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Hair loss in women can be caused by a number of factors, including lifestyle, medical reasons, physical and mental stress.  Hair loss can be emotional and painful for many women suffering with this issue. 

Suffering in the name of beauty!

Sometimes, the things we do to make ourselves more beautiful become the source of our hair loss problems!

 

Traction alopecia is a type of hair loss that happens over time. It's a name given to the condition where the hair falls out because it's under too much strain or tension. It is usually caused by one or more of the following:

 

  • Improper application of hair weaves

  • Tight braids or cornrows

  • Headbands - even fabric ones - worn day after day

  • Very tight ponytails or pigtails

  • Dreadlocks

  • Extension (single) braids

  • Certain hair clips, slides or barrettes that hold the hair tightly and are worn in the same position every day

  • Repeated pulling of the hair with the hands (this is an emotional condition called trichotillomania)

  • Tight hairpieces

  • Tight headgear like cycling helmets that are worn frequently or for long stretches of time and tend to rub or pull repeatedly on the same area of hair

  • Repeated use of hair rollers

 

There's more to this condition than hair simply breaking off. Instead, the constant tension in the affected area either pulls out the hairs' roots completely, or causes the follicles to become inflamed. As time goes by, the damage to the follicles causes them to become atrophied (wasted away), and if you don't put a stop to the cause of the problem, they will reach the point where they no longer produce hair at all.

Symptoms of Traction Alopecia?

There are several symptoms of traction alopecia, but the most common one is gradual and painless hair loss. Certain signs and symptoms proceed:
 

  • Has your hairline receded considerably over the years or recently ?

  • Does your scalp itch after you've had braids or a weave put in?

  • Have you ever undone a ponytail and found your scalp feels sensitive to the touch afterwards?

  • Do you notice some thinning or hair breakage around your hairline?

  • Do you notice little bumps and redness around your hairline?

  • Have you ever taken painkillers because your hair is secured so tightly it's given you a headache?

  • Do your hair extensions break off?

 

 

 

All of these are warning signs that your hair is under way too much tension. You can often see this more clearly around the hairline or behind the ears, but it can often happen around the crown, too. It really depends on what was causing the tension in the first place.  Some people even notice pustules (blisters filled with pus) or papules (little pimples) where the hair is under a lot of tension. This is because of the irritation being caused to the scalp and is a clear indicator that the follicles just can't cope with the strain.  If this constant tension and strain has lead to areas of thinning hair, then it's quite likely that you're suffering from traction alopecia.

 

 


 

Medical and Other Causes of Hair Loss

Many women suffer from hair loss due to medical factors that have caused the hair follicle to shed from the root.  But there are a variety of conditions that can trigger hair loss, for exmple, thyroid disease, anemia, psoriasis, cancer, lupus etc.  If you or anyone you know is suffering from any disorder that is causing hair loss, call TODAY and request your complimentary consultation for a cranial prosthesis that will conceal any area of baldness or thinning. 

 

 

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