Braids to grow your hair. Of all the hairstyles I have worn so far, I have noticed one thing: braids are ideal for growing your hair. I would like to share my experience so that you can hopefully learn from it too.

My experience

The penny dropped when someone on the Nappturality.com forum wrote that although braids are not her favorite style, the results when she took them out were impressive. Her hair looked visibly better and she had less hair loss.

I then went back over my entire transformation and I remember very well that my hair grew fastest when I wore my hair in what they call Motjo Kumbas in Suriname. These are loose braids that you tuck in so that they form buns on your head.

In the first phase of my transformation I wore extensions for a year out of necessity because I had no idea what hairstyles I could do with my hair. The following year I had a really thick head of hair, really lovely. That's when it became clear to me that my hair COULD grow. Strangely enough I never thought it could be the braids.

In the following years I did not wear loose braids, but I did wear a lot of twists. Twists were my favorite hairstyle. I also wore cornrows and even tried twist extensions, but my hair never grew as fast as it did when I wore braids all the time.

In the meantime I know that it is the same for many people and that it is therefore almost no longer a coincidence. Now I am curious whether braids can also make your hair grow healthier and easier. That is why I hope that you will join me in this new exciting experiment for 2011: Braiding for healthy hair growth.

The rules
It doesn't matter if your hair is completely frizzy or not, long or short, anyone who has naturally frizzy hair can participate. All you have to do is follow these rules:

– Make sure your hair is thoroughly washed before you start braiding and preferably also have a deep conditioning treatment done.

– Make sure your hair feels nice and soft and supple when you start braiding. Combing and braiding dry hair is a nightmare. So use a good detangler like the or the No More Knots or a good moisturizing conditioner like the Silky Shea Hair Butter . This butter is specially developed for frizzy hair and can keep hairstyles soft and supple for an entire braiding period.

– Measure the length of your hair before you start braiding.

– Choose a braided hairstyle, preferably with loose braids. If you don’t feel comfortable, wear a wig over it or have extensions braided in to lengthen your hair. If you choose extensions, stick to the basic rules for extensions: Don’t keep them in for longer than 3 months and don’t braid them too small. For more information about braiding, you can download my book here .

Cornrows or Kwie-kwieba, Extensions, Bantus

– Leave your braids in for at least 1 week, preferably longer. Two to three weeks is ideal but don’t leave them in for longer than 4 weeks unless you have extensions. If you have braided them in, leave them in for at least 8 weeks.

– Measure the length of your hair after 8 weeks and post the result here or email it to me if you want to remain anonymous.

Care
Caring for braids is super simple. All you have to do is keep your hairdo neat and prevent your hair from getting dry. To keep your hair neat, sleep with a scarf on. If you don't have one yet, you can order the Magic Scarf in the WebShop.

To prevent your hair from drying out and to keep the hairstyle fresh, you can make your own spritz or order the Scalp Conditioning Spray from the WebShop. This is a moisturizing spray based on herbs that does not leave behind residues that are difficult to wash out. Wonderfully refreshing for the scalp.

For those with a dry sometimes itchy scalp there is the Roller Braid that you can easily roll between the braids. Perfect for all possible braid hairstyles and irritations disappear like snow in the sun.

The Braid Package
To encourage everyone to participate, I have put together a basic growth package:

Silky Shea Hair Butter and No More Knots , to detangle and braid hair. The Scalp Conditioning Spray to keep the scalp fresh, healthy and itch-free . Going Natural Herbal Shampoo to wash hair weekly.

The Curly Hair Webshop
Hair products for curly and frizzy hair