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Which protective style should I go for when growing out shaved sides?
  • Ask an Expert / Cover Story

Which protective style should I go for when growing out shaved sides?

  • by Kristen Bingle
  • 0
  • 719

 

Hair dilemmas! We’ve all had them or we’re going through one right now. It could be damage, dry scalp issues, a haircut gone wrong or maybe growing out an undercut. If you’ve got a hair woe that you’d like some advice on, you can get your question answered  from one of our Yeluchi stylists. Tell us what you’re struggling with here.

The age of the undercut

There was a moment when it seemed everyone and their aunty, was rocking the shaved-sides look. For good reason too, it’s a cool look, there’s less hair to manage and what better way to add an edge to your regular hair-do. But maybe it gets to a point where you’re missing your full head of equal-length hair. Or maybe the undercut is growing out and it’s reached that awkward stage where there’s not much that can be done with the half inch of hair on the sides. What do you do then? One customer shared her dilemma with us… and our stylists answered!

“My current natural hair is cut into a mohawk with very low sides (not shaven but less than a half inch of hair). I’m looking to grow the sides out with a protective style and was interested in either your crochet or box braid service… Or is there a style recommendation that’s maybe better?”

Our stylist said…

I understand that you are growing out your sides so the question is are you concerned with showing your new growth or are you not? If you are, I would choose crochet, particularly a curly crochet style that’ll cover up your sides. If you are not concerned with new growth, I would go with box braids because of its versatility.  

Some things to consider

Crochets
Crochet braids are trendy, but they’re limited when it comes to growing out hair that’s quite short, in this case growing out an undercut. The knots at the end can be quite difficult to hide and crotchets typically last two to four weeks, depending on the style. If you’re concerned with covering up your sides/new growth, a curly crochet style might work.

Box braids
Box braids can look more natural, especially if you’re going for knotless box braids. If you’re not concerned with covering up your sides, box braids offer more versatility. They may take some time to install but they also last about one to two months. Think about your lifestyle. Do you work out often for example? If so, choose box braids. However, they  may be too heavy on shorter hair.

Try a wig
If you’re trying to grow out your hair and it’s less than an inch, braided styles might place too much tension on your hair. You may want to wait until your hair gets to three or four inches long. A wig is also great if you want to hide the new growth until it gets to about the length of the rest of your hair.

Box braids, wigs and crochet braids are all excellent choices. It really boils down to your personal preference and your lifestyle. Whichever style you choose, we’re sure it will look amazing.

Are you trying to grow out an undercut? Which protective style would you opt for?

Kristen Bingle
I've been natural since 2014. Since then I've been obsessed with watching hair tutorials and learning more about how to keep my hair healthy — and sharing that with others. I'm based in London, work in Marketing and love herbal tea. Website: https://kristenbingle.contently.com
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