Styles You Should Avoid For The Sake Of Your Hair

Wearing the wrong hair style can lead to breakage and even temporary hair loss, called traction alopecia. This hair loss is caused by excessive tension on the hair and scalp and is usually first noticed around the hair line.

Although the hair loss may take years to show up, there are usually early warning signs including redness, swelling, itching, bumps and scales. Thinner, shorter vellus hairs may take the place of longer terminal hairs. Traction alopecia and excessive breakage can easily be avoided when you know which hair styles to steer clear of.

Hairstyles to avoid:

• Any style requiring excessive heat. If you straighten or curl your hair every day with heated irons, you could be setting yourself up for serious breakage. Repeatedly heating the hair shaft speeds up the cycle of hair damage: lifting and wearing of the cuticle, exposure of the cortex, splitting and fraying of the hair shaft and finally breakage.
• Hair Extensions. Hair extensions continue to grow in popularity because they offer a quick fix: long hair without the wait. They can be applied in a variety of ways - weaving, sewing, heat fusing, gluing, and clamping - all of which can cause serious damage to the scalp and hair you already have. In addition, extensions require constant conditioning since your hair’s natural oils don’t lubricate the foreign hair.  If you want long hair, it’s best to take the time to grow your own. But, if you just can’t wait, make sure the person who applies your extensions is a true professional. Don’t be afraid to ask for references - a real professional won’t be offended.
• Corn rows and other tight braids. Hair that’s tightly braided either close to, or away from the scalp, are big offenders when it comes to causing traction alopecia. If you love the look of braids, make sure your hair braider goes easy on your scalp. Also, have the braids removed every so often to give your scalp a rest, and be sure to practice massage to keep the scalp muscles loose and the blood circulating.
• Tight ponytails and buns. Many ballerinas suffer from traction alopecia because they regularly wear their hair scraped back into tight buns. The best solution is to loosen the style, wear it less often, and practice daily scalp massage to counter the tightness of the hairstyle.

Accessories to avoid:

• Metal barrettes. Metal barrettes can literally slice your hair shaft if you wear them too often and in the same spot. Try switching to barettes made completely out of plastic or celluloid acetate, which are more flexible and forgiving on the hair.
• Rigid hair sticks & forks. Hair sticks and forks made out of bone, horn, metal or wood don’t have any “give” to them and can cause spot hair loss if worn on the same part of the scalp each day. Once again, it’s best to opt for plastic sticks that bend and adjust to your head’s shape.
• Bobby pins. Professionals like nurses and waitresses who secure their hats with bobby pins close to the scalp find they begin to lose their hair in those areas. If you must use pins to secure a hat every day, try to do so loosely and remove them often to give your scalp a break.
• Uncoated elastics. Never use a regular rubber band or other uncoated elastic to secure a ponytail or braid. These will stick to the hair, causing all sorts of tangles and breakage when you try to remove them.