Tension and breakage at the base of braids- The roots are super delicate. I’m worried about tension and hair getting pulled out or broken at the base. My hair is very fine and although I had very straight and precise parts at the roots, there are strands of hair stretched across braids. To avoid causing tension and possible breakage, I’m limiting the types of hairstyles I put the braids in. Now that the roots have grown out, I only wear the braids in one bun.

Lint build up at the base of the braids– the nape of my neck is most likely to have lint buildup from rubbing on knitwear and other clothing. To limit the amount of buildup, I’m paying extra attention to my nape when shampooing my hair. I also took these braids out (which are twice the size of the other braids) and I redid them. I eventually twisted the hair so it was easier to take down and detangle.

Edges breaking or shedding– My edges are super fine and fragile. For this reason, I’ve kept them mostly in in mini twists- not braids. They are much larger than the rest of my hair and I take them out about once a week, detangle and redo. I should wear my silk scarf every night to keep them protected, but sadly, I’m not that disciplined.

Rough Ends– This is a general concern of mine. Since my hair is fine and prone to breakage and wear and tear, I often have split ends. Because I’m wearing the braids for so long, I still need to trim my hair. When my hair is mini braided, I tend to search and destroy (look for splits, single strand knots, etc) and cut them. I did give my hair a good trim before I braided it and will do the same when I take them out. In the meantime, I’ll snip when needed.

For the full run down of how I install, care for, and take down my mini braids, check out my e-book for sale on Lulu.

One thing I’m not worried about is frizz. Check out tips for preventing mini braid frizz and what to do if your mini braids get frizzy!