To start braiding hair with extensions, you typically prepare your natural hair, integrate the extension hair near the scalp, and then begin the braiding process by combining the extension strands with your natural hair sections. A common method involves placing the extension tightly against the scalp and incorporating one leg of the extension with the middle section of your natural hair.
Here's a breakdown of the key steps involved in starting braids with extensions:
Preparing Your Natural Hair and Extensions
Before you begin braiding, proper preparation is crucial for a smooth process and a secure, long-lasting style.
- Cleanse and Condition: Wash and deep condition your natural hair. Ensure it's fully dry before starting.
- Detangle Thoroughly: Use a wide-tooth comb or brush to remove all knots and tangles from your hair.
- Section Your Hair: Use a rattail comb to create clean, precise sections in your natural hair. The size of the sections will determine the size of your braids. Secure each section with clips.
- Prepare Braiding Hair Extensions: Take your bulk braiding hair (synthetic or human). Separate the desired amount of hair for the first braid. Often, extension hair is folded in half to create a loop at one end and two equal lengths (legs) at the other.
Integrating the Extension to Begin Braiding
This is where you attach the extension hair to your natural hair to start the braid. Different techniques exist, but a fundamental approach involves securing the extension at the root and merging its strands with your natural hair.
- Select a Section: Unclip one section of your natural hair where you want to start the first braid.
- Position the Extension: Take the prepared extension hair (likely folded). Add in a strand of hair [the extension] into your fingers. Position the folded extension hair against the base of the natural hair section, right at the scalp. Make sure it's nice and tight close to the scalp. This creates a secure anchor point for the braid.
- Combine Strands: Now, you need to integrate the extension with your natural hair to form the initial three strands of the braid. Take the section of natural hair you are working with. As described in one method, for one of the ends of the extensions... I combined it with my middle strand. This means you take one of the two legs of the extension hair and merge it with the middle strand of your natural hair section that you are preparing to braid. The other leg of the extension becomes the third strand. Your natural hair section might be split into two or three strands depending on the specific technique, but the goal is to end up with three working strands (natural hair plus extension pieces) to form the braid.
Starting the Braiding Process
Once the extension is integrated, you can begin the physical act of braiding.
- Form the First Stitch: With your three combined strands (natural hair and extension pieces), begin a standard three-strand braid. Cross the outer strand over the middle strand, then the other outer strand over the new middle strand.
- Maintain Tension: Keep consistent tension on all three strands as you braid downwards. This ensures the braid is neat, secure, and uniform from root to tip.
- Feed in More Extension (Optional): Depending on the desired thickness and length, you may need to add more extension hair as you braid down the natural hair section. This is often done by adding small pieces to one of the three active braiding strands.
Starting braiding hair with extensions requires practice to master placing the extension securely and integrating it smoothly for a flawless finish.
