Protective styles for natural curly hair are very popular in the dry winter months. Women wear braids, corn rows, hair pieces and more to keep their natural hair moisturized while allowing it to grow undisturbed. We often get questions about how long do box braids last? or How long do braids last? or How long should you keep box braids in? or How long should you keep braids in? Is one month ok or two months or more?
I've had folks tell me that they've kept braids in for 6 months and experienced extensive hair breakage. So I would not recommend keeping braids in for that long. Two months is a little long but with really good maintenance and care, you might be able to get away with it. When we have a protective style like braids, we tend to create build up. This could be from oils that we use, lint (curly hair loves attracting and holding on to lint), dust, shedding skin from your scalp, shedding hair etc. This build up mainly collects towards the roots of the hair and can make it difficult to take the braid apart as you approach the roots. The longer your braids stay in, the harder it might be to maneuver around the build up. Some people end up having to cut their hair after leaving braids on for too long.
So how long is safe? I'd recommend 6 to 8 weeks and if you want to go longer, you have to really take good care of it to avoid a lot of breakage.
Here are some thoughts that can help you take better care of your hair when it's in braids:
- We recommend rehydrating your hair daily or every other day and not with water only. Water contains chlorine, which is used to treat it and chlorine is drying to hair. You might want to use distilled or filtered water to refresh your braids. I would also recommend the Rehydrating Mist & Detangler by Naturaz to maintain your braids. It will nourish and keep your hair and scalp hydrated so that you don't experience extensive hair breakage when you take it down. Remember that you'll still shed hair even while it's in braids. You shed 100 or so strands of hair per day so expect to see some hair come off when you take down your braids.
- Avoid tight braids because additional pulling and tugging inadvertently happens when you are sleeping (as your head moves around your pillow etc). If you see a braid coming off with hair, it's a sign that your braid was too tight or that your hair is weak. In due time, your hair will stop growing in sections where the hair is constantly pulled out. Learn more about traction alopecia.
- Avoid heavy braids - they'll likely tug too much at your roots and pull out your hair over time. Keeping these in for long will wreak havoc on your hair and scalp.
When you take your braids down, it is important to use a moisturizing oil for hair like the Naturaz Styling Moisturizer. It nourishes and moisturizes both the hair and scalp and can help you reduce itchiness on your scalp with or without braids. The moisturizing and conditioning oils and emolients keep it soft and manageable. Always stick to the same line of products for six months to allow your hair to acclimate to it. You don't want to mix different products some of which might have synthetic and harmful ingredients or some which may have ingredients that don't work well together. Using the same product line for longer gives you enough time to evaluate whether or not it works for you. If you have a reaction to any products, stop using them immediately and consult your doctor. If a product line makes your hair and scalp dry, also stop using it and research another line that might help.
How long should you keep your braids in? You will have to balance a number of key factors. Is your natural hair dry? Is your hair breaking? How well are you taking care of your braids? Are you accumulating a lot of build up on your scalp? All things considered, I'd say 6 to 8 weeks is just about right!
How long do YOU keep your braids in? Share your questions and comments in the comment box below or reach out through instant message on the bottom right hand corner of your screen.
About the Author – Mumbi Dunjwa is an award-winning chemist from the American Chemical Society. She is the Founder & CEO of Naturaz and she formulated the industry leading Moisture Burst System. This revolutionary 3-step system is an all-natural hair care product line which is 100% vegan and scientifically formulated to infuse long lasting moisture in curly, coily hair. Mumbi has a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and nuclear medicine technology and a Masters degree from Carnegie Mellon University. She is passionate about seamlessly integrating health and beauty in our lives and she is a strong advocate for advancing STEM education among our youth, developing STEM careers and empowering women and girls around the world.