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The topic of the actual ‘protectiveness’ of protective styles has recently resurfaced in the natural/curly hair space. The general consensus for many is that natural/curly hair is difficult to care for so many people have turned to ‘protective styles’ such as Box Braids or Faux Locs to take a break from maintaining their hair AND protect the hair. The idea of hair protection comes from the assumption that putting your hair in these styles gives your hair a ‘break' from the over manipulation that allegedly comes from having your hair out.
Unfortunately, there are a few flaws with this thinking...
MANIPULATION
Putting your hair into a protective style involves a lot of manipulation, from blow drying to parting to plating each individual braid on your head. Not to mention all the jam or edge control you are putting throughout the hair. This types of manipulation can lead to a lot of breakage, especially for those with fine hair strands, and irreparable damage can happen in one go!
NEGLECT
Taking a break from washing your hair for the 6-8 weeks (or more!) that it is in braids, means you are neglecting your hair instead of protecting it. Under-washing leads to dehydration and doing back-to-back protective styles means that your hair is only getting a proper wash every 2 months! That certainly isn’t going to have your hair in a state that is able to retain moisture, especially if you have been consistently oiling your scalp while in the braids.
CUTICLE DAMAGE
Braids are made from a synthetic material. The action of braiding this synthetic material against your hair can erode the outer protective layer of your hair, making your hair porous, weak, brittle, and unable to retain moisture. This is especially detrimental for hair types that are already naturally more porous.
FOLLICLE STRESS
Generally speaking, hair added to your natural hair puts extra 'weight' aka 'tension' on your follicles. This additional weight/tension is made worse when the styles are installed tightly or further pulled into tight styles (braids pulled into buns). This repeated stress on follicle damages it and it's not uncommon for women who frequently wear protective styles to experience tension damage aka Traction Alopecia.
SCALP ISSUES
The combination of improper and infrequent cleansing, use of synthetic fibres, product build-up from the styling product used, usually leads to irritated and or inflamed scalps as these produces a scalp environment that bacteria and fungi thrives in! They be having a party up there and all their friends are invited. Not good at all.
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So yes, while so called protective styles can give your hair a break from weekly manipulation, especially if you're rough-handed - the reasons given above are why they aren't so protective as you may think!
At the end of the day, caring for your hair is protecting it!
