Are there any naturals on the board who get micro braids?

[glamazon386]

I called an African Shop and the woman told me I couldn't get micros with straight hair if my hair was natural. She said my hair would look bushy and show after a week or so. Is that true? It sounded a bit outlandish to me. I just want them to braid it past my hair. Not too tight. And I don't want them really small. Any naturals here who have had micros with straight hair? What was your experience?

ETA: I don't want to blow dry my hair. I don't use heat on it at all. I just want it braided past my hair. Not too small. Not too tight. That's it.

 

[Robin41]

I've never had micros but I can get with what she was trying to tell you. Imagine once your hair starts growing out and after you've shampooed a few times. You can just imagine how it's gonna look. Your edges will be kinky but the extensions will be straight. There's nothing saying you CAN'T do it, but I think it would look strange.

 

[glamazon386]

My hair isn't all that kinky though. And it's thin. I don't put anything on my edges now to make them lay down. They just kind of do their own thing. I don't see how it's any different than anybody else having new growth with braids. Even if I was relaxed my new growth would be showing and be just as nappy as a naturals would be right? I just don't get why she told me that. Once I told her I was natural she was like oh no you can't get them. Before I told her that she was quoting me prices. Maybe it's more work or something and she just didn't want to do it?

ETA: I also called a natural hair salon in the area and asked and the woman if it was true and she said it just depends on the braider. And she referred me to a braider bc she said she didn't have one in her shop at the moment. I left a msg. They haven't called me back yet though. I wanna get it braided in two weeks but I want to make sure they're going to look nice and my hair won't be damaged in the process.

 

[scarcity21]

Bmoregurl,
I have not but my sis did and she has the thickest 4b hair ever...she loved it a lot....she used human hair and i think it turned out great ...her hair is about 6 inches when stretched and it was braided up until the point where her real hair ended...anyways i always used the wet n wavy and would always go to the shop ..the lady would always braid tight even after i told her not too...so this past november, i decided to try braiding my own hair...my initial thought was to weave the center and braid the perimeter( i always told myself i dont have the patience to put micros in by myself),...as i kept braiding it looked good so i decided to braid the whole head instead of weaving the center...turned out great...
Im never going to the braiders no more....sorry i know a lil off topic but yes it can be done...dont listen to her.........

 

[hothair]

I called an African Shop and the woman told me I couldn't get micros with straight hair if my hair was natural. She said my hair would look bushy and show after a week or so. Is that true? It sounded a bit outlandish to me. I just want them to braid it past my hair. Not too tight. And I don't want them really small. Any naturals here who have had micros with straight hair? What was your experience?

I've got 4a hair and i've heard about the not braiding with straight....bull. Especially if you're braiding to the end of your hair you'll be ok and your hair'll look good. I've done micros with human hair and not even braided to the end of my hair and it looked great (if i do say so myself) Only thing when you wash it may start getting fuzzy but that would happen with any braid and tyeing it down with a satin scarf should settle it HTH

 

[zora]

I think it depends on the skills of the braider, because when I was natural I had micros all the time.

 

[glamazon386]

I think it depends on the skills of the braider, because when I was natural I had micros all the time.

Thanks Zora. That's basically what the woman at Natural Tanglez said. I would prefer to go to a natural salon bc they would wash my hair, treat it, detangle, etc.... vs. the african shop attempting to rip through my dry hair. I'll pay the extra $$ for better hair care. Where did you get your hair braided when you were natural?

ETA: Now that I think about it I've seen natural heads getting micros in the shop before when I was getting my weave done. Wtf was she talking about then?

 

[scarcity21]

I've got 4a hair and i've heard about the not braiding with straight....bull. Especially if you're braiding to the end of your hair you'll be ok and your hair'll look good. I've done micros with human hair and not even braided to the end of my hair and it looked great (if i do say so myself) Only thing when you wash it may start getting fuzzy but that would happen with any braid and tyeing it down with a satin scarf should settle it HTH

i agree......

 

[glamazon386]

bumping...

 

[GirlywithCurlies]

What she basically means to say to you is that she doesn't feel like dealing with natural hair because its "harder" to braid than straight hair. I've been told this same thing by braiders who were simply to lazy to take the time to comb through natural hair. I'm rocking straight micros right now and I'm a 4a.

I know some people aren't too fond of knots at the end, but I need them. I just ask her to braid an inch past my hair and the knot so it doesn't unravel after time and washes. Sleep with a scarf and you'll be straight!

HTH

 

[isobell]

She's just being lazy, it's easier to do braids on thinner, straighter hair and they don't have to put in any extra effort to detangle ... I used to get microbraids and the woman would spend the entire time trying to convince me I REALLY wanted a relaxer...the most concession I would make is blow dry it sort of straighter and detangle it well so when they started trying to comb the bush with a fine tooth comb I wouldn't have to smack somebody . Afterall the whole point of braiding is to protect your hair not make their life easier, I mean after all the money you have to shell out they should just do their job!

 

[MommaMayhann]

She is being shiftless and lazy! I have VERY thick hair and I have rocked micros at several different lengths... I would recommend getting your hair blowed out first though... For me it cut down on the braiding time, the braids stayed smother longer and it made the combing easier on both me and the braider...

Sorry to go off on a tangent but why do the braiders insist on raking through you hair like they trying to rebuke the devil? Most of them are just a natural as the day is long so they know that mess is just rude!

 

[PocaNJ]

IMO...She shouldn't have a problem braiding your hair....The problem may come after you wash them. I have 4ab hair (it was natural when I had it braided) and had my hair braided with yaki straight hair. It was lovely, straight and bouncy, until I washed it .

After the wash, my natural hair 'poofed' up through the braid while the yaki hair remained straight. I tried to wet it again, put gel on them and put my scarf on for awhile. It flattened the frizzies only for about an hour, then back to poof! I am not sure whether you will experience the same drama with wet and wavy hair...

 

[mahoganee]

IMO...She shouldn't have a problem braiding your hair....The problem may come after you wash them. I have 4ab hair (it was natural when I had it braided) and had my hair braided with yaki straight hair. It was lovely, straight and bouncy, until I washed it .

After the wash, my natural hair 'poofed' up through the braid while the yaki hair remained straight. I tried to wet it again, put gel on them and put my scarf on for awhile. It flattened the frizzies only for about an hour, then back to poof! I am not sure whether you will experience the same drama with wet and wavy hair...

This is what my braider told me also. I didn't think that I could get micros anymore since I'm natural and she told me to get the wet and wavy kind because that would match my hair much better than the yaki hair. I've had my hair to poof up in when I first went natural as I was wearing a micro/sew-in combo using a straighter textured hair. I didn't like how my hair "clashed" with the added hair.

 

[Malice]

Sorry to go off on a tangent but why do the braiders insist on raking through you hair like they trying to rebuke the devil? Most of them are just a natural as the day is long so they know that mess is just rude!

Tell me about it! I nearly cried 2 weeks ago when I got micros and she started combing through my hair with a fine tooth rat tail. After months of care, no heat, combing only with a wide tooth if at all and getting my hair 3" past shoulder, she's gonna rake through and cause all that breakage in a matter of seconds. Even 3 strands would've been too much after how much I've cared for my hair. I purposely brought my wide tooth to comb through, but after my mind become numb waiting in the shop for hours I just walked over to the chair like a zombie and sat down and before I knew it, rake, rake, rake. Then I remembered I left in the car, got up and grabbed it, seething on the inside. They're FABULOUS at what they do for braids and weaves, but finding one that is also about YOUR hair care are few and far in between.

About the natural thing, the best thing is to go to them in person, let them see and touch your hair, they may be picturing the worse and not trying to take chances, I also agree that blowing it out may help. I have wet & wavy in my hair now and I was planning on taking them out end of May or end of June and getting a touch-up, but now I think I want to get em' again and get them straight next time. Good luck!

 

[glamazon386]

I don't use heat on my hair at all. Except for when I got it flat ironed and trimmed at the salon last month. I don't want it blown out. I had to sternly tell the woman two weeks ago when I went to get my weave to put the blow dryer down. My hair is thin. I don't get a lot of tangling. I don't even comb through it myself. I just run my fingers through in the shower. Maybe I'll just wash my hair and let it dry in sections before I go.

She tried to talk me into getting kinky twists or senegalese twists but I know I'm going to get bored with them fast and want them out. At least if I get the micros I can change my style up a bit.

 

[frostydoll]

I'm natural and I've gotten micros twice... once during my transition and once after my big chop. My hair grows really fast so the last time I had too many roots showing plus they didn't use the right kind of hair. I would suggest just blowing your hair out first or banding your hair so it's somewhat straighter. I know lots of naturals all hair types who have gotten micros before.

 

[Malice]

I don't use heat on my hair at all. Except for when I got it flat ironed and trimmed at the salon last month. I don't want it blown out. I had to sternly tell the woman two weeks ago when I went to get my weave to put the blow dryer down. My hair is thin. I don't get a lot of tangling. I don't even comb through it myself. I just run my fingers through in the shower. Maybe I'll just wash my hair and let it dry in sections before I go.

She tried to talk me into getting kinky twists or senegalese twists but I know I'm going to get bored with them fast and want them out. At least if I get the micros I can change my style up a bit.

I feel you. Since I gave up heat, I've become really strict about that too. I'd have to be hypnotized or just not in my right mind to blow-dry or put a hot iron to it. Maybe after you wash you can set it in a wrap to dry a day before. Not just the night before but for a full day so that it's dry through and through.

 

[SugarBaby]

She is being shiftless and lazy! I have VERY thick hair and I have rocked micros at several different lengths... I would recommend getting your hair blowed out first though... For me it cut down on the braiding time, the braids stayed smother longer and it made the combing easier on both me and the braider...

Sorry to go off on a tangent but why do the braiders insist on raking through you hair like they trying to rebuke the devil? Most of them are just a natural as the day is long so they know that mess is just rude!

Yes, Very true. My daughter (16yr) has thick, thick 4A hair and has done micros,twists etc. for at least close to two years. She blows it out first and then has it done. Now, she does not wash her hair when she has hers in, b/c of the fuzzies. Her natural hair has never been more beautiful. She has APL length, and does not do all the stuff we do on the boards. She just gets it braided and leaves it and it is growing like weeds.

HTH!

 

[CurliDiva]

I bring my own comb, clips and moisturizer when I get my hair braided - the africian shop I go to "tries" a used the same ratty type comb and pink oil on everybody's head! JUST speak up and say NO! We've learned so much at LHCF, yet some are still too shy or something to speak up when they are paying someone else to style their hair!

Any hoo.. you do NOT have to blowdry natural hair to get yaky micros - IMO this will cause the braider to misjudge your texture while braiding (ex. not braiding pass your length bc it blends for now with the yaky hair), and also this will cause more of a "reversion shock" when you do wash.

Although I haven't wron them lately, I only get micros with the "straight" yaky extensions, and have no problems.

Good luck, CD

 

[bluediamond0829]

yes you can get them....i have some now in but it hasnt been a month and they look like ive had them for 2 months...i havent did the whole wash thing with them but i have used dry shampoo(ORS) on them....im debating now on rather i want to take them out because some of them are slipping out...then again im not fully natural either just post 4 months....

she is just being lazy thats all...

 

[Hidden_Angel]

I have mircos!

Yes they do show but i have kinky hair and it still shows.. so ya unless your straight i wont recommened it

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

Yes...I used to put them in all the time--for me the key was braiding the hair really tiny/small--my hair never got frizzy (I had newgrowth {which was sort of a different texture} after awhile but that was remedied by taking the more noticeable braids down and doing them over again). I also did not use regular shampoo to wash the braids while in...that does make the frizz factor more noticeable. I used cleansers specifically for the scalp/braid residue.

 

[MommaMayhann]

Yes, Very true. My daughter (16yr) has thick, thick 4A hair and has done micros,twists etc. for at least close to two years. She blows it out first and then has it done. Now, she does not wash her hair when she has hers in, b/c of the fuzzies. Her natural hair has never been more beautiful. She has APL length, and does not do all the stuff we do on the boards. She just gets it braided and leaves it and it is growing like weeds.
HTH!

Oh to be young and metabolic again!!!

 

[glamazon386]

I bring my own comb, clips and moisturizer when I get my hair braided - the africian shop I go to "tries" a used the same ratty type comb and pink oil on everybody's head! JUST speak up and say NO! We've learned so much at LHCF, yet some are still too shy or something to speak up when they are paying someone else to style their hair!

Any hoo.. you do NOT have to blowdry natural hair to get yaky micros - IMO this will cause the braider to misjudge your texture while braiding (ex. not braiding pass your length bc it blends for now with the yaky hair), and also this will cause more of a "reversion shock" when you do wash.

Although I haven't wron them lately, I only get micros with the "straight" yaky extensions, and have no problems.

Good luck, CD

WHAT IS IT WITH THAT DAMN PINK OIL!?!? I had a fit when she put that mess in my hair when I went to get my weave 2 wks ago. First the blow dryer then the pink oil. I said WHAT IS THAT? I don't put that in my hair! I didn't even put it in there when my hair was relaxed!! It's greasy! She said Oh I'm sorry I didn't know. I've been to them 3 or 4 times since I chopped my hair in September and plenty times before that when I was relaxed. And never once have they put that crap in my head. She was like do you want me to wash it out? It's the light one it's not greasy. I said no. Then my hair is gonna be wet and lord knows how you'll rip through it then. Just leave it. So she dabbed it with a towel until it was all gone. Or so she said. I was so mad. That's why I'm not going back to them anymore. My other girl is 45 mins away and I couldn't get an appt with her that day so I went to my old standby. I needed my hair done before that saturday for my birthday.

They pissed me off so bad I decided I needed a break from weaves when I take this one out. That's why I want some braids or something. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't want wet n wavy hair. I don't really want senegalese twists again. I wanted the straight hair that way I could change the style up. Curl it, crimp it, etc. I dont want to spend $200 on braids and then want them out by the end of the month because I'm bored. I usually don't keep a style longer than a month.

 

[bravenewgirl87]

You can't get them after a fresh relaxer, but you can do it after a week or two. She is just trying to get you to go natural. Most of the african shops have a tip of rubbing a smudge or superglu on the ends to keep them from unraveling. Find someone else.

 

[glamazon386]

You can't get them after a fresh relaxer, but you can do it after a week or two. She is just trying to get you to go natural. Most of the african shops have a tip of rubbing a smudge or superglu on the ends to keep them from unraveling. Find someone else.

I'm already natural hun.

 

[ajargon02]

I called an African Shop and the woman told me I couldn't get micros with straight hair if my hair was natural. She said my hair would look bushy and show after a week or so. Is that true? It sounded a bit outlandish to me. I just want them to braid it past my hair. Not too tight. And I don't want them really small. Any naturals here who have had micros with straight hair? What was your experience?

ya I have done mine and mom's hair. We always use straight hair, and flat iron it to keep it that way. If you make sure to keep you rhair tied down at night you will be fine. The only time that for me it really starts to show is when its been about 3 months and they need redone. Then it shows a little, but I just switch up the routine. I will use my leave in spritz right before bedtime, and tie down my hair really well. That seems to calm things down till I feel like re-braiding my hair again

 

[prettyinpurple]

It's been a while since I've had braids but I definitely haven't heard that. I did have micros a few times while transitioning and after I was natural. I've used straight hair and the wet n wavy. No one ever said that to me, they just complained about my transitioning or natural hair in general (just lazy and triflin' in my opinion).

I think you should let someone else braid your hair since they're already complaining about the texture.

Whatever you do -- Don't let them braid your edges too tight!

 

[Jazzmommy]

I have micros and am natural 4A. I blowdryed my hair the night before so that my hair would be straighter. I normally just cleanse my scalp with Seabreeze to help with the build -up. So no frizzies....