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If you are new to your loc journey, braiding can be a great option for you. Braids can be versatile and beautiful at the same time. It helps the loc to look neat and clean and make an attractive appearance. But when suddenly you see you have a head full of braids laying down and one or two bending, it can look awful!
So why are my braids bending? The situation can be very unpleasant but do not lose hope yet! There are multiple reasons why your braids are bending. If you can avoid some caution and follow certain rules, you can get your braids in their original shape again. In this article, I am going to cover all of your concerns regarding why your braids are bending and let you know all the possible solutions for them.
Why Are My Braids Bending? – 7 Reasons
Multiple factors can be responsible for bending your braids. I have put together the main reasons that can be responsible for your braid to bend in the table below.
| Reasons | Explanation |
| Lack of moisture | One of the main reasons for your hair to bend is the lack of moisture. The hair becomes dry and bends for extreme moisture loss. Frizziness also can make your hair bend up. |
| Frizzy hair | Frizzy hair can also be caused by the lack of moisture in the hair. when your hair tries to absorb hydration from hair, it causes a freeze in your hair, and your braids tend to bend. |
| Braids too tight | If you tie your ties too tightly, it can create tension at the root of your braids. And, the braids can bend up. |
| Overwash | Once again, your hair will become dry if you shampoo them frequently and blow dry your hair more often. |
| Wrong hair care product | Wrong hair care products that can build on your braids, or using heating tools can mess with the protein structure of your hair. |
| Tangled hair | If you did not detangle your hair properly before doing your braids, the tangled hair can lead to the braids bending sometimes. |
| Chemically treated hair | If your hair has perms, dyes, bleach, or any other chemical processing, it can mess with the keratin bond and make your hair bend. |
How To Keep Braids from Bending Up?
To prevent your hair from bending up there are certain considerations that you can make. The following methods can help you with that:
- Hydrate your hair completely: To moisturize your hair there are so many oils and leave-in conditioners out there that you can use. Coconut oil, argan oil, and jojoba oil can be a good option for your hair. You can also add some rosemary oil to that oil. Leave-in conditioners also help to keep your hair follicles moisturized and soft which will prevent your hair from bending.
- Don’t tie too tightly: if your hair is braided too tightly, it will create some tension in your hair root. Also, after locking your hair in braids, the braids tend to shrink in some cases. Tight braids also make your hair prone to breakage. Your hair bends up to avoid these tensions. You can redo your hair to make it stop bending.
- Use gentle fabrics: If your pillowcase or towel has a harsh material, it can cause friction which can lead to frizzy hair and hair breakage. Use a satin or silk cover for the pillowcase and switch your regular towel with a microfiber one or your old soft cotton t-shirt.
- Change the hairstyle: You can change the hairstyle and go for a different loc or a bun to have a little change in your hairstyle. Making your hair go in a different way sometimes, will also help your hair from bending.
What Should I Avoid to Keep My Braids from Bending Up?
If you are cautious about certain concerns from the very beginning, it can help you to avoid this kind of bent braiding situation for later.
- Avoid using heating tools: Heating can change the keratin bond of your hair completely. If your keratin bond is lost, your hair will not remain the same anymore. It will be very dry and harsh, and your hair will have lots of split ends. All the moisture and softness will be lost from your hair and doing any hairstyle will be more and more difficult. These scenarios are not good to start your braids to begin with.
- Avoid over-processing: Do not overprocess your hair with perms, relaxers, dyes, bleach, etc. These things can break the cortex of your hair and make your hair frizzy and brittle. Chemical processing can mess with your hair in the long term and can be very hard to fix. Every hair type is different, so consult with a specialist before doing any chemical processing in your hair to avoid greater damage and have healthy braids.
- Avoid chlorine and saltwater: Salt water from the beach or chlorine from the pool can also be very harsh for your hair strands. Before going to the beach or pool, you can cover your head with a shower cap or soak your hair first with normal water first so that your hair does not soak the chlorine or salt directly. If the hair is hydrated properly, it will not take additional water to soak in.
How Can I Loosen My Braids and Hydrate Them?
If your braids are bending just after you have done your locks, do not become frustrated already. These steps can help you with your bent braids and make the loose and hydrated:
- Take a spray bottle, put argan oil, jojoba oil, rosemary oil, rose water, and glycerin. Shake them to mix and spray this solution every day regularly if you see dehydration on your hair and any bending situation.
- You can also use a leave-in conditioner, but you need to be careful to put that within your locks, otherwise, it can make your hair a mess.
- Massage your scalp gently to release the tension from the hair. More blood circulation can help the hair grow faster. If your hair grows, the braids can loosen up.
What Can I Do to Maintain My Braids for A Longer Time?
To maintain your braids beautifully neat and shining, there are certain considerations you can opt for:
- Do not wear your braids for too long. Redo your braids every 4 to 6 weeks. If you keep them longer than that the neatness of your braids can be long gone, it will create split ends and can damage your hair.
- Try to wash your braids and scalp every week with a clarifying shampoo and conditioner. They will not buildup and your braids will be good for quite some time.
- After washing, lock the moisture by using oils on your braids and keep them shining.
- Protect your braids at night by covering up your braids with a silk or satin cloth, or a pillowcase.
FAQs
1. How can I remove the frizz from my braids?
To remove the freeze from your braids, you can simply use hot water. take a pot of hot water and sink your microfiber towel in it. Let the water be cool enough for you to touch. Then take that warm towel, squeeze the water out of it, and place the towel on your head. Let all of your braids soak up the steam, and your braids will be good to go.
2. How can I dry my bending braids?
You can dry your bending braids just like how you regularly do it. Do not use a blow drier directly, instead attach a bonnet with the drier which can concentrate the hot air flow and let your hair dry without making it heat-damaged.
3. Why do my braids keep bending at night?
If your braids are already very dehydrated, and you are using a harsh pillow case while sleeping, your braids can create freeze and bend. To solve this problem, use a silk or satin pillowcase and moisturize your hair properly before going to bed.
Final Thoughts
Bending braids are not very uncommon who are doing braids for a long time. So do not get frustrated if you have locked your hair with a braid for the first time. Take some time and let yourself and your hair relax for a bit. If you maintain proper hair care and avoid the concerns I have mentioned above, you can make your braids can come down to their original shape. Protect your braids from heating and over-processing. Hydrate them regularly and do not tie your braids so tightly next time. Bending braids are not something that you can not fix, just take it slow and be gentle with your hair.
Key Points
- Your braids can bend for multiple reasons like dehydrated and frizzy hair, too tight braids, etc.
- You can solve this problem easily by giving them proper hydration.
- Use gentle fabrics, and change your hairstyle sometimes to keep them from frizzing.
- You should avoid heating tools, over-processing, salt, and chlorine water for your hair to prevent your hair from bending.
