Traction Alopecia

What is Traction Alopecia?

As the name says it, Traction Alopecia which is also known as Traumatic Alopecia is a hair loss condition that is caused by external forces that results in the hair shaft to break or dislodges the hair from the hair follicle.

This condition is relatively common to people who love to tie and style their hair. A huge percentage of African women and men are especially exposed to traction related hair loss because of their frequent use of tight hair styles like cornrows, dreadlocks and hair weaves. Women athletes, ballerinas, and nurses who usually tie their hairs tightly are also vulnerable to this form of hair loss.

If left uncontrolled, it might lead to more severe complications that can probably cause permanent hair loss.

Medical Symptoms

In most cases, there are not any pronounced symptoms of Traction Alopecia besides signs of thinning hair around the affected area. However if you allow the condition to regress or if the traction increases, there are chances it might lead to

• Localized hair loss
• Broken and damaged hair shafts
• Inflamed hair follicles
• Painful bumps around the affected hair follicles
• Scaling and flaking
• Thinner hair regrowth
• Bacterial infection of the hair follicles

The pace of Traction Alopecia usually depends on the durability of your hair follicles, the amount of tension your hair can withstand and also the duration of the continued stress. Any increase in either areas will accelerate the condition further.

What Causes Traction Alopecia?

While the most common causes of Traction Alopecia are related to tight styling methods, there are still many possible reasons that can be causing the hair loss. The most frequently reported causes are

• Tight hairstyles
  Any hairstyles that apply strong pressure against your hair and hair follicles are a potential cause of hair loss. This might include tight braidings, cornrows, hairweaves, ponytails and pigtails.
• Scratching
  Scratching your hair profusely can also cause unwanted hair loss. If your head itches due to some scalp condition like Seborrheic Dermatitis or other infections, you are tend to react by scratching it which can dislodge some healthy growing hairs.
• Wearing Certain Hairpieces
  There are some hair pieces, wigs or custom made hair systems that requires you to apply a type of glue to help it stick on your scalp. This is also a possible cause of Traction Alopecia. Some hair systems need you to merge your hair with it through a weaving process and that can also cause a problem later when you remove them.
• Regular Shampooing and Toweling
  Shampooing and toweling your hair is not a cause for hair loss. However, if you apply too much pressure, the traction is enough to break some healthy hair shafts and even remove a few good and strong hairs as well.
• Styling Your Hair
  If your hair is tangled up real bad, combing it vigorously hair to separate the tangled hairs is not entirely a good idea as it can also pull out the hairs from the hair follicles. Some styling creams and sprays create such strong bonds to your hair that combing it can be a very difficult task.
• Chemicals and Heating Elements
  Over-processing your hair with chemicals like dyes can further weaken the bond between your hair and hair follicle, allowing healthy hairs to dislodge easier. Heating elements can also cause the hair shafts to break off paving a way for faster thinning hair.

Anything that stresses your hair and the hair follicles can cause traction hair loss and that list can go on forever. It's important to prevent your hair from such unnecessary pressure if you really want to stop this condition. See how below.

Preventing Traction Alopecia

If you discover the condition early and before any more serious symptoms develop, you usually do not require any treatment at all. The most important thing that you can do to prevent Traction Alopecia is to avoid further pressure to the hair and hair follicles.

A good way you can begin is by to avoiding any hair styles that are tight on your hair. You can still tie up your hair of course but keep it loose and make sure the hair is relaxed enough. As a matter of fact, keep it as unrestricted as possible and allow your hair flow freely. Well, of course, the best way is still not to style your hair while waiting for it to recover.

Treating Other Symptoms

As mentioned earlier, if you do not tend to it immediately, the constant traction can further cause damage to your hair follicles and can trigger a wide range of medical symptoms that might require serious medical attention. There is a chance that your hair follicles can be so severely damaged due to frequent tugging and pulling causing them to produce weak or no hair fibers at all. Over time, the hair follicles can even shut down permanently and die off and that is where permanent hair loss comes in.

If you notice further symptoms like inflammation, swelling, poor hair regrowth or scaling, it's time to visit your dermatologist to seek appropriate treatment options.

After you rectify some of the more serious symptoms, you should be able to see hair growing back. If not, then there are some hair treatment options that you can choose from like

• Minoxidil
  Minoxidil is a hair growth stimulant and it has been proven very effective in helping hairs that are unable to grow properly. Widely used for treating many hair loss conditions, if you notice poor hair growth, this might be a good option for you.
• Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT)
  LLLT is also another less invasive alternative to help stimulate blood flow to the scalp and provoke the hair follicle to grow. Cleared by FDA to be able to improve hair density, this is another alternative that you can consider.
• Hair Transplants
  Another serious alternative especially if you are facing with permanent hair loss. A hair transplant procedure might be a good choice for you to replace areas where the hair is lost.

Regardless, no treatment is always the best treatment. As most cases of Traction Alopecia are self inflicted, the best way to prevent it usually lies with you. Maintaining and caring for your hair properly is the best way to avoid this form of hair loss.

Another Form of Traction Alopecia

There is a form of nervous disorder that causes Traction Alopecia and that is known as Trichotillomania where you will unnoticeably pull your hair leading to hair loss. This condition is usually developed as a habit during young and can worsen when you age.

To learn more about this strange yet relatively common medication condition, Click here.