How to Twist Your Hair into Braids, African-American Hairstyles

There's a letter in the inbox from your hair. It's requesting a vacation from the perm, weave, dye, glue, rollers, curling irons, flat irons and hairspray. It's also tired of not being able to lie down on the pillow with you because you're so busy holding your head upright with the palm of your hand under your chin so you don't mess up that hairdo.

Your hair wants to breathe, grow and regain its strength. Now there are some people who will weave in yarn or weave to give their hair a rest, but sometimes adding other hair onto your own head blocks your hair from natural oil and can dry it out as well, specifically if the weave is glued on. Sew-ins, hair extensions and wigs are also an alternative, but why not rock your own hair in style? Who needs someone else's hair when you've got a bombshell that you were born with?

One style that some people use to give their hair a break, especially when theirs hair breakage involved is twists. Twisting hair all over one's head is pretty simple to do but depending on hair length it may take awhile.

Step One: Wash and dry your hair because once you have a style this detailed, you won't want to have to take it all down next week unless you're the type of person who always has to have different hairstyles. Remember that vacation day for your hair though.

Step Two: Decide whether you want to air dry your hair or use a blow-dryer. For certain textures of hair, air drying hair is the best choice to avoid excess heat on your head. But if your hair is extremely thick or tangles easily, comb repeatedly to avoid excess breakage before twisting the hair. Or, just blow-dry your hair and save yourself the trouble. Make sure to use leave-in conditioner or other scalp oiling conditioner to renew some of the moisture after the blow-dryer heat.

Step Three: Part small areas of your hair into squares or get fancy with it and part your hair into zigzags or slants. It's up to you how decorative you want the part to be as long as it's neat.

Step Four: Evenly separate a chunk of hair and twist the hair until the twisted braid closes ends at the tips. Avoid rubber bands on the scalp and the tips if at all possible. Rubber bands notoriously yank hair out when the braids need to come down, and if your hair itches, rubber bands can be uncomfortable.

Step Five: Braid hair all the way to the very tip to close the ends of each braid.

Step Six: Repeat steps three through five until your hair twisting is complete.

Step Eight:Oil scalp as needed throughout the weeks. If the braids are tight enough, twisting should last a couple of weeks or so until your hair needs to be washed again.