How do I Braid Hair Extensions?

Many people wear braids. Some people wear braids which only consist of their natural hair and others wear braids that include hair extensions. Including fake hair generally affords a person more options. If you want to braid hair extensions, you will first need to choose the hairstyle you want and the type of fake hair you will use. Then, you will need to learn a technique that allows you to securely connect the fake hair to the hair you are braiding.

If you are planning to braid hair extensions, you should have a style in mind beforehand. This is important because the style will help you determine which type of fake hair you need. Some braided hairstyles require you to use specially textured or pre-curled hair. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you will be able to create those effects after you have braided the hair extensions.

Another thing you need to consider beforehand is that some fake hair is not suitable for braiding. If the hair is too slippery, it will not allow for secure and durable attachment. Generally, hair that can be used for braiding will say so. Hair that is connected to a long track is designed for weaving and is an example of fake hair that is not advisable when you braid hair extensions.

The technique to braid hair extensions for individual braids and for cornrows is similar. First, you need to part the amount of hair that will be included in the braid. If you are cornrowing, this should be a long section. If you are braiding individually, your section is most likely to be a box.

Second, you need to get the amount of fake hair you will need for your first braid. The more hair you use, the thicker the braid will be. If you want your braids to start off small and get bigger later, use less hair and later you can add more.

The third step may require some practice before you master it. You will need to take the fake hair and wrap it tightly around a portion of natural hair at the roots. Then, you will divide the natural hair and the hair extensions into three strands. Without allowing the hair extensions to loosen at the roots, you will continue braiding so the hair extensions and the natural hair are intertwined.

If you are cornrowing, you will grab pieces of natural hair as you braid to the end of the section. Sometimes you may feel that more fake hair needs to be added to make the braid thicker. You can do this by connecting more fake hair to the unbraided strands in the same way you attached the extensions to the roots of the natural hair.

Once you have finished braiding, you may need to secure the end of your braids. There are several techniques for doing this. You can dip the ends in very hot water. You can tie the fake hair into a nearly invisible knot. You can dab instant glue on the ends. If the extensions are synthetic, you can melt the ends with a cigarette lighter.