We often attribute Hair loss to internal factors such as our genes, quality of health but to many, it may come as a surprise to know that the choice of hairstyle can affect your hairs and may lead to hair loss.

The dictates of fashion, customs and religion produce an immense variety of hairstyles, each producing a different stress on hair. Hairstyling is an important part of how we look, it can change image instantly but care needs to be taken with how it is done.

Baldness, scientifically, referred to as alopecia, is a partial or complete loss of hair on the scalp and/or other areas of the body. This condition comes in many forms but the kind that is caused by wearing certain hairstyles is called as “Traction Alopecia ”.


Your hair styling methods and tools can cause significant hair damage and hair loss. Let us take a look at the hairstyles that are not good for us.

1. PONYTAILS: The easiest way to keep hair from your face is to gather it towards the back or top of head and holdout together with a tie. Women who wear ponytail often complain that their hair is no longer growing, intact hair is repeatedly broken at the same distance from scalp due to trauma caused by a rubber band. Although this hairstyle is most convenient to maintain, this has its disadvantages. When hair is pulled back in a ponytail, the hair at margins of scalp tend to receive greatest tensile force, and hair loss becomes most noticeable on the scalp margins and outermost hairs of the braid. Once lost, this leads to receding hairline and widening of part lines and leads to Frontal and Parietal Hair Loss.

2. TWISTING HAIR INTO A BUN ON THE TOP OF HEAD: Constant tugging at the roots leads to multiple hairs breaking off.  Unlike a hair pluck which is painful, persistent gentle pulling on roots may go unnoticed until bald spots or alopecia starts to appear. In long run, it can lead to “Horseshoe Alopecia” in the centre of the scalp. Recent trends of man bun and man braid also have an effect on men’s hairlines.



3. TIGHT BRAIDING IN CORNROWS: Braids are popular among African- American races. It leads to marginal or central alopecia with a widening of part lines.


4. BRUSH ROLLERS: These rollers can cause pulling on the hair and patches of hair loss. If applied too tightly produce the irregular shape of alopecia.

5. WEAVES: An artificial way to make short hair appear longer and thicker. This is achieved through the use of “hair extensions” that are either woven or glued. Hair extensions add extra weight to existing hairs and cause roots to be pulled upon. Hair extensions strain the hair, damages the scalp and cause scarring. They may provide a temporary boost to your confidence but they can make you a candidate for permanent alopecia.

So, get the hair extensions removed, take out the braids and let your hair be in a natural state for a while.

People are often resistant to change their hairstyle. Unfortunately, the only measure that halts the progression of such traction alopecia is redistributing tension in the hair. For most people, a cure is available in their own hairbrush.

LET YOUR HAIR AND SCALP RECOVER 

Good news is that traction alopecia is preventable. If it is caught at an early stage, it can be reversed. Hairstyles are worn to be functional and fashionable. But care should be exercised in making sure that they do not cause damage to scalp and hair. You don't necessarily have to stop styling your hair. The important point is “Redistributing the tension in the hair”. 

So, follow few Hair styling tips:

1. Hair should be tied loosely and alternately in short period of time.

2. Go natural, at least sometimes.

3. Change your styling methods.

4. Avoid wearing hair accessories like tight pins, bands and clips.

5. Always change the location of your ponytail

6. Avoid bruising your hair vigorously 

7. Avoid sleeping in your rollers, curlers or tight braids.

8. Change your hairstyle frequently to change the direction of tension on the hair follicle 


Hair is basically a textile, looks best when new and natural, and degrade with age and use. 

“If you notice that your hair is becoming brittle, dull or damaged, you should consult a specialist immediately”. Repairing damaged hair takes time, so the sooner you address it, the sooner you will notice results.