How to Prepare Natural Hair for Braiding & Weaving

1. Only braid healthy hair. 
2. Shampoo, condition and detangle beforehand.

If you hair is currently weak, damaged or unhealthy in any other way, this is not the time to be getting braids. Nurse your hair back to health and then go to get braids.

Before a salon appointment:

1. Wash your hair
   
2. Deep condition your hair
   
3. Detangle your hair thoroughly
   
4. Moisturise and seal with an oil so it remains soft, spring and easy to manage
   
5. Blow dry gently on a cool setting
   

What is the point of all this? 

You want your hair to be as strong as possible so it can take any trauma; a lot of hairdressers don't take the time to detangle hair gently and will more than likely blow dry the hair prior to plaiting it. All this handling and styling is prime time for your hair to break. 

If you have adequately detangled and blow dried your hair enough to make it easy to plait it will be very easy for you to request that the stylist doesn't blow dry it again. If your hair is matted or tangled you best believe the stylist will insist she needs to blow dry it. I am only just recovering from one such recent hair trauma!

I also have a very sensitive scalp so almost every time I get braids I have bumps around the edges because even a little pulling is too much for my tender skin. 

When you get to the appointment, remain involved in the process:

1. If the stylist is pulling too tightly, let her know;
   
2. If she's combing to roughly, e.g. too fast or using a rattail comb before the hair is properly detangled, let her know; encourage her to use a wide tooth comb first;
   
3. If the stylist is attaching a large braid to a small portion of hair, tell her to use less hair;
   
4. If she's blow drying too roughly or with the heat set too high, LET HER KNOW!
   

I'm full of confidence but I too sometimes feel like I am being too demanding at the salon so I let some transgressions slide without stating my opinion ~ big mistake ~ I know my scalp and I know my hair so I need to communicate the needs of my hair, you do too.

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