Do Crochet Braids Damage Your Hair
The natural hair movement has caused a boom in innovative hair styles for people with afro textured hair. Crochet Braids, a phenomenon of the nineties, has made a comeback as people search for refreshing ways to protect their natural hair without compromising on the glamour. Slightly lighter on the scalp than braids and cheaper than weaves, what’s not to love?
What Are Crochet Braids?
Crochet Braids describe a technique in which loose hair is crocheted onto cornrows. Loose hair, folded over is guided underneath the cornrows with a closed latched crochet needle, forming a loop, which is then knotted onto the cornrow.
Crochet Braids are real in appearance, provide hair density without extraneous weight, and they can be applied within hours if you know what you are doing.
Will Crochet Braids Damage Your Hair, Causing Hair Breakage or Hair Loss?
The downside of Crochet Braids is the tool used for application, which is the crochet braid needle. Weaving a metal crochet needle under cornrows can snap and snag hair causing hair breakage. If you are suffering from hair loss, click here for more info.
Also, although Crochet Braids are light on the scalp compared to braids and weaves, the hairstyle is vulnerable to Traction Alopecia because of:
- The cornrows
- The knots tied onto the cornrows
Cornrows
Cornrows are known to trigger Traction Alopecia because the style involves tight pulling of small sections of hair to achieve tidy, neat cornrows.
Tight cornrows put tremendous strain on the scalp, triggering scalp trauma which will manifest with the following symptoms:
- parts of the scalp becoming sore
- small bumps appearing on the scalp
- the scalp turning red
Points 1) through to 3) can result in scalp inflammation which will in turn cause hair follicles to respond by entering the Telogen stage of the hair growth cycle prematurely, consequently releasing hair, causing hair loss and triggering Traction Alopecia.
Knots Tied onto the Cornrows
Although Crochet Braids are lighter than braids and weaves, knotting hair onto the cornrows adds additional weight to the scalp. Adding excess weight to the scalp, consistently over time, can trigger hair loss conditions such as traction alopecia. Traction Alopecia occurs when unnatural and excessive pressure is applied to the scalp though pulling tugging and or excess weight which in turn causes a loosening of the hair follicle from the hair bulb, causing hair to shed and fall.
The Danger of Removal
Removing Crochet Braids can be somewhat problematic because it requires removing loose knotted hair from cornrows. This usually results in pulling and tugging and when necessary, having to use scissors to cut the knot. Mistakes can happen and your natural hair could be cut by accident resulting in hair loss.
Treatment for Traction Alopecia
If you are suffering from hair loss which you think has been caused by Traction Alopecia, we recommend avoiding tight hair styles such as cornrows, weaves and braids.
If you have noticed hair thinning and your scalp is becoming more visible because of hair loss, you may require treatment to facilitate hair regrowth. Avoiding tightly styled hair styles combined with effective treatment can prevent the perpetuation of Traction Alopecia and restore your edges. ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Lotion facilitates recovery from Traction Alopecia because it contains the patented Si MATRIX PF, revolutionary treatment for the connective tissue recovery and revitalising hair follicles which stimulates hair growth. Once the ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Lotion is applied to the scalp, the peripheral micro circulation (flow of blood around the scalp) is reactivated causing the scalp to tingle as the lotion massages the scalp, improving the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the hair bulbs, which improves hair growth, restoring hair which was lost because of Traction Alopecia. If you want your hair back, ProTress is the answer. Check out the results below:
