Protective Styling?!

I know that most ladies use 2 strand twists as a protective style. For some reason I hate the way I look in 2 strand twists. Everytime I do it...I wind up taking them all out before I go out in public. I know that I need to protect my ends especially during the winter. I was considering just puting my hair in 2 braids and co washing every 2 days. Is this logical or will the constant braiding and unbraided just damage my hair even more? I really don't want to get extensions. I've considered single braids on just my natural hair but I'm afraid I'll lose more hair when taking the braids out....idk just lost and desperate for advice. I talk to my fiane about it....but he's white and I can tell he's rly just supporting my venting. I'm still teaching him the basics of how delicate my hair is...even though it seems tough.

My opinion is that your regimen could be fine as long as you aren't doing your braids uber tight because then you risk thinning edges due to tension. Protective styles are all about hiding your ends and low manipulation so if your hair needs to be co washed every 2 days then thats what you have to do. I think you should be fine but if you can hold out an extra day or two then thats even better

Putting your hair in two braids should be fine but if you can, see if you can go longer than 2 days. I'm two strand twist kinda girl and I leave them in for 5-6 days, then wear a twist out 1-2 days, then start over again.

I hope this helps.

You could also try doing an updo with your two strand twists. You don't have to leave them out, just pin them up in a cute style. Lynnieluve is the queen up twisted updos...check out her fotki for some great ideas.

Any style that hide your ends is considered a protective style you can do buns , two strand twist can be pinned up as well , braid style as well , my favorite styles until i have enough hair for a nice bun or twist updo are my wigs , cornrows can be protective styles as well , roll and tuck pompadour all those are protective styles

i never understood how two strand twist were a protective stlye if your ends are still out... maybe this makes no sense how im saying it lol but arent ur ends still out?

@CiaE: doing twists, allows women to do more with it, such as pinning it up, or you can wear something over the twists. It's a lot easier then trying to tame a big fro.

But also, leaving your hair in twists, even if you didn't pin it up, your hands aren't in your hair every day as you try to get your wash n go, or your fro to look nice. So on this end, it's protecting your hair from the daily manipulation you would do if itt wasn't in twists.

Treece wrote:@CiaE: doing twists, allows women to do more with it, such as pinning it up, or you can wear something over the twists. It's a lot easier then trying to tame a big fro.

But also, leaving your hair in twists, even if you didn't pin it up, your hands aren't in your hair every day as you try to get your wash n go, or your fro to look nice. So on this end, it's protecting your hair from the daily manipulation you would do if itt wasn't in twists.

Wow ok, so this makes so much more sense! thanks. I could never do single twist on my hair though because i hate how they look and i would end up covering them with a hat anyway lol