If you’ve ever wondered how cornrows differ from regular braids, you’re not alone.
Hair braiding affects more than appearance—it influences hair care, maintenance, and personal expression.
In this post, I’ll explore 2. why might someone choose to do cornrows instead of a regular braid? and highlight the reasons that make cornrows a distinctive choice for many people.
Table of Contents
1. Hair Sits Close to the Scalp and Stays Neat Longer
Cornrows are braided tightly along the scalp in rows, which keeps hair secure and flat. Because of this close-to-head structure, they tend to stay neat with minimal daily styling once they’re done, which is appealing if you want a hairstyle that lasts without much fuss.
2. Less time spent on everyday hair care
After cornrows are finished, you don’t have to spend a lot of time styling your hair each morning.
Many people like this because it reduces the time and effort they spend on their hair routine.
3. Protective and Practical for Active Lifestyles
Because the hair is held securely against the scalp, cornrows can be practical for people who are athletic, have busy schedules, or just don’t want hair in their face during work, school, or workouts.
The style also keeps hair tucked away from environmental stress like wind and humidity.
4. Promotes a Sense of Cultural Identity
For many people, cornrows hold cultural significance and personal meaning.
Choosing this style isn’t just about appearance — it can be a way to connect with cultural history and express identity.
5. Creative Patterns and Personalization
Cornrows aren’t limited to straight lines.
They can be arranged into geometric designs or patterns that reflect personal style and creativity.
This makes them feel more artistic and expressive than a “regular braid” might.
6. Low-maintenance Once Installed
While getting cornrows can take a few hours, once they’re done you don’t need to retouch them every day.
With simple care — like wrapping hair at night and lightly moisturizing — they can stay in good condition for several weeks.
In comparison, a regular braid (like an individual plait) isn’t always done close to the scalp and often requires more styling, brushing, or manipulation each day.
Cornrows are usually chosen for their lasts‑longer, low‑maintenance, secure fit, protective qualities and cultural expression — reasons that can make them a better fit for some people’s lifestyle or preference.
Understanding the difference between braids and cornrows goes beyond simply knowing they are both braided styles.
From the way they are woven to how they sit on the scalp, each style has its own technique, look, and cultural significance, making it important to know what sets them apart.
Difference Between Braids and Cornrows: What “Braids” Generally Means
“Braids” (also called plaits) describe the act of interlacing three or more strands of hair to form a pattern.
They encompass many styles—loose braids, long hanging braids, box braids, twists, etc. The key features:
- The hair may be freely hanging or fixed.
- The braid might start off the scalp, or incorporate extensions, depending on the style.
- There is less emphasis on the way the braid is anchored very close to the scalp.
For example, in many “braid” styles you’ll section the hair and simply braid down from the part, letting the braid fall freely.
Box Braids vs Cornrows: What Cornrows Are
Cornrows refer to a specific method of braiding where the hair is braided very close to, or onto, the scalp in continuous rows.
Key characteristics:
- The braid is formed by repeatedly adding small sections of hair (three‑strand braiding) so the braid lies flat and raised along the scalp.
- The rows can be straight back, curved, geometric, or follow more intricate patterns.
- Because the braid is anchored tightly to the scalp, the overall hairstyle is closer and more integrated with the head rather than simply “hanging down”.
Key Differences Between General Braids vs Cornrows (Including Cornrows vs Box Braids)
Here are some of the major points of difference:
- Attachment to scalp: Cornrows are braided onto the scalp so that the braid appears as a raised row following the scalp’s contour. A general braid may start off the scalp and simply hang freely without being anchored.
- Look and pattern: Braids can be individual and free‑hanging (for example long box braids). Cornrows typically have the hair partitioned into rows and braided in place, sometimes forming patterns or designs.
- Installation time and longevity: Because cornrows sit close to the scalp and are generally quicker to install than very fine individual braids or elaborate hanging braids, their installation and removal times differ. Also, the haircut’s maintenance period can differ. For instance, some sources note that hanging braided styles might last longer before needing redo compared to scalp‑hugging cornrows in certain cases.
- Versatility in styling: Free‑hanging braids often offer more styling options (bun, ponytail, free flow) once installed because the braid isn’t fixed to the scalp. With cornrows, the initial design largely dictates the shape and you may have less freedom to reshape the braid itself without undoing it.
- Cultural and historical context: Cornrows hold deep roots in African and African‑diaspora traditions, with documented history and cultural significance. While braided styles in general also appear in many cultures worldwide, the technique of cornrowing is more specific in its form and cultural context.
Why the Difference Between Braids and Cornrows Matters
Understanding the difference helps for several reasons:
- Picking the right style for your needs (maintenance, longevity, scalp comfort).
- Communicating clearly with a stylist so you can get exactly what you want.
- Appreciating the cultural significance and origins of certain hairstyles when deciding how to wear them.
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing One or the Other
If you want something that hugs the head, possibly has patterns, and is well anchored, cornrows may be your choice.
Difference Between Cornrows and Cane Rows
Here’s the difference between cornrows and cane rows:
At their core, they aren’t two different hairstyles — they’re the same style of braiding, just known by different names in different places. Both refer to hair braided very close to the scalp in rows using a three‑strand technique that lies flat against the head.
Cornrows is the more widely used term globally, especially in the United States and much of the African diaspora. Cane rows is another name for the same hairstyle, particularly common in the Caribbean, where the style’s pattern is likened to the rows in sugar cane fields rather than cornfields.
So:
- Cornrows — the name you’ll see most often in hair styling guides and mainstream usage.
- Cane rows — a regional term used in the Caribbean and among people with Caribbean heritage for the same braid style.
In other words, people aren’t talking about different braid techniques when they say “cornrows” versus “cane rows”: they are describing the same close‑to‑scalp braided rows, just with names that reflect different cultural or historical perspectives on that style.
Are Cornrows Plaits Braids?
Yes — cornrows are a type of braid (plait). Braids and plaits are terms that are often used interchangeably to describe hair that’s been interlaced by weaving sections together.
Cornrows fit into that braid/plait family of hairstyles because they’re made by crossing three or more strands of hair together repeatedly.
The difference with cornrows is how they’re braided: instead of just hanging down loosely, the hair is braided flat against the scalp in rows. That’s what makes cornrows a specific style of braid — they use the same basic braiding method but are done close to the head to create neat, narrow rows.
So in short: yes — cornrows are braids/plaits, just in a style where the braids are arranged in tight, close‑to‑scalp rows rather than hanging freely.
Is It Cornrows or Cornrows?
It is cornrows.
Photo Credits: Coveteur, Maria
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