May 19, 2022Hair growth

What is Traction Alopecia?

Traction alopecia is a form of hair loss that results from a tension on the scalp and hair. It originates from Greenland, where people called it alopecia Groenlandica. People that suffer from traction alopecia often develop hair loss along the hairline due to wearing tight ponytails, buns or braids. Heat and chemicals on your hair can also worsen the condition.

In this article you will read about the history of traction alopecia, the symptoms, potential causes, how to prevent it, histological findings of traction alopecia, other causes of hair loss and about the best treatment against hair loss.

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History of traction alopecia

In 1907, an Austrian dermatologist named Trebitsch, reported a characteristic type of alopecia among people that live in Greenland. Many women did wear their hair in a traditional tight coiffure on the crown of the head. The hair loss was clearly visible in this group of women compared to the women of Europe that wore looser European styles. The name that the Austrian dermatologist gave to this native hairstyling ‘Alopecia Groenlandica’.

In 1957 another man named Hjorth, studied the same population in 1957. He noted a symmetrical baldness or thinning beginning at the hairline and accompanied by follicular atrophy witch patchy areas of perifolliculitis.

In 1931 there was also a similar syndrome of marginal alopecia reported in Japan. The syndrome attributed to traditional hairstyles of that country and which he termed alopecia atrophica symmetrica temporalis.

Around this time more investigators reported and described this type of hair loss. And the investigation continued. There was found and interaction between new brush technology and permanent hairstyling techniques that resulted in traction alopecia in a series of English patients.

Symptoms of traction alopecia

Common symptoms among traction alopecia are the symptoms below:

If you want to avoid damage to your hair, you need to treat your hair as fast as possible.
You can treat these symptoms with effective products that suits the scalp and works healthy. But you should combine this products with behavioural modification, thus not wearing braiding, cornrows, tight ponytails, buns and hair extensions.

Causes

As said above you get traction alopecia from pulling your hair and wearing tight hairstyles. Pulling on the hair repeatedly loosens the hair shaft in its follicle. But also, hair extensions and weaves can cause traction alopecia as well as putting your hair up in rollers overnight.

If you have long hair you can also get traction alopecia due to the weight of the hair that might pull on your scalp. Men can also feel pulling in their beard, if they twist it too tightly.

Nowadays, this condition is most common in African-American women, although it can possibly affect people of any ethnicity. But they often wear hairstyles that pull. Also, ballerinas and gymnasts that put their hair up in a tight bun, might experience more pulling.

How to prevent Traction Alopecia

The causes of traction alopecia are easy to treat and prevent. We have compiled a list of tips and advice for you to prevent in the future and treat it as fast and effective as possible.

If you want to wear a hairstyle that might pull you should change it once in a couple of weeks. Find alternatives for yourself and wear it also down.
Against the hair loss you can use an effective treatment to grow your hair back as fast as possible.
Rubber and elastic bands to hold your hair in place can also pull out your hair.
Avoid chemically processing your hair if you use weaves or braid your hair. The chemicals can damage your hair, making it more likely to break.
Prevent wearing wigs or choose a satin wig cap. Which won’t pull as hard on your scalp.
This shampoo helps to grow your hair back. And is also a real treat for your scalp, it helps to eliminate several scalp conditions such as dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.

Other causes of hair loss

When you suffer from hair loss, it is not necessarily due to wearing a ponytail or something else that is pulling on your hair. You may suffer from other conditions that cause your hair loss. The most common cause of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which is hereditary and often goes in generations of your family.

Luckily, androgenetic alopecia is not difficult to treat and there is an effective treatment for this, which has been proven effective to tackle patchy baldness. More than 90% is satisfied with the results and it works more effective on cell growth than Minoxidil.

Telogen effluvium is another form of hair loss, and is most of the time temporary. It is due to childbirth, illness and other stressors. When the stress stops, it is possible you will recover in a couple of months. But if you want to speed up this recover of your hair, you can use this treatment.

Scalp infections can also lead to hair loss and an unhealthy scalp. Many people suffer from dandruff, while there are many anti-dandruff shampoos. Unfortunately, some of these shampoos do not work, that is why Neofollics developed an highly effective treatment against such scalp conditions. This treatment also works against; seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis and lichen planopilaris.

The best treatment against hair loss

The best treatment against hair loss in general, is an advanced treatment of hair loss. This Neofollics treatment contains a powerful combination of an Hair Growth Stimulating Shampoo, Hair Growth Stimulating Conditioner, Hair Growth Stimulating Lotion and Hair Growth Supporting Tablets.

The shampoo, conditioner and lotion are 3 topical products that stimulate hair growth from the outside, while the tablets stimulate hair growth and health from the inside. This treatment contains the highly effective Neoxyl 7% formula, that has no side-effects.

Compared with products that contain Minoxidil, the Neofollics treatment does not only help you with growing your hair back, but it also stimulates an healthy scalp.

Conclusion

Traction alopecia is a condition, in which your hair is pulling. The pulling of your hair can cause hair loss. The cause is often wearing a wig or tight hairstyles. It is preventable and there are also some treatments that can help with growing your hair back.