Can Braiding My Hair Frequently Cause Alopecia (Hair Loss)?

Did you know?

Frequently plaiting your hair can cause hair loss. This condition is known as Traction Alopecia.

This can be caused by repeatedly pulling your hair, wearing tight ponytails, or using hot chemicals on your hair. Pulling on the hair repeatedly loosens the hair shaft in its follicle. For instance, always pulling your hair back into a tight ponytail, wearing tight braids; cornrows, putting your hair up in rollers overnight.

It was first diagnosed in the 1900s. It was discovered that women who wore tight ponytails lost hair and their hairline more than those who did not. Also, if not properly looked into, it can possibly lead to permanent hair loss as in the case of Jada Pinkett but if it is looked into, there can be the reverse. Pulling your hair is a common cause of alopecia but there are other causes including the ones that are yet to be discovered. In the case of Jada Pinkett, as mentioned earlier, she clearly stated that doctors. According to US Magazine,

Pinkett Smith noted during a May 2018 Red Table Talk episode that she had taken “every type of test”, but doctors were still unable to deduce why she started losing her hair

7 Most Common Causes of Alopecia

There are various known causes of Alopecia but here are the 7 common causes that you need to know and dread;

1. Beauty treatments could cause inflammation of the hair follicle

2. Medications such as cancer drugs, intake of Vitamin A

3. Certain hairstyles that pull hair tightly

4. Hormonal changes-imbalances caused by pregnancy or menopause could lead to hair loss

5. Medical conditions such as scalp infections, lichen planus, lupus, sarcoidosis, hair-pulling disorder, an autoimmune disorder

6. Diseases such as asthma, hay fever, atopic dermatitis, thyroid disease, vitiligo, or Down syndrome are prone to cause alopecia

7. Family history of alopecia increases the risk

How do I know if I have Traction Alopecia?

The symptoms of Traction Alopecia include but is not limited to;

• Early-stage traction alopecia might show up as little bumps on your scalp that look like pimples.
• Redness of the scalp.
• Frequent pains.
• As the condition progresses, the main symptom is missing and broken hair.
• The hairs along the front and sides of your scalp are most often affected.
• However, you may also notice hair loss on other areas of your scalp, depending on your hairstyle.
• scaling folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles) pus-filled blisters on your scalp.

How Can I Reverse Traction Alopecia?

Traction Alopecia can be reversed when you stop pulling your hair. Allowing your hair to breathe is a major treatment or prevention.

Some ladies may not be comfortable if they do not have their hair braided. Jada had narrated that it was terrifying when it first started. It was in the shower one day and had just handfuls of hair in my hands and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, am I going bald? She continued, that it was one of those times in my life where I was literally shaking with fear. A good number of people believe in the saying the beauty of a woman lies in her hair and that beauty is pain, they are not confident enough to move around without having their hair fixed. So it is not like we don’t suffer pains to braid our hair but just like the saying goes; ‘beauty is painful’ says a customer at the Vintage salon.

But can I tell you it is very much possible to avoid or treat Traction Alopecia with the option of allowing your hair to breathe while you flex on braids wig? To make this easier for women all over the world, braided wigs have become an option.

Taking care of your hair should be your beauty ritual and we are here to give you the choice of growing your hair or not now that you can still make such choices.
Vintage Hairs give you that opportunity to get Elegant with us. Check out our website to get a view.