Habits that cause hair loss

Alopecia (pronounced a·luh·pee·shee·uh) is a form of hair loss and there are many variations. The main ones are:

Today we are going to talk about Traction alopecia. What is it? How to recognize if you have it? How to reverse the effects? When it might be too late to reverse the effects? Let’s get into it.

What is Traction Alopecia

Traction Alopecia is mostly found along the hairline. While most alopecia types are caused by hormonal and habitual issues, this type of alopecia is caused solely by hair habits. Meaning, it occurs because of how you handle your hair.

The habits that cause this type of alopecia are:

• Wearing hairstyles that pull at the hairline such as dreadlocks, braids, cornrows, and tight ponytails.

• Adding hair extensions that are glued or tightly tied to the base of the hair causing tension at the roots

• Repeatedly wearing tight elastic headbands causing hair to thin at the contact area 

• Even the weight of very long hair could cause this condition 

So, while we love a good sleek do and those tight braids that keep our hair in place. It might be time to give those a rest if you’re starting to see the signs of traction alopecia.

Signs to look out for if you think you might be suffering from traction alopecia are:

• a receding hairline typically around the forehead, temples, or nape
• small pimples on the scalp or at the base of braids
• redness, itching, and ulcers on the scalp
• your hair parting widens
• patches of thin or broken hair in places where the hair has been under strain
• patches of shiny, scarred skin in more advanced cases (at this stage it’s difficult and almost impossible to solve without medical intervention)

That last point is important. If you notice that your scalp (where hair used to be) is shiny, it means it has scarred and the pores have closed making it nearly impossible to resolve with natural remedies.

Traction alopecia in general is reversible

But you need to act as soon as you notice symptoms. Here are some tips to help you: 

1. Reduce stress on your hair

This means avoiding tight ponytails, tight braids. If your scalp feels pulled or if your edges hurt, your hairstyle is too tight. Loosen it. In the same realm, switch up your hairstyles every now then to prevent strain on one area of your scalp.

2. Massage your scalp

Take a few minutes a day and give your scalp a nice massage

3. Cleanse your scalp thoroughly

It’s important to remove dust, buildup and general dirt off of your scalp. Use a good quality shampoo paired with a shampoo brush to help massage your scalp as well as give it a deep clean.

4. Apply a scalp oil at least once a week

Look for a scalp oil that is formulated with anti-inflammatory ingredients such as green tea, sesame oil, castor oil, black seed oil, rosemary essential oil, thyme essential oil etc. These will help ease the stress on the hair follicle allowing it to relax and allow for the hair to thicken again.

5. Evaluate your diet

Is it well balanced? Are you drinking enough water? A healthy body, hair, skin, it really does start from what you are consuming. Nourish your body with the good stuff.

6. Keep active

You can workout 3-4 times a week, set a steps goal per day, adopt a sport as a hobby. Whatever it is, you must incorporate something that gets your body moving

7. Think about your stress factors

Stress is a silent killer. Stress is different for everyone, we all have our circumstances and situations, it’s key for us to know how to manage it.

8. Consistency

Nothing will be achieved in one day, or one week. You cannot expect to apply a scalp oil one time and have hair sprouting the next day. If it were that easy, everyone would do it. I cannot stress enough that the key is consistency and being mindful of your habits every day.

As you can see, a lot of these solutions are not just targeted at your hair. They are lifestyle issues too because it is all connected. No single problem can be resolved in isolation it’s the sum of your positive actions that create a positive result.

References

Hosking AM, Juhasz M, Atanaskova Mesinkovska N. Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Alopecia: A Comprehensive Review. Skin Appendage Disord. 2019;5(2):72-89. doi:10.1159/000492035