Lots of curlies worry about their edges. After all, this area of your hair is pretty noticeable when things just aren’t right. From thinning edges to total hair loss, it is important to protect your edges. Here are a few of my favorite tips on how to protect your edges so you can rock your beautiful curls in all their glory.
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1. Go Easy On Protective Styling
Protective styles are great for protecting your strands, but not so great for your edges. When you constantly wear your hair in nothing but protective styles, your edges will become weaker over time from the tension and strain it puts on them. Remember, edges are delicate and need to be treated with care! The key here is to make sure your protective style isn’t too tight to where it is tugging on your hair.
Even with looser protective styles, edges are still receiving some amount of tension. A good way to help eliminate more of this tension is by creating bigger sections near the hair line. This will let you have your chosen style without adding too much tension to your edges. The goal is to eliminate as much as tension on these delicate strands as possible.
Avoid using a brush to apply products. Edges need to be handled with care and a brush is simply too rough for this area of hair. Always use your fingers to apply products and work through edges. The goal is to choose products that are easy to spread on with your hands that will glide over edges without needing a brush. It is okay to brush edges every once in a while, but it shouldn’t be a daily routine if you are trying to reduce thinning or breakage.
Avoiding styles that pull your hair too tight will help lessen the stress put on your edges. You can style your hair without wearing it tight! Here are a few cute low manipulation styles.
Oil is a great way to make sure your scalp stays hydrated and healthy, especially where your edges are. You want to use oils like coconut, jojoba, or olive which are rich in hydration and can help stimulate growth. Use them weekly to give your hair the care it deserves. You can simply warm them up slightly and massage them through your scalp, paying special attention to the hairline.
This can’t be stressed enough for the sake of your edges! Anything past 8 weeks is just asking for trouble with most protective styles. Keeping styles in for too long can wreak havoc on your edges.
The health of your hair is made up of several different factors. Since your edges are part of that equation, make sure you give them the TLC and protection they deserve to look their best!
