The Secret Life of Edges

(AMEN)

So you want to know what happened to your edges. After years of micro braids that revealed nothing but scalp because they were so “crispy” and weaves so tight they could be used as Kevlar helmets, slicking down with brown gel, and when that went out of style switching to beeswax but still only shampooing your hair every two weeks….

NOW you ask;

have you seen em’….. tell me have you seen ’em?”

*dun dun dun*

“Whyyyyyyyy oooh why did they have to leave and go awaaaaaaay?

(That was for the old heads, now that I’ve joined the over 25 life membership club)

Let’s break down what took them away and close with what will bring them back shall we? Let’s go.

Balding Point 1. Tension. (we’ve discussed this before)

Balding Point 2. Products. (here’s the refresher) Here’s the news. You can use just about anything on your hair for a short period of time and almost never experience a horrible dramatic/traumatic experience aside from chemical relaxers and color (you need to know what you’re doing with those two things). However products like edge control were designed to keep you hair laid for the night/moment, not all week. What you begin to do when you use heavy wax, creams, and alcohol base products is slowly either suffocate or dehydrate your hair. Cleanse your hair and keep product buildup to a minimum. Moisture is not product. Let’s not make that mistake. If your hair requires the addition of oils, that’s not what I mean by product. (Please don’t walk around here with your hair dry telling people I said keep the product down)

Balding Point 3. Manipulation. (in case you missed it). So you can click on the link and get my growth routine. I would also like to add this scenario to help you understand what’s taking place. It’s not that you move your hair, it’s how you move and manipulate it. Some people do their hair every single day and never experience breakage and strife. If you are one of the growing population in the Sisterhood of the Disappearing Edges consider this; Ever look at someone who doesn’t shave their legs but they wear tight high socks? Ever notice how the hair has a line that it starts to thin somewhere near where the socks usually start? If your hair is not very coarse (thick at the strand level) you might be rubbing out your hairline. Know your limitations and style accordingly.

Random Building Points.

• Don’t sleep in a wig that is not secured to your head. That’s like sleeping in a hat and if it’s the kind with an elastic band, it will rub against your hair.
• Shampoo your hair at the level in which you add buildup to your hair. If you slick down your hair daily you should try to cleanse every 5 days or so. (even that’s a long time but touch your hair and see if it feels weighed down or crunchy)
• Wrap your hair with satin or silk in your down time.
• Don’t endure the pain. If your style is keeping you from being able to go to sleep it may be really cute, but it’s not worth losing your edges over. Take that down. I know sometimes a style doesn’t feel tight until later, especially if your Braider starts with wet hair and your texture shrinks, but speak up in the chair if you feel that they are doing too much.
• Seek professional assistance. If between you and your sink side stylist, you can’t get more than just enough to cover the track in your leave out section of your weave, stop by a salon and let someone that knows how to care for your hair build a program for your hair’s rehabilitation.

That’s it. Just wanted to hit you with some quick tips because the scary trend I’m seeing is missing edge concealing weaves without treatment. There are lots of Kitchmatology tips and techniques floating around and I don’t want you out here thinking that the only solution to your missing hairline is to slap a sneaky weave on it and pray. You can take control of the outcome of your hair if it’s not something medically or genetically induced.

As always ask questions if it stops making sense.

#LOVE