The Dangers of Protective Styling?

What is a protective style?

Protective Style is a term used to describe hairstyles that allow for limited or low manipulation of hair in order to promote hair length retention and health. Protective styles include:

• Box Braids/Plaits
• Bhantu Knots/Chiney Bumps
• Twists
• Flat-twists 
• Cornrows
• Buns  
• Wigs etc.

Yes, buns are protective styles. They keep longer hair from rubbing against the shoulders and breaking or from natural elements like cold wind. While not as low manipulation as box braids, it can still be considered a protective style though not the best one. People have been known to intentionally and only wear protective styles for as long as one year. 

So protective styles are all good right? Clearly, from the title, you know that is wrong. Read on to find out some of the things one should consider while embarking on prolonged protective styling.

Loosen up. Making any protective style too tight (especially continuously) can result in damage of the scalp or even hair follice. Think tiny bumps at the hairline after cornrows - They are the result of stress on the body from the tight hairdo.

Go BIGGER or go home. Micro braids have been a favourite of many women for years but besides being tedious to remove, it is known as being one of the extension styles that seems to have you taking down not just the braids, but a lot of your own hair in the process. The thin, fine hair that is braided often can't support the length of the hair either, leading entire braids to pop off from the root.


Too much time is too much. Leaving hair in a particular style for too long can be detrimental to your hair. Plaits or twists left in too long can begin to tangle and loc. This makes them harder to remove which tends to cause more hair loss in the take down process.


Excessive bunning is excessive. Pulling back your hair into a bun every single day, especially a tight bun, can result in a receding hairline.

Prevent a drought. Just because your hair isn't being manipulated daily doesn't meant it requires no care. Keep you hair moisturized and rinse your hair if you sweat it out during any physical activity. Perspiration can be very drying to the hair.


Put a cap on It. If you choose to cover your hair with a wig, ensure that you use a wig cap to protect your natural hair.

Change up your protective hairstyle regularly to prevent any problems. Unless you are in extensions, undo, thoroughly wash and redoing your hair at least every two weeks. Good luck with your protective styling and journey to longer, healthier hair. Feel free to add anything I may have forgotten as a comment to this post.