotta drop that part 2!

STOP USING SYNTHETIC HAIR 🗣️ and sourcing human hair is typically unethical so stop using that too!!! Just braid your natural hair & be fine with your natural length and texture!

Even though I wash the hair before installing, have noticed with some synthetic hair when braiding it irritates my finger. Or some hair that touches my skin leaves it irritated. Hair I used to use in the 90s never irritated my skin. Hair now feels, looks and smells different

I’m wondering if dipping the hair in acv for about an hour would help? I did that before doing my hair and my hair was less itchy

Why is anyone wearing braids for 8-12 weeks? Are you washing your scalps at all? That coating doesn’t survive 8-12 weeks with washing and manipulation. It does dry out our hair but the real issue is people get braids and neglect their hair. The ends fray, dry and break.

yup braids and caused extreme hair and scalp damage that turned into ccca. I had to start over but now I have sister locs and my hair is thriving.

@Summert68992239 I self install my braids and twists and I have had zero problems.

Did synthetic hair always have this alkaline coating, or is this something new?

I’m not sure when this started but I don’t remember the hair being THIS damaging. It could be new .. I’m not 100% sure on that

Are you the creator who stitched this? Cause I need that part 2

Yes 🙏❤️

Okay I’ll be tuned in! Also you’re soooo pretty!!!

Omg thank you so much! Thats so sweet 🙏 I'm having a FREE virtual class called "How To Moisturize Dry Natural Hair"! If you want to get on the waiting list just let me know

Yes, Please!

Here’s the link to join the waiting list for my FREE Training: How To Moisturize Dry Natural Hair: Join the waiting list so you’ll be the first to know when registration opens!

Done! Thank you 👌🏽

I keep telling you, black women to stop wearing the weave and stop buying hair from these damn Asians. They’re putting chemicals in your hair and it is falling out. Stop getting it braided. That’s another reason it’s falling out. But y’all won’t listen.

I locd my hair and now it's growing back. I thought I was sick, my hair was thinning so badly.

Wearing wigs,hats doesn’t help your hair to breathe so not good either

That’s one reason but I also think it’s how the braids are installed. All that gel? And we’ve (not me though) gone from soaking the ENDS in hot water to seal the ends to pouring boiling hot water down the majority of the LENGTH of the braid. You’re boiling your natural hair!

Yes I agree. It’s pulling the shit out of the hair. Breaking it down. Just be you.

Yeah. I stopped braiding after a while. I kept breaking out into hives along my neck and back and it irritated my scalp so bad. The new braiding hair really ain’t the same braiding hair from back in the day at all. Switched to locs and my hair is slowly coming back to itself 😌😌

Who still burning the ends

It’s not just the braids t.Some of these girls are constantly getting braids back to back and not letting their hair breath , All the gel being put in their hair , the synthetic hair , etc .

I’m happy I came across this video. Using human hair is soooo much more expensive but it’s worth it! I get it now

There’s formaldehyde and every other type of poison in the fake hair. You can tell the customers over and over that the hair is dangerous and they don’t give a shit they still gonna put it in their hair.

Wigs are

is that a wig on her head?

@Anvkii Yeah im retiring braids for now.

Hmmm

The crown of my head broke off either from the hair or gel or both. Still trying to grow it back 😑