Published on October 24, 2017. Last Updated on August 11, 2022.
Article Updated August 2022 Although man-buns are not as popular as they were a few years ago, they’re still an acceptable and widely common hairstyle among some subcultures. If you put your hair in a man-bun, try not to make the knot too tight. Continue reading, to find out why about the dangers of a tight man-bun, and how to reverse its consequences.
Years after the sharp spike in popularity of the hipster man bun hairstyle, many men have begun to notice thinning and baldness near the edges of their scalp or hairline. A common cause of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness, characterized in its beginning stages by a recession of the hairline and temple points. But the onset of balding in man bun enthusiasts is most likely brought on by traction alopecia. This condition results from harsh hairstyles, which create tension and pull hair follicles by the roots, creating irreparable damage to these tiny structures.
2013 saw a rise in popularity of the man bun hairstyle, and, as a result, a torrent of man bun how-to articles and videos entered social media feeds everywhere. This popular male hairstyle, however, favors a tight up-do in order for the knot of hair to rest securely on the crown of the head. The problem with this trend, aesthetics aside, is that the practice of pulling hair into a tight bun exerts a pulling force on the root of the hair, which can cause traction alopecia if repeated over a sustained period of time. Hair loss due to traction alopecia begins in the areas of maximum pull. Those areas tend to be the hairline and edges, and alopecia there develops gradually. Baldness as a result of this condition is permanent.
Traction Alopecia – Not Just In Women
Traction alopecia usually affects women, specifically African-American women, due to the prevailing trend of harsh hairstyles. Examples include tight ponytails, weaves, braids, cornrows, and extensions. Changing gender and social norms, however, have grown to embrace non-traditional, longer-length male hairstyles. These include the man bun and its relative, the half-knot. The tentative mainstream acceptance does not exempt this hairstyle from being the target of humorous countless man bun memes across social media sites.
With long hair and tightly pulling hairstyles being acceptable for men today, traction alopecia is no longer just a concern for women anymore.
Treating Traction Alopecia in Men
Men facing the hair loss consequences of this trend can seek treatment options. Many start their hair loss recovery journey using topically applied drugs like Minoxidil (Rogaine). While popular in the hair loss community as a non-surgical treatment option, these medications are less effective for those suffering from tension hair loss due to the permanent damage inflicted on the hair follicle.
The hipster youth culture, which embraces the man bun hairstyle tends to favor natural approaches as part of their lifestyle preferences. This often includes an interest in holistic health solutions. When it comes to addressing hair loss, this might include Ayurvedic herbs or green tea which contains EGCG. EGCG is a compound that is capable of blocking DHT. The primary pathway involved in male pattern baldness occurs when DHT binds to sensitive protein receptors on the hair follicle, causing it to start miniaturizing.
Although EGCG can be found in green tea and ginseng, consuming these has never been shown to reverse baldness. Also, when it comes to tension hair loss from man buns or any other tightly pulling hairstyle, DHT is not the primary cause.
Why Oil Treatments Don’t Work
Online articles about home remedies for hair loss often suggest rubbing or massaging various oils or DIY mixtures into the scalp to stimulate hair growth. Ingredients cited often include Indian gooseberry, or onion juice, for example.
Will juices and oils actually work for treating traction alopecia resulting from man buns? Probably not. Here’s why. The intent of these remedies is to stimulate blood circulation in the scalp. Homemade remedies may soften and condition the existing hair. But they will not be able to fix the tears and structural damage incurred on the hair follicle itself. In traction alopecia, increased blood circulation will not be able to reverse these issues.
Turning the Tides on Traction Alopecia With FUE Hair Transplant Surgery
For men with traction alopecia, the only realistic treatment for actually seeing significant and renewed hair growth is hair transplant surgery. Within this category of treatment, there are two basic choices – a follicular unit transplant (FUT) or a follicular unit extraction (FUE). In a FUT hair surgery, a strip of hair-bearing skin is cut from the back of the head. Donor hair follicles are then extracted from this strip of skin and implanted onto the scalp. This method leaves behind a large visible scar on the back of the head. In an FUE hair surgery, hair follicles are extracted by means of a rotary punch tool. This tool surrounds and cuts individual hair follicles so that they can be removed and transplanted as grafts. With this approach, there are tiny, circular scars on the scalp where follicles were extracted.
Men suffering from tension hair loss should note that both of these methods extract hair from the back of the head, where the hair is much thicker. However, a typical tell-tale sign of hairline restorations is an unnatural, artificial look due to the harsh, contrived-looking hairline created by coarser hairs. Aesthetically, no one wants to actually look like they’ve had a hair transplant performed. Therefore, the more natural and discrete the outcome is, the better. So what should male hair loss sufferers consider instead?
Avoid an Artificial-Looking Hairline
The advanced FUE Dr.UGraft system provides an alternative option for men concerned with achieving the most realistic hairline restoration details possible. As an innovative and major evolutionary step on the basic FUE punch, the DR.UPunch Rotor tool is built to extract hairs from all over the body (BHT). Due to its unique, patented engineering, the hybrid rotary punch ensures follicles avoid follicular death. Some common causes of it are exposure to air or mechanical injury due to human error in the use of surgical instruments. For men looking to restore their hairline, BHT means that they have more options for their donor hair. This, in its turn, entails a greater number of grafts available. Also, they can feel confident about reliably seeing the expected growth after surgery, and of course, a softer, natural-looking hairline that they can feel good about.
A transplant using the UGraft system promises men a better chance of continuing to style their hair in the latest fashion by providing them with healthy, robust grafts that will continue to survive and produce hair in the long term. After the new growth comes in 12-18 months after surgery, men can even put their hair in a man-bun again. Of course, they’ll want to style it much less tightly than before.
If you think you may be experiencing traction alopecia, don’t wait until the condition gets worse. Start pursuing medical treatment. Dr. U offers free consultations. Use the link below to schedule an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions- Traction Alopecia
What are some non-surgical treatment options for traction alopecia?
If caught in its earliest stages, Minoxidil may help treat traction alopecia. Increased blood flow may help provide the materials needed to help rebuild the damage inflicted on the hair follicle. But again, this needs to be done in the very beginning stages before the follicles are permanently damaged. However, for men facing more progressive stages of tension hair loss, the only curative treatment is hair restoration surgery. The advanced FUE Dr.UGraft system offers men a less invasive approach to hair transplants while also providing a greater number of grafts for more coverage.
How can I tell if my hair loss is due to male pattern balding or traction alopecia?
Male pattern balding usually presents as a receding hairline in the beginning stages. There are warning signs men can look out for, such as a family history of hair loss in males. Traction alopecia, however, manifests in the areas where hair has been pulled the most–for styles such as the man bun, this is usually the hairline and edges. Contact a doctor near you to receive a hair loss diagnosis and to potentially discuss treatment options.
How can I prevent tension hair loss?
To prevent tension hair loss, it is a good idea to avoid harshly pulling hairstyles. This includes any style that puts pressure on the scalp for an extended amount of time – extensions, weaves, tight ponytails. Should you decide to style your hair in a way that involves intense pulling or holding, be sure to do so for only a few hours at a time.
Further Reading
Hair Restoration Surgery and Hair Replacement In Los Angeles
References
- Green D. How to make the perfect man Bun in just 3 steps. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-the-perfect-man-bun-in-just-3-steps-2015-12. Published December 29, 2015. Accessed August 11, 2022.
