Braids

Many people often cause severe damage to their hair while attempting to take out their braids. Keep in mind that your hair has not been combed or brushed for a significant period of time and hair which has normally been shed remains in the braid. Therefore, it's important to be careful when combing and subsequently washing the hair.

You will need a spray bottle filled with warm water/leave-in conditioner, a wide-tooth comb and hair clips. Work on each section individually until you have successfully removed all the braids. it's best to approach the hair by dividing it into four sections. To remove a braid extension, undo the rubber band or cut off the singed end with a pair of scissors. Unravel the braid. After having unraveled a few of the braids, mist the hair with the water/conditioner. Using the wide-tooth comb, hold the hair close to the scalp with one hand and beginning at the ends, GENTLY comb your hair with the other. Once the ends are tangle free, you can work on the rest of the hair in a similar manner.

You should see several strands of loose hairs in the comb due to natural shedding. If the amount of hair is excessive and it appears that the ha irs have been pulled out at the root, it could be because your hair was braided too tightly, the braid extensions were too heavy or you are combing too forcefully. Whatever the case, consider it a lesson learned and remedy the problem the next time you braid. Continue to unravel, mist and comb the hair until the first section is complete and then move onto the next.

Once you have completed the entire head and are ready to begin shampooing, it's important to remember that you still need to be gentle. Excessive rubbing and massaging can cause the hair to become entangled, matte and make it difficult to become undone.

Often times women wash their hair vigorously after having braids and after the hair becomes tangled to the point where they are forced to rip it apart. Doing so causes breakage, uneveness and split-ends so BE CAREFUL.

Approach washing your hair in the same manner in which you removed the extensions by working in sections. Using a Moisturizing Shampoo, work the product through the hair from root to tip. After you have finished a section, use your comb to remove any tangles and move onto the next. Rinse thoroughly. Finally, Deep Condition and/or use a Hot Oil Treatment.