Black Hair Care: How To Take Care Of Cornrows and Braids

Cornrows and braids are timeless styles that have crossed all ethnicities and genders. In fact, nothing is more beautiful than head full of intricate braids and rows and no two styles are exactly alike. That is why more and more people are choosing to express themselves and their individual style through hair braiding.

But as with all styles, cornrows come with their own special challenges and problems. One of the most obvious problems associated with any tight braiding technique is breakage. While Black hair has fewer tendencies to break than Caucasian hair, it can still take a great deal of abuse if the braids are not done and cared for properly. In addition to breakage, you can also experience dull, frizzy and dry hair as a result of wearing cornrows or braids.

To avoid all of these drawbacks and to keep your braids looking shiny and neat, follow the following care tips:

Choose your artist wisely

As with any artistic field, Hair Braiders come in many levels of expertise. Be sure to choose one that has been in the business for a good while. Also, ask to see sample photos of the stylists work. This will give you a good idea about their level of expertise. Ensure that your natural hair is long enough so that your stylist has enough hair to work with.

Cleanse without disrupting

Granted, shampooing your hair with cornrows and braids is not an easy task. To clean down to the scalp without disrupting your style you can use a shower massager or dental water pick.

Wrap to prevent frizz and breakage

When you're sleeping, your hair comes into constant contact with your pillow and your movements cause friction and tension to be applied to your braids. This can result in fly away hair, frizz and breakage. To avoid this simply wrap your head with a satin durag or bonnet before sleeping.

Keep salon appointments

If your Braid Artist tells you to get a trim every 6 weeks, do so. And if he or she tells you to get your braids redone within a certain time frame, be sure that you do. This will help keep your braids looking neat and fresh.

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