J.L.
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Last Sunday I put normal braids in our daughtes hair, maybe about 10, 3 braids for her bangs, I then strung cute bead in the braids. Last night I took the braids out to give her a break from sleeping on beads, well tonight I gave her a bath washed her hair, then un-twisted the braids, I combed out each braid and used an olive-oil based scalp and hair condidtioner. Last SUN at church her beaded braids on her bangs laid just above her eyebrows, Tonight her bands are barely .25inches of hair left, I had a small nest of broken hair. I have it in a simple soft hair band now. Her bangs were almost as long as her sides, I am just besides myself. FYI, she is being treated for ringworm for skin and scalp with oral meds and creams we have 2 more weeks left. Dealing with this for about a yr, she was adopted from Ethiopia, so the strain is very tough. I thought I was doing a great job with her hair, I was so proud. What Happened?
I think I have been washing her hair too much, sometimes with the beads still on, the bangs broke off riight where the 1st bead was against her scalp, this style was in for about 1 week, until this damage her hair was almost all the same length. We have a big adoption picnic later today, of all times to screw up! I did like her hair when she 1st came home, it was about 1/4 inch all over, we may have to go back to that style. I was having so much fun playing with her hair. I do have the pink conditioner also, and do use wide tooth combs and work in sections. I will call Mon for a referal to hopefully and Africian Americian Derm, I am so tiired of the ringworm, also. no meds are touching it. Thank you for everyones reply, please keep the advise coming * I just changed my profile photo so you can see pre-damage on how nice it looked.
j
How often do you take out her braids? they should last at least 2 weeks and if you want to wash her hair, you don't have to take out the braids, and you don't always have to shampoo her hair, sometimes you can just condition it. You can also do loss twists instead of braids. He hair may also not be strong enough for the beads yet so i would just forget about them and go with barrettes. They have hundreds of really cute ones at the dollar store. Also don't comb her hair a lot, just pick it.
I agree with heather..it may seem like its tuff, but its not... You also want to make sure u r keeping her hair hydrated...by oiling the hair every three days.. African american hair can be tricky..if the hair becomes dry it will break off.so btwn the dryness and the heavy beads.. U want to be careful that u don't damage the roots.
Hi K.,
I just read your profile and see that your little girl is only 2 years old. Her hair may not be strong enough for tight braids. Like PP recommended, I'd try to wash her hair only when it is actually dirty (no more than once a week) and use a shampoo designed for Black hair. Try using something like "pink" moisturizer in it (I have no idea if this has an actual brand name of if Pink is the brand, but people just call it "pinks").
As for styling: I'd probably try to give her hair a break. If you've always braided it and it just started breaking, maybe it's from the ringworm, if this was your first shot at it, i'd stop. I nice style for little girls is to put her hair into three or four pony tails and loosely braid each one. If her hair isn't long enough to reach into ponytails, just let it be loose.
Good luck, Mama.
HTH
T.
