Ensure you Reap the Benefits of Your Protective Style During the Removal Process | Video

Removing extensions can be chore!

This may be the case, this statement may very well be true. However, it detracts from the focus of having installed a Protective Style: to Protect Hair.  When the time comes to remove Protective Styles, we are so eager to have them out, that our thoughts and actions could result in failing to reap the main benefits of having them installed: Improved Hair Health & (lets be honest) Length Retention - secretly the more important of the 2, am I right?.

Just as when Preparing Hair for Long Term a Protective Style much care has to be taken, so too in Removing (Long Term) Protective Styles.  Hair Care should be the solitary focus of both processes, and is also probably the main factor in having decided the route of protective styling.

HAIR CARE

Taking proper care on Removal Day ensures that you reap the benefits of your protective style.

This unfortunately, may also be the reason it takes all day.  Yup, you read that right.

Say it ain't so, Sam...say it ain't so!  

I know...I know...you don't want it to be true, neither do I.  Hair Care should not steal your life from you, it should be giving hair lyfe! But, on the day of removing a protective style it's definitely well worth it after neglecting hair for 3-12 weeks at a time.
Maybe neglecting is a bit harsh.  However, for the period that your hair is locked up in a protective style, you simple are unable to properly and thoroughly CARE for your Hair as you would, had it not been.  Sure you kept up with your weekly regimen, wash days didn't take a hiatus, nor moisturizing and sealing fade into darkness.  But, while entwined with extensions it is impossible for hair to be fully cleaned and moisturized.

So, How does Hair Care ensure you reap the benefits of your protective style?

That brings us to Removal Day.

1. TIMING

Choosing the day to embark on this process  is very important because it may just be a long one.  Select a day with no commitments, one where not only do you have nowhere to go, but you also have no pending tasks to complete. I know, it is rare to have a fully free day, but minimize interruptions and refrain from multi-tasking and starting other projects (that don't lend to your hair care mission).
You may also choose to start at night, to incorporate an overnight treatment as one of the steps in the Removal Process (eg Pre Poo or Deep Condition).  If this is your selected option, ensure the following morning/day you are able to facilitate concluding the process.

Removing the Extensions

2. Use the RIGHT TOOLS

Outlined in Removing (Long Term) Protective Styles are key steps that lend to proper hair care.  For these steps you need to have the right tools, which will allow you to successfully complete the steps.

• Cut Length - scissors

• Use Detangler - spray bottle, water, product/ingredients

• Detangle - PATIENCE, wide tooth comb, rat tail comb

Then your hair is finally let loose.  It is revealed.  It can breathe again ...breathe again.  And it's gasping for air!! Your hair is screaming: It's so hard for me to breathe. Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air. Can't live, can't breathe with no air...uhm, I mean, Hair Care.
This is the pivotal point.  This is where you kick it up a notch for the remaining steps of the Removal Process.

The Washing of the Hair

3. This is the WASH DAY of all Wash Days

no holds barred, pull out all the stops!

• Pre-Poo/H.O.T

• Clarifying Shampoo

• Protein Treatment

• Moisturizing Deep Conditioning

At this time, hair is fragile and extremely susceptible to damage.  Listen to it (ie feel and look at it carefully), ascertain its needs: cleanliness, strength, moisture. 

Products to use
At each step (as outlined above and here)

4. use QUALITY SOURCES & PRODUCTS 

To provide what hair desperately desires Use as many natural and organic products, items and ingredients as possible.  You don't have to be a kitchenista or DIY-maven.  However, you'd want to stay away from synthetically created and highly chemical commercial products that may cause damage to your strands.

Additionally, in the aforementioned steps, don't use your entire product stash.  That could gain you adverse results.  Again, its about quality, keep in mind

5. LESS IS MORE

Don't bombard your weak and fragile strands with a million different products; streamline and keep it simple.

However, do what is necessary.  The little experience I have gathered along my Natural Journey, and after my previous experiences with braids/extensions/protective styles, I have found 10  necessary steps that are focused on fully pampering hair upon releasing it from extension bondage.
10 steps and instructions for completing each are outlined here <<

Finally, more time

6. Take Your TIME

You might be thinking "10 steps?! Well duh, if it were 5 it wouldn't take all day!"

You also may not have the hair you hoped you would after wearing a protective style, if you don't put in the time required for proper Hair Care.  By skipping the necessary, you run the risk of damage to your precious strands, which is unnecessary.   All because you didn't give the quantity of time needed to attend to your scalp, or strengthen your strands, or hydrate your thirsty, thirsty locks.

I don't say this to be dramatic.  It's unfortunately a very likely possibility.  I have read many a rant and seen too many unhappy videos post protective styles.  Most (I'd say all, but I don't know everything) could have been satisfied customers, IF! due care was taken on Removal Day (or to Prepare Hair for Long Term a Protective Styling, or Maintaining Your Protective Style - hey, healthy hair doesn't happen in one day.

So.  If you know you're not up for the task at hand when the time comes to say goodbye to your protective style, just postpone it a couple days, no biggie.  There are many ways to Accessorizing & Styling Your Grown Out Protective Styles until the faithful day comes for you to go about things the right way.

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Following these 6 tips are the least you can do for your hair.  Especially after it gave you hours of lost styling time for a few odd weeks well.  It doesn't ask for much, it doesn't ask at all... All it's  saying is: pay me what you owe me, don't act like you forgot, and the payback could be 10 fold

...for you and your hair!

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The following video shows how I incorporate these tips during removal of my Senegalese Twist Protective Style.

Protective Style Removal (Senegalese Twists) | Part 1: Removing Extensions from Hair

~ Josie Jo ~
Do these Tips cover all the bases?
What other pointers would you give during Removal to maximize the benefits of Protective Styles?