Is it bad to braid wet hair? No! Just allow your hair to dry a bit before brushing and braiding it. It's best to work with damp hair for this wet hairstyling option.
Braid your hair when it's dry or damp.
When you tie back wet hair, it's a lot easier to stretch and could lead to tension breakage. If you want to braid your hair before going to sleep, it's best to wait until it's at least towel-dry to avoid any possible damage.
Most people will do braid outs on wet hair (as you would a roller set) but if you have relaxed hair which tends to be most fragile when it's wet, you may opt to do the braid out on dry hair in the manner below and achieve the same result. Before you start, make sure hair is freshly washed and deep conditioned.
Braids are a great way to bring texture and movement to your mane minus the heat tools. “Braiding your hair when damp or tying your hair in bun and letting it air dry, will give your hair texture and soft natural waves,” recommends Oberoi. “Braiding holds the hair taut, which helps it dry smoother and minimises frizz.
Getting your braids wet causes frizziness and can loosen them prematurely. But you CAN refresh your braids without the frizz and keep your plaits from falling out if you: Use a mild sulfate-free shampoo, and dilute your shampoo and conditioner with water.
While it's easy to think that the tighter your braids, the longer your style will last, too-tight braids can actually cause irreparable damage to your hair. The tension can take a toll on your scalp and strands, cause hair breakage and shedding, and even lead to damage or loss of your edges (traction alopecia is real).
Braiding wet hair can create gorgeous waves without any sort of spray or mousse, just experiment with your hair to see what works best! If your hair is really tangled after you wash it, apply a detangling product before you comb it out.
But even though you're all braided up, that doesn't mean you don't have to wash your hair while the braids are in. Quite the contrary, actually — if you skip washing altogether or don't wash enough, you could be reversing the benefits of your protective hairstyle.
Twist your hair into a top knot and wrap it into a bun while going to bed. Use a silk scarf and tie it into a headband to make sure your hair doesn't touch the pillowcase. In the morning take your hair down and flip it upside down and side to side. Resist the urge to brush as it causes more friction and frizz.
Depending on the thickness of your hair, how wet you got it, the amount of product you used, and the number of braids you did, it could take anywhere from a night to two days to dry. Blow drying your braids on a low heat can speed up the process.
Generally speaking, braid hair styles can help you hair grow by protecting your new growth from breakage. Chances are, if your not wearing a new braided hair style, you're investing a lot of time into styling your hair. And just think how much wear and tear your hair experiences from brushing it and combining it.
“In fact, we ask some of our updo clients to come in with at least day old hair, whereas before, we would ask them to come with clean, dry hair,” says Elkhouri. Dirty hair is especially better than clean hair for fishtail braids and braided crown styles.
Although braids can last anywhere between two to eight weeks depending on which kind you go for and how you wear them, you should be prepared to cleanse roughly every two to three weeks. If you've been swimming (or happen to sweat a lot), your scalp will require a bit of TLC.
To keep your hair healthy, Harris says you should wash your braids every two to three weeks. If you're not washing your hair and scalp, that means all of the buildup of products and dry skin just stays on your scalp, which can lead to flakes and itchiness.
"If your parts aren't perfect and your hairs are crossing between braids, you are more susceptible to those pieces becoming frizzy," she says. The solution? A thin, metal-tipped comb is important to separate your hair accurately.
Braid your hair before going to sleep. This old trick works every time and is one of the best ways to wear your hair when sleeping. It not only protects your hair – stopping it from tangling and breaking – but also gives you gorgeous beachy waves the next day and cuts down on frizz.
Using dry hair will yield softer waves that will dissipate throughout the day. If you use damp hair, your braids will feel more marked and will also take longer to soften. If you have thin or stick-straight hair, opt for slightly damp strands so that the curls hold for longer.
Our hair sheds daily, but we don't notice,” says Lacy. “If you have in a style like sewn-in hair extensions or braids for a few weeks, a buildup of hair will shed because it has been stored inside your braids [for an extended period of time].”
To preserve braiding hair and prevent mould while it is in storage, a chemical solution, such as an alkaline lye, may be sprayed on the braiding hair. When installed, the chemical coating reacts with the scalp causing it to itch and become tender.
Apply a leave-in conditioner or light serum to ensure your hair retains the moisture after a wash. This will also help you detangle your hair more easily, especially if it's long. Run a wide-tooth comb through your wet hair to remove tangles. Start combing your hair from the ends working your way up to the top.
You can get your braids wet in the shower, pool, and when it's raining. However, we do recommend taking certain precautions to protect your braids from fungal growth, hair damage, frizz, and unraveling.