Hello ladies
Christmas is almost here. I am so excited to see family and friends over the holidays. I hope your Christmas plans, holidays and travels are going well.
I am grateful to God for all my blessings in 2013 and pray for more of His grace in 2014.
As the year is almost over, I was wondering what the last few blog topics for the year should be. I decided to write about something that a lot of us battle with; our edges. This will be a two part series and in this post I will discuss causes of receding hair lines.
CAUSES OF RECEDING HAIR LINES
Like a lot of ladies, my edges are the most fragile part of my hair and scalp. The hair is sparse and the scalp is more sensitive than other areas. I am constantly on a mission to protect my hairline so I try to avoid things which may cause hair loss in that area. This includes;
1) Brushes and Combs
Avoid using fine tooth combs and hard brushes on your hairline. A wide tooth comb or a very soft brush used gently is all right. I prefer to use my hands to smooth my edges.
2) Bonnets/ Shower Caps
Some night bonnets and shower caps have elasticated bands that have deep folds in the band area. Please see the picture above. When placed on the hair line, the folds may pinch/hold on to hair on your edges and nape. When being removed, they can pull out or break off some of the hair. Only a strand or two may be pulled out every day but over the course of a few months, all those strands add up.
3) Hats/Head Wraps/Wig Caps
Hats, head wraps and wig caps can be great for protecting our hair. However if placed on your hairline, the friction may cause hair loss at your edges and nape.
If you wear hats, head wraps or wig caps regularly, I suggest that you place them above or below your hairline rather than directly on your hairline. Also make sure your hair is moisturised and sealed before wearing them.
4) Chemical Over Processing
Relaxers and chemical based hair dyes weaken our hair fibres so it is important to reduce how often we use such chemicals. The hair on our edges and nape processes quicker than other areas of our head. To reduce the risk or chemical damage and over processing, apply the relaxer and dyes to your edges and nape last. Remember to wait at least 8 to 10 weeks between relaxers.
5) Facial Cleansing Products
Facial cleansing products can easily come in contact with our edges when washing or scrubbing our face. The ingredients in our cleansers, scrubs or masks may lead to damage and dryness of the hairs on our edges.
So during your daily facial cleansing routine, try to prevent the products from coming into contact with your edges.
6) Post Partum Shedding
For some months after childbirth, many women experience a decline of hormones in their body which causes an increase in the number of hairs they shed. This is known as post partum shedding. Some ladies find that majority of the hairs they shed after child birth falls from their edges. Post partum shedding is temporary and should cease when the woman’s hormone levels have returned to its normal levels.
Please note that some medical conditions and/or treatment may also result in hair loss.
7) Hairstyle Choices
The most common and preventable cause of hair loss at our edges is our hairstyle choices.
Weaves, braids, excessively tight buns, up-does and roller sets, etc can lead to hair loss at the edges. If a hairstyle is too tight, too much tension is being placed on the hair follicles which may eventually become damaged and the hair in the follicles may fall out. Please note that damaged hair follicles can produce new hairs but if the abuse continues, the follicle damage may become permanent.
When it comes to edges I always stress that prevention is better than cure. If your hair styles , how you handle your hair or bad hair care practices are causing your hair line to recede or become sparse, act now. Don’t wait till the damage becomes permanent.
Please come back soon for part two where I will share practical tips that I use to protect my hairline and how to stimulate re-growth of edges were hair loss has occurred.
Merry Christmas
x
Lade
Learn | Change | Grow
Wow I would never have linked facial washes and cleansers to receding hairlines! Thanks for that insight. Lovely blog by the way and you have gorgeous hair girl!
Author
awwwwww, thank you Lydz. My pleasure.
Happy hair journey.
I could hug you right now ‘Lade!! This is what I’ve been researching and trying to work on for my daughter and I in the last month or so. I realised that her hairline is receeding at age 4 (horror of horrors)! i rarely put any extensions in her hair oh (except for 1ce a year christmas hair 🙂 ), and in fairness to the lady who weaves her hair, she hardly gets those bumps from tight styles and is the most gentle person we’ve found and stuck to for 3 years. However when we loosen the hair, you can see loads of follicles of her uprooted front hair sticking up so i’ve taken to doing it myself very gently – calabar, twists and flat twists! I cant shout abeg. i read that Jamacan black castor oil also helps stimulates growth so we use that daily on the temples and she has her own satin bonnet & pillow-cases too. Waiting earnestly for part 2 to see what more i can do. I also have one Dr Miracles temple and nape balm that i sometimes use on mine. I haven’t seen any noticeable difference though so im not sure it works.
Author
Lol on Christmas hair (irun odun to go with the matching aso odun)
yes if the hairs had little with bulbs at the ends of them then the style was probably too tight. I love how pro-active you are with your daughters hair. My niece who is 5 sleeps with a satin scarf on. Its kinda cute.
I am sure you’ve read part two of the blog about the black castor oil. carry on with the massage and give it time.
x
Lade
Yes oh @ irun odun – lol. Yes i’ve read part 2 and we’re working on it daily. by mid-year hopefully our efforts will yield results. Catching them young on hair is important and def worth it! Thanks for all your help.
Hi,I just sent an e-mail, but figured I would reply to this post as well. First, I must say that you have one of the absolute best blogs regarding black hair care and I am truly thankful for you sharing your wealth of knowledge with me through it! I really need help with the Air drying process. When I do it, it never comes out quite right. Sometimes, my hair is crunchy and feels extremely dry, so any help that you can offer about your process and products that help you with it would be absolutely invaluable to me. Thanks so much in advance and many blessings to you for a prosperous 2014!!!
Author
Hello Dee
Thank you for your kind comment and I am pleased you like Hairducation.
With regards to your hair you may want to review your protein and moisture balance. The leave in conditioners you use can greatly affect how your air dry turns out. Are you using enough moisture in your regimen. Or maybe you need a moisturiser that works better for your hair.
When I am air drying my own hair if it feels dry I simply add a little more of my moisture leave -in conditioner.
hope that helps.
Lade
Hello Lade,
Can you assist with the name of a store in London where I can get the hair products you have recommended here on your blog?
Author
Hello Enkay
When I lived in London I bought my hair products from the black hair shops at Upton Park (east London). There is also a huge black hair and beauty store called Paks. If I remember correctly, it is located in Finsbury Park. Remember amazon is always an option.
x
Lade
Thanks for posting this. About three months or so ago I noticed increased shedding/breakage from my hair-line. I ended up finding out that the culprit was my satin scarf. Apparently, I would tie it too tightly and place it directly on my hair-line. This caused increased pressure and friction which resulted in the increased shedding and breakage that I saw.
Author
Hello Sunny
I am glad you found out the cause of the breakage. Scarfs, extensions and wigs placed directly on the hairline can cause damage in the long run.
I hope the hair line is doing better now.
x
Lade