Traction alopecia is a serious problem for African American women, one hairdresser in Atlanta Ga. is spreading the word and using her skills to fight the problem.
Razor Chic
Jasmine Collins has established her salon, Razor Chic in Atlanta Georgia, as a go to for African American women suffering with traction alopecia. This form of alopecia, for which there is no cure, is typically bought on by styles that see the hair pulled into tight braids, or the wearing of heavy weaves and wigs which put pressure on the natural hair they are attached to. The problem is not restricted to African American women of course, but it is undoubtedly more of a problem among them due in part to style preferences. The problem is exacerbated because African American hair, due to it’s curly nature… it means the sebum, hair’s natural protector, cannot travel easily round the bends in the hair making them more prone to breakage than straight hair.
This form of alopecia will typically appear at the hairline where the pull on the hair is at its greatest, but it can result in more significant and widespread hair loss and leave the sufferer with some tough choices. Many are forced to resort to the wigs and weaves that created the problem in the first place. Some may opt for transplantation though this will start, for a relatively small amount of hair, at around $3000. A modern alternative on offer could see them go for PRP (Platelet Rich Therapy) which sees the patients own blood used to create a serum which is injected directly back into their scalp. A course might cost as much as $2500 and results can take anything up to 3 or 4 months to appear, if they appear at all – there are no guarantees.
Jasmine’s Approach
For around $500 Jasmine’s clients will receive a cut prior to the application of colour… She uses dye to reduce the contrast between the hair and the scalp. Finally she straightens the hair with chemicals to produce the volume and movement that her clients desire. The results can be remarkable and women with extreme hair loss have been helped to the point where their emotional reaction to the finished style is heartwarming… tears of joy and gratitude are regular on her YouTube videos.
Jasmine herself said, in an interview with the NY Times: “I am not anti-weave or wig, I’m just trying to spread the word about an issue.”
HIS Hair Clinic
Really refreshing to read about Jasmine and her efforts to both educate and repair… for those who cannot get to her Atlanta salon she offers on-line “Edge-U-Cation” classes for a small fee.
We have been writing about this issue for years and it is rare indeed to come across anyone actively involved in the fight. Here at HIS we passionately believe that Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) is a fantastic option for women suffering from traction alopecia, where it can be used to in-fill along and above the hairline to completely mask the issue. But the work of Jasmine at Razor Edge for women suffering from more advanced cases is great to read and we wish her every success… excellent to see her work being recognised in the NY Times, you can see their article by clicking here.
If you would like to discuss your hair loss situation with one of our team of friendly experts simply complete the contact form at the side of this page, or click here to find your nearest clinic.
