African Cornrows or braids, also called canows in the Caribbean, are an ancient traditional African style of hair braiding, in which the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to make a continuous, raised row. african braids hairstyles for black women often formed in simple, straight lines, as the name implies, but they can also be formed in elaborate geometric or curvilinear designs.

Depending on the region of the world, cornrows are worn by men or women, or both, and are sometimes adorned with beads, hair cuffs or cowry shells. The duration of weaving cornrow braids may take up to about 5 hours, depending on its quantity and width. Often favored for their easy maintenance, latest african braids hairstyles can be left in for weeks at a time if maintained through careful washing of the hair and regular oiling of the scalp. Braids pulled too tight or worn for unreasonable lengths of time can cause a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia.

For those of you who like braiding hair specifically for africans braiding braiding is a tradition that is now a fashion trend where a lot of braiding styles that make braids have their own characteristics.