We are, very much, still in the baby hair era with rhinestone-studded, looped, swooped and swirled edges trending everywhere, forcing hairstylists to up their game. So if your hairline is thinning out and causing you panic, you’re not alone. Hair loss along the edges, or hair loss in general, is a common beauty problem, and many people suffer emotional stress over it. Our hair is a unique part of our identity, and in a society where beauty and physical appearance are worshipped, losing your hairline or edges can be pretty daunting and even birth some trauma for you. Many videos on social media show the lengths people would go to have lush, smooth edges or hide their thinning edges. Tattooed baby hairs? Faux edges installations? Swirls with black eyeliner? Dye? These amazing inventions only prove how dear our edges are to us, and no one really ever wants to lose theirs.
So in case you’ve been wondering, the panic you feel about your edges thinning out and the yearning to grow them back in whatever way you can is more than valid. And I hope that you’ll have the knowledge and solution you need after reading this article. So let’s get right into it. According to our hair experts, you can blame your thinning edges on these culprits:
1. Tension From Hairstyles
It’s crazy how we let hairstylists pull our precious hair into the tightest braids, weaves, buns and even locs because we want our hair to look perfectly smooth, neat, and last a long time. Yes, we pay a lot to get these hairstyles done, so why not? Traction alopecia. That’s why not. It is a form of alopecia, or gradual hair loss, caused primarily by pulling the hair too tight and repeatedly. Sometimes the hair extensions we use are so heavy they weigh our hair down so much that our edges can’t bear it anymore. When you start noticing little bumps that look like pimples on your hairline, they might be announcing the onset of traction alopecia. These tiny bumps are usually the earliest symptoms of the condition. If it progresses, you will begin to notice missing and broken hairs. This type of alopecia can also cause soreness and stinging of the scalp, scaling, folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles) and pus-filled blisters. Once these symptoms are left untreated, they damage the hair follicles entirely and hinder new hair growth. It’s a nightmare. If you have noticed any of these symptoms on your scalp, it’s time to take quick action.
Glamming up is essential. Who doesn’t love neat shimmering hairstyles that make the face pop? But we still have to tread with caution.
2. Hair Products and Chemicals
If your hair isn’t smooth and glossy after styling, are you even there yet? But how do we get smooth and shiny, especially if you have tight 4c curls ? Constantly relaxing the hair with chemicals to achieve a slick look every time has caused a lot of damage to many people. Most of the hair relaxers and ‘slickers’ sold in our markets contain harsh chemicals that eventually make the hair weak and thinned out. Many shampoos, hair creams and dyes also contain these harsh ingredients. You can avoid this problem by switching to natural and organic hair products or always making sure your hair products are not alcohol-based and do not contain other ingredients like petrolatum or mineral oil. Here’s a comprehensive list of ingredients to avoid when buying hair products on the Natural Club blog.
3. Pregnancy or Hormonal Changes
I never imagined I would lose my edges, not in a million years and certainly not in my 20s. But I did! I was just a few weeks postpartum, and more and more hair was getting pulled out every time I combed my hair. It was fascinating but also devastating. I wondered what I would do if it never grew back, but it did after a few weeks. Many women experience hair loss or thinning edges during pregnancy or within a few weeks of delivery. It can be caused by hormonal imbalances, stress on the body, or health problems that accompany pregnancy. Postpartum hair loss is excessive hair shedding caused by low estrogen after birth. This usually resolves on its own without needing treatment, as it did in my case. Hormonal imbalances unrelated to pregnancy can also trigger hair loss in men and women. For women, it could be hormonal changes due to menopause or thyroid problems.
4. Heredity
Ah, good old genetics. We love getting the sweet stuff like curves in the right places, fine facial features and smooth skin, but sometimes they come with the not-so-desirable stuff like a receding hairline or full-blown baldness. Sadly, if your DNA is the reason for your disappearing edges, the chances of preventing the loss or growing the hair back may be slim. Knowing your family ‘hairstory’ and taking hair care seriously can help you prepare for what might come, and even reduce the impact of genetic hair loss.
5. Friction and Overstyling
Too much friction from bonnets, wigs, hats, scarves, pillowcases, towels (rough drying) or whatever we use to cover or hold down our hair can cause hair loss on the edge or front of the scalp. Most of these accessories have elastic bands, and if they’re too tight around the hairline or if they rub and tug on the hair too often, they will cause damage. Stick with satin bonnets which are lined with satin and gentler on the hair. You can also swap your cotton pillowcases for satin pillowcases. Combing or brushing the hair in the same direction too often can also cause problems. Many ladies take down hairstyles after a week and install new ones on the spot; some even do this weekly. Again, glam away, baby girl, but your hair follicles need some rest and space, or they’ll break up with you, and it usually starts from the edges.
Poor diet, medical issues, treatments and medication, stress, drastic weight loss and severe scalp conditions are other reasons for hair loss.
How to Save Your Edges
If your edges are getting scantier by the day, you might be able to nurse them back to health before you lose them altogether. But understand that there’s no overnight solution to thinning edges, but with enough patience and consistency, your edges could grow back enough to put a smile on your face.
The first thing you need to do is find the culprit. Look through the list above and try to pinpoint what could be snatching your edges from you. When did you first notice the thinning? Next, ask yourself what you might have done to trigger it. Did you just take down a hairstyle that was very tight or heavy? Did you change your hair products? Did you apply too much heat to your hair? Did you relax or dye your hair? When you have your answer, begin to make the necessary changes. If you have traction alopecia, take a break from heavy braids, ‘neat’ cornrows, wig frontals, and other hairstyles that apply too much pressure on the scalp, especially on your edges. Avoid excessively brushing, combing or overheating your hair if any of these might be the reason. If your hair is always buried under wigs or weaves, it’s time to find hairstyles that will give your scalp some breathing space. And for damage caused by the products you apply to your hair, here’s a list of hair care brands with products free of the harmful chemicals that may be eating up your edges.
To boost your hair follicles and stimulate hair growth on your hairline, massage your scalp with oils and butter like peppermint oil, olive oil, Jamaican Black castor oil, shea butter and vitamin E. They will boost hydration levels, promote blood circulation, and help strengthen and thicken your strands. You will also need to work deep conditioning into your daily and weekly hair care routine.
One more important thing you need is a healthy diet. Eating foods high in antioxidants can help your hair grow fuller and thicker. This article on Healthline suggests eggs, spinach, fatty fish, avocados, e.t.c.
If you’ve tried all of these suggestions for a while with no tangible changes, you should see a hair specialist (trichologist) who will recommend customised solutions that will save your edges. Again, don’t forget that you will need a great deal of patience and consistency to regrow your edges. What worked for the next person or the time it took to work for them might not work for you. And what if nothing works in the end? I hope you know that as pretty as lush laid edges can be, they still don’t define you or change the wonderful person you are.
Have you ever lost your edges? How did you rescue them? Share with us in the comments!
