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Knotless braids borrow the idea of the traditional box-style parts all over the scalp but takes out the knot usually formed as a tight anchor at the base for the added extension hair used for each braid.

With this feed-in technique, the braid begins with your natural hair and extension hair is added midshaft for thickness and length.

Celebrity hairstylist Lacy Redway styled actress Tessa Thompson's hair in large knee-length knotless braids for her appearance at the \"Men in Black: International\" press conference in Beijing.

Redway posted a behind-the-scenes look at Thompson's knotless style coming together, and many people left comments saying how much they loved the look.

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A post shared by LACY REDWAY HAIRSTYLIST (@lacyredway) on Jun 9, 2019 at 3:06pm PDT

Houston-based braid stylist Jennifer Ly warns that one drawback to this style is the amount of time that it takes. \"It usually takes about anywhere between five to nine hours depending on the size, the length, and the thickness of your hair also,\" she said.

Though there is a time commitment, a finished knotless style can last anywhere from four to six weeks.

To keep your braids fresh and extend the life of your style while keeping your scalp healthy, you can wipe your braids down with a natural cleanser such as apple cider vinegar, and also treat your roots to a clarifying spray.

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A post shared by LACY REDWAY HAIRSTYLIST (@lacyredway) on Jun 9, 2019 at 3:24pm PDT

You can also slick down frizz with a lightweight gel or mousse.

\"Knotless braids literally shifts the perspective and takes the trauma out,\" said Kamilah. \"It reintroduces something very familiar that we all know and all have grown up [with] in one aspect or another.\"

5 reasons to try knotless box braids

Reason 1: Less pain

\"There's less tension at the root, at the scalp which is very important because if you do have tight braids, you will have irritation, and redness and your hair will pretty much pull out from your scalp and that can cause scarring over a long period of time if you continue to do that,\" said holistic braid stylist and owner of Ancestral Strands Tamara Albertini.

Hands down, the biggest relief is the pain-free aspect of knotless braids. Experts and women agree that doing away with the tight knots makes the process of getting your hair braided a more pleasurable experience.

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A post shared by WWW.ANCESTRALSTRANDS.COM (@ancestralstrands) on Jun 16, 2019 at 3:05pm PDT

Reason 2: Styling flexibility 2.0

With knotless braids, you can instantly wear your hair up, down, to the side, or styled any way you choose without having to wait several days for them to loosen up.

\"As soon as your done getting your hair done, it's like your head is still light,\" added Ly. \"You don't have to worry about constricting yourself, holding your head a certain way, you can pick your hair up, put it down, however you want to wear it ...the same day.\"

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A post shared by 🇹🇹LICENSED TO TOUCH HAIR (@mshairandhumor) on Jul 18, 2019 at 1:15pm PDT

Reason 3: Keeps hair healthier

\"It's so much healthier,\" said Albertini. \"It's like food. You know you have certain foods that you say, OK, well this is an alternative. I can eat this instead of eating that.\"

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A post shared by HOUSTON BRAIDER 👑 (@braidsbyjennyy) on Jul 19, 2019 at 5:29am PDT

Reason 4: Great protective style

\"You save your hair because you know that there's only the weight that your natural hair already has being started with the braid,\" multicultural hairstylist Koni Bennet said.

Ly added: \"This style uses a lot less hair compared to the traditional box braids.\"

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A post shared by Koni Bennett (@konibennettt) on May 2, 2019 at 9:56am PDT

\"It doesn't feel like it's too many braids, it won't be heavy, it won't be too thick. It's just flat and it lays down just like that,\" she continued.

Overall, it's very convenient for busy women who still want to protect their natural strands, or for those craving something low maintenance for their next vacation.

Reason 5: It's a new take on something familiar

Thanks to social media, it's trendy and feels fresh. It's something that feels culturally familiar but re-imagined in a healthier way.

\"We want to look beautiful, we want these beautiful, eclectic braid styles but we also want to make sure that we're keeping our scalp healthy,\" Albertini said.

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A post shared by Aicha Hair Braiding (@aicha_professionalhair) on Jul 29, 2019 at 4:06pm PDT

\"I imagine for knotless braids, is that it becomes the new standard,\" Kamilah said. \"The future is knotless.\"

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