I’ve always heard horror stories about leaving a style in too long, but I never thought that one of those horror stories would be my story.

It all started one summer when I got crochet braids installed. I love crochet braids because it’s such an easy style, and looks totally natural. This particular summer I was working as a lifeguard, so another great thing about crochet braids is that you can swim in them.

I was swimming at least 3 times a week, on and off duty. I didn’t really think twice about it because my stylist told me that the hair will bounce right back after it dries- and it did. I didn’t really think much about my natural hair underneath because it was braided back into cornrows, so I assumed that it was perfectly fine.

Well, I was wrong. When it was time for me to take out my crochet braids, 6 weeks later, I was shocked when I realized how matted my hair was underneath.

Matted hair is the combination of attached and shed hairs entwined in clumps or weblike tangles. It’s a lot worse than regular tangles because sometimes matted hair cannot be untangled.

I didn’t really know what to do, so I immediately called my hair stylist and she told me to come in immediately. I was scared, because my natural hair had been growing like crazy, and I had too many length goals to have to cut it all off.

I was fortunate that my stylist didn’t have to cut my hair- but it did take her 3 hours to completely detangle it. She used a detangling product and a lot of patience. I was so scared that I would leave the salon bald headed. I definitely learned my lesson and will never leave a style in that long if I plan on swimming in it.