BRAIDS: NEW TWIST ON AN OLD STYLE

The extensions of synthetic hair were weaved into the existing hair to create about 100 braids.

Delia "Niesy" Campbell, a hair stylist at the My-T-Sharp Barber and Beauty Salon, said extensions have become popular within the last five years.

Campbell burned the ends of the braids to keep them from unraveling.

Braided hairstyles have long been a tradition in African cultures, varying in style and form from the two-strand Senagalese twists to the three-strand Cassama braids to natural Loc and dreadlock styles popularized by Caribbean inhabitants.

In the United States, braid styles like corn rows (hair braided in tight rows against the scalp) and plaits (braids formed on neat squares) most often have been a staple hairstyle for young African-American girls, while older girls opted for chemical relaxers that straightened their hair and made it more manageable and easier to style.

In the past five or so years, however, the braid styles have again seen a resurgence in popularity as African-Americans adults have turned to natural hairstyles to give their hair a rest from chemical and heat processing.

Most current braid styles feature extensions, or braids made with natural and store-bought hair. Both human hair and synthetic hair products are available in numerous colors and textures, including salt-and-pepper and several shades of gray for the older braid wearers.

Locally, there aren't many licensed beauticians who do braid styles, which can take anywhere from one hour to all day to complete. However, many people who have learned to braid from their mothers and grandmothers are available for traditional styles, and recent new styles like crocheted braids -- which are braided in using synthetic hair and a crochet needle -- are encouraging several novices to try their hands at braiding.

Delia "Niesy" Campbell, a licensed beautician who sets aside two days each week for braid styles, said she enjoys the styles but can't keep up with the new trends. "They're changing all the time, and it usually takes a while to get good at a style," she said.

Campbell said braid styles can last up to three months if they are cared for. People with braids only need to wash their scalp (avoid putting pressure on the braids) about once every other week or as needed. The scalp must be oiled with grease or another moisturizer regularly, and the braids should be pinned down and covered with a scarf at night to keep them looking fresh, she said.

I returned to braids for the first time three years ago after learning I was expecting my first child. The daily ritual for combing my hair was the last thing I wanted to do every morning, so I decided to try a pinch braid style using extensions.

I loved it. The braids were basically worry-free, and in return I got a very manageable hairstyle that was quicker than any wash-and-go style that had been invented. Just think -- no combs needed!

Now, I've returned to the pinch braids while I let my hair grow out of the short style I've been wearing for two years. Besides the low maintenance braids require, they also do away with the "in-between" looks everyone goes through when they decide to let their hair grow out.

There are other reasons for choosing the natural look braids provide. Braid-wearer Shelly Moore said she chose to wear pinch braids made with human extensions because chemical relaxers were too harsh on her hair. Moore said she also enjoys the variety of hairstyles her braids provide her.

"I decided to go to braids because it's convenient, it's easy and it's fun," she said. "You can do just anything you want with them."

Braid-wearer LaTanya Thomas agreed, saying she also chose to wear French braids made with synthetic hair to give her naturally thin hair a rest. The braids take stress off the hair and protect it, she said, which will help her hopefully to avoid the unwanted tradition of balding, which runs in her family.

"The reason I like them is because it gives me more time to focus on other things I need to focus on besides my hair," she said. "I also like the variety -- I've had about 10 different hairstyles since I got my braids done March 24."

All in all, braid wearers said they enjoy the convenience, styling options and "naturalness" their braids provide. Now that local retailers are recognizing the trend and providing more affordable products, braided styles may even become more popular, they said.

"It's convenient, it's stylish -- I just do it for my own benefit," said Thomas. "It's not a craze really because it's something we've been doing for some time. It's just really popular right now."