You come home after a day of braiding. Your head still hurts. You thought your braids would eventually loosen on their own, but they are as tight as at the salon. Suddenly, you wish you had the super power to turn back time.
But you can’t, so how do you get rid of the pain?
There are ways to loosen tight braids. Ideally, you will want to loosen the braids without destroying box braids, braids, or other African braid styles that cost you time and money. Here are some things that can help:
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Massage
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Shower
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A pencil
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Humid heat
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Leave-in conditioner
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Braided spray
Luckily for you, there are ways to loosen the braids. Just follow any of these tips below.
Massage your scalp
The relief that massage produces is not alien to us. By gently massaging the exposed areas of the scalp, we are effectively separating the hair from the scalp and loosening the braids. However, try not to get carried away as you still want to keep those braids.
Get in the shower
Taking a shower immediately after installing the braids can make you question the longevity of the braids. But isn’t it much better than thinking about how long hairline it will last? Get in the shower and let it rain on your braids. While the warm water runs through your hair, rub your scalp gently but not vigorously. You can apply a moisturizing conditioner at this stage. Pat your braids with a towel and let them dry naturally.
Insert a pencil or other object
To loosen the braids individually, glue a pencil or something cylindrical and smooth in the center of each braid. Use a thinner object like a skewer for smaller braids. Alternatively, combs can also be used to loosen the braids that are close to the scalp.
Get some humid heat
An effective way to loosen those tight braids is to apply moist heat to it. By placing a towel wet with warm water, you separate the small braids that are very close to the scalp. Leave it on your head for an hour. Another way to do this is by applying steam directly on your head. You can do this by using a handheld steamer or by running hot water inside a closed bathroom and just standing there. Be sure to save the water and use it for something else, like watering your plants or doing laundry.
Apply leave-in conditioner
An easy way to loosen tight tresses is by applying leave-in conditioner. The conditioner will soften the hair and reduce the tension in the braids. However, use it sparingly. Too much will make your scalp greasy faster and itch later.
Apply braided spray
Braided sprays come with many functions. Some alleviate the itchiness that occurs by maintaining the braids; others help in removing your braids. Regardless of the type of spray you use, braid sprays will help alleviate tight tresses by smoothing your hair. As the primary function of a braid spray is to alleviate the negative aspects of braiding installation, introducing a braid spray into your hair care regimen will ultimately serve you well.
The easiest way to avoid tight braids is to not let it happen in the first place. Feel free to let your stylist know that your braids are sore and too tight!