Do Tight Hairstyles Trigger Traction Alopecia?

I first experimented with sporting braids as a protecting fashion throughout the pandemic. The fashion helped me keep my thick, coily hair after I couldn’t get my bi-weekly salon blowouts throughout the lockdown. I opted for lengthy field braids—modern, thick in width, and rope-like—much like the model Janet Jackson wore in Poetic Justice.

Apart from serving to me feel and appear extra put along with minimal effort, the benefit field braids afforded me couldn’t be discounted. The no-fuss fashion was the proper selection for me, a low-maintenance girl who wished an easy fashion that regarded polished. I beloved the liberty they gave me. I not needed to make investments 20 minutes day by day fastidiously detangling and styling my multi-textured hair. As an alternative, I might stand up and go about my enterprise rapidly, savoring the dear time saved as a substitute of being beholden to my hair.

Thus, it was a no brainer after I selected to maintain the braided coiffure even when hair salons have been allowed to open once more. I had my field braids professionally redone each eight to 10 weeks. Nevertheless, after 18 months of getting braids constantly, I seen that my edges have been thinning. “That appears like traction alopecia to me,” a professional hairstylist instructed me as he inspected my fragile hairline throughout an appointment, lastly making me query whether or not my chosen protecting fashion was “protecting” in any respect. The fact is that any coiffure that creates rigidity on the root of your hair (suppose braids, buns, ponytails, tight headbands, and so forth) can put you susceptible to hair loss, shedding, or traction alopecia in additional extreme circumstances.

To assist me type out if traction alopecia was the reason for my thinning edges, I reached out to Carl Truesdale, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and hair transplant surgeon; Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist; and trichologists Bridgette Hill and Sophia Emmanuel to debate all there may be to learn about traction alopecia, together with how one can acknowledge it, how one can stop it, and how one can develop hair after shedding.

What’s traction alopecia?

Traction alopecia is hair loss brought on by repeated pulling or rigidity on the scalp. Based on Dr. Truesdale, extreme stress on hair follicles is extraordinarily frequent because of the rise in reputation of braids, extensions, wigs, and snatched-back hairstyles like buns and ponytails. Whereas anybody can expertise traction alopecia, the situation is frequent in Black ladies, affecting one third of them, in keeping with analysis. “Traction alopecia can have an effect on any space of the scalp that’s pulled tightly, nevertheless it primarily impacts the hairline, the crown, and the nape,” Emmanuel tells us. “Over time, extended use of high-tension hairstyles can lead to everlasting hair loss as a result of irreversible harm to hair follicles.”

Dr. Truesdale says that the offender behind traction alopecia is often persistent irritation that happens on the hair follicles when hair is pulled too taut. “The fixed irritation can result in thinning, breakage, and in the end, balding of the affected space,” he says.

What causes traction alopecia? 

Traction alopecia might be brought on by any coiffure that excessively pulls or locations rigidity on the scalp. These kinds can even embrace what some seek advice from as “protecting kinds,” together with braids, twists, locs, weaves, extensions, buns, and ponytails when completed too tight. “They’re not deemed protecting when completed improperly,” Hill says. “They’re extra so ‘kinds of comfort’ as they’ll trigger extra hurt than good when completed tightly.” Hill additionally says that utilizing cumbersome extensions in some protecting kinds could cause bodily stress to your strands by weighing them down and ultimately yanking them out. “Be aware when including hair to your fashion that it is not heavy or carries important weight,” she warns. 

Emmanuel additionally says that clip-in hair extensions could cause traction alopecia by repeatedly pulling and urgent on the scalp, which, when completed repeatedly, can weaken hair follicles over time. Equally, improper-fitting wigs—”whether or not too small or too free”—could cause friction to your edges, contributing to hair loss,” she provides, noting that the glue used for securing wigs may additionally help in thinning your pure hairline. One other contributing issue that will trigger the weakening of the hair follicle is the usage of taut hair equipment, like tightly wound rubber bands, ponytail holders, and cushty headbands. 

What are the indicators of traction alopecia? 

Dr. Truesdale says early indicators of traction alopecia embrace an itchy, tender, or pink scalp, small pimple-like bumps alongside the hairline and temples from the pulling rigidity, and hair breakage. “Because the situation progresses, hair thinning turns into noticeable, and in extreme circumstances, hair follicles are completely broken,” he says. Often, damage to the follicle is visually evident when diagnosing traction alopecia, says Dr. King; nonetheless, a health care provider can conduct a biopsy to rule out different hair loss prospects. 

Methods to deal with traction alopecia?

“When you suspect chances are you’ll be experiencing traction alopecia, it is important to seek the advice of with a healthcare skilled or a dermatologist,” says Dr. Truesdale. “Early prognosis and remedy may also help decrease hair loss and enhance your general hair well being.”

First up—loosen your tight fashion

Hill says step one to restoration is to cease sporting compromising hairstyles or utilizing dangerous methods that pull your hair tightly or trigger extreme friction with the intention to relieve any rigidity in your follicles. This does not imply by no means to put on a ponytail or get field braids once more, however cease and take a minute to loosen your hair tie if it is tugging at your roots (or take it out earlier than mattress) and undoubtedly talk with braiders and hairstylists in case your fashion feels too tight.

Adopting practices like sleeping on a silk pillowcase to attenuate further friction or making certain that the band in your bonnet is not too comfortable—together with utilizing mild, nourishing haircare merchandise can even assist. “Hair loss would not occur the primary time you put on a good coiffure. It occurs over time. So when you can hold the scalp wholesome going ahead, you may get your hair again on observe,” Dr. King explains. For extra superior circumstances, medical interventions could also be crucial, Dr. Truesdale says, with remedies relying on the severity of the hair loss.

Talk about remedy choices together with your physician

The FDA-approved topical remedy minoxidil may also help stimulate hair development if no follicle scarring is concerned. Minoxidil works by enhancing blood movement to the scalp, which in flip helps hold hair in its anagen part—the rising part of hair—longer—some dermatologists prefer to compound minoxidil with tretinoin to enhance its efficacy and scalp absorbency. Moreover, docs can inject topical corticosteroids (just like the FDA-approved injection Kenalog) into the affected areas to scale back irritation brought on by the situation. 

Along with the beforehand talked about scalp therapies, Dr. Truesdale additionally likes treating the compromised space with pink mild remedy, platelet-rich plasma remedy (often known as PRP), or exosome injections to foster scalp well being and hair follicle restoration. Purple mild remedy works by exposing areas of hair loss to pink LED mild to spice up dormant hair follicles into the expansion stage.

PRP includes drawing blood from a affected person and separating the enriched cells, then injecting them again into the scalp to feed the broken follicles and stimulate their stem cells for hair development. Alternatively, exosome remedy is a more moderen scalp process that helps snap dormant hair follicles out of relaxation. Exosomes comprise development elements, varied proteins, and activated stem cell alerts, which might talk with impaired follicle cells to spur hair regeneration. 

Nevertheless, if the harm to the follicles is extreme and ends in scarring, the ensuing hair loss might be everlasting, explains Dr. King. “There may be nothing you are able to do to reverse it at that stage,” she tells us. Therefore, a hair transplant could also be your solely viable choice if that’s the case. The process includes transferring wholesome hair follicles from areas from the again or sides of the scalp—the place hair just isn’t usually inclined to balding—to fill within the spots that skilled irreversible hair loss by changing them with new ones, explains Dr. Truesdale. 

What can we do to forestall traction alopecia? 

One of the simplest ways to keep away from traction alopecia is to keep away from tight hairdos altogether, advises Dr. Truesdale. Go for looser kinds to scale back rigidity on the hair as a substitute, suggests Hill. When you put on hair extensions, braids, wigs, clip-ins, locs, or twists, guarantee they are not so tight, put on them moderately, and swap up your coiffure usually to provide your hair follicles a relaxation in between.

And keep in mind, when choosing a braiding skilled, search a licensed hairstylist or an skilled artist with a method that minimizes scalp irritation. Most significantly, do not be afraid to talk up when you expertise discomfort, and have them instantly undo the fashion if it is painful, says Hill. We all know it may be a bit awkward to push again within the salon chair, however utilizing your voice on the first signal of discomfort can prevent plenty of stress and ache in the long term. 

Last takeaway 

Armed with the above information, I paused on often getting braids and began sporting a lower-tension coiffure, pronto. I additionally sought the skilled assist of a dermatologist to evaluate my hair and scalp and assist decide my greatest plan of action. Fortunately, traction alopecia is preventable and reversible in lots of circumstances, particularly when you act quick. Fortunately, the harm to my hairline was superficial, and the dermatologist was capable of bolster it to its unique thickness with a mixture of Kenalog pictures and a minoxidil compound prescription. 

Will I ever cop again to the comfort of “protecting styling” once more? Almost definitely, sure. I am truly contemplating braids for my subsequent week-long trip (which is completely high-quality), however now, I’m well-equipped with the information on how one can put on and look after them correctly so my hair and scalp can thrive and flourish to the fullest.