Humor me: What are tree braids?

[Bmack]

School me

 

[yardyspice]

I've been wanting tree braids for a while even though I've sworn off braids all together. Tree braiding is a way of attaching bulk hair to your hair through corn rows. Here's a video of how it works.

It seems like it's the only way I (as a natchal) would be able to have "straight" hair and stick to my no heat challenge.

 

[Solitude]

I started the same thread back in '09: Tree Braids...what are they?

Here are some other helpful threads:

Tree Braid Pics: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=448992&highlight=tree+braids

Another tree braid thread with pics: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=423416&highlight=tree+braids

A very helpful post from BlackMasterPiece on tree braids: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=9181706&postcount=13

You understand basic cornrowing with extensions right?

If you do, then you know that to do a neat good job while braiding cornrows with extensions you must "catch" all hairs and keep everything neatly within the braid, with tree braiding the opposite is true, the object is to leave as much "branches" of hair coming out of the "trunk" of the hair as possible as you go along to achieve the effect of a full head of hair....... The cornrow then, functions as an anchor for the extension hair eliminating the need for glue, or strings of any kind.

If tree braiding is done properly all your natural hair will be braided to your head and safely within the cornrow and the extension hair will be what is left out. There is still some extension hair that is cornrowed down to "anchor" the hair that is left out but the majority is supposed to be left out in the "branches"

Here are two helpful links: My favorite YouTube Tutorial on Tree Braiding Part II and My Favorite Photo Album of the Work of a Professional Tree Braider.

Hope that was clear enough for you! Naturaltobe introduced me to the concept and since then I've been fascinated with them. I'm gonna do two family member's hair first in Tree Braids then do it on myself I plan to master this style very soon

Hope that helps!

 

[Tiye]

You can do tree braid cornrows or tree braid plaits (individuals). It's an extension technique where the braider pulls out small amounts of the extension hair as s/he braids. That way you get the look that's close to a loose hair weave.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Thanks Solitude for reposting my response I feel I covered most bases there. I will also add that it is best done on short to medium length hair, beyond that you wanna go with a crochet braid technique, weaves or wigs.

Here's a link to tree braids I did on my mom

The great thing about crochet braids and tree braids is the 360 degree freedom/fluidity of movement of the hair because of the technique of installation.

 

[Solitude]

^^^ No problem. I remember all of the tree braids you shared pics of being really cute.

 

[all_1_length]

And here I am thinking that they were braids that looked like trees.

 

[Bmack]

Thanks ladies!