Myth or Fact: Certain Hairstyles Can Cause Hair Loss

There are a number of reasons why hair loss occurs. Generally, the most common causes are heredity, physical stress, emotional stress, medical conditions, poor diet, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and certain medications.

But there are also unusual causes of hair loss and one of these is traction alopecia. This is a condition caused by damage to the follicles due to constant pulling over a long period. There are practices that can inadvertently cause tension to the hair strands. People who are fond of wearing tight braids can experience pulling of the hair and subsequent breakage.

Ponytails and pigtails are the most common hairstyles in wnmen and children. However, care should be taken that the style does not cause significant pull to the roots. Constantly wearing the same type of style on the same area of the head can lead to a bald spot on that specific area.

Cornrows, the traditional African hairstyle wherein the hair is braided very close to the scalp is popular because of its easy maintenance. It is usually left on for several weeks at a time. But if the scalp is not properly managed during this time, it can lead to conditions such as dandruff, itchy scalp, and massive hair fall.

Weaves are becoming increasingly popular in women. This involves adding additional hair to the natural hair with human or synthetic hair to make it appear longer. The synthetic hair can also be attached using hair glue. Hair extensions involve weaving hair strand by strand that can be attached by directly bonding it to the hair or using copper links. Women who continually wear hair weaves are increasingly prone to hair loss.

Dreadlocks, especially popular among males, is essentially encouraging hair to tangle together as it grows. Over time, hair becomes twisted and matted, resulting to a hairstyle known as dreadlocks or dreads. This type of style can cause stress on the scalp and also tug the hair at its roots. The hair follicles become damaged and since dreads are thought to work best on dirty hair, a lot of people develop dandruff and also infections on the scalp that can lead to hair loss.

Inevitably, with the constant stress and pull of these particular hairstyles, the roots become damaged, leading to baldness due to traction alopecia. The tighter the hairstyle is, the more damage it can cause. Also, failure to practice good hair and scalp habits can lead to oil and dirt buildup, another cause of hair loss.