#NaturalKids : Protection Style Take Down

By DiscoveringNatural

For several years, whenever I undo my daughters' cornrows/flat twists/ braids, my comb is filled with hair. Not shedded hair, which are hairs that have a white bulb at the ends,  but broken hair. Hair breakage is not a good thing when you are trying to grow your child's hair.

To help minimize breakage during the take down period, you have to be very gentle with the hair. Here is one DO NOT that has helped me a lot:

• DO NOT take down your child's hair when you are in a rush

When you are in a rush, you are more prone to pull at the hair and cause breakage.

Tools for taking down the hair

There are three main tools that you will need during the take down process:

• Rat tail Comb:  I prefer the one with a metal end because it can easily get through the notch of each cornrow better than plastic tailed comb.

• Wide Tooth Comb:  If you do not want to use a wide tooth comb, you can finger detangle. Click here to learn how to do this.

• Detangling spray/product: I make my own using a mixture of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Conditioner, and Water.

Starting the take down process
When taking down the hair, lightly spray it with the detangling mix. This will keep the hair a little damp and minimize breakage. Remember, the drier the hair, the more likely it will break upon pulling. Watch the video below to see how I undo my daughter's cornrows.

If the hair is in twists, you can easily unravel it using the method below:

How do you take down your child's hair?