Traction Alopecia Is Irreversible—Here's What You Can Do to Prevent it

Its a delicate ecosystem.

And while healthy plantsor strands, in this metaphorare hardy, it’s only to a point.

If you pull anything by its rootsyou risk damaging the plantandthe soil.

The same goes for your hair and yourscalp.

A healthy scalp leads to strong hair, but repeated stress and pulling can damage the whole system.

If youre a devotee of braids, tight ponytails, or weavesyou may be noticing hair loss or alopecia.

Unfortunately, says Goren, once traction alopecia is noticeable, its irreversible.

Thankfully, that doesnt mean youre doomed tohair loss.

If you catch traction alopecia early enough, you’ve got the option to prevent further damage.

And if youre already experiencing it, you still have a few options.

Meet the Experts

What Is Traction Alopecia?

When you pull tightly on your hair, the follicles become inflamed, damaged, and eventually scarred.

In the early phases, hair can grow back.

However, chronic forms over several years can become scarring, and that is permanent, says Farhang.

Traction alopecia doesnt happen overnight.

Its kind of like coastal erosionit happens gradually.

Others include those who pull their back in a bun dailyespecially while the hair is wet, says Farhang.

Hair loss is the number oneand potentially the most obvioussymptom of traction alopecia.

Take the soreness and irritation symptoms as warning signs that traction alopecia could occur and jump right into prevention.

Its also usually fairly easy to tell traction alopecia apart from another form of hair loss.

Youll want to see a dermatologist as soon as possible about other causes.

Maintaining a good diet, with plenty of protein, will also help to support healthy hair growth.

Prevention is the name of the game for traction alopecia.

It usually develops over several years and is often irreversible unless treated at an early stage, says Goren.

If your scalp is sore, now is a good time to give your hair a break.

If youve already lost hair, recovering it will be a bit harder, if not impossible.

The good news?

You want to see your dermatologist sooner than later, says Farhang.

At that point, your best option is to see a dermatologist about prescription topicals or steroids.