How Braids and Weaves Are Causing Black Women to Lose Their Hair

April 19th, 2011 - By TheEditor

"braids"

By Alexis Garrett Stodghill

For many black women, maintaining the perfect hairstyle is a central goal. Using weaves or braids to achieve a look without thinking of the consequences is common, but the damaging results are far from pretty.

Recently, a shocking study reported on by CNN revealed that weaves and braids may contribute to a type of permanent hair loss known as central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, or CCCA, a form of baldness that begins at the crown of the head and leads to scarring. A staggering 59 percent of black women who participated in the study had hair loss on the top of their scalp.

Dr. Monte O. Harris, a renowned African-American doctor and hair care expert who addresses balding in black women, noted that “black hair has a morphology that makes it more susceptible to damage, because there are many breaks along the shaft of the hair,” he said. “It’s amazing that our hair is probably the most susceptible to trauma and we do the most damaging things to it. It’s like a double hit.”

Our extra susceptibility to CCCA was explicitly linked to traction hairstyles, such as weaves and braids. There was no correlation found for relaxers or hot comb usage. While Harris is pleased with the findings, he is concerned that “people are receiving mixed messages from this study.” He is particularly excited that the study “highlighted the increased incidences of hair issues in black women linked to traumatic grooming practices,” which might help black women rethink adopting potentially abusive styles. At the same time, however, the misconception that weaves and braids are uniformly injurious could cause more harm than good.

“I’m concerned about it because it’s making it seem like relaxers are good and weaves are bad,” said Harris. “Things need to be put into a context, particularly with weaves [since they] are done in a variety of ways.”

Anu Prestonia, president and owner of Khamit Kinks natural hair salon in Brooklyn, has over twenty years of experience observing the many variables that affect the impact of traction styles. She was hesitant about the results of the study.

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  • Enice20003

    then all these girls must be wearing bad weaves, because they all have hair loss

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  • http://www.rishona.net/ Shona

    I agree with Ms. Harris. My mother and sisters and I have been wearing braids and weaves for many years (which we do ourselves). None of us have any hair loss issues…in fact, my hair is extra thick. I’ve gone back and forth with having relaxers and not having them. Relaxers burn and damage your scalp and eventually damage your hair over time. For me, relaxers are way more harmful than braids…and I don’t plan on going that route again!

  • MONI G

    I AGREE WITH YOU 100% I noticed when you do all kinds of things to your hair and you dont take care of it this is when your hair falls out my hair was natural and long and everybody loved it , it did not have to be soft in order for people to like it because it was natural and healthy when i started to perm and dye this is when it became a problem and just like you said about the men alot of african women think if they make their hair softer and look longer men will like them more but I say if a man is black too he doesnt have the right to tell a woman he doesnt like her hair and if he does then he doesnt like himself and even if you do all those things if he likes white women he will still like them especially because most men want women with real hair whether its short or long . Men like that are not worth it in my book and if you feed into society of what good hair is then you will be left with no hair, like you said its a self esteem issue!

  • MONI G

    I really agree with you some african people have a misconception and they think that in order to be accepted they must have hair like that white girl on tv or the magazine and thats not true because most men prefer women that have natural healty hair they dont expect you to look like a caucasian they just want you to be yourself and if there is a man out there that tells you he needs the caucasian asian type hair then he is not worth it because he doesnt want you for you and thats the way you were born also just because black men look at white women or date them doesnt mean they like them more or their hair more so african women should chill out because men will be attracted to women outside their race doesnt mean its the hair .

  • gohanna

    Well, I'vebeen wearing weave hair for five years and have not experienced any radical breakage (other than natural shedding), actually it has grown quite a bit. I am however going to give it a break and wear a shorter length "permed" style. (I know I am breaking all the rules), Frankly, I am tired of shelling out all of money it takes to maintain the weave and the hours I give to the salon. If I decide to re-weave down the road, I will consider the clip-in for special occasions.

    No breakage, five years later…

  • http://www.youtube.com/lswisdom77 LaNita Noah

    Aftrican American hair needs more moisturizing. I've found that taking the Skin, Hair and Nails vitamins very good, now my ends are stronger, I've also been using African Prides Spray for Braids it has extra moisturizers._Dr. Miracles Grow Oil is great.

  • Natural Hair Guest

    LOVIN' IT! Learn proper hair care!

  • http://www.essenceofsilk.com Yvonne

    Weaves look good & should be done right to prevent this.

    Also for beautiful 100% silk scarves, silk pillowcases, hair wraps & more. To keep hairstyles fresh while you sleep or to just look fabulous.

    Google ESSENCE OF SILK they have the best prices & largest selection!!!

  • Andi

    With the exception of Alopecia and chemotherapy, I think weaves and braids should be banned and outlawed. Everyone knows it's not yours. Come on. A good wig is nice. But all that tugging and pulling and gluing is not healthy for your scalp or your hair. If you are going to relax it, follow the instructions and condition and trim your hair as recommended. We need to stop the madness. It's quite insane. Really.

  • pangeleta

    all hair grows at the same rate our hair is just coily but does NOT grow at a slower speed. thank Jah for the abundant information now available to help us CARE for and MAINTAIN our natural hair and length….. we have been ignored by mainstream society for far too long…..

  • EZRawlins

    Why not simply be natural? Why go to such great lengths to affect a straight-hair steez? I don't get it.

    Someone commented that Black men desire 'long and silky hair' and thus Black women try to affect it any way they can. Do you really think Black men would stop dating Black women if all of y'all decided to go natural? Rather than catering to some brothas' low-level insanity, why not embrace your God-given beauty and demand that brothas come up to YOUR level? Don't accommodate madness; educate oneself (and one's people) AWAY from it.

    The WORST thing I see are women with hair loss who nonetheless allow/subject their daughters to the same destructive practices. Good grief; is it really necessary to CONTINUE the madness? At what point do we assume responsibility for our outcomes and decide, 'Enough is enough?' The definition of insanity…

  • MISSDIVA

    THIS ARTICLE IS BS WHEN UR WEAVE IS DONE CORRECTLY YOUR HAIR GROWS!! I LOVE TO THROW A WEAVE IN MY HAIR EVERY NOW AND AGAIN BUT MY REAL HAIR IS PAST MY SHOULDERS SO WEAVE IS NOT A NECESSITY IT'S AN ACCESSORY!!!

  • Likewater4choc

    I know know that I have to stay away from mineral oil and anything that has petroleum in it because these aid in drying out the hair shaft and my hair needs all the moisture it can get. (So, we do not need ANYONE on her advocating the use of petroleum jelly on there as as this product has no nutritional value for black hair and is only iseful as a shine aid and is designed to lock moisture out.)Some use braids, weaves, wigs as protective styling in order to protect their own fragile natural hair. I wear braids maybe once every couple of years during the winter and ensure that the stylist does not braid too tightly. I do not wear weaves, but may wear a wig, because my hair underneath is fragile and has been responding well to my gentle handling and the right products. Natural hair is a labor of love and is no easier than dealing with relaxed hair.

  • Likewater4choc

    As someone else to add constructive feedback on this issue (rather that criticisms and putdown meant to demean my sisters or chide them as if they were children), the truth is that we are all different and we need to learn our hair. I am 32 years old and have been natural for about 4 years now. And I am still learning what works and what doesn't for my hair. Learning about hair texture, density and porosity is a great start in learning about your hair. I have friends who can perm and dye their hair all day long and it is down their backs. I am not one of those people and have come to accept that my hair cannot abide chemical process and is fragile to to too much manipulation and daily styling.

  • Patricia

    I have worn my hair in dreadlocks for the past 13 years. I love my notty hair, it is long, and beautiful. If Black women only knew the damage perms and relaxers cause, not only to your hair, but there might be a distant correlation between dementia/Alzheimer's disease. Where do you think those chemicals go? They seep into your brain and who knows all the damage these chemicals cause. I have always thought it was so stupid for Black women to glue fake hair on their heads. Do you envy White women's hair so much that you hide your own beautiful hair? If God had wanted Blacks to have straight hair, he would have given us straight hair.
    You really can't fault Asians who sell fake hair to Blacks. Black women come running in droves to buy fake hair, in fact, the Asians can hardly keep up with the demand. I know they sit back and LAUGH at Black women. I have to laugh myself. We are the only race of women who don't seem to like ourselves.

  • Ms. Kay

    I agree, glue is a no no. It's not an art project. That crap will rip your folicles right out…

  • truthbtold

    People are always so quick to defend foolishness. What in the heck do you think black women were doing all the way up until 90's when this fake hair syndrome took over? Long before all of these nutrients and hair growth supplies were even invented? For decades black women had petroleum jelly to put in their hair, and no complaints from anyone about how their hair looked. And most black women had hair – very rarely were short hair styles even seen! This notion of the short cut and short do's started in the 80's. Bllack women with afros wore big afro hair styles which would equate to having long hair today. A lot of women today just don't won't to spend time taking care of their hair. They'd rather spend time on a cell phone (accomplishing nothing). It's just laziness. It's too easy to throw on a pair of pants, wear tattoos, smoke black 'n milds, and kick it like a man.

    • Likewater4choc

      Are you white? I have been reading your posts and it is written like and uninformed white person professing to have knowledge of black women. Short cuts did not just come into style in the 80's. Black women wore their hair short prior to this, because ALL black women did not have long hair. I have pics of women in my family from generations ago and some had short afros, large afros, shoulder length straightened and have you ever heard of wigs. These have been in existence since the time of Cleopatra.

      …and petroleum jelly (the answer from the white establishment to make black hair shine). Uggh

      Sisters, we will never be healthy on a a steady diet of misinformation.

      • truthbtold

        I am Black and you must be young. short hair styles did come in to fruition in the 80"s. What was considered short afros in the 70's would be considered long hair today. Misinformation is what you are spewing. What do you think women were doing before they started gluing and sewing hair into their heads? Wigs were worn occasionally, not as a permanent part of an individual's appearance! Take a look around, shoulder length hair is considered long hair today. Don't make excuses for a lazy work ethic when it comes to grooming. If you start taking count of all the black males wearing dreads, locks, and braids- you'll probably discover there are more males with longer healthier hair than women due to the abundance of laziness. If you didn't live it, then you have no clue. A straightening comb was a part of every black household and females had hair on their heads to straighten. Royal Crown was the basic hair care product in most black households and it was pure petroleum jelly.

  • truthbtold

    So why not wear your own hair? If your hair has it going own like that – why are you hiding it under fake hair?

    • Ms. Kay

      one reason is to try new styles without sacraficing the cutting of your own hair in case you dont like it. My hair grows with weave, braids and wearing it natural. It's all about alternating, keeping the hair clean and protecting it. I think it's fun to be able to change styles.

    • Natural hair guest

      Changing the style is what it's about. and not ALL braids/weaves are bad. If they are too tight or constantly done in the same way, that's what leads to the alopecia. I'm natural and I wear braids off and on. I like the style and it gives my hair a break from over manipulating. I've retained so much more length than I have in the past.

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