African American Hair Braiding Styles

Women will have a number of unique African American hair braiding styles to choose from for 2012. Short braided hair is starting to come into style again and it looks like short braids are the way to go for 2012. Women these days are looking for easy to care for hair styles that they can get done and forget about, while still looking fabulous. Modern braiding styles are producing some great looking results that are suitable for home or office.

Some of the most cutting edge African American hair braiding styles are going to be styles that look very similar to ancient Greek and roman hair, where the hair is braided close to the scalp from the forehead down the side of the head and finished close to the back of the scalp. These braids look almost like corn rows but will be slightly looser and bigger. Also look for basket style braids woven on the back of the head for a unique style.

Women with less curly, kinky hair can also take advantage of the return to the classic down the back braid for long hair. This simple hair style is something that any woman can do for herself after getting out of the shower and it easily tames all of that big, curly hair. Be sure to apply a conditioning cream before braiding to make the process easier.

Micro braids are still in style and it doesn’t look like these will be going away any time soon. The trend with micro braids is creating small, very close together strands of braids coming off the scalp. Long hair is popular for micro braids enthusiasts, but a good hair style can also be achieved with short hair too.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to care for braids either, which is partly why they are coming into style. Braided hair doesn’t need to be washed or styled for several days, maybe even weeks if well protected. Women with loose braids or less curly hair should wear a scarf or hair cap to bed to prevent their braids from coming out.

Braided hair should be gently washed every few days and a dandruff conditioner applied to the hair and scalp between braids. Use a hair dryer on low to medium to dry or let the braids air dry after squeezing water out carefully with a towel. Remember, if the braid feels painfully tight while the hairstylist is braiding, it will continue to feel tight afterward and can even end up pulling hair out of the scalp. Let the stylist know if a braid is too tight.