Do Braids Cause Hair Loss? What to Know

Braids have long held cultural, historical, and personal significance. Particularly for black women, braids can be more than just a hairstyle. They also serve as a powerful tool for self-expression, a protective styling method, and a way to connect to a deep cultural heritage. After all, hair braiding began as early as 5,000 years ago in Africa, and is still popular today.  

However, the more you wear braids, the more you may notice hair loss or a receding hairline. Should you switch to a different style of hair? Here’s what you should know about braids and hair loss.  Plus, we’ll give you tips to preserve your edges and protect your hair from potential long-term damage.

Are Braids Bad for Your Hair? Here’s the Truth: 

Braids can be part of a healthy hair care routine. However, tight or heavy braids worn over long periods can lead to hair loss.

After all, protective hairstyles like box braids and cornrows protect afro-textured hair from environmental stressors. 

However, wearing tight, heavy braids eventually leads to traction alopecia, which is hair loss caused by excessive stress or constant pulling on the hair. Repeated tension leads to the hair follicles ripping directly from the scalp.

Will Hair Loss From Braids Grow Back?

If you catch it early enough and change up your hairstyle, your hair may grow back. But, over time, traction alopecia can lead to scalp damage and permanent hair loss. 

The key is early intervention—once the hair follicles become scarred, regrowth becomes more difficult, and in some certain, impossible. Signs like thinning edges, bumps, redness, or tenderness around the scalp are early indicators that your braids, cornrows, or dreadlocks are worn too tight.

What to Know About Traction Alopecia

When the hair is pulled too tightly, the hair root, or follicle, can become damaged and inflamed. As a result, the hair shaft may pull out completely, or the inflammation may cause pus-filled bumps to form at the root. And the hairs at the point of tension will become finer and thin out. 

In most cases, people who experience traction alopecia from braids may notice a receding hairline and patches of hair loss on the frontal and temporal regions of the head.

Read our article, “African American Females Guide to Alopecia”.

Hair Loss Solutions for Braiding

If you wear braids and want to prevent a receding hairline and long-term hair loss, here are a few helpful hair styling tips: 

Reduce the Tension of Your Braids

Here’s some good news: you don’t have to stop wearing braided styles like cornrows and box braids to avoid traction alopecia.

When braided, the tension and pulling of your hair will ultimately contribute to your hair loss. So, if you reduce the tension, you reduce your risk of hair loss.

Consider these tips when braiding your hair.

• Instead of wearing tightly braided hair, loosen your braids, particularly around your hairline’s edges (baby hairs). The hair on your edges is fragile and thus more susceptible to traction alopecia.
• Choose to wear thicker braids, as these don’t pull on the hair root as much as smaller braids do.
• Opt for larger braids or twists. Taking larger sections of hair distributes the tension across a larger area. This reduces stress on individual hair follicles.
• Avoid adding hair extensions to your braids. The added weight of the extension increases the tension on your scalp. 
• Consider wearing your braids for no longer than two months. As the braids grow out, prolonged wear can cause increased tension. 
• Take breaks between braiding sessions to avoid tension on the same parts of the hair. Instead, alternate between different styles rather than wearing braids back-to-back.

Treat Your Scalp

Besides switching your braiding techniques, treating your scalp promotes overall hair and scalp health. This can help you avoid traction alopecia. Proper scalp care removes dead skin, which helps keep the scalp healthy and promotes natural hair growth. 

Here are a few tips to treat your scalp.

• When wearing braids, gently clean your scalp with shampoo every 1-2 weeks. This prevents building, which can irritate the scalp and weaken hair follicles.
• Be sure to moisturize your scalp frequently. Use natural oils like coconut or jojoba for a lightweight leave-in conditioner.
• Avoid excessive scratching of the scalp if it’s itchy. Try putting a dab of anti-itch oil every few days on any sensitive or itchy areas of the scalp.

The key to preventing traction alopecia due to braiding is to detect it in the early stage. Treating late-stage traction alopecia is difficult. In severe cases, one of the best options is a hair transplant.

Communicate With Your Stylist

Try to find an experienced hair stylist who knows about the risks of traction alopecia. Let them know if you are already noticing early signs of traction alopecia.

Remember, you do not have to endure painful braids! If you feel any pain during braiding, let your stylist know immediately.

It is perfectly okay to request a looser braiding technique. A good stylist will listen to your concerns and adjust as needed.