Hello friends;
I hope everyone is doing well, and that you started the week off well. After the publication on hair loss and baldness, I would like to talk this time about another type of hair loss that affects most African women. In Cameroonian jargon, it is called "monvieux." Its scientific name is: traction alopecia. What is traction alopecia?, what are the causes, the recommendations? Read this mini-article to learn a little more about it.
When I was little, my family and I lived in a small community in Biyem-Assi, district of the city of Yaoundé (Cameroon). In this community, most women suffered from "monvieux". According to them, they had already tried everything as a product, but they did not find any improvement and it worsened with time.
The discovery of traction alopecia dates from the 1900s by doctors from Greenland. They “had seen that women who wore tight ponytails had lost hair along their hair line”.
What is traction alopecia?
Traction alopecia is the loss of hair due to the constant pulling of the hair. The images below give us a concrete idea.
Causes of traction alopecia
The causes of traction alopecia are mainly based on the hairstyles that we like to do such as:
Weaves, wigs
Tight braids such as: boxbraids, Senegalese twists, conrowns, wicks, tight ponytails or hair straighteners, babilis combs, etc.)
Extensions and many other tight hairstyles
Constant repetition of these tight hairstyles leads to gradual loss of hair due to damage to the hair follicle.
Symptoms of traction alopecia
The first signs of traction alopecia are manifested beforehand by the appearance of:
Small bumps having the color of the flesh or even white
Redness and increased sensitivity of the scalp in tight braids (image 1 below)
Pain or tingling of the scalp
Itching accompanied by scaling of the scalp (at the level of tight braids
Blisters filled with pus on the scalp
Inflammation of the follicle (folliculitis)
All these, cause considerable damage to the follicle to the point where it is no longer able to produce a hair
How to prevent traction alopecia
First, you should:
• Stop tight hairstyles (wicks, "cigarettes" etc ...)
• Stop heavy hairstyles that pull hair back to back (an example would be boxbraids, etc.) or find a way to make lighter boxbraids
• Alternating between the braids and leaving your hair out
• Stop small braids because they pull more hair, favor large braids
• Avoid tight ponytails
• Avoid relaxer (very important because they weaken the hair)
• Avoid relaxer if you are going to make braids, weaves, "renversés", etc. because these weaken the hair.
• Stop doing weaves all the time and wear them for months
• Do not sleep with the rollers on your head
• For those who use a hair dryer, a straightening iron, put them at the lowest possible temperature
• Tie your hair before sleeping with a satin scarf (it limits hair breakage)
• For those who like to wear wigs, favor those which have a satin cap because they do not pull as much hair.
• etc .... (The list is long)
Medical treatments
If you have traction alopecia, you can consult your dermatologist, and he will prescribe
Antibiotics to treat infection of the follicle,
Steroids to relieve pain, redness
Minoxidil to promote hair regrowth
Vitamins such as biotins, etc.
Treatments I use
To treat my traction alopecia, here are a list of products that I use and which are working. You can try them too and see what work for you.
Aloe vera sap
The sap contains a proteolytic enzyme which promotes hair growth, it is also good for calming inflamed follicles, it has nourishing and hydrating properties etc .... (the list of its properties is so long. You must try it. Just apply it on the scalp and hair.
Castor oil
it has antibacterial, antifungal properties, rich in vitamin E, minerals, proteins. It helps in the growth and thickening of hair by promoting better blood circulation in the scalp, it strengthens keratin. etc. The castor oil most used for hair is the Jamaican black castor oil because of its pH close to that of hair. It has almost the same properties as virgin castor oil. Castor oil should be used with a motor oil such as olive oil, or coconut oil.
Coconut Oil
It also has antifungal, antibacterial, and nourishing properties. Unlike castor oil it easily penetrates the scalp and hair by exfoliating dead cells from the scalp
Rosemary oil
It promotes better blood circulation, thus nourishing the follicle which leads to hair growth
Palm kernel oil
It has nourishing and protective properties
Vitamins:
vitamins supplements, and biotin (it strengthens and promotes hair growth)
Water:
I drink plenty of water (2L per day, this helps hydration of the skin, hair, so very important)
For oils, just mix them and apply to the scalp, massaging to facilitate penetration. There are many other oils that can be used to promote hair regrowth, those presented above are the ones I use to nourish my scalp and my hair
Traction alopecia is reversible if you start solving it earlier. However if we continue to pull our hair with unsuitable hairstyles, this can lead to the complete destruction of the follicle thus leading to the total loss of the hair
I hope you enjoyed this mini-article on traction alopecia and that it will help you take better care of your hair. Do not forget to "like. If you have any questions or comments, we can discuss them on my Facebook page or simply send me an email at: netchatokam@yahoo.fr. Also don't forget to share the page with your friends
Peace and Love,
Carine
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