by Ruthie Hawkins, BlackDoctor.org Contributor
Do you have thinning edges due to weave, braided hairstyles or even health issues like hypothyroidism, lupus, iron deficiency, hormone imbalances or alopecia? While the road to growing your edges back may seem rocky, you’re in luck – it is possible!
“There are a couple of things you can do,” Rachel Grante, Colour Director at Arthur Christine, located on the bustling border of Washington, D.C. tells BlackDoctor.org. “Whether your loss is due to alopecia or just regular over-styling, biotin and a daily vitamin [for starters] will help accelerate hair growth.”
“However, if you are not living a healthy lifestyle, chances are you won’t see any difference. It’s essential to drink plenty of water, take your vitamins – even fish oil to promote healthy hair regrowth,” Grante continues. “Of course, you can always take it to the next level, by increasing your protein intake,” Grante says for those with noticeably brittle hair.
Meanwhile, Grante also suggests:
Scalp massages
Rubbing thinning areas with oil can also aid in re-growing hair loss.
According to Livestrong, oil-rich treatments, like vitamin E, reduce damage by repairing hair follicles, in turn stimulating hair growth. Take your scalp treatment up a notch, by warming your oil before massaging it into your scalp.
Using natural products around or near your hairline
If your products aren’t natural, shy away from using facial cleansers, moisturizers and makeup around your hairline, as they may cause more damage to fragile strands surrounding the frame of your face.
In fact, some dermatologists advise users not to apply acne treatments near or around their hairline — so read the back of the bottle carefully.
Taking hair supplements
At the very least, taking a daily multivitamin (and/or fish oil) will aid in hair growth. While there’s no magic little pill that will give you instant new edges, many – including celebs like Regina King, Porsha Williams, Toya Wright, Keshia Knight Pulliam and Rasheeda – have all claimed that hair supplements like Hairfinity encourage hair growth.
Curious whether biotin, castor oil, vitamin E or hair supplements will work for you? Consult your primary care physician or your stylist before giving it a go and dropping a pretty penny on solutions.
In the meantime, STOP wearing tight, protective styles like braids and weaves, using hair glues, wig caps, tight satin caps with non-satin borders, and avoid using hard brushes. In other words, just say “NO, NO, NO” to accentuating and stressing those baby hairs, ladies!
Where Are Your Edges? 5 Reasons They’ve Gone Missing On You
Not to be funny, but when I was growing up everybody had edges. The focus was geared towards people trying everything under the moon to grow more hair down their backs.
These days with the limitless amount of hairstyles and options for achieving said hairstyles Black women’s edges have gotten caught in the crossfire.
There are a lot of theories out there but I have nailed down the five major culprits that are taking down Black women’s edges.
1. DIY (Do It Yourself)
It’s cool that you can open up your YouTube University browser and find out how to do anything. However, some things are best left to licensed and trained professionals. Risking your edges to get a dope hairstyle done by one of your favorite YouTubers is not worth the pain and suffering of having balding edges.
2. Going overboard with the gel
Some of the gels on the market contain too much alcohol, which results in dry, damaged hair. Using gel excessively around your delicate edges can lead to breakage and unsightly damage.
3. Hair glue
Ever since people found out Beyonce was wearing lace front wigs, the popularity of this option has soared and edges have been on the decline. Edges can only take so much and placing glued hair units on them is just a setup for fragile edges.
4. Too much tension
Ladies, many of us are using entirely too much tension when styling our ponytails, braids and updos. If healthy beautiful hair is your goal do your best to use tension in moderation.
5. Wearing “protective” styles 365 a year
Protective styling consists of styling options that give your hair a mini-break. However, some people are taking way too many breaks. Some women are spending way too much time rocking protective styling while putting their edges in the line of fire. Weaves, wigs, braids and updos were never meant as a long-term option. Moderation is key when it comes to protective styling and it’s important to let your edges get a rest from being pulled taut in protective styling.
So use caution and handle your edges with care, because getting those edges back in shape will be a bumpy emotional rollercoaster.
