Your braids should feel secure, but they shouldn’t be so tight that it’s painful to move your head or lift the braids. Make sure your stylist isn’t braiding your hair too tightly. Plus, lighter braids are more versatile and don’t put as much strain on your neck, shoulders, and back. This removes more weight from your braids, which means they’ll be less likely to cause traction alopecia. Feathered braids are thick at the roots and taper down to thin ends. These will be lighter than thick braids and will place less tension on your natural hair.Īlso, ask your stylist to feather your braids.
Choose the Right BraidsĪt your braid installation appointment, tell your hairstylist that you want small or medium size box braids. Then wash it out with a gentle shampoo like Toppik Hair Building Shampoo. Apply to hair and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Mix one part coconut oil with one part honey. You can use a store-bought conditioning mask, or make your own. Deep Condition Your Natural Hairīefore going in for your braiding appointment, deep condition your natural hair to make sure it’s as healthy as possible. Squeeze excess moisture out of the hair and hang to dry. Once a white film appears, rinse the hair in clean, warm water. Place the synthetic hair in the bowl for 20 minutes. To remove the coating, fill a bowl with warm water and one cup of apple cider vinegar. Synthetic hair has a coating that can make your scalp itchy, and this inflammation can lead to further hair loss.
If you purchase synthetic hair extensions, watch out for allergies. Too-heavy extensions can pull on fine or thin hair, pulling it at the root and causing damage. When shopping for extensions for your box braids, choose a hair texture that is lightweight enough for your hair type. Braiding thin hair requires a specific technique to prevent unnecessary breakage and hair loss. Ask your friends for recommendations or look online for a stylist in your area who specializes in braids. Do Your Researchįirst, you need to find a stylist that has plenty of experience braiding thin hair. And since installing braids means you don’t have to style your hair everyday, you’re allowing your natural hair to grow with minimal damage.ĭepending on how your stylist parts your hair for the braids, they can also help disguise areas of traction alopecia. This allows you to add length and thickness to your hair, which is especially helpful if you have thin or fine hair. Then extensions are braided into the natural hair. However, you can wear gentler braid styles such as box braids as long as you’re very careful about how they’re installed and how you care for them after installation.īox braids are a protective hairstyle in which natural hair is separated into box-shaped sections. The best thing to do if you notice signs of traction alopecia is to take a break from braiding your hair. In the worst cases, scarring can occur on the scalp and the hairline actually can recede. The hairlines along the front or sides of the scalp (or “edges”) are usually most affected.
As the condition progresses, hair begins to fall out and break off. Symptoms of traction alopecia begin as small bumps on the scalp. This type of hair loss can be caused by too-tight ponytails, buns, and braids. Traction alopecia is defined as hair loss caused by pulling on the hair. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology reports that more than one-third of African American women will experience traction alopecia at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, hair loss from tight box braids is all too common, especially for African American women. Traction Alopecia: How Tight Braids Can Cause Hair Loss
Keep reading to find out the best box braids for thin hair, and how Toppik Hair Building Fibers can make thin edges look fuller. The good news? Box braids can work for your thin hair as long as you follow some guidelines and styling tips. And if you already have fine or thin hair, the last thing you want is more hair loss. We’ve all heard horror stories about tight braids causing hair loss. If you have thin or fine hair, you might be wondering if braids will work for you.
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