Braids are one of the coolest hairstyles out there. If you can rock them, you are sure to turn some heads every time you enter a room. The only issue is that they are notoriously hard to maintain.
In fact, one of the most common questions for braid wearing is “how do I get my braids to stay in place?” The quick answer to this is properly preparing your hair, choosing all the right materials and products, and ensuring that you follow strict rules and regulations.
Unfortunately, that answer misses out on some key details. Don’t worry, this article will cover those details and much more. Read on to find out everything there is to know about keeping your braids perfectly in place.
Common Problems Faced While Braiding Hair
You may have heard that braiding is not easy. These 3 issues are what makes it so difficult to get braids.
Lack Of Expertise
Braiding is a difficult process. Not everyone has the skill to get this hairstyle right so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go to your local salon for this process.
Hair Type
Hair that is too fine doesn’t want to get tied up into braids. Opt for extensions if your hair isn’t naturally suited for this style.
Climate Issues
Humid climates are the worst nightmare for braid wearers. Humidity adds moisture to your hair and you need to get rid of any moisture completely before making braids.
Common Reasons Why Braids May Not Stay In Place
While it is difficult to pinpoint the direct cause of your braids getting loose, it is likely the result of one of these 6 factors.
1. Slippery Hair
Basic physics tells us that without friction, things tend to slip out of the place. The same goes for your hair. Your hair needs some grit to hold the braids in place.
2. Improper Tension
When making braids, you need to apply quite a bit of pressure. if you don’t pull the braid tight enough, it will not stay. However, please don’t pull your hair too hard as it can cause breakage. You need to apply just enough tension for it to get locked in place.
3. Hair Length
Depending on the type of braid, you will need a specific length of hair. Most styles can be done with 6 inches of hair. Hair that is too short will come undone as there isn’t enough volume to hold it in place.
4. Lack of Preparation
You can’t just wake up and decide to have braids. Before making braids, you need to thoroughly prepare your hair. If you skip this process, your hair will not have the necessary nutrition or moisture to keep the braids locked in place.
5. Environmental Factors
Much like when making your braids, the area you live in and your local climate can make a world of difference to the rigidity of your braids. As we discussed, humidity can undo your braid by adding moisture to it.
6. Improper Braiding Technique
One of the biggest issues with most braids is that people are inconsistent with the braid pattern. This is understandable as braiding is a long and tedious process. Unfortunately, this can cause your hair to get knotted up and over time, this will cause braids to loosen.
How do I get better grip on my braids
To ensure that your braids last for the maximum amount of time, follow these 9 tips and tricks as closely as you can.
1. Proper Preparation
As we mentioned, to make braids, you need to prepare your hair. This means that you need to shampoo and condition your hair beforehand. Make sure you don’t make braids on the same day as you shampoo as dirty hair isn’t as slippery. Also, make sure that your brush your hair and clear out any preexisting knots before braiding.
2. Buy The Appropriate Synthetic Hair
If your hair isn’t long enough and you can’t wait for it to grow, the only solution is to go for synthetic hair. However, you can’t just grab any synthetic hair off the shelf. Search for braiding hair as this type of hair is meant for this hairstyle and hence, will stay in place for much longer.
3. Choose The Right Size
You need to be realistic with the quality of your hair and pick the size of your braids accordingly. Choose this thickness carefully as you need to maintain it through each strand of your hair. Inconsistency can cause you a world of hurt.
4. Use The Proper Technique
If your braids don’t have a strong foundation, they won’t last long. Sectioning Is key as it makes the whole process a whole lot easier. Be patient and stay concentrated to keep a consistent pattern. If you feel like you can’t do it yourself, get professional help.
5. Regular Maintenance
Braids want to come undone. To keep them in place, you need to regularly pay attention to them. This means that you wash them only when you have to and when you do, you need to avoid using harsh hair products. Usually, you only need to wash every 2 weeks. In between, you can use a heavily diluted leave-in shampoo spray to keep it clean.
6. Elastic Size Makes A Big Difference
The tools you use for making your braids also matter. Ensure that you find elastic bands that aren’t too loose or tight so you can lock your hair in place without damaging it.
7. Be Careful While Sleeping
Sleeping without a head covering such as a scarf or a bonnet can cause your braids to come undone when you are tossing and turning in bed. Unless you are a really still sleeper, you need to wear some headgear.
8. Avoid Specific Activities
To keep your braids, you need to curb any excessive sweating or touching. This means that you should try and avoid extremely intense exercise routines. One exercise in particular that you must avoid is swimming. Not only is it intense but it also exposes your hair to water.
9. Redo Your Braids Frequently
Last but not least, you need to touch up your braids every so often. The rule of thumb to check on your braids every 4 weeks. However, if you feel that they need some adjusting before that, feel free to fix it up.
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Let’s Wrap It Up
There you have it. We hope we were able to provide a complete guide to keeping your braids in place at any time in any weather. This should completely answer the question: How do I get my braids to stay in place?
To recap, the solution to any problem starts at the root. If you are able to find out why your braids are coming undone so easily, you can adjust your haircare routine to make sure that this issue is fixed. That said, there is no alternative to a good rigorous regiment.
Haircare is all about consistency. As they say, there are no shortcuts to success. Keep at it even if you don’t see immediate results. Taking care of your hair regularly will eventually be reflected in your healthy glowing braids.
