How Long Does Crochet Braids Last?

Crocheting extra hair to your tresses to get more hair for any kind of hairstyle is a fairly novel concept, but it’s already gaining quick approval among the hair community. To ensure you’re not choosing a style you’ll end up regretting, it’s crucial to ask: how long does crochet braids last?

Crochet braids can last for as long as you want to keep them, as long as that doesn’t mean forever. While it’s recommended to take your hair apart and reinstall it in four to eight weeks, people do keep their in braids for up to four or even six months with minimal issues.

In this article, you’ll learn all there is to know about the longevity of crochet braids. Also, you’ll get clarifications on some of the biggest misconceptions of crochet braids, including answers to questions like if they pull your hair and how often you can get them without damaging your tresses.

How Long Does Crochet Braids Last?

When compared to other protective hairstyles, crochet braids last as long as the average style. You shouldn’t have any wild expectations, even as the possibility of a surprise is high if you maintain your hair adequately. Before digressing, how long does crochet braids last exactly?

On average, crochet braids last for around four weeks before they start forcing you to take them apart. While you can push the style to last for longer than that, even up to as twice as long, that is by no means recommended, since it will only bring out all the negative properties of the hairstyle.

If you’re looking to keep your hair for a day longer than four weeks, you should also be ready to put a lot of effort into maintenance. The following section will show you all you need to do to keep your braids fresh for the entirety of the time you’ll be wearing them, and after.

How Do You Keep Crochet Braids Fresh?

The longevity of crochet braids will not be the same for everyone since the kind of hair you have will also play a huge role in how long it lasts. Another crucial factor that plays an important role in longevity is how well you maintain the braids, which can be the difference between them lasting for four weeks and four months.

The tips for caring for most protective hairstyles should also apply to crochet braids, but due to the peculiar nature of crochet braids, there are some specifics that only apply to the style. For instance, cutting the frizz and resealing the ends of the braids will go a long way in making it look neat for extended periods.

Also, you want to ensure that you protect your crochet braids whenever you’re going to sleep at night. The most basic requirement to ensuring your hair is protected while you sleep is wearing a silk or satin bonnet before going to bed. Alternatively, you can change your entire sheets and pillowcases to silk or satin replicas.

Also, washing crochet braids isn’t as abominable as some people will have you think. You can wash mildly using shampoo, condition your hair, and add some oil. While you don’t want to do this too frequently, trying it once in a while is recommended for crochet braids.

While following all the tips mentioned above, you’re free to make different styles out of your crochet braids hairstyle to retain an attractive look. There’s no rule mandating you to take your crochet braids apart after eight weeks or eight months; you can always keep them for as long as it looks good.

Are Crochet Braids Better than Box Braids?

Another question that gets thrown around a bit too often compares crochet braids to box braids. While they are both excellent protective braids, one will always have the edge. So, are crochet braids better than box braids in a fair comparison?

I’ll say it depends on what you seek in a hairstyle. If you want sophistication and longevity, you’re more likely to get it by crocheting some extra strands to your hair. You should acknowledge that it will cost you more money, time, and effort.

However, if you want an insanely simple hairstyle that just works without extensive maintenance, you’re better off with box braids. Box braids also give you a unique kind of versatility that makes it possible to make your hair into different styles, even after finishing with the initial installation.

In short, crochet braids are better than box braids in any fair comparison, given that you don’t have a special need. However, you should also note that it takes more effort and costs more to give you those benefits.

What is the Best Crochet Hair to Use?

There are several brands of hair out there for crochet braids, all with their unique benefits and drawbacks. Since I haven’t tried every single one of them, I can’t tell you that one is better than the other with a certainty.

However, if you’re looking for some awesome crochet braid hair to buy, you may want to try out offerings from Sensationnel, Model Model, Freetress, and Outre Batik. It’s best to get a recommendation from your hairstylist on which one to buy, as everything listed above and a lot more work very well for crochet braids.

Do Crochet Braids Damage Your Hair?

One of the biggest misconceptions about crochet braids is that they do damage to your hair when you install them. It should suffice to point out that if the hairstyle was so damaging, people wouldn’t be installing it in large numbers. However, I’ll still answer the question: do crochet braids damage your hair?

In case you’re not aware before now, crochet braids qualify as a protective hairstyle. Protective hairstyles tuck the ends of your hair to ensure they’re resilient to damage from external elements. That makes it a lot less likely that installing any protective braid will damage your hair.

However, you shouldn’t take the preceding paragraph as definitive proof that it’s impossible to get your hair damaged by installing crochet braids. If you don’t follow any of the maintenance tips mentioned earlier in this article, you’ll have yourself to blame. Then again, it’s not really a problem with the hairstyle; it’s a problem with your poor maintenance culture.

Conclusion

Crochet braids can last for as long as you want them to if you’re willing to dedicate some time and effort to maintain the hair. If you want something that’s almost completely hands-off, you may be looking at a reinstall within four to eight weeks max. Either way, crochet braids remain one of the longest-lasting protective hairstyles out there.