It is safe to say, as hair short hair lovers, we still appreciate the beauty and artistry put into today’s protective styles.
Be it a cute high ponytail or long sewn extensions, there is art and creativity to be found in each style. Who says short-haired girls have to miss out on the fun?Braids, sewn weave installations, and crochet extensions are beautiful additions to short haircuts, but can be extremely damaging. Although these styles can be very alluring, consult your stylist to ensure you are making healthy hair choices.
An example of traction alopecia. @razorchicofatlanta
Traction Alopecia is real! Let’s say this together: Trac-tion Alo-pecia! This form of alopecia is caused by cosmetic stress and tension on the follicles. Styles that require the hair to be forced in one direction can lead to this very common disorder. As a result, you can experience small bumps along the hairline, tenderness of the scalp, followed by hair loss.
Protective styles are not the enemy, neither are ponytails or hair accessories! However, poorly executed and mismanaged hairstyles can lead to serious damage.
Here are a few friendly tips on how to keep your follicles healthy and happy:
Use Protein Treatments.
Adding a protein treatment to your regimen is a great preventative measure to take. Monthly protein treatments will help strengthen you hair strands and lessens the chance of breakage. ApHogee Hair Care products offer an easy-to-use and
budget-friendly protein treatment.
You gotta relax!
How often do you pull your hair up into a nice tight puff, to achieve a cute “pineapple” style? Or how many times do you have to brush your hair to get the perfect-slicked back ponytail? Too much tension will break the hair strands and can pull the hair out from the root. Simple practices like brushing too hard or twisting too tightly, can be the start of traction alopecia.
Change your protective styles every 6-8 weeks.
It is important that we keep an eye on our hair, and how can we do that if we never see it? I love sewn weave installs and “Poetic Justice” braids just like the next girl, but it is important that we don’t over wear our style. Six to eight weeks should be the maximum time to keep one hairstyle, before shampooing your hair. Cleaning the scalp of build up helps promotes hair growth!
If you are already experiencing Traction Alopecia-like symptoms, contact your local dermatologist for prescribed treatments, and begin seeing a licensed professional hairstylist.
The post Save Those Edges: How You Can Prevent Traction Alopecia In 3 Steps appeared first on The Cut Life.