Knotless box braids are still trending these days, and you may be standing inside your head, wondering if they can get out of it, or not. So if you are here looking for reasons to accept or not accept braids without knots, you are exactly in the right place.
You’ve probably already heard something about braids without knots, but things are still not clear enough for you. And I agree.
There are so many different braids, so many different hair types, so many variations of braiding styles and so many bloggers that it can all get completely confusing. So let’s jump into the topic and be aware of what is good and what can go wrong with knotless braids.
The benefits of knotless braids
Less risk of damaging your hair and scalp
Most people look for this alternative because of this reason. Untied box braids are usually less tight than traditional box braids, so they can really be a damage-free protective hairstyle.
Still, they can be too tight, too, if the braider doesn’t have a good feel for how much to tighten them.
The braid must start exactly where hairs from a box connect naturally without being loose and without being pulled and without being especially tightened by wrapping a piece of synthetic hair around the root of the braid, aka without making a knot.
They are painless
Box braids without knots should not harm during or after installation. They could feel just a little heavier (how much depends on the amount and length of the extensions), but they are no heavier than regular box braids. They are also more flexible than the knotty ones at the beginning.
You can immediately style your braids
Because knotless braids are more flexible right after installation, you can wear them however you want. You can also enjoy sports activities and a comfortable sleep. No need to wait for them to be released.
If you don’t like that they didn’t come with a facelift, you can tie some braids on your side, or wear a ponytail. But don’t damage your hair yourself by wearing super tight styles.
They look more natural
Without a knot at the root, the braids will look more natural. Many people have asked me if only my natural hair is there when there are braids without knots, even with colored extensions. Not professional hairdressers, of course.
I think there’s enough good stuff here, so let’s talk money. (laughs)
Disadvantages of braids without knots
higher price
Unfortunately, knotless braids are usually more expensive than regular box braids. In any case, even so, it is less expensive to prevent damage to your hair and scalp than to treat it afterwards. In some cases, there are no treatments at all.
There are also people who had no problem wearing regular box braids, it depends on the sensitivity of each head and the hands working on it, but I know many stories of people who got overly tight box braids (and paid for them) and took them after a few days because of the pain and reactions on the scalp.
So they basically lost the entire investment. Also, these are not the worst stories, it would have been much worse if they had kept them for longer, and some did, and their hair fell out on its own and never returned to that scalp.
The reason some braiders charge more for no-knot braids is that the work time is also longer, because they tend to add the synthetic hair gradually, so they feed in.
Although there is no obligation to do this, if the hair is not very thick and short (therefore blending it like this makes it better to feed in) or too thin (and cannot support the synthetic hair added together). So it is also possible that the price will be the same as the knotted ones.
more time-work
When the synthetic hair is added gradually, it will take longer. So if you have trouble sitting in the chair, you will have more of it.
Speed is also affected by other factors, so, from my point of view, it’s worth waiting if you get what you want, because it’s going to last long enough and you might have a lot of joy afterwards.
Plus, there are so many things you can do on a chair while braiding. You can watch movies, read, talk, play games on your phone, watch (or create) TikToks, do manicures, do online courses, meditate, get some sleep, eat, drink, and maybe even smoke, work online, make phone calls, draw drawing etc. Just get ready and choose what to do because there is no time for all that.
A few braids make them look scalped
If there is no additional synthetic hair at the root or only a tiny piece of it, and the natural hair is not very thick, knotless braids will look more scalp.
I personally don’t like this look, so if you don’t like it either, you need to communicate well with your braider or check her portfolio and make sure you don’t end up with an unwanted style.
Braids without knots can look really full, and can also be done by blending all the synthetic hair with the natural from the beginning of the braid.
You need to download them
I know you don’t want this but one day, you will have to take off your braids. As with all protective hairstyles, keeping them for a long time is not healthy.
Your hair is growing and it’s going to form dreadlocks if you keep your knotless braids for more than two months. It also needs to breathe and be alone once in a while.
Overall, there are no downsides if you do it to get your best options for every aspect when dealing with knotless braids. Just be aware of them.
Hope you manage to get the best ones possible!