Pulling the hair to the top of the head in a sort of vertical, folded ponytail is an increasingly popular style. Should wearers be asking themselves, is traction alopecia caused by man buns?
Hair Style Trumps Hair Sense
As summer hits its heights those of us with hair will be taking steps against the heat. For some, this will simply mean a trip to the barber to remove some excess hair. Others will go the whole way and buzzcut to maximise airflow around the scalp. But some, particularly young men, take an alternative route. Choosing not to give up their locks for a seasonal spike in temperature they style their hair to keep cool. Gathering all the hair it is bunched at the crown, then folded into a tight bun and tied to keep it in place. This exposes the entire neck as if the hair were cut “short back and sides” but allows them to keep all their hair. The question is, at what cost?
Traction Alopecia
Unlike just about every other form of alopecia, traction alopecia is self-inflicted. It can affect men and women and is caused by putting hair into styles where it is permanently pulled. This pulling is most pronounced at the hairline, where the swept-back hair creates stress on the follicles.
That stress on the hairline, if prolonged, can lead to hair loss. In fact, if the early signs are ignored it can lead to permanent hair loss. Those early signs can include redness, itching, small pimples on the scalp at the hairline. Ignore those signs at your peril, the next step will be patches of thin and broken hair and ultimately permanent loss of hair.
Can Traction Alopecia Be Treated?
At all stages, the treatment is simply to stop wearing the style that caused the problem in the first place. It means looking out for those early signs is vital, leave it too long and it will be permanent in the truest sense. Largely untreatable there may be some limited recovery through medication but you can expect the new hairline to be a fixture.
We did write about one potential solution to the problem in 2015, click here to see the blog. For more information on traction alopecia, you can visit the NHS page on the subject by clicking here.
HIS Hair Clinic
Primarily a problem that only affected women up till now, the popularity of the man bun has seen it become a problem for men too. The fact that it is a style rarely worn by men over 30 means it is typically a hazard for young men, notoriously short-sighted when it comes to this looking after themselves in the long term. The lack of treatment for an advanced state should sharpen minds. It should encourage these young men to wear their buns more loosely to avoid the pulling at the hairline. Or maybe not bother with the style at all. If you want to learn more about traction alopecia you can visit the British Association of Dermatologists web page on the subject by clicking here.
If you would like to discuss your hair loss situation with one of our team of friendly experts, simply complete our contact form on this page or click here to find your nearest clinic.
