What causes traction alopecia and how do you prevent it?

If you're anything like me, you've spent late nights googling 'traction alopecia'. Traction alopecia is one of the most common forms of alopecia. Here's everything you need to know about it.

What is traction alopecia?

Traction alopecia is a type of hair loss caused by tension. This could mean wearing your hair in tight braid, ponytails etc. or using harsh clip in hair extensions that pull on your hair. Tighter hairstyles and wearing extensions can cause trauma to your hair follicles over time. This can cause hair to stop growing because the follicle is just too overwhelmed. If you catch it quick enough, and stop doing these styles or wearing extensions, the hair can grow back as normal. However, prolonged use of extensions of tight hairstyle can make the hair loss permanent.

Do I have traction alopecia?

There's a couple tell-tale signs that you have traction alopecia. The most obvious is a receding hair line around your temples, nape of your neck or forehead. You might also experience some itching and discomfort in these areas. If this sounds like you, you can have a chat to your doctor about your symptoms.

How do I prevent traction alopecia?

The best way to prevent traction alopecia is to let your hair down! Stop wearing tight styles too often and ditch the hair extensions (hint: Lusta toppers don't cause traction alopecia, so we suggest making the swap if you don't want to forgo your lucious locks).

What are the remedies for traction alopecia?

If your traction alopecia is its early stages, you might be able to use topical treatments, such as antibiotic creams. You should also stop whatever you believe is causing it (whether it be tight hairstyles, wearing extensions or something else).

If your traction alopecia is more severe it might be time to think about a wig or topper (if that's the route you want to go down!). The great thing about Lusta toppers and wigs, as mentioned before, is that our pieces don't cause traction alopecia because 1) they work with gravity, rather than against it, and 2) our clips are Pressure Sensitive and the softest on the market!

What's your experience with traction alopecia?