Crochet braids are an old style that seems to have come back as a new fad. I started wearing crochet braids about a month after I big chopped back in September of 2014, and it has been my go-to style ever since!
Before becoming natural I had never even heard of this style, so when I decided to get it done, needless to say I was very nervous and had a ton of questions!
On the blog we have had our own share of questions as well, 10 of which we hope to answer in this post. With that said here are a few FAQs for anyone who is thinking about trying crochet braids and just wanted more information.
1. What exactly are crochet braids?
Crochet braids are extensions* that are crocheted into your own hair, by using a latch hook tool. It is similar to a full sew in, in the sense that all of your hair is braided straight back, and the hair is being latched into the cornrows.
2. How long does the process take?
It can vary, but from my experience it did’t take long at all. I come in with my hair fully washed and blown out, and from the braiding process all the way to her putting the finishing touches and laying my baby hairs, the whole process doesn’t take more than 1-2 hours, give or take. It is much quicker that a sew in, in my opinion, and definitely faster than box braids, or senegalese braids, etc.
3. What are some of the benefits of crochet braids?
One of the huge benefits is hair retention. This is a protective style, meaning that your natural hair underneath is being protected. Since I big chopped a year ago, my hair has grown so much, and I truly believe a big part of that was due to protective styling.
Also, crochet braids aren’t like typical braids, i.e box braids- that are being braided into small sections of your hair, and literally snatching your edges in the process.
I’m sure we have all heard of stories or even experienced it for ourselves, about someone getting tight braids and losing edges the process. Since your hair is cornrowed, and then the braiding hair is latch hooked into the braids, there is no tight tension pulling on your edges. For me that was a huge thing.
Also, if you really love the box braids look, then guess what…. you can get crochet box braids! or even Havanna twists. Which leads me to the final benefit, crochet braids are extremely versatile and you can experiment with many different lengths, and hair textures or types.
Just Beautifull!
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