What they’re calling “Korean braiding extensions” are basically microbraids or pick-and-drop braids — a long-standing style in afro hair communities, but perhaps with slightly different outcomes. “They’re very small, neat individual braids, typically done with extensions, that give a seamless, natural finish similar to K-tips,” explains Rashidat. “The technique has been around for decades.” Small sections of natural hair are parted throughout the head. Synthetic or human hair extensions are added to each section, and the hair is braided individually, often as either three-strand or two-strand twists. The braiding usually only goes a few inches down, and then the rest of the extension is left loose, creating that illusion of free-flowing strands — this is the “drop” part in “pick and drop.”
