Braids are easy, fun and just about anyone can do this style effectively.  Unlike the Afro, braids can be done on chemically-treated hair, naturally straight hair, naturally curly hair and of course, natural African/Black hair. 

Braids have been around since...well I don't know how long but we love them for their versatility and ease of maintenance.  Where your level of braiding skills are acquired through practice and time, virtually anyone create beautiful braids and the intricacy of the end hair style will only be limited by your imagination.

The length needed to achieve this look varies and depends solely upon the person doing the hair. You or the stylist need only have enough hair to grip in order to form the braid.

This method is achieved by parting the hair into sections of a desired size and using three strands of hair to form the braid. Be sure not to braid the hair too tightly.

Contrary to popular opinion, tighter is not always better. I'm sure you've seen girls whose braids are so tight the corners of their eyes touch their ears. If the braids are too tight, you may actually be extracting the hair from the root and could even give yourself a headache. If your stylist is braiding too tightly, politely ask her/him to ease up.

Alcohol-Free No-More Frizzies Styling Gel or Aloe Vera Jelly, small rubber bands, Beads and other adorning elements can be put at the end of the braid to keep it from unraveling. To preserve this style sleep with a satin scarf and spray with a light oil/braid spray such as naani's naturals Moisturizing Hair & Body Mist to maintain sheen.

This is a modified form of traditional braids in that human/synthetic hair is weaved into your own. This method has added benefit because the hair extensions act as a shield to UV rays which could be damaging to the hair. What type of hair extension you choose will primarily depend upon your budget.

Styles using human hair last longer but are more expensive. Plastic synthetic hair is available and very cheap (approximately $1/bag) but it's difficult to work with, may damage the hair and doesn't last very long.

A clear middle ground is kanekalon or yakky hair because it's easy to work with, does not cut into the hair as much as cheaper synthetics and is inexpensive.

No matter what type of hair you use, braid extensions last anywhere from 1-3 months with proper maintenance. Avoid keeping the braids or the extensions in longer than this time frame as you'll end up encouraging your hair to lock.

How-to Do Braids Extensions

It's important that you have a style in mind before you begin. Knowing what you want the end result to be is necessary in determining braid thickness, length and placement. Do not add oil or any other lubricant to the hair before you braid. This could make it difficult to grip the hair and may cause slippage. Do your moisturizing BEFORE you begin by using a naani's naturals No-Sulfates Moisturizing Shampoo and S-Factor Herbal Deep Conditioner.

After drying your hair, begin at the nape of the neck and part your hair into a section of the desired size. The size and shape of the part can vary from squares, to ovals, to polygons, the decision is up to you. Use a clip to secure the rest of the hair atop the head.


You want to have enough of the human/synthetic hair so that you will not be able to determine where your hair ends and the addition begins.

Using too little will produce an uneven braid, whereas using too much will cause the braids to be thick and heavy by the time you have completed your entire head. It's a good idea to practice on a doll to get an idea of how to achieve evenness. I braided Kia's entire head before tackling my own.

Take the human/synthetic hair to be added to the section and fold it in half. Where the hair forms a loop, place it around the section and hold it very close to the scalp.

Holding the hair addition tightly, pull your hair strand upwards. With the two ends of the synthetic hair and your hair strand, you now have the three pieces needed to form a braid. Braid the hair downward towards and to the desired length.

Be sure not to braid the hair too tightly. Contrary to popular opinion, tighter is not always better. If the braids are too tight, you may be ripping the hair from the root and could even give yourself a headache.

If you're using human hair, you will not need to secure the ends but you can put a slip knot at the end of the braided portion. With synthetics, the ends may be secured using small rubber bands, by soaking them in very hot/boiled water or by singing the braid with a lighter. If you choose the latter method, make sure it's ONLY done with synthetic hair because human hair will burn.

To singe the ends of the synthetic hair, braid the hair a little longer than the desired length. Using the lighter, hold it to the braid at the desired length BUT FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM YOUR BRAIDED HAIR. Hold it there for a few seconds or until the synthetic hair begins to slightly melt. Using your fingers, rub the burned area until it cools.

Cut off the excess hair just below the singed area.

Use the lighter again to resinge the freshly cut area and then rub your fingers back and forth until it cools.

Part the next section and repeat. To preserve this style, sleep with a satin scarf and occasionally use a light oil or braid spray.

The key to braids care is making sure your hair has enough moisture. If your braids are dry, you can use a variety of products to lubricate them and reduce itchy scalp. A number of braid sprays are on the market and their effectiveness depends on the individual. Finding a product that works well on your hair is a process of trial and error.

Some products leave a residue which may cause an odor to develop over time. Your best bet is to use a light oil/spray that doesn't have an intense fragrance. Try to avoid heavy pomades because they will become entrenched in the braid and will be difficult to remove. In addition if you exercise frequently, you are probably prone to having dryer hair due to saline deposits. Try rinsing your hair with water after you work out.

Braids should be washed at least every 2-3 weeks. Some people choose not to wash them for longer periods of time to preserve the style, but this may not be a good idea. If you use products on your hair such as oil sheens and sprays or undergo activities which cause you to sweat, you are naturally going to have a build up of residue in your braids.

Refraining from washing them over an extended period of time can cause odor or bacteria to develop. A good way to combat odor, bacteria and mildew in your braids is to use antiseptic cleansers or witch-hazel to cleanse in between braid sections or to cleanse the braids themselves.

naani's naturals Aromatherapy Astringents can be used as a temporary fix to dirt and odor and are not a replacement for shampoos. Apply the astringent to a clean, dry cloth, cotton pad or ball. Wipe in-between parted sections, removing dirt and debris. Repeat until the cloths wipe clean.

You can also spray the astringent directly to braids. This will help refresh your braids and offer a temporary cleansing effect. Allow to air dry.

Shampooing Braid Extensions

Plait several of your braids together.

Dilute some moisturizing shampoo with water and place in a squeeze bottle. Doing this will allow you to direct the shampoo where it's needed most, your scalp.

Apply some shampoo to a plaited section. Using the tips of your fingers, gently work the shampoo through the hair in a downward motion. Add more shampoo as necessary. Repeat on the next section. Rinse thoroughly. Use a towel to remove excess water. Allow braids to dry completely before going to bed to prevent the development of mildew and bacteria.

If you develops frizzies after shampooing, apply small amounts of aloe vera or non-alcoholic styling gel to the hair while it's still relatively damp and secure it snuggly with a satin scarf. This should help the flyaways lay flat. In between washings you can use a cotton ball and products such as antiseptic to cleanse the scalp.

Many people often cause severe damage to their hair while attempting to take out their braids. Keep in mind that your hair has not been combed or brushed for a significant period of time and hair which has normally been shed remains in the braid. Therefore, it's important to be careful when combing and subsequently washing the hair.

You will need a spray bottle filled with warm water/leave-in conditioner, a wide-tooth comb and hair clips. Work on each section individually until you have successfully removed all the braids. it's best to approach the hair by dividing it into four sections. To remove a braid extension, undo the rubber band or cut off the singed end with a pair of scissors. Unravel the braid. After having unraveled a few of the braids, mist the hair with the water/conditioner. Using the wide-tooth comb, hold the hair close to the scalp with one hand and beginning at the ends, GENTLY comb your hair with the other. Once the ends are tangle free, you can work on the rest of the hair in a similar manner.

You should see several strands of loose hairs in the comb due to natural shedding. If the amount of hair is excessive and it appears that the hairs have been pulled out at the root, it could be because your hair was braided too tightly, the braid extensions were too heavy or you are combing too forcefully. Whatever the case, consider it a lesson learned and remedy the problem the next time you braid. Continue to unravel, mist and comb the hair until the first section is complete and then move onto the next.

Once you have completed the entire head and are ready to begin shampooing, it's important to remember that you still need to be gentle. Excessive rubbing and massaging can cause the hair to become entangled, matte and make it difficult to become undone.

Often times women wash their hair vigorously after having braids and after the hair becomes tangled to the point where they are forced to rip it apart. Doing so causes breakage, uneveness and split-ends so BE CAREFUL.

Approach washing your hair in the same manner in which you removed the extensions by working in sections. Using a Moisturizing Shampoo, work the product through the hair from root to tip. After you have finished a section, use your comb to remove any tangles and move onto the next. Rinse thoroughly. Finally, Deep Condition and/or use a Hot Oil Treatment.

Braids and weaved styles are wonderful when done correctly.  Unfortunately, many stylists engage in practices that can actually lead to permanent damage and hair loss.

Braiding hair too tightly is common.  Many people feel that the tighter the braids, the neater the style will look when it's complete.  The reality is, tight braiding not only makes sleeping on braids uncomfortable but it also means your hair is being stretched and pulled right out of your scalp.

Our hair has a natural degree of elasticity.  Tight braiding forces our hair to stretch beyond it's level of comfort.  When pulled to far, breakage will occur.  If the tension put on the hair is primarily at the scalp, braiding too tightly can result in hair loss.  Many women who get braids over extended periods find that this breakage occurs along the temple areas.  In order to grip shorter, finer hairs, braiders tend to pull these areas tighter.  This type of hair loss is known as Traction Alopecia and can be permanent.

Another cause of damage comes from braiding wet hair.  When wet, healthy hair can stretch up-to a quarter of its length.  This is why hair is seemingly longer in Humid Weather.  When hair is dry, it shrinks yet retains a degree of elasticity.  Meaning it can still stretch but not as far as wet hair.

Wet hair will stretch as it's being braided.  Given that wet hair can stretch farther, what happens when your hair dries?  It shrinks but given the structure of braids, your hair is not allowed to properly shrink...pulling the hair beyond its normal dry elasticity point.  So be sure that your hair is completely dry before braiding. 

Do not get braids directly after chemical services.  Although some stylists say that freshly relaxed hair will help your braids look better, the reality is, a better stylist will help your braids look better too.  Hair does not have to be bone straight to braid.  In fact, braiding hair directly after getting a touch-up does more harm than good.

I know some of you hate to hear it but relaxers damage hair. Relaxers cause moisture to evaporate from the hair, leaving it dry, highly porous and less elastic.  Thus, it's best to wait at least two weeks before getting braids.  Be sure to use a Moisturizing Shampoo, Deep Conditioner and an Herbal Vinegar Rinse Infused with Essentials to help restore your hairs' natural PH.

At least one week before getting braids, be sure to deep condition.  A quality Deep Conditioner will help improve your hairs' elasticity and moisture level.

Treatment of Traction Alopecia

Many women who are used to braids and weaves have difficulty transitioning away from these styles.  Many continue getting these styles even after experiencing hair loss.  Unfortunately many also discover that long-term traction alopecia may result in permenant hair loss and no treatment, no pill, no shot will regrow hair in the affected areas.

If you think you may be suffering from traction alopecia, early and proper diagnosis is key.  Visit your physician to determine if you have the condition and then be sure to follow your physician's advice to the letter.  She may prescribe or suggest topoical or oral antibiotics and in extreme cases may suggest steroid injections.  In addition to medication, here are some other useful tips... 

STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING!  If braids or weaves caused your traction alopecia, it's important that you stop wearing these and all styles that put tension on the hair.  Doing so can help prevent this condition from becoming permanent.

In addition to refraining from braids and weaves, avoid manipulating hair in and around the affected site.  If this is done during the early stages, you increase your chances of healthy newgrowth.

Because the hair in and around the affected area is so traumatized, normal hair styling procedures may need to be halted and tight head wear should be avoided in order to prevent further damage.  For example, avoid hair gels that stiffen and using rollers as they can pull on the hair as you sleep.

If your condition is severe and beyond medical treatment, hair transplants have been successful.

To view images of Traction Alopecia, visit The Belgravia Centre online.

Photos courtesy of bioon.com