Dandruff, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, affects roughly half the adult population. Though it can affect other parts of your body, it primarily causes dry, scaly skin on your scalp resulting in dead skin falling off in flakes, commonly referred to as dandruff. While you may have known all of that already, what you might not have known is that it could lead to hair loss. [Read more…] about Dandruff and Hair Loss
Hair Loss in Women
Vitamin B, C & D and Hair Loss
Hair loss can be caused by many things from genetics to medical conditions, including nutritional and vitamin deficiency While vitamins won’t correct hair loss from radiation treatments, chemotherapy, genetics, or autoimmune diseases, it will help provide a good foundation for hair growth and correct any nutrition-based hair loss. [Read more…] about Vitamin B, C & D and Hair Loss
Eczema & Other Skin Conditions and Hair Loss
The health of your skin is linked to the health of your hair. Different skin conditions such as eczema and seborrheic dermatitis can impact your scalp’s health. It’s not all that uncommon either; up to 5% of the population suffers from scalp eczema. [Read more…] about Eczema & Other Skin Conditions and Hair Loss
Hairstyle Appreciation Day
Every April 30 is Hairstyle Appreciation Day, a day designed to honor hairstyles and those who create them. Hair and hairstyles are getting more attention than ever with the animated short film, Hair Love, winning an Oscar.
Can Your Hairstyle Be the Cause of Your Hair Loss?
Unfortunately, yes, certain hairstyles can lead to hair loss. While people can lose hair for a wide variety of reasons like genetics, autoimmune disorders, stress, etc. certain hairstyles can cause temporary hair loss which can become permanent.
The hairstyles most likely to cause hair thinning are:
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Buns
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Tight ponytails
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Braids
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Cornrows
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Twists or twisted hairband styles
What all of those hairstyles have in common are that they can tightly pull on the hair follicles. If continued over time, without breaks or alternating styles, the tension causes inflammation and damages the hair follicle, causing permanent hair loss called traction alopecia. While all of those styles and more can be performed without the unnecessary tension that leads to hair loss, it’s all too common for it to turn into a problem.
Worse, certain professions have requirements or expectations that involve these hairstyles. Military personnel, ballerinas, law enforcement officers, gymnasts, and surgical teams frequently have to wear their hair in tight buns or braids. In some cases, short hairstyles can be worn as an alternative but not always, which means women and people of color, disproportionately suffer from traction alopecia.
Hairstyles to Prevent Hair Loss and Hairstyles for Traction Alopecia
Loose hairstyles do not cause traction alopecia. If alternated with those that constrain the hair, traction alopecia can be averted or reversed. Some hairstylists of African descent have developed hairstyles for traction alopecia that camouflage the condition while giving the scalp a chance to rest.
Other hairstyle trends that can lead to traction alopecia:
- Using clips, bands, pins, etc.
- Sleeping in rollers every night
- Wearing the same tight hairstyle all the time
- Having very long hair for a long time – the weight can pull on the scalp
- Tight ponytails, buns, braids, twists, dreadlocks, cornrows, weaves, extensions, etc.
The other important aspect of traction alopecia is recognizing it early because the sooner it is detected and addressed, the better the results and the greater the chance of reversal.
Early symptoms of traction alopecia include:
- Scalp redness
- Headaches
- Stinging, itching, or soreness in the scalp
- Widening hair part
- Scalp sensitivity after letting your hair down
Celebrate Hairstyle Appreciation Day and take care of your scalp by trying a new style if you are concerned about developing traction alopecia or wear your hair pulled tightly. The change of pace will be good for both your mood and your hair follicles.
RHRLI Are the Hair Restoration Experts
If you’re suffering from hair loss, we here at RHRLI have the experience to restore your head of hair. Our state-of-the-art facility uses the ARTAS® robot for precise results and faster healing. To learn more as to why RHRLI is Long Island’s hair restoration leader, contact us today.
What Signs Mean I Should Schedule a Hair Loss Consultation?
Scheduling a hair loss consultation is a crucial step in tackling hair loss issues. When you make the decision to make that call, it represents your first concrete step to take control of permanent or temporary hair loss. Let’s look at what a conversation about hair loss entails, including when you should schedule a consultation, and whether your hair loss may be permanent or temporary. [Read more…] about What Signs Mean I Should Schedule a Hair Loss Consultation?
Prescription Medications and Hair Loss
If you see a lot more people wearing purple on March 26 than usual it’s because “Purple Day” is another name for Epilepsy Awareness Day. Epilepsy is a chronic condition that involves recurring, unprovoked seizures, sometimes caused by a brain injury or family genetics, but sometimes the cause is unknown. [Read more…] about Prescription Medications and Hair Loss
Autoimmune Disease and Hair Loss
Autoimmune diseases are a grouping of more than 80 chronic diseases, which are frequently debilitating and sometimes life-threatening. The National Institutes of Health estimates that up to seven percent of the population – that’s up to 23.5 million Americans – have an autoimmune disease. [Read more…] about Autoimmune Disease and Hair Loss
Helmets, Ball Caps and Hair Loss
Many issues can cause hair loss, from genetics and hormones to medication to tight hair styles. We’ve already examined the impact of hats on hair loss, but what about helmets? [Read more…] about Helmets, Ball Caps and Hair Loss
Organ Donation and Hair Loss
After genetics and hormones, which are factors in male/female pattern hair loss, illness and medication side effects are key factors in hair loss. With National Organ Donation Day coming on February 14, it’s a great time to examine the role of organ transplants in hair loss – as a possible future treatment. [Read more…] about Organ Donation and Hair Loss
Facts About Traction Alopecia
Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss, but it can come in many forms. The most common form of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which is more commonly known as male (or female) pattern baldness. Another very common form of hair loss is traction alopecia, which means hair loss as a result of tight hairstyles that pull on the scalp. Traction alopecia is reversible if it doesn’t go on too long, but it can become permanent if the signs are neglected or ignored. [Read more…] about Facts About Traction Alopecia
