African, etc braiders

[purplepeace79]

All you AMAZING women who braid your own hair, some questions:

Is this with extensions?
How long does it take you?
How do you make sure the parts in the back look right?

Yes to extensions
Time varies. Kinky twists about 7 hours.

micros about 10

I part by feel and ask someone near me to check. If no one is there I use two mirrors

 

[ToyToy]

My braider is from the Congo. She has braided my hair for many years, and it has never been tight. I barely notice that she's braiding, actually. I live in the UK, though.

 

[Leggy Mocha]

No offense is taken, I'm Nigerian and I lightweight agree with your opinion.

Still, the main braider I used to go to was Nigerian and I went to her because she didnt braid too tight and one other Nigerian I went to once did, it was so tight, I went home and oiled my edges and prayed to the Lord heavens my hair wouldn't be too stressed out. I went natural for 5 months before I got my first set. I needed to. I was advised that I'd need to stop relaxing if I wanted any kind of braids put in my head, weaves included.

I just got back from Nigeria recently and there's one thing I noticed, a lot SEVERAL women there are natural. Although perms are an option, a majority of women don't relax, so because the braiders are used to dealing with kinky hair, and the braids/cornrows I saw were super tight. They are used to doing that.

I'm not saying you should go natural if you dont want to, but it may help with the strength of your hair. If it's still a problem, don't go to the braider. Look on craigslist for more options, you can find braiders there too and ask whoever that does them to not too tight and to use larger hair sections at the edges.

I'm African too and I agree with you both. I remember many a day sat in hairdresser and at home getting my braid so tight it caused my eyes to look slanty!!!!