Thread, also known as threading is an old-school deeply African protective hair style. It’s popular for its ability to help natural and relaxed hair grow long and strong. I’ve always loved thread and one of my favorite pictures of my mom in her youth was when she had her hair threaded. It just looks fantastic and spunky and African and beautiful. I’m not sure that every African culture has it’s own form of threading but I have seen some pretty sweet threading from all over the continent, Masaai warriors thread, the Fulani with their gorgeous hair thread and braid at the same time– love them! When I moved to Zambia from Nigeria, I realized that they also thread in Zambia but slightly differently.
What I love about thread is that it keeps well for long periods and because the hair is completely wrapped, there is no breakage when taking it out. In fact, threading doubled as a heat-free blowout for me as a kid because once the thread came out, my hair was stretched and soft with a gentle wave, that happened as a result of the method of threading. The pictures below are of my extended family rocking some sweet threads. I plan on getting my hair threaded this summer and yes there will be pictures!
And yes, I found this gem, me rocking thread under a severely wicked hat. I must have been around 5 or 6 years old here. I’m on the right.
ZedHair 
Loving your childhood pics!!!!I do use the threading method, it's perfect for stretching hair.
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Great. Please send us some of yours if you have any and are willing to share them. Email, info@zedhair.com
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Wow, this is SOOOO cool! How long can the threads stay in? Is 3 months too long? Can you wash/condition/moisturize in them? Lasty, can I use that amazing 2nd pic in my youtube video (w/credit/link to you, of course!) demonstrating my threading attempt? TIA
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Hi Tia, sorry for the delay in response. You can keep the thread in for about 2 weeks to a month. Longer is not typically recommended for a number of reasons: 1) your hair starts to grow out at the bottom and if you keep the thread in for long, you start to get a little afro action below the thread and 2)wash/condition/moisturize is virtually impossible while you have the thread in because the hair is wrapped up. It is recommended that you do all of that before the thread. While they are in, you can use some oil on your scalp, shower without a cap on to let the mist into the hair but that's pretty much it for options.You can use the second picture, just be sure to credit Zedhair and provide a link to our site. Thanks for your support.-iNky
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wow that second picture is amazing. I love looking at hair and having NO IDEA how it was done.
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