Traction Alopecia (Hair Loss) and How To Avoid It

I know most of us have seen the horribly pics of Naomi Campbell’s crying edges. They are nearly non-existing, looking like someone actually ripped them off her scalp.

She is suffering from a common form of alopecia or hair loss called traction alopecia.

Traction hair loss occurs not by genetics or bad diet but by simply pulling and yanking on your hair too much. This is very common for naturals who wear protective styles and tight up-dos too much and for too long. Putting tight brets-decorations, bows, pins and other designs in their hair too harshly too often will cause this type of hair loss.

Naomi Campbell does not live next door to me so I cannot ask her about her hair loss, but I will assume the many stylists, chemicals and other things that get done to her hair on a daily basis contributed to her deceased edges.

Naomi Campbell

Unsurprisingly, it is most common amongst African American women. We love our tight braids and hair styles. It is sometimes the only way to make sure our hair stays neat.

The best way to avoid it is to simply not do it. Do not wear tight ponytails, sew-ins, wigs, braids or anything else tight. Even combing too aggressive too often could cause traction hair loss.

Follow these tips to avoid traction hair loss:

• Just say no to tight styles. Wear them here and there is ok as long as you take a break from them long enough to allow your hair to breathe.

• Do not leave a tight style in your hair. Say if you have a prom or social event to go to and you want to wear your hair in a tight style. Get it and done and look like a million bucks, but remember to take the style down the next day.

• Wear loose ponytails, beehives and buns. Any style that involves combing or brushing the hair back into a ball of some type is traction. Too much of these will result in a loss of edges. A loose ponytail or bun will due just fine. And some guys may actually like the messy do!

• Do your own hair. YOU know how much traction you should apply to your hair and scalp. Someone else, even a certified stylist, may not and they could end up doing more harm than good to you.