Questions/Assistance Regarding Micro Braids

[ilah]

I am preparing to get my first go round with Micro Braids. I'm having trouble on deciding on what style to get (curly or straight) If i get the curly, can it be flat ironed and will the curl come back?

I've been looking into what kind of hair to get for the braids - I konw i want a human hair but other than that i'm not sure to get the cheapie stuff or get something that won't burn when i try to use a curling iron on it.

I know I need to use some vitimen E and tea tree oil on my edges to keep them from wearing out but is there more I'll need to do?

I come to you ladies as you've helped me out in force in the past (btw that full sew in with the closure did not work out at all ...the braids were too close together so i couldn't get into moisture and wash my hair underneath...it was a mess but my hair did grow an 1.5" so i can't be that mad).

I humbly beg your input on this ladies. Many thanks.

 

[Nouvelle]

Both styles(straight or curly) would do good in my opinion. I'm wearing some sort of wavy/curly human hair in micros. It's the cheapest human braiding hair I could find, but it doesn't act like it. I make sure to braid it up every night into two ponytails and it doesn't tangle up at all. Even when I wear it out it doesn't tangle much. Synthetic hair, so I'm told, either doesn't last as long, or it tangles up badly, but I've never tried it before so it could work for you. As for the caring of your edges, the tea tree oil and vitamin E sound like very good choices, especially if you mix them up. Another good scalp moisturizer would be coconut oil and an aloe vera juice/water spritz. I think you can find the coconut oil and the aloe vera juice in your local grocery or health food store. As long as you keep your scalp moisturized it should be fine. Hope this helps.

 

[BellaLunie]

I'm a sucka for the straight here's a helpful link http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=229987

 

[Kneechay]

I did braids successfully for almost two years and I used straight human hair. I used Bally Brand Human hair, I can't find the site, but this is the image on the package

, It was 20 bucks a bag.

it worked sooo well. I washed it and moisturized it and it held really well. Use castor oil and shea butter mix on your edges. I used this because i could straighten, curl, crimp, whatever and it held up. Check my fotki during my braiding run. I really enjoyed this stage of transition. I just found the straight to be way more versatile and did not tangle like curly hair

 

[MRJ1972]

I did braids successfully for almost two years and I used straight human hair. I used Bally Brand Human hair, I can't find the site, but this is the image on the package

, It was 20 bucks a bag.

it worked sooo well. I washed it and moisturized it and it held really well. Use castor oil and shea butter mix on your edges. I used this because i could straighten, curl, crimp, whatever and it held up. Check my fotki during my braiding run. I really enjoyed this stage of transition. I just found the straight to be way more versatile and did not tangle like curly hair

I am thinking about micro braids for the next few months, but I always have trouble when washing with the braid unraveling...Did you have knots tied in your braids...Did you experience fuzz when washing???

I really need some of that 20.00 human hair! Do you remember what BBS you used??? I might need for you to send it to me COD!!! ( cash on delivery) ( do they still do this with mail?? )

 

[Kneechay]

I am thinking about micro braids for the next few months, but I always have trouble when washing with the braid unraveling...Did you have knots tied in your braids...Did you experience fuzz when washing???

I really need some of that 20.00 human hair! Do you remember what BBS you used??? I might need for you to send it to me COD!!! ( cash on delivery) ( do they still do this with mail?? )

hey, make sure the braiders dont braid your edges too tight and dont put your braids in a ponytail too much. I didn't have a problem with unraveling of the braids, and yes, my braider knotted my braids.

I washed my braids maybe every two weeks and oiled my scalp. I also let the hair airdry a bit then blow dried it and flat ironed. It always stayed looking new. After some time and new growth, I'd get my braider to redo my edges. She'd do so for about 5 dollars.

What's 'BBS' ?

 

[Nonie]

I have bought cheap human hair and expensive human hair and they both behaved the same. It doesn't matter whether you get straight or wavy because the hair will behave like relaxed hair. You can curl it, or do braid outs on it if you get the straight hair for a change of style, or you can flat iron the wavy hair for a straight look.

As far as your hairline/edges are concerned, it's really a scary thing if you're not doing them yourself because you risk getting too much hair put on very little hair of your own, or the stylist pulling too tight. But if you can speak up, direct the braiding and make sure they use very little additional hair per section of your own, and that they braid as if braiding a baby. If unsure, then don't get hair put along your hairline, but wear your own hair as bangs in twists or braids.

I never knot my hair because I use it over and over again, but I do make sure it's braided to the ends. Human hair does unravel when new though, especially when you wash it, but you can put the braids in big plaits like you would long hair and rubberband the ends when washing to minimize the unraveling. Also I have HIH disease so I don't mind the unraveling coz it gives me an excuse to play with my hair to redo to the ends.

Along the lines of directing the braider, make sure they use LESS extension hair per section of your own. Micros don't mean they have to use three hairs of your own per section; they can use less extension hair per larger section of your own. In the pic below, I redid a "micro" section. Notice how much hair of my own is used but the end product is very narrow because I don't use a lot of additional hair.

Rule of thumb, if you cannot see the base of your braid (ie the square sectioned out for the braid) when the braid is completed, then you've used very little of your own hair. As you can see from this image on Robin's site, the sectioned out rectangles can be seen, so that's good braiding:

In this image, the base of the braids cannot be seen because very little of her own hair is used per braid section--most likely thinner than the hair added:

Another rule of thumb, if the hair is being folded in half, then two packs is plenty. If you find many packs are needed, then there better be lots of hair wasted or else you can assume too much hair is being added to your own, which is too much strain for your scalp and a recipe for traction alopecia.

 

[MRJ1972]

hey, make sure the braiders dont braid your edges too tight and dont put your braids in a ponytail too much. I didn't have a problem with unraveling of the braids, and yes, my braider knotted my braids.

I washed my braids maybe every two weeks and oiled my scalp. I also let the hair airdry a bit then blow dried it and flat ironed. It always stayed looking new. After some time and new growth, I'd get my braider to redo my edges. She'd do so for about 5 dollars.

What's 'BBS' ?

UUh, if I would learn to type, it should be BSS _ Beauty supply store!


$5.00 dollars to redo the edges huh???

You Houston divas have access to best sew in installers and braiders!!! Im jealous!!!!

 

[MRJ1972]

I have bought cheap human hair and expensive human hair and they both behaved the same. It doesn't matter whether you get straight or wavy because the hair will behave like relaxed hair. You can curl it, or do braid outs on it if you get the straight hair for a change of style, or you can flat iron the wavy hair for a straight look.

As far as your hairline/edges are concerned, it's really a scary thing if you're not doing them yourself because you risk getting too much hair put on very little hair of your own, or the stylist pulling too tight. But if you can speak up, direct the braiding and make sure they use very little additional hair per section of your own, and that they braid as if braiding a baby. If unsure, then don't get hair put along your hairline, but wear your own hair as bangs in twists or braids.

I never knot my hair because I use it over and over again, but I do make sure it's braided to the ends. Human hair does unravel when new though, especially when you wash it, but you can put the braids in big plaits like you would long hair and rubberband the ends when washing to minimize the unraveling. Also I have HIH disease so I don't mind the unraveling coz it gives me an excuse to play with my hair to redo to the ends.

Along the lines of directing the braider, make sure they use LESS extension hair per section of your own. Micros don't mean they have to use three hairs of your own per section; they can use less extension hair per larger section of your own. In the pic below, I redid a "micro" section. Notice how much hair of my own is used but the end product is very narrow because I don't use a lot of additional hair.

Rule of thumb, if you cannot see the base of your braid (ie the square sectioned out for the braid) when the braid is completed, then you've used very little of your own hair. As you can see from this image on Robin's site, the sectioned out rectangles can be seen, so that's good braiding:

In this image, the base of the braids cannot be seen because very little of her own hair is used per braid section--most likely thinner than the hair added:

Another rule of thumb, if the hair is being folded in half, then two packs is plenty. If you find many packs are needed, then there better be lots of hair wasted or else you can assume too much hair is being added to your own, which is too much strain for your scalp and a recipe for traction alopecia.

Thanks NONIE...

My old micros looked exactly like this and I could not for the life of me remove them safely...I lost SOOO much hair...they were entirely too small...NEVER AGAIN..

 

[ilah]

Thank you soooo very much ladies - I have been enlightend and edgucated and I am grateful. Now armed with my new info - I'll be going to the BSS to pick up the hair

I'll post picks after they're done

 

[LovinLea]

its recommended by the crown & glory method, and now it's important for whenever i get micros

rebraid your edges every couple of weeks so that they don't thin out.