What Is Traction Alopecia And How To Recover From It
It can be really scary when you start to notice thinning in parts of your head. Whether it be your edges, crown, your temples, or any other vulnerable part of your mane, thinning can be jarring and a pain to recover from, especially if you don’t know the cause. One likely cause is traction alopecia. We’re gonna tell you what it is, what causes it, and how to heal from it.
What Is Traction Alopecia
Traction alopecia is acute hair loss caused by excessive pulling and tension on your roots. It most often appears around your edges, but can become an issue anywhere you part, pull, or manipulate the hair regularly. Traction alopecia can appear in various levels of severity and can usually be reversed with a patient and gentle hand.
Identify The Cause
Traction alopecia is most often caused by excessively tight styling. That includes but is not limited to tight or heavy box braids/twists, tight buns and ponytails, etc. It can also be caused by excessive manipulation in specific areas, like if you part your hair on the side and brush/slick it down everyday. That can cause traction alopecia. Once you’ve identified what is causing your thinning, it would be wise to stop it all together.
Reduce All Tension On Your Roots
If you are experiencing traction alopecia, to begin treating it you should reduce all tension on your roots. No tight, heavy, or precise styling. You should just let your hair be. Be very gentle when washing or combing your hair. You don’t wanna put your scalp through any more stress.
Give Your Scalp Some TLC
As you’re recovering, you’ll want to give your scalp extra tender love and care. You can stimulate the hair follicles with regular massages, and you can ease any irritation by moisturizing your scalp with soothing products. Also make sure you let your scalp breathe.
Be Patient
The most important part of any road to recovery is patience. It can be frustrating to deal with the aftermath of traction alopecia. And depending on how bad the thinning is, it can take quite some time for the hair to grow back to a healthy state. If you are patient and focus on health rather than a speedy recovery, you should be well on your way to reversing your traction alopecia.
Have you ever dealt with traction alopecia? Tell us about it in the comments.
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