Just like faux locs, box braids, or goddess braids, micro braids are a protective fashion that needs less maintenance than other hairstyles. Still, you need to know how to care, how long do micro braids last, and how to refresh them to prevent hair damage.
Micro braids can last from one to two months, depending on how well you take care of them. You should avoid washing your hair too often, using harsh chemicals or heat styling tools, and sleeping with your hair in a bun or ponytail. By following these simple tips, you can help your micro braids last longer.
But how to moisturize braids? Who is suitable for this braiding technique? And how can you take off these braids from your head? Read along to find all the answers in the following discussion.
What Are Micro Braids?
Micro braid is pretty similar to thick hair strands that people from far away can’t sense that you’re wearing a protective style.
This hairstyle is lightweight compared to faux locs or box braids as you use small strands of your natural hair or hair extensions at a time for braiding hair.
With this versatile braided hairstyle, you can make any style like a ponytail, ballerina bun, or other braided technique you’d usually use with your regular hair.
Do Micro Braids Pull Out Hair?
Micro braid hairstyles can pull your hair out if your braids are too tight. Improper installation and tight braids can eventually cause thin hair and hair loss. But if you have fragile hair, you should avoid this protective styling as it can increase hair damage.
However, if you can install micro braids carefully and remove them at the right time, it won’t be harsh on your natural hair. So how long should micro braids stay in? You shouldn’t keep your micro braid for more than eight weeks.
Why Should You Try Micro Braids?
A. Micro braid is lightweight and doesn’t cause headaches and neck pain frequently.
B. Unlike box braids and crochet braids, a micro braid is frizz-free and requires low maintenance.
C. Micro braiding style is considered a versatile and professional hairstyle that you can wear at your workplace.
D. This hairstyle is long-lasting, and these braids last up to one or two months.
E. If you want to maintain healthy hair and improve length retention, micro braid styling can be your top pick hairstyle.
Tips To Extend The Life Of Micro Braids
If you can take proper care of your natural hair and micro braids, this protective hairstyle won’t be bad for your hair. Here are some effective tips that can increase the lifespan of your micro braid:
- Moisturize Braids and Scalp Regularly: To keep your natural hair healthy, you should moisturize your braids and scalp properly thrice a week.
- Use Human Hair Extensions: Use human hair as your hair extension for braids instead of other synthetic hair.
- Hydrate with Natural Oil Mixtures: Mix natural oils like coconut oil, castor oil, grapeseed oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Then heat the oil mixtures and let them sit for 30 to 60 minutes. Rinse your hair with a clarifying shampoo later.
- Use Oil-Water Spray for Hair Hydration: To add hydration to your hair, mix light oil and water in a spray bottle, spray the mixture on your hairline and braids.
- Apply Leave-In Conditioner for Moisture: Use leave-in conditioner to maintain hair moisture. Look for a nourishing hair conditioner that matches your hair type, like textured hair, curly hair, or straight hair.
- Deep Condition Weekly: Go for deep conditioning once a week. You can make a hair-conditioning pest using eggs, avocado, coconut milk, banana, and honey.
- Use homemade cleanser with apple cider vinegar: Don’t skip washing your hair accordingly. You can also make your own cleanser. Mix apple cider vinegar and warm water, pour the mixture on your head and wait for 3 to 5 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
- Remove product build-up: To get rid of product build-up, mix baking soda, and castile soap. Gently massage your scalp with the mixture for five minutes, and give your braids a cold water rinse.
- Spray diluted leave-in conditioner before bed: Spray some diluted leave-in conditioner before bed and sleep on a silk pillow cover to avoid friction and damage.
- Avoid over-styling with heat: Avoid over-styling using heat as much as possible to keep them in good condition.
- Trim dead ends or split ends: Try to get dead ends or split ends trimmed before and after installation.
How To Refresh Your Micro Braids To Make Them Last?
It’s necessary to refresh your braids as your real hair grows. And thankfully, you don’t need to re-braid your entire head again, as freshening up your braids is enough.
Apply a thick layer of deep conditioner over your scalp and condition your hair. You can also use refreshing braid sprays and hydrating dry shampoo to keep your braids smelling good, shiny, and fresh.
How Do You Moisturize Micro Braids?
With proper care and maintenance, you can avoid visiting a salon chair. For this, you need to maintain the braid moisturizing and hair-washing routine properly.
To add moisture to your hair, you can apply hot oil treatment and deep condition hair mask to retain moisture in your box braids and micro braids.
How Often Wash Micro Braids?
Washing your braids is another step to making your braids last longer. According to a professional hair stylist, you should wash your micro braid once or twice a week using a sulfate-free shampoo and deep conditioner.
Can Micro Braids Get Wet?
Yes, you can shower with your micro brads, but be gentle while washing them. After washing, naturally dry your braids and try to avoid heat to dry your hair braided style.
Who Are Micro Braids Suitable For?
Micro braid hairstyles are suitable for those people who have a coarse hair type between 3A to 4C. Hair should be natural and relaxed before getting your hair braided in a micro braid. People with sensitive scalp may find this hairstyle uncomfortable.
How Long Does It Take To Grow Out A Micro Braid?
Micro braid is a great protective style to make your hair grow healthily out of the polluted environment. It may take your real hair to grow out a micro braid about six to eight weeks. After that, you should take your micro braid off, take a break for a month or two, then re-install the style.
Easy Way To Take Out Micro Braids
When people try to take down their protective styles, they become impatient and make their hair more damaged. That’s why we’ve found an easy way to take out micro braid styles.
- First, cut the extension hair from where it starts. Be careful and don’t cut your real hair.
- Apply some braid removal spray or cream to remove the extension easily.
- Start removing the braids from the lower part of the braids and procced toward the scalp.
- Use a wide-tooth comb to keep detailing your hair as you open the braids.
- Once you reach the scalp root, comb your natural hair from the roots to the ends to slip out your hair extensions.
- Lastly, shampoo and condition your real hair, and it’s done.
FAQs
Depending on your hair length, doing a micro braid can take 3 to 12 hours. You can use your own hair or add extensions for this braiding method.
Yes, whether you have long or short hair, you can create a micro braid on your head. For short hair, you can add extensions to create a strong lock.
Yes, micro box braids are good for your hair growth and length retention.
The only downside of micro braid is tension between the scalp and hair causes hair fall and damages your hair.
Yes, you can dye the synthetic hair to make your micro braid look more colorful and beautiful.
Verdict
From the above discussion, you get to know how long do micro braids last, how to make them last longer, and how to refresh and moisture your braids.
If you can take care of and maintain your braids, you can keep your real hair healthy with this hairstyle and hair damage. To keep the braid looking neat, try trimming split ends once a week.
