9 Protective Styles Perfect for Thin and Thinning Hair

Knotless Box Braids

"For thinning hair, choose a low tension braid that avoids any weak areas, like a knotless box braid," recommends Harris-Dupart. 

"Regular box braids start with a knot at the scalp that tends to pull the scalp as the extension hair is attached," Emmanuel adds. "As your natural hair grows, traditional box braids add weight to your scalp, which can lead to traction alopecia.

Crochet Styles

"A crochet style can get full really quick, depending on what style you're doing," Lynch tells us. This look can also conceal thin patches easily, since fluffy, big hair helps hide sparser spaces. And to top it off, the level of tension is low. "This technique can be helpful for someone who is thinning but wants to wear a braid hairstyle because the cornrows have to be loose to add the extension hair," says Emmanuel.

Feed-In Cornrows 

"For those with thinner hair, I would recommend braids that are smaller and not too heavy because it stresses the hair," says Kimball. "I like cornrows because they aren't heavy and don't pull on the hair."

Since you want to opt for "very low tension" styles, Lynch suggests "feed-in cornrows, just to add a little bit of fullness," with pre-stretched hair. "Once the hair is stretched and kind of tapered, it's a little bit lighter, and the finishing is more feathery, so it's lighter on your actual hair," she explains. "I would also recommend human hair because that is way lighter than synthetic hair." 

Havana Twists

"Havana twists are large, lightweight, two-strand twists with a rope shape," says Emmanuel. As for why they work for thinner hair: "They are easy to apply and place minimal tension on the scalp."

Shorter Styles

Lynch and Emmanuel agree: Steer clear of the super long styles. "Added length can cause tension on the scalp," says Emmanuel. 

While Emmanuel says the standard "bra-strap length is safe for braids while your hair is thinning," particularly if you use human hair, plenty of short hairstyles are trending at the moment, like braided bobs and locs.

Jumbo Twists

For thinner hair, bigger really is better: Bigger braids and twists put less stress on your hair follicles. Plus, they can just be super fun to style. "I love adding color and accessories to make braids pop," says Kimble. 

Brick-Layer Braids

Another method with a bit more structure is brick layering. "That way, the braids will lay into certain spaces, filling the gaps," explains Lynch. "There are braiders that specialize in [this]... they have different techniques to cover up the certain spots." 

Free-Parted Braids 

Conversely, opting not to do a super-defined set of squares can help cover up some sparseness. "Sometimes, when your hair is finer, you just have to kind of navigate the head differently," Lynch says. 

Half-Up, Half Down Braids 

The style of the summer is not just cute: It's functional. Have some fun without snapping your strands and rock a half-up, half-down style. "This way, the weight of the braids is distributed evenly on your head," suggests Emmanuel.