Easing Pain from Braids & Traction Alopecia

Protective hairstyles like braids are celebrated for their beauty and versatility. Not only do they protect your natural hair within, but they also look great and allow you to experiment with different looks. However, braiding your hair too tightly can be painful and even result in loss of hair, a condition known as traction alopecia. In this article, we provide a brief guide on how to manage and prevent pain associated with tight braids and hair loss.

What is Traction Alopecia?

Traction alopecia is a type of hair loss caused by constant pulling on the hair follicles. It derives its name from the term “traction,” which means pulling. You may develop this condition from frequent wearing of hair in a tight ponytail, braids, or a bun. The risk is even higher for those who often use chemicals or heat on their hair.

If your hair is repeatedly subjected to tight tension, the follicles can become inflamed and damaged over time. Eventually, this leads to thinning of the hair, especially along the hairline, temple, and nape of the neck. You may notice small, red bumps on the scalp, tenderness, a burning sensation, or even scaling, which are all signs of traction alopecia. Luckily, traction alopecia is reversible if you stop pulling your hair back, although it can lead to permanent hair loss if you do not intervene soon enough.

How to Get Immediate Relief for Tight Braids

If you just got your braids tightly styled, you may experience some pain for the first few hours or days, depending on how they are styled. To prevent or relief the pain, you may try to:

Gently Loosen the Style: Although you may not want to undo all the hard work that was done to achieve the look, gently manipulating the braids can offer some relief. Just apply a warm, damp cloth to your scalp. As the warmth penetrates, it helps to relax the hair and scalp, reducing the tension and relieving the pain
Soothe the Scalp: The pain related to tight hairstyles is often caused by the scalp being inflamed and irritated. Applying a cool external compress can provide relief and take away the pain. You can create a soothing spray by mixing a few drops of tea tree or peppermint old with water in a spray bottle. When you spray your scalp with this solution, the anti-inflammatory properties of the oil will soothe and calm the scalp
Over-the-Counter Solutions: If you are experiencing intense pain after wearing new braids, you can use over-the-counter pain relievers

How to Manage and Treat Traction Alopecia

If you already show symptoms of traction alopecia, you need to take immediate action to manage the pain and prevent further damage. The first thing is to remove the damaging hairstyle. If you continue to wear those tight braids, it will only worsen the pain and hair loss.

Once you have removed the damaging tight hairstyle, focus on nourishing your scalp. Gently massage your scalp daily with a lightweight oil like jojoba or almond to increase blood flow to the follicles. This will help in delivering vital nutrients to the scalp to promote healing and boost the overall health of your scalp and hair.

Consider finding shampoos or scalp treatments with ingredients that reduce inflammation. As you focus on managing the pain and impacts of traction alopecia, ensure you are taking care of the overall health of your hair. You may also speak to a dermatologist to find effective topical applications that soothe the scalp while stimulating hair growth.

Prevention is Better than Cure

The best way to deal with pain from tight hairstyles and traction alopecia is to prevent the pain from happening in the first place. Here are a few useful tips:

Change your hairstyle every couple of weeks
Don’t use rubber or elastic bands to hold your hair in place when wearing a ponytail
Avoid chemically processing your hair if you use weaves or braid your hair
Wear weaves or extensions only for a short period when you need to
If you wear a wig, choose one with a satin wig cap
When you braid your hair or put it in dreadlocks, make the braids thick
Keep the heat setting low on your hair dryer and flat iron
Don’t use hair relaxers
Don’t sleep in rollers. Wrap your hair instead

By taking care of your hair and avoiding styles or instances that result in pulling, you can effectively prevent traction alopecia and related pain. Before wearing a new hairstyle, talk to your stylist and communicate that your comfort matters.

If your stylist is braiding your hair too tightly, let them know immediately so that they can loosen it. Make sure you also choose hairstyles that are not too tight, such as those that use larger sections of hair. Moisturize your scalp and hair often, and consider giving your hair a break after taking a style out. These simple tips will not only help you in avoiding the pain associated with tight hairstyles but will also protect you from traction alopecia in the long term.

Additional Resources