The root CAUSE
If you’re wearing your hair in a protective style and experiencing pain or a patchy hairline, it could be a sign of traction alopecia. We look at solutions to help your scalp
Clinics are reporting a surge in enquiries about treatment for traction alopecia. Styles such as box braids, which are a way to protect curls from the cold, can cause the condition. Traction alopecia disproportionately affects black women, as well as anyone wearing tight hairstyles such as ballerinas and also Sikh men, and is the result of repeated and prolonged pulling on the hair.
Symptoms such as bumps on the scalp, hair casts (a whitish coating on the hair shaft) and thinning patches are indicators that damage is occurring. “Traction alopecia is mostly recognised on the frontal left and right temples,’’ explains Enitan Agidee, trichologist at the Healthy Hair Studio (healthyhairstudio. co.uk). “In clinic, I frequently see this hair loss at the nape of the hair, too. Sadly, most don’t notice until it is too late as it’s not within view.”