Hair loss from braids, weaves and tight styles
It usually starts at the edges. The hairline creeps back, the temples thin, small bumps or soreness appear where the hair is pulled tightest. It’s often seen in women and children of African descent who regularly wear braids or use chemical relaxers, and it can affect anyone who wears tight styles. It’s mainly caused by styling, so it’s one of the few types you can do something about.
Why it happens
Constant pulling on the root damages the follicle. Tight braids, cornrows, sew-in weaves, glued wigs, extensions, tight buns and high ponytails all do it, especially when the style is kept in for weeks or redone as soon as it’s out. Relaxers and heat make the hair more fragile so it breaks faster under the same tension. Early on the follicle is bruised but alive. Left for years, the follicles can be permanently destroyed and the hair doesn’t come back.
What it looks like
Thinning or a receding line at the temples and edges, sometimes at the nape. Short broken hairs along the hairline. Tenderness, bumps or pimples where the style is tightest. A headache from a fresh install is a warning sign, not something to push through. If the thinning is at the crown and parting rather than the edges, it may be a different type of hair loss.
What actually helps
Loosen everything. Bigger braids, looser tension, no styles that hurt, breaks between installs, and no edge gels and brushes scraping the same spot daily. Give the edges months off. If the hairline hasn’t started growing back after six months of rest, see a dermatologist who works with textured hair, because they can advise on treatment. Regrowth may start around 3 months after the tension stops. Minoxidil bought over the counter may help, and a doctor may offer steroid injections for small inflamed areas. Minoxidil should be avoided if you’re planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding. If the follicles are permanently damaged the hair loss is permanent, and options then include wigs, hair fibres and, privately, surgery, so catching it early matters.
Why tracking matters
The whole question with traction alopecia is “is it coming back or is it gone”. You can’t tell by looking in the mirror because the change is millimetres over months. One photo of your hairline a month, same light, same angle, shows whether the rest is working. It also stops you being fobbed off with “that’s just your hairline” by someone who doesn’t know textured hair.