The Story of My Cornrows

Yesterday, I went to get cornrows for the first time. A lovely Senegalese woman did my braids. I enjoyed having her do them, and it was nice to have someone to speak French to for a change, but the process of having my hair braided was awful.


The last time I had anything braided I was a child, and the experience, which many can relate to, is something like this: Your mother, grandmother, aunt, or some other elder person with no tolerance for uncooperative children is doing your hair. If you squirm and make noise, you are likely to get 'popped' on the head with the comb or brush. You hope that it isn't made out of wood.

So, getting cornrows was a mix of 1)my reaction as an adult, one who can't stand bs or stupidity and feels that if it isn't right, and I'm paying for the consequences, then it needs to be corrected, and 2)memories of being at the mercy of the person doing my hair however they see fit. This seems to be about dealing with the status quo, which is not something I tend to settle for. The status quo in this case seems to be that if you have afro-textured hair, the process of getting your hair combed out or braided is often painful. One might think that the person doing it had no experience with this hair type. Obviously, that isn't the case. It is usually people with a similar hair type who are doing the hair, if not someone you are related to. So people who should know better are doing it to each other, and this painful experience is repeated the world over.

So, my hair was a bit tangled since it is long. Curly hair takes up significantlymore space as it grows out, but is grows from the same average space on a person's scalp. Also due the fact that your follicles aren't straight, at that length, when you run your fingers or a comb through your hair, the curls pull against each other. The way this should be dealt with is that either you work it out by pulling gently on the strands, or if it has become a knot, then you cut below the knot so the hair is free. This takes longer, but it ensures that you have a head of hair that is free of kinks and knots.

INSTEAD, what your stylist, or relative probably did was grab a handfull of hair as close to the scalp as possible, and rip a comb through it, thus breaking your hair. The result is you have some strands that equal one hair noted to a broken hair. They don't always hold the hair tightlyenough, so some of the hair comes right out of your scalp. As the process drags on, they maybe hold the hair less tightly over time meaning it becomes more painful the closer you are to being finished. This is what I experienced.

It really sucked.

On top of that, my braids are so tight that I can't turn my head fully. They are like a Chinese finger trap that becomes tighter the more you pull. As an active person this is also an enormous hindrance.

Thoughts?

 

Yup, exactly, that's the thing about cornrows. If you want them to look good, they have to be tight. One reason I never continuously had braids. I couldn't fuck with the 4 days of being tender-headed. Plus, cornrows aren't really me.

And the rest of your experience sounds about right. They aren't gonna be gentle with your hair. They can't baby our nappy ass shit. They gotta put some effort into it.

 

You write really well.

Your descriptive was a great read. Thanks for it. Got pics of them? That would nicely add to the mental visual you created.

 

Shave your head youngin...

 

I haven't gotten "cornrolls" since I was kid. Now I just get a high fade, or an all even.

Far more neat and professional (IMO)

 

HA!! I used to hate when people would say that I should get my hair "cornROLLED". It just made the person sound......corny.

 

LOL....folk say it and I be like "what did you say"

rolled? LOL...you got your hair cornrolled?

 

*Yeah, let me get the 12 cornrolls, I'm so hungry*

 

A better sign of effort would be if my scalp wasn't in torturous traction. I think part of the reason I have more small loose hairs not in the twists, although I expected some, is they were broken when they were combed. As uncomfortable as it is, I'd like to keep up with the style so I can see the braids when the little hairs are grown out and the long ones are trimmed.

 

Thanks. I'll take some pics tonight.

 

I'm thinking about wearing it in a professional setting too. Although I work independently now, I have some interviews coming up. I look forward to examining the reaction. Maybe I'll take the braids out and get them redone after I'm hired.

 

If you want them I think you should keep with it & yes, I would also love to see pics. A sexy man with cornrows is hott!! I'm thinkin D'Angelo...

 

Picture

I'm preparing for bed. Here is the promised picture: It's me.

 

HANDSOME!!!!!!!!!!!:smt038

 

nice Aaron & your cornrows are lookin' good too

 

Thank you, ladies.

 

aaron:

awww I like 'em on you! They look good!
I've had braid extensions w/ cornrows & they hurt like a bitch too.... So i know the pain at least! just sucks that if you wanna keep braids you have to remove 'em, redo 'em, etc....did that wit an ex of mine too(he was trini), & I kind of know what you're talkin about wit the not just tuggin your hair right out thing & combing it right out. Had to take our time but it was SO much better after cuz his hair was in one piece

Hope that they feel better, they'll loosen a bit before you get 'em redone again but man. I'm so glad I said goodbye to the braid extensions myself. Ugh. !

 

Thank you. I returned to the salon to retrieve something I left. Unfortunately, I had to be serious with the stylist. I have a feeling I will have a similar chance of being displeased if I go to someone else.

I think this is the reason many nerds avoid such frivolous things. They are no less complicated, and there isn't enough time to make everything the way you want it. So, it is best, perhaps, to stick to a few impressive equations, avoid complicated sartorial matters, and wear the same brown suit everyday. Now that I think of it, Einstein's hair was long enough to cornrow.

 

He had more than enough hair to braid. You don't need as much hair as people think for it to be braided. There are people out there that can braid some crazy short shit.