Stop Wearing Weaves. Protective Styling is Key.

Check out Kimmaytube
on YouTube for some
cool protective styles!

Weaves are not your best friend. If you are making an honest effort to grow beautiful natural hair then do not consider the widely popular fake hair trend as the ideal protective style. I know about the dynamic state of fashion and beauty, as well as the creative spirit in all of us that just loves change. Believe me, I have been there. You've had curly/frizzy hair for eight months, religious tenacity when it comes to the tiresome regime that has since kept that natural hair in tip top condition, you walk into that beauty supply store and that pin-straight, waist-length, jet black weave is looking pretty darn good. It promises a break from the tiresome regimen, it promises change and, above all, light hair flying in the wind. Then the economist in you starts to wage a battle with the materialistic little sprite in you. "Come on! It looks fabulous! Wow! $230.00! But we could always reuse it...and probably wear it for a month...at least!" You want to buy it, I know. You probably shouldn't. 

You rock that natural hair girl!

Many misinformed individuals have been led to believe that weaves are a great protective style, and while they can be if used correctly and over a short period of time, more often than not, they are destructive.


First of all, when people first invest in a weave, they are loath to treat it like they would if it was their real hair. In an attempt to preserve the weave and keep it looking one-day old, they go for unhealthy periods of time without washing it. We are all familiar with the stereotype of an African-American woman with a weave, "patting" at it aggressively. Causing all sorts of brain-damage for temporary relief. It is a common sight and there are two things that it can be attributed to. One, the weave is sewn on so tight that it is causing irritation. To avoid ruining the tracks, the woman pats at the irritated areas instead of scratching them. The other potential culprit in this situation is stretched hair washes. I will call on a  favorite oxymoronic hair phrase of mine and say that her scalp is an oily desert- it hasn't seen water in eons, it is covered in clogged sebaceous glands and has an ever-increasing product build-up. As one can imagine, any hair in that condition has a markedly strong smell, often unpleasant. Don't be that girl. My freshman year of college was when I wore my first and last weave and, at the time, I really stuck to my weekly hair washes. Consequently, the weave had a short life and required regular straightening with a flat iron. Any girl looking to buy a weave has got to be willing to do that.

Another reason I am not the biggest weave fan is they cover your real hair for extended periods of time. Access to you hair is limited, leading to the debilitation of your natural, curly crown. It's important to be able to thoroughly cleanse your hair, and with a weave that becomes difficult. I call it the swimming cap effect. If you wore a swimming cap for an entire month, regularly shampooing the cap, the hair underneath would be in embarrassing condition when you finally pealed it off. In addition to that, the regularly application of leave in conditioner and other moisturizers that really helps your natural hair glow would have to be suspended.

The fake-it-or-break-it dilemma: to go with bangs or leave
hairline out...

Finally, there is the fake-it-or-break-it dilemma. If your not buying lace-fronts, then this is a problem you will face. In an attempt to make the weave look more legitimate, creators offered women all over the world three options: lace front, bangs or pulling out your hairline in order to cover the weave. The problem with the final two options is the very crux of the fake-it-or-break-it dilemma. Not a lot of women can pull off bangs. The number who think that they can is far greater than those that truly can. No one wants the whole world seeing their tracks so the bang women opt to fake-it. Over my years of observation (let's pretend I am a bird-watcher), I have found that the thinner the bangs, the realer they look. Sadly, a lot of "bangettes" try out the really thick bangs and end up hair that just looks bogus. It kind of defeats the purpose of a weave, don't you think? On the other hand, there's the more authentic looking option, which I call the "break it" option. You pull out a small amount of your own hair to cover the weave in front. It looks like you hairline so what's the problem? Well, it is something that exacerbates with the time you keep your weave on. The hair that you pull out, particularly if your dealing with a bone-straight weave, has to be regularly straightened so that it looks identical to the weave. In some cases, it has to be dyed. Both are very damaging to natural hair (and even relaxed hair). Repeated heat damage and damage due to exposure to the elements gradually shortens the hair that's left out. When you take off the weave, the difference between that hair and the hair that was underneath the weave will be striking. I do not have to tell you all that minimizing hair damage is the secret to growing healthy locks, and some of you may want to enjoy the healthy hair near your hairline before it starts receding.

Some of my favorite protective styles from left to right: Asian flat twist, twist braids, twist updo, crochet braids, flexi-strand extensions, twisted bun and 1940's style

When it comes to natural hair care and protective styling, the options are endless. One can try crochet braids, flexi-strand hair extensions, braids (not to thin), twists and more. A short search on YouTube will reveal that protective styling is something that can also be done with your own hair. If you like variety, look into them. Like me, you may gain a few skills.