Question About Braiding Wet Hair

[kc]

Hi Everyone - I was looking on the website today: dreamweaverbraiding.com and it explained that you first need to start with dry hair before braiding. It went on to say that braiding wet hair will damage your hair and your hair will not lay smooth. I have recently started braiding my hair wet when I get done with my CWC which is about every two days. What your thoughts here about wet braiding and has anyone ever experienced any damage from it. Please let me know and thanks for your help!

[Sana]

Kc , I haven't braided my hair when it is wet but I usually apply some rosewater with a mister everytime I braid my a hair. Otherwise my hair snaps and their r lots of breakages. Also the braid doesn't look neat if u braid it dry. But I have never braided my hair when it's drenching wet like after having a bath. I think there is no harm in braiding ur hair when it is semidry! shud be just like damp bunning!

[Pixna]

I used to braid my hair wet/very damp. It makes the neatest, tightest braid that way. However, my hair didn't seem to like it all that much. I read that suggestion on the Dreamweaver's site a while back, and when I did I decided to try dry braiding instead. I have had great success with my dry braid now. I'm not sure what I'm doing differently or if it's just that my hair is longer or my attitude has become more flexible or my expectations have become more realistic, but I'm very happy with how my dry braid looks. It's also MUCH easier for me to comb out and my hair seems happier, too. Perhaps if I had somewhere special to go where I wanted my braid to look "perfect," I *might* consider damp braiding, but my guess is that I won't. I do think after experiencing both methods (and considering that I braid 24/7, that's a LOT of experience) that the dry braid is better for the hair.

[Dulci]

Hi kc, I saw that on dreamweaver too, and it puzzled me. :| I can't figure out how it would harm hair to braid it wet, I've braided mine dripping wet for over ten years now and have noticed no damage I could attribute to wet-braiding.

On the days I braid dry I have to use a rat-tail comb to help me separate into three because my arms aren't long enough and hair is so "grabby." And I hear a lot more snaps separating dry hair than I do separating wet.

I dunno, maybe because I'm curly, I think separating and braiding my wet hair causes less damage than separating and braiding dry.

[SagittarianTiger]

Originally Posted by Dulci

.......
And I hear a lot more snaps separating dry hair than I do separating wet.

I dunno, maybe because I'm curly, I think separating and braiding my wet hair causes less damage than separating and braiding dry.

ME TOO! Gosh, I hope i'm not hurting my hair! I try not to braid straight out of the shower though, and let it dry a little, but not much or my curls just won't cooperate with me and I end up hearing snaps, etc. , that way. *sigh* I try not to pull too tight either, so that as the hair dries in the braid it can do its expanding bit or whatever it does, and not be strangled.
(I had heard a couple of years ago that your hair "expands" as it dries, so if you braid keep that in mind.. NO idea if that's right or not.. anyone know??.. but it sure has kept me from doing a tight tight braid!)

[Athelyna]

It could be that if you braid wet, you're stretching and pulling since it's so elastic when wet (the same type of thing as why you shouldn't brush wet hair). A lot of people are as gentle with their hair and ignore dreamweavers comments on "you don't have to pull hair super tight," so they break the more easily damaged wet hair. My hair is basically straight (1b/c). When I try to braid wet, it has a tendency to stick together and form little lumps and not go smooth, but if it's completely dry and the day after a wash, it doesn't have enough oil or moisture to stick together, so it falls apart in about a minute. It probably depends on your hair, but I would think that as long as you're not pulling wet hair too too tight or yanking it around as you braid, you should be okay.

[Cowgal]

Hmm.. yep. I was just thinking about writing about wet braiding.

When you braid your hair wet, it shrinks naturally when it dries and can stretch your hair and make it weak. Remember all those posts about people who swam in the ocean with braids and their hair turned into matted braids? It might be due to the constant wetting/ drying during the day.

What I do is braid my hair dry and then turn the cold water on in the sink and let the water run over my braid until it is saturated. Then I usually bun it or secure the ends if I am wearing the braid down.

Maybe it doesn't make that much difference, but I'm not going to take any chances! My hair doesn't seem as fragile as it use to be, so maybe there is something to it.

[Twitch]

hmm, good question. ive basically given up on wet braiding - its not that much of a hassle to separate and then braid the wet hair, my hair is usually bone straight and pretty slick so its relatively easy... but even if the braid is in really tight, as it dries it tends to wiggle around, work itself against my clothes/collar and shorten up, by the time it is dry the braid is about half as long as it should be and quite knotted up, usually right against my neck. my braids do this dry, too, but not *nearly* as bad. its not even noticeable with a dry braid... but with a wet one it takes some serious detangling work to get the mat out of the back of my neck.
so yeah, i get damage from wet braids! i think i'll stick with wet-bunning..

[rainee]

I usually braid my hair when it's still damp, after applying a leave-in. My hair is usually much shinier and softer than if I let my hair dry down.

[Karrinne]

I braid my hair wet every time I wash it. Haven't noticed any breaking, stretching or other ill effects. I don't pull it tight, just enough to call it a braid to keep it out of my way while I sleep, then I pull one leg cut off of a little girl's pair of tights over the braid and fasten it on with some hair hosiery to keep my hair covered while I sleep.

[RedButterfly]

You don't want to braid hair that is sopping wet because braiding can stretch fragile wet hair as it dries. However, braiding damp hair loosely is gentler and shouldn't damage the hair. Damp hair allows for a smoother braid and will set in some lovely waves. I believe Karen Marie always braids her hair damp. I often braid my hair damp too. It hasn't damaged my hair at all. Always braid hair loosely, whether damp or dry. Tight braids are not good.

[Pixna]

I think whether or not damp braiding is good depends on your hair type. If I damp braid, my hair gets "clumpy" and knotty. I've found that dry braiding leaves it (and keeps it) smoother and less matted. My hair is naturally frizzy, though, so that may be the reason. Also, when I damp braid, the waves get deeply "set," which makes it harder for me to unbraid and rebraid. (My hair holds a curl really well.)

[Starfilly]

I would think that it depends on hair type too. I always braid my hair straight out of the shower, and it seems healthier to me than if I had it drying down. I don't do it tightly, though. It stays much less tangled and much smoother.[/quote]