Thinning hair because of tight pony tails. Solution?

Ingie · 09-09-2010, 05:11 PM

I've had my hair in a pony tail or a tight bun for as long as I can remember. It's been only a couple of years that I have it loose once in a while. Most of the time I had it parted in the middle. That's where I have very thin hair now.

Is there anything I can use or do to somehow stimulate the hair growth? Is there even a chance for this get better? I heard some stuff about castor oil, what are your experiences using this?

Don't know if it makes any difference, but I have type 4b/4c curls, medium texture and normal porosity hair..
Thanx in advance :-)

crimsonshedemon · 09-15-2010, 02:12 AM

Sounds like traction alopecia.

http://thedermblog.com/2008/09/02/ha...tion-alopecia/
There are many causes of hair loss including medications, thyroid disease, iron deficiency, even having a baby. Most of these causes result in temporary hair loss — the hair eventually grows back. Some types of hair loss, however, are permanent; this is called scarring or cicatrical alopecia. A common scarring hair loss in women is traction alopecia.

Traction alopecia occurs when hair is pulled too tightly for long periods of time. It occurs often in girls and women who braid their hair, but can also be seen in women who pull their hair back tightly in a pony-tail or a bun. Over months and years the hair loss becomes permanent, and cannot regrow. It can be seen in men, but is more common in women. It can also affect children as well as in adults.

In traction alopecia the worst hair loss is in areas where the hair is pulled the tightest, usually the forehead and temples. It can be subtle at first, but becomes apparent over years as the hair line recedes from ear to ear starting farther and farther back on the head.

The hair is lost because the tension from pulling damages the hair follicles beneath the skin. The hair follicle is like a little factory working constantly to make hair. Each follicle is in an active state for years before it takes a short rest, sheds the hair, then starts all over again. Over time, pulling the follicle damages it and eventually the damaged follicle can no longer make hair. Because you cannot develop new follicles, as more and more follicles are damaged, more and more permanent hair loss results.

Unfortunately, traction alopecia is a scarring alopecia, so lost hair will not grow back. The best treatment is to release the tension on your hair as much as possible as soon as possible. This is often difficult because it requires adopting a different hairstyle (which can be distressing in itself).

Sometimes hair can be surgically transplanted from areas on your scalp with good growth to the scarred areas. This procedure can be expensive however, and is not covered by health insurance.

Using minoxidil or Rogaine might help promote new hair growth. The drug is meant for male pattern alopeica, not for scarring hair loss however, and using it might not help much.

If you have hair loss, then see your dermatologist. He or she can examine your scalp and can often prescribe medications, perform hair transplant surgery, or make suggestions on changing your hairstyle that can save your hair.

Post written by Jeffrey Benabio, MD

CurlyColombiana · 10-26-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ingie

I've had my hair in a pony tail or a tight bun for as long as I can remember. It's been only a couple of years that I have it loose once in a while. Most of the time I had it parted in the middle. That's where I have very thin hair now.

Is there anything I can use or do to somehow stimulate the hair growth? Is there even a chance for this get better? I heard some stuff about castor oil, what are your experiences using this?

Don't know if it makes any difference, but I have type 4b/4c curls, medium texture and normal porosity hair..
Thanx in advance :-)

You can try massaging your scalp with virgin coconut oil for 5-10 minutes every night.

acydrose · 11-23-2010, 05:34 PM

Hi

I'm currently a college freshman that learned to love my curls in my senior year of highschool and I've developed traction alopecia on the top of my head (tight ponytails and buns all through my first 3 years of highschool). It HAS gotten better, but its a really slow process so patience is a must

No buns or ponytails, if I must tie it I use loose thick scrunchies or chopsticks

Sulfate-free shampoo

Thick comb for untangling, and be very gentle when untangling, I use a coconut-based conditioner when doing this, untangle from tips to roots and by sections of your hair

Since hair follicles are really fragile, be very gentle when managing, no straight frantic pulling

Drink a supplement, Biotin has worked for me but I've heard of Rogain and fish oil too

Massage your scalp, I've never done it with any kind of oil but it helps

Eat healthy, get good sleep

Don't go without untangling because it makes the shedding worse

I've been doing this for a few months and its gotten significantly better (on the left side better than the right for some reason, but I have faith in my curls)

Good luck

CurlyCowgirly · 11-27-2010, 08:56 PM

Thanks for the tips acydrose!
I didn't realize ponytails could cause permanent hair loss! I've been wearing my hair up less often, but bad hair days call for ponytails, so what's a girl to do? Any styling tips/instructions? Is a loose single braid ok?

acydrose · 11-28-2010, 01:43 AM

ponytails can cause hairloss when u wear them too tight and for a long periods of time and the damage can be seen over time not always instantly, but bad hair days do require ponytails. when i do wear them, i comb through my hair with my fingers from the base of my head to the top or viceversa to make sure that hair doesn't get stuck somewhere and gets pulled to tightly or tangles worse than the usual. and make sure your hair's dry if you use any styling cream, it can affect too because of product build-up in the scalp

on braids: I don't use braids because my hair is too thin right now and I'm working with the bit of alopecia I got. I used to braid it though, always loose, when dry and styled with cream. If its too tight or with gel, the strong hold can start breaks

just use gentle tecniques to handle your hair, especially if its fine hair, when untangling, go from bottom to top by sections, hold the sections that you're untangling in your hand closer to your head so you don't pull straight from the scalp.

use serums or leave in conditioners to hydrate and run away from sulfates and silicons
sometimes you can style with just the leave-in or a gel or mousse not every type of gel works for everyone, depends on your hairtype and what you're looking for but always avoid product build up. personally, mousses never work for me, they dry up my hair and since I'm a 3c I always look for a loose hold in the scalp and definition

hope it helps

CurlyCowgirly · 11-28-2010, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acydrose

If its too tight or with gel, the strong hold can start breaks ...
....personally, mousses never work for me, they dry up my hair and since I'm a 3c I always look for a loose hold in the scalp and definition

hope it helps

I wonder if using gel in general makes hair more prone to breakage. I know hair spray does. And I'm the same way -- mousse just dries up my hair. (It makes my curls really thin too.)

Robin-in-FL · 11-29-2010, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurlyCowgirly

Quote:

Originally Posted by acydrose

If its too tight or with gel, the strong hold can start breaks ...
....personally, mousses never work for me, they dry up my hair and since I'm a 3c I always look for a loose hold in the scalp and definition

hope it helps

I wonder if using gel in general makes hair more prone to breakage. I know hair spray does. And I'm the same way -- mousse just dries up my hair. (It makes my curls really thin too.)

Hairspray glues dry hairs together and this can cause breakage if they get pulled apart, that's different IMO. And mousse has some drying alcohols so it could cause damage to delicate hair...

I don't think that hair styling gel or cream applied to wet hair causes breakage. It's a flexible hold once it dries.