Protective Hairstyling: Yay or Nay?

I've always been a firm believer that protective hairstyling is the way to go. Especially for us ladies who want to retain length without worrying about the fuss or upkeep that comes with natural hair. With that being said, there is a misconception when it comes to protective hairstyling. Protective hairstyles do not grow your hair. Your hair is always growing, it is just a way to help retain length as it grows, protecting the ends of your hair from breakage and other elements. But of course like all hairstyles, simply putting your hair in a protective hairstyle and leaving it for 6 weeks without any maintenance is a futile effort. Instead of retaining length, you actually do more harm than good because you are not actually taking care of your hair and giving it the TLC it deserves. So check out these tips/benefits on protective hairstyles to ensure as much retention as possible. Make sure you read the follow up post on how to care for natural hair in protective styles.



BENEFITS 

1. Helps with Growth

When done correctly, Protective styles can help ensure you have maximum growth retention. When hair is worn out, it is subject to elements such as weather, dryness and exposure of your loose ends. Protective styles keep your ends covered, while giving you a new look to play with. 

    2.   Low Maintenance 

Protective styles are very easy to maintain versus the everyday twist-out out or braid out. Which means less hands in our hair. 

   3. Versatility

The best thing I love about protective styles are its versatility. From sew in's, to braids and twists, faux locs and even wigs, the options are endless. They are a great way to change up your look when you need something new while still keeping your hair healthy ! 

    4. Time Efficient

Having your hair in a protective style saves on time and energy. Literally ! Especially for my naturalistas that are always on a time crunch, protective hairstyles allow you to get out the door more faster and does not take much time to refresh. 

    5. Keeps Hair Moisturized 

Keeping your hair in protective styles keeps your hair feeling soft and moisturized when done the right way. I often find my hair so soft and manageable after I take out my protective style it's amazing. On the other hand if your hair comes out dry and brittle you probably weren't taking care of it right (I've been guilty of this).

So what are favorite go to protective hairstyles? Check out my next post on how to properly take care of hair in protective hairstyles !