Are there any serious damaging consequences from using synthetic braiding hair on natural black hair?

There can be. Traction alopecia is your main concern. According to an article at eMedicine: ';Traction alopecia is a common cause of hair loss due to pulling forces exerted on the scalp hair. This excessive tension leads to breakage in the outermost hairs. This condition is seen in children and adults, but it most commonly affects African American women. '; Read the complete article at http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic895.h鈥?/a>