Old posts have me confused 'bout wet hair, baggying

[YankeeCandle]

I know very little about hair care and am trying to educate myself. Every night, I come on LHCF, do a search on a topic and read old posts for about 1-2 hrs on it.

I thought I was starting to see a pattern: that frequent wetness (despite what we've been taught about African, "ethnic," and curly hair) is actually good for hair, not drying. And of course, this thing called "baggying," which people didn't tend to explain in detail.

Well, last night I found some older posts where posters were agreeing with each other that leaving hair wet while you sleep leads to mildew, that it makes hair mushy and soft from too must moisture, and that hair is more fragile and prone to breakage when wet.

Then, I found some posts where another newbie said she started out baggying on her whole head. The other posters were laughing with her about how baggying is usally just for the ends. I'm like "Whaaaa??" because I've been sitting here thinking that baggying is basically a plastic conditioning cap or a plastic bag that you put over your whole head (usually when you've put stuff on the hair, though I read where Nonie said she didn't).

So, my questions for you:

1. Is it okay/advisable/preferable to keep hair wet for long periods of time (e.g. several days out of the week)?

2. Can/should baggying be done on the whole head for someone like me (whose ends are not that bad but whose dryest, matted-est, roughest parts are on top of her head)?

3. Can baggying be wet (e.g. saturated with DC or wet with water and sealed with oils)?

4. When people say they wear a baggy under their half-wig, do they mean the whole part of the head covered by the half wig, or just the ends of their cornrows or buns underneath?

5. Is there harm in baggying a whole WET (with deep condition or water an oil) head under a half wig?


Sorry if these were recently addressed; the search function doesn't return results in chronological order.

THANK YOU!

 

[Geminigirl]

I know very little about hair care and am trying to educate myself. Every night, I come on LHCF, do a search on a topic and read old posts for about 1-2 hrs on it.

I thought I was starting to see a pattern: that frequent wetness (despite what we've been taught about African, "ethnic," and curly hair) is actually good for hair, not drying. And of course, this thing called "baggying," which people didn't tend to explain in detail.

Well, last night I found some older posts where posters were agreeing with each other that leaving hair wet while you sleep leads to mildew, that it makes hair mushy and soft from too must moisture, and that hair is more fragile and prone to breakage when wet.

Then, I found some posts where another newbie said she started out baggying on her whole head. The other posters were laughing with her about how baggying is usally just for the ends. I'm like "Whaaaa??" because I've been sitting here thinking that baggying is basically a plastic conditioning cap or a plastic bag that you put over your whole head (usually when you've put stuff on the hair, though I read where Nonie said she didn't).

So, my questions for you:

1. Is it okay/advisable/preferable to keep hair wet for long periods of time (e.g. several days out of the week)? I think you should do what works for you. During the winter I would say no. You don't necesarrily have to have your hair wet. You can use a cream moisturizer and baggy and your hair might be slightly damp in the morning from moisture but not dripping wet.

2. Can/should baggying be done on the whole head for someone like me (whose ends are not that bad but whose dryest, matted-est, roughest parts are on top of her head)? Yes baggying can be done on the whole head. Give your hair what it needs. See what works for you and your hair.

3. Can baggying be wet (e.g. saturated with DC or wet with water and sealed with oils)? baggying isn't DC. Its applying a moisturizers and putting on a plastic cap, or when I was relaxed bunning my hair and throwing on a baggy over my bun and then a phony pony, or putting your hair in a ponytail and baggying that way.

4. When people say they wear a baggy under their half-wig, do they mean the whole part of the head covered by the half wig, or just the ends of their cornrows or buns underneath? They are probably referring to the hair that is inside the wig.

5. Is there harm in baggying a whole WET (with deep condition or water an oil) head under a half wig? If you are "baggying" with DC then that just means you are DC your hair. Baggying and DC are not the same thing.


Sorry if these were recently addressed; the search function doesn't return results in chronological order.

THANK YOU!

Hope that makes sense and helps you. I know people might have some better responses. Also when you apply the moisturizer you seal with an oil to lock in the moisture THEN you baggy.

 

[YankeeCandle]

Thank you, Gemini girl!

I did not realize that baggying did not require a conditioner. I suppose now I need to go do a search on "moisturizer" because I do not know what makes something a "moisturizer" as opposed to an oil, leave-in conditioner, etc, etc.

I had thought of baggying as being something that was done for the benefit of the product you put on underneath it. I may be misunderstanding your description, but it seems it's more for the benefit of simply covering the hair and separating it from possible sources of friction.

 

[JayAnn0513]

The bag keeps the hair moist longer. for example when I wear a phony pony I baggy because my ends are crispy when I don't. Some of that is from friction and some of from having my ends exposed.

 

[Fedoralova]

So, my questions for you:

1. Is it okay/advisable/preferable to keep hair wet for long periods of time (e.g. several days out of the week)? I wouldnt advise wet hair for long periods. The hair is at its weakest state when wet. Leaving it wet for long periods would make vulnerable which may lead to breakage. A

2. Can/should baggying be done on the whole head for someone like me (whose ends are not that bad but whose dryest, matted-est, roughest parts are on top of her head)? You can baggy the whole head. Many ladies do it.

3. Can baggying be wet (e.g. saturated with DC or wet with water and sealed with oils)? baggying is a process which protects the ends and keeps them healthy which lessens the need for trims which helps in the retentiono of growth. Baggying should not be wet. I wouldnt encourage it on damp hair either.

4. When people say they wear a baggy under their half-wig, do they mean the whole part of the head covered by the half wig, or just the ends of their cornrows or buns underneath? Most speak of bunning the hair and placing that part in a baggy which they may wear under a wig or braiding, twisting, etc. In case the ends are then treated and a baggy is placed over it and tied down.

5. Is there harm in baggying a whole WET (with deep condition or water an oil) head under a half wig?I wouldnt suggest it. As stated above, the hair is at its weakest state when wet. This may lead to over moisturizing which makes hair soft and mushy which can lead to breakage.


Sorry if these were recently addressed; the search function doesn't return results in chronological order.

THANK YOU!

Please see responses in blue

 

[YankeeCandle]

Thank you, fedoralova and jayann for your helpful responses. Sometimes a newbie needs it broken down because old-timers might take for granted what people mean by different phrases.

Anyone else, feel free to add your 2 cents!

 

[brucebettye]

So, my questions for you:

1. Is it okay/advisable/preferable to keep hair wet for long periods of time (e.g. several days out of the week)?
I do not keep my hair wet but moist almost everyday. It is just easier for me to deal with.

2. Can/should baggying be done on the whole head for someone like me (whose ends are not that bad but whose dryest, matted-est, roughest parts are on top of her head)?
I do baggying my whole head overnight. I do not leave it on all day unless I am at home. When my ends get really dry I moisturize them with scurl and then put hair grease over them which helps my ends to stay moist for days.

3. Can baggying be wet (e.g. saturated with DC or wet with water and sealed with oils)?
I do sometimes DC my hair overnight but I don't seal with oil I usually mix it with the DC. But I try not to go to bed with wet hair, I have done it before and I end upt with a wet pillow so I always try to take out much of the water before I add the DC.

4. When people say they wear a baggy under their half-wig, do they mean the whole part of the head covered by the half wig, or just the ends of their cornrows or buns underneath?
I do not wear half wigs at this time, but I know some woman do both of the things you have mentioned.

5. Is there harm in baggying a whole WET (with deep condition or water an oil) head under a half wig?
I see no problem as long as the hair is damp or moist not wet.

Sorry if these were recently addressed; the search function doesn't return results in chronological order.

THANK YOU!

My anwers are in purple. I hope this helps.

 

[NikStarrr]

So, my questions for you:

1. Is it okay/advisable/preferable to keep hair wet for long periods of time (e.g. several days out of the week)?

2. Can/should baggying be done on the whole head for someone like me (whose ends are not that bad but whose dryest, matted-est, roughest parts are on top of her head)?

3. Can baggying be wet (e.g. saturated with DC or wet with water and sealed with oils)?

4. When people say they wear a baggy under their half-wig, do they mean the whole part of the head covered by the half wig, or just the ends of their cornrows or buns underneath?

5. Is there harm in baggying a whole WET (with deep condition or water an oil) head under a half wig?

1. Me personally, I don't think it's healthy for hair to stay wet for extended periods of time, especially if it's relaxed/texlaxed. I did this back when I was texlaxed and it fried my ends.

2. You could. But I think baggying is best done on the ends, saturated with moisturizer/oil on dry hair. I feel like if you do your whole head under a plastic cap, it could lead to your scalp sweating which could be drying to your hair.

3. I think it's best done with dry hair. But that's just my opinion from my personal experience.

4. I think most just mean the ends. Boy that would be hot to have a plastic cap on AND the half-wig. lol

5. See previous answers.

 

[mahogany_horizons]

I only baggy occasionally like once a month. I do it with oil and let it sit overnight. It helps with dandruff and a scaling scalp. I do not do this for length/retention. I think if done too often it would make one's hair too limp, mushy. I do notice that my hair is soft and healthy after doing this about once a month.

 

[chebaby]

as i understand it, like you said baggying is just a plastic cap over the hair. i sleep in conditioner overnight maybe 2x a month now and i guess you could say thats whole head baggying. it has caused me no problems. i used to do it up to 3x a week.

also i used to co wash daily so my hair was wet 7 days a week and i would let it airdry. i went from dang near bald to 6 inches in 6 months doing that and if it werent getting cold i would continue to do it.

 

[YankeeCandle]

Thank you everyone for the answers. Hopefully this thread will come up in a search for other newbies.

Chebaby, I'm thinking I might have to move from a once a week wash (co-wash usually, except for shampoo every few washes) to like 3x a week, if solely for the reason of my outrageous hair loss due to detangling the week-old thicket (you've helped me with that before).

 

[TeeWhyAre]

I wet bun/baggy. One of my hair inspirations is http://members.fotki.com/chicoro123 and she has a step-by-step process for bagging on her fotki.

I wash once a week & leave conditioner (pantene moisture balance) in then put castor oil on my ends, wrap my hair around itself into a bun, then put the baggy (a plastic sandwich bag - not the zip lock kind) around my bun then put the an ouchless band around the baggy, not my hair.

I all day/night baggy. I re-wrap my bun & baggy every AM b4 work & keep it covered @ work w/ decorative scarves to conceal the bun. My hair isn't mildewy or limp/mushy.

I plan to do this until July 28, 2010 (my 1yr anniversary of diligently taking care of my hair.)

I hope you'll find chicoro's fotki of use. Whenever I feel discouraged or like I'm doing the wrong thing w/ my hair I refer to the noticable progress I've made & read the two threads featuring tips & regis of WL and longer women.
Remember not all hair reacts to some methods the same way. Your hair may require more protein than my fine strands, which require lots of moisture. Baggying worked well for Chicoro but DLewis reported breakage as a result of baggying. So if you're new to this just jump in & begin your process of trial & error to find what works for you. I hope this helps.

When I get my new camera I'll take pix of my progress from my avi to now. My avi wz taken in Sep. 08.

Welcome aboard!