A Long Stretch From Tradition:
Preventing common hair and scalp disorders caused from braids and weaves. By Diana Dudas G.C.H.S.R.H.
My earliest memories of braids are watching little girls sitting on their front porch steps being having their hair done by their elders. Now, this old time tradition has turned in to a multi million dollar business.
Braids have come a long stretch from tradition and become an elaborate art form. It seems as though, salons specializing in braids and weaves have popped up almost over night. This new talent is highly respected.
However there are concerns and problems caused by going to a stylist not specialized in this field making it vital that you find a well respected hairstylist and insist on a receiving a consultation before making your appointment. Hair braiding can take anywhere from three to ten hours, and is therefore costly. So you need to be sure that this is something for you.
Why are consultations important?
Whenever you are considering trying a new hair service, or something that you haven’t done in a while, it is vital to sit down with your stylist of choice for a consultation.
Once you have decided on a service in this case braids or weaves, the stylist should discuss the pros and cons of this service along with telling you how to maintain your new look, and the cost entailed for both receiving and maintain the new look.
But most essentially during this time, the stylist should be checking a few vital pieces of information. Such as the hairs texture, porosity and most importantly the hairs ELASTICITY! Braids or weaves should never be performed on hair that as poor elasticity.
Why is the hairs elasticity so important?
Elasticity is in my opinion one of the most important properties of hair: This is the hairs ability to be able to spring back to its original shape and length without damage. Wet hair that is in optimum conditioner can be stretched up to 25% of its length and return back to its original length when dry. As an experiment, if you was to hold a piece of hair about two inches long in your fingers and pull, you would be able to see considerable movement.
Hairs elasticity depends mostly on the keratin levels and sulphide bonds in the cortex of the hair. These can be quite easily damaged by chemical treatments, such as relaxers, perms, or bleaching. These chemical services will then create poor elasticity in your hair. This will limit the amount the hair will be able to stretch. The hair will also not curl, be weak, fragile and will break easily. Natural and artificial sunlight will do the same damage. Poor elasticity can be rectified by the use of good treatment conditioners that contain wheat, rice and corn proteins. Treatments containing Keratin protein are also acceptable, however the natural ability of vegetable proteins to immediately penetrate into the hair shaft make them a better choice.
You should wait at least two weeks after a chemical service, or until you get the stylists OK, before considering braids or weaves.
Add comment March 8th, 2006