Both Williams and Kimble advise leaving your braids in for no more than two months at a time. Williams suggests getting a touch-up around the hairline — getting the front portion rebraided — between every four to six weeks in order to preserve both the style and your edges. When the time comes to actually take out your braids, the same patience you exercised during the braiding process is vital; maybe even more so because, this time around, you're the one doing all the work and your hair is going to be more susceptible to breakage. Keep in mind that your hair has gone uncombed, unbrushed, and un-detangled for weeks at a time, so shedding is pretty much inevitable. The key is going slow and making sure to gently remove any knots you might encounter. In order to make things easier, Williams recommends spraying a small amount of Sea Breeze or witch hazel at the base of the braid to soften and loosen any dirt and build-up that's accumulated. "You should also completely comb through each section of hair as you unbraid it to prevent matting," she says. "The hair will feel dry and brittle while taking down the braids, so apply a cleansing conditioner to the hair as you detangle and remove the braids."