A woman with a French braid.
Braided hair is hair that has been braided in a way that pulls the hair away from the face. The style is generally worn by women in Western cultures, but became popular with men in the 1980s and 1990s. The hair can be worn in a thick braid, two on each side of the head, or many small braids all over the head. head. head.
Hairstyles incorporating braids go on and on, but have been used since ancient times to style hair. To braid hair, the section of hair is divided into three equal parts. These parts are then woven together in an overlapping pattern until all or most of the hair has been combed. Braided hair is usually secured with a barrette, elastic band, or other type of closure.
A woman with her hair in a braid.
There are many different types of braided hairstyles. A classic European version is the French braid, in which all of the hair is gathered into a single braid that starts at the top of the head, near the crown. Sometimes the end of the braid is tucked under the rest of the hairstyle so that the hair appears to fold back on itself.
In hot tropical regions, it is common for women to wear their hair in several tight braids, usually close to the head, right along the scalp. This hairstyle is sometimes called “corntails” because the hairs are sectioned in long straight lines across the scalp.
A simple braid.
One of the benefits of this style is that the hair can be kept long without overheating the wearer. This is because the hair is braided so tightly that it does not create a kind of insulation on the head and air can reach the scalp. Also, if a person with braids sweats, the sweat can evaporate from the exposed sections of the scalp. It is common for people who wear braids to keep them in for weeks at a time with minimal washing or washing of the hair.
A man with braided pigtails.
In recent years, braids have been used as a way to add hair extensions. Extensions can be woven directly into the hair or sewn into thin, tight lines of braids that sit close to the scalp and are hidden under other layers of hair. The extensions can be made of synthetic material or human hair previously collected and prepared for this purpose.