How Can I Regrow My Afro Hair Line?

How Can I Regrow My Afro Hair Line?

Taking action to address your thinning hair line is good because the sooner you act, the higher the chance of regrowth. Thinning afro hair lines effect black men and women equally. This blog will address the possible causes of thinning afro hair lines and the steps you can take to achieve regrowth.

Why Is My Afro Hair Line Thinning?

The number one cause of thinning afro hair lines are hair styling techniques which triggers Traction Alopecia. Hair-styling practices such as dreadlocks, cornrows/braids, weave/extensions and tight ponytails are the most common causes of Traction Alopecia.

A thinning hair line might also be caused by Male Pattern Baldness. Male Pattern Baldness is genetic and spread can be prevented if treated as soon as symptoms are identified. We will address how to prevent the spread of Male Pattern Baldness in this blog.

Your Hair Line Can Become Thin if You Have Dreadlocks

Dreadlocks are cool. They allow for creative and cultural expression, however, they are also notorious being one of the most common causes of hair loss for people with textured hair. Dreadlocks causing hair loss and making hair lines disappear is surprising for many because it is considered a ‘natural’ hairstyle. Dreadlocks is indeed a ‘natural’ hairstyle of sorts, but it still requires a degree of hair styling, which more often than not cause hair lines to recede and bald patches to appear around the scalp.

If you have dreadlocks and are suffering from a thinning hair line the chances are you are suffering from Traction Alopecia, click here to learn more. Dreadlocks can cause a receding hair line when they become too long in length and are loc’d too tightly. When dreadlocks become long in length, they cause hair loss because the weight and drag of them on the scalp is a larger load than the scalp can deal with. This is because hair which should be lost naturally during the Telogen stage of the hair growth cycle remains loc’d into the dreads. Consequently, people who wear dreadlocks have an additional 50 to 150 strands of hair per day, pulling on their scalp, which otherwise would have shed naturally.

When hair strands fall as part of the hair growth cycle, this allows hair follicles and bulbs to rest, ready for re-growth (the Anagen stage of the hair growth cycle). In the instance of dreadlocks, the natural and timely period of rest does not occur and the additional load on the scalp results in the mechanical loosening of the hair follicle from the hair bulb which, in turn inflames the scalp and hair bulb, causing trauma. As a result of the trauma, the hair bulb and follicle take a prolonged period of rest which manifests in noticeable hair loss, usually long the hairline and throughout the scalp. If you have dreadlocks and are suffering from hair loss click here for more information.

Retwisting locs too frequently and tightly can also cause Traction Alopecia by putting additional strain on the scalp and hair follicle, which can also trigger a thinning hair line.

I have Dreadlocks, How Can I Regrow My Hair Line?

If you have dreadlocks and would like to regrow your hair line, we recommend taking the following steps:

• Reducing the length of your dreadlocks. This will reduce the strain on your scalp from the additional weight on the hair bulb due to the hindering effect dreadlocks has on the hair growth cycle and minimise the effects of Traction Alopecia.
• Avoid frequent, tight retwisting which can cause hair breakage and hair thinning at the root.
• Get Treatment. If you have dreadlocks and are suffering from a thinning hair line or general hair loss and thinning and want your hair line to regrow, you will most likely need to undergo treatment to prevent further hair loss and stimulate hair regrowth.  ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Shampoo and Lotion is a three-month treatment pack that works in tandem with the science of your hair’s growth cycle. ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Shampoo and Lotion revitalises hair follicles and increases the rate at which blood flows around the scalp and passes nutrients and oxygen to the hair bulb (Microcirculation), which restores hair growth and stops excessive hair loss. The patented formula contains Si Matrix PF, which has all the nutrients which your hair needs to grow, making hair thicker and stronger.
• NOTE OF CAUTION. Should hair loss become extreme, with bald shiny patches beginning to appear on your scalp we recommend no longer styling your hair in dreadlocks and wearing a natural style to prevent hair loss becoming permanent. Click here for more information.

Braids, Cornrows and Tight Ponytails Can Cause Your Hair Line to Thin

Braids and cornrows can also cause hair loss along the hair line and general hair thinning. Because afro hair is fine it is more sensitive the tugging and pulling it undergoes whilst being styled in braids, cornrows or tight ponytails. Afro hair is kinky so the hair cuticles do not lay flat because of the curved nature of the shaft. This makes afro hair more susceptible to fraying and thinning when styled in a way which involves pulling and tugging.

Hairstyles which defy the natural curls/kink of afro hair through straightening, pulling and braiding can also cause the hair bulb to gradually separate from the hair follicle, causing sustained hair loss.

Repetitive and sustained pulling of your hair causes tension around the hair follicles can result in inflammation which can cause scarring around the scalp and permanent hair loss or balding.

I Style My Hair in Braids, Cornrows and Tight Ponytails How Can I Regrow My Thinning Hair Line?

The first thing you can do to reduce the spread and continuum of hair loss is to stop styling your hair in braids, cornrows and tight ponytails. Once you stop putting repetitive pressure on your hair line and scalp hair loss was stop, however, this does not guarantee regrowth.

To achieve regrowth, we recommend treatment such as ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Shampoo and Lotion, which revitalise hair follicles and reactivate hair growth, to click here to learn more.

We also recommend gently massaging the area which has experienced hair loss and trauma to stimulate blood flow and hair growth.

Weave and Hair Extensions Can Result in a Thinning Hair Line

If you have been using weaves and noticed your hair line is thinning, the chances are you are suffering from Traction Alopecia and it is advisable stop weaving and adopt more natural hair styles to prevent further hair loss.

Using bonding glue to attach hair extensions to your scalp may have a realistic look but they can have catastrophic impact on your hair and scalp.

Bonding glue blocks the pathway your hair follicle follows through your scalp. Once bonding glue penetrates the scalp, it creates a hostile environment for hair growth. The glue enters the hair bulb and follicles making it impossible for hair to sprout and continue its journey towards the scalp and beyond. Consequently, hair stops growing and the glue damaged hair bulb closes because it has become contaminated by the sticky substance, which the follicle is unable to dispose of. Worse case scenario is that the hair follicle dies, and the hair bulb closes and regrowth is unable to be achieved.

How to Regrow My Hair Line After Wearing Weave and Hair Extensions and Using Bonding Glue?

Hair follicles die and hair bulbs close after repeated and sustained trauma caused by weave or using bonding glue. Therefore we advise abandoning weave and hair extensions as soon as you notice any sign of hair loss. This will prevent ongoing pressure being applied to the scalp and limit the spread of Traction Alopecia.

We also recommend treatment such as ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Shampoo and Lotion which will:

1) Cleanses and purifies the scalp from remnants of bonding glue and other scalp impurities/bacteria which can hinder hair growth and perpetuate hair loss.

2) Soothe the scalp, helping it to heal from the trauma it has experienced, thereby creating a healthy environment for hair to grow.

3) Revitalise and reactivate hair bulb and follicles, restoring hair growth, click here for more info.

Male Pattern Baldness Can Cause Your Hair Line to Become Fine and Recede

Male Pattern Baldness is one of the most common causes of thinning/receding hair lines. Male Pattern Baldness is a genetic hair loss condition which causes baldness. Because Male Pattern Baldness is genetic, if anyone in your family has suffered from Male Pattern Baldness, there is a possibility you could too. If your pattern of hair loss is a receding hair line that starts at the temples, gradually working its way backwards to form a distinctive ‘M’ shape, then the chances are you are suffering from Male Pattern Baldness.

Male Pattern Baldness happens when hair follicles become minimised and eventually completely diminished because of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a by-product of testosterone. The reduction in the size of hair follicles continues to thin hair over time, making hair more prone to fall, resulting in balding.

When the scalp comes becomes under attack from DHT, there is an increased percentage of hair follicles in the Telogen stage (hair loss stage) of the hair growth cycle, which is the point at which the hair follicle detaches from the blood supply, thereby preventing any further hair creation, causing the hair to fall out. To aggravate the hair loss situation, DHT also shortens the length of the Anagen stage of the hair growth cycle, which is the growth stage. A reduction in the length of the Anagen stage means hair lost is not replaced when lost, making the scalp more noticeable. 

Can I Achieve Hair Regrowth if I am Suffering from Male Pattern Baldness?

The good news is, with treatment, further hair loss can be prevented and the hair you currently have can be maintained. ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Shampoo and Lotion helps to preserve the hair that you have left and reduce hair shedding. To prevent the spread of Male Pattern Baldness, hair follicles need to be stimulated to prolong the Anagen (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle. ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Lotion contains the patented Si MATRIX PF which helps to reactivate the peripheral micro circulation (blood flow around the scalp), as well as increasing the supply of oxygen to and nutrients to the hair bulb which stimulates hair growth and revitalises hair follicles, helping to extend the Anagen phase. ProTress Essential Scalp Therapy Energising Lotion also contains revolutionary treatment for connective tissue recovery which helps to prevent the excessive shedding which happens when the hair is in an extended period of Telogen (the final stage of the hair growth cycle when hair falls), because of Male Pattern Baldness and the strong presence of DHT.

The bad news is, once hair follicles have been minimised, completely diminished and lost whilst suffering from Male Pattern Baldness, it is not possible to establish regrowth. The presence of DHT kills the hair bulb and follicle. When the hair bulb has closed and dies, hair growth is no longer possible. The only way to reactivate hair growth in this circumstance would be to undergo a hair transplant. Please click here for more information.