It is the easiest hairstyle there is. You pull your hair back for a run along the Potomac, a long day at the office or a morning on the Metro, and you do not think about it again until you take it down and feel that ache at the back of your head. In this month's hair health update from Holistic Hair Studio in Alexandria, we explain what a tight ponytail can do to your hair over time.
What Traction Alopecia Is
Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by repeated pulling on the hair follicle. When a hairstyle holds the same hairs under tension day after day, the follicles become inflamed and begin to produce thinner, weaker hairs. In time they can stop producing hair altogether.
It is caused by how hair is worn, not by genetics, and it can affect anyone. Tight ponytails, high buns, braids, extensions, heavy clips and even tightly secured headbands can all contribute. It is seen often in ballet dancers and in other people whose work requires hair to be pulled back firmly every day.
Your Hairline Takes the Strain
Traction loss usually appears where the pull is greatest. For a ponytail, that tends to be the temples, the edges of the hairline and around the ears. For a bun worn in the same place every day, it can be the crown.
Dermatologists have even described a recognizable pattern. In many people with traction alopecia, a fine row of short hairs survives right along the front edge of the hairline while the hair just behind it thins. This is known as the fringe sign, and it can help a doctor tell traction loss apart from other types of hair loss.
A Headache With an Official Name
The ache you feel when you take your hair down is real enough to be listed in the International Classification of Headache Disorders, the reference system doctors use around the world. External traction headache, formerly known as ponytail headache, is caused by sustained pulling on the scalp and usually eases within an hour of the tension being released. It is a useful warning that your style is pulling harder than your scalp wants.
Early Signs to Look For
Tenderness, soreness or itching where your hair is pulled back
Small bumps around the follicles at the hairline
Short broken hairs at the temples or nape
A hairline that looks wider or further back than it used to
Visible scalp where a part or bun usually sits
The Good News
Caught early, traction alopecia can often be reversed. If the pulling stops before the follicles are scarred, hair usually regrows over the following months. If tension continues for years, the damage can become permanent. That is why it is worth changing habits as soon as you notice any of the signs above. If thinning has already appeared, see a dermatologist for a diagnosis.
How to Wear Your Hair Up Safely
Wear your ponytail lower and looser.
Change where you place it from day to day so the same hairs are not always under strain.
Use soft scrunchies, spiral ties or claw clips instead of tight elastics with metal joins.
Take your hair down as soon as you get home, and never sleep in a tight style.
Avoid pulling hair back when it is wet, as wet hair stretches and breaks more easily.
Give extensions and tight braids regular breaks.
Healthier Hair Habits at Holistic Hair Studio
A great haircut can reduce the need to pull your hair back at all. Our stylists will shape a cut that falls well and dries easily, so you can wear it down more often. Haircuts start at $67 for short hair, $92 for medium and $117 for long, each with a consultation, an OWAY organic shampoo and a finished style. If your hairline is feeling tender or thin, our Scalp Purifying Treatment, $135, can help calm the scalp.
Clients visit our Powhatan Street studio from Old Town North, Del Ray, Potomac Yard and Arlington. Ask us at your next visit and we will show you a few easy ways to wear your hair up without the strain.
If you have also noticed extra shedding, read about the stress shedding cycle.
Your Healthy Hairline Checklist
Wear ponytails lower and looser
Move your part and your bun from day to day
Choose soft ties and clips over tight elastics
Take your hair down at night
Book a haircut at Holistic Hair Studio in Alexandria
Book your appointment today and experience the transformative power of natural organic hair wellness at Holistic Hair Studio!
1433 Powhatan Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Book your appointment: 703-473-6864
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