Restoring your edges

We’ve all had those heart-sinking moments at the mirror, looking at a thinning hairline or bald patches around the temples. Your edges seem to have receded or disappeared out of nowhere! 

Losing your edges as a black woman can be incredibly frustrating and take a toll on self-confidence. But don’t panic - with the right care, those edges can grow back.

I often speak to patients worried about losing their edges.

“I'm really worried about my edges. The front of my hairline has been looking thinner and thinner.  Over the past few months, my edges have been slowly receding. When I style my hair, it looks like I have less hair to work with in the front. My scalp is also tender in those areas.”

Thinning edges are more common than you might think, but we need to get to the root cause.

What leads to the dreaded thinning edges many of us experience? There are a few common culprits that can cause hair loss along the perimeter and hairline. Read on to learn what damages edges, how to prevent more loss, and promote healthy regrowth.

Causes of Edges Thinning Out

It is important to walk through your current hair care routine.

Is this you?

“I get braids about every 3 months. My stylist typically braids very tightly to keep the style sleek. Or “I always wear wigs and/or weaves week after week.  At home, I wash with shampoo sometimes every other week, but I often don’t wash my hair in between braiding or weave installations. I use oil on my scalp daily but don't use any moisturising hair products.”

That tight, frequent styling is likely putting excessive tension on your edges. Combine that with washing infrequently and using oil-based hair products, which leave your follicles and hair shafts vulnerable. But don’t worry - with some vital changes, we can help those edges recover.

Firstly, ensure that the person installing your braids or weave leaves a sufficient portion of your existing hairline out from the style.  This can be dressed using edge control or covered with a wide Alice band whilst your edges recover.  If you wear wigs and you’ve been using adhesive, you’ll need to stop this practice for at least 2-3 months to give the follicles time to heal. When you select your hairstyle, use loose twists or soft headbands instead of pulling tightly, your scalp would feel comfortable at all times.  Always towel dry your hair but squeezing dry and never rubbing, preferably with a microfibre towel which protects the hair and does not snag like a cotton one.  Always condition your hair after shampooing, leaving the conditioner to coat and help seal cuticles down keeping on the moisture.  Within a few months, you should see significant improvement if no permanent scarring has been casued. 

These are the most common causes of thinning edges

1. - Traction alopecia from tight hairstyles like braids, weaves, and ponytails
2. - Heat damage from overuse of hot tools without heat protectants
3. - Chemical processing - relaxers, dyed and bleaches break down fine hair leaving thin edges
4. - Inflammation caused by pH imbalance ie. harsh shampoos, lack of moisture
5. - Stress, hormonal changes, autoimmune issues

Traction alopecia is one of the top reasons for declining edges in black and afro hair. Constant tension from tight hairstyles makes the hairline recede.  Braids, cornrows, ponytails, and tight buns look sleek, but over time they put extreme pressure on the follicles at your hairline. This can permanently damage follicles and causes recession.

Heat damage also taxes the delicate, baby frontal hairs. Using hot styling tools daily without heat protectant can scorch edges, especially when you’re also pulling the hair taut for sleek looks. Chemically treating or relaxing hair, then applying high heat makes edges extremely prone to breakage.

Harsh chemical processing in general is problematic. Relaxers, dyes, and bleaches contain harsh ingredients that can irritate the scalp and weaken the hair structure. Repeated use breaks down our edges’ natural elasticity, causing shedding and thinning. 

Even your regular hair care regimen can contribute to missing edges. Shampoos with sulphates and alcohol disrupt the balance of oil and moisture from your already fragile edges. Improperly conditioning the hair leaves it brittle and susceptible to breakage from routine brushing or styling.

Medical conditions, hormone changes, poor diet, and stress affect your entire head of hair, but thin edges become particularly obvious. Autoimmune diseases, thyroid imbalance, iron deficiency or an androgen imbalance often manifest in the first instance as edge loss.

Signs Your Edges Are Damaged

How do you know if your edges are thinning? Signs include:

1. Visibly decreased density along hairline and temples
2. Increased shedding of short broken hairs around perimeter
3. Sensitivity, burning or itching of the scalp skin
4. Strands appear shorter, fail to grow out along perimeter 
5. Scalp skin very obvious as hair has receded

Don’t ignore these symptoms. The sooner you identify and treat edge damage, the better your chances of restoring a full hairline.

Preventing Further Edge Loss

1. Avoid tight styles that pull on edges for braiding, slicking etc.
2. Use heat protectant serums before using hot tools
3. Have chemical treatments professionally done at a reputable salon
4. Shampoo your scalp gently, condition your hair after every wash – imparting moisture is key!
5. Focus on managing stress levels 
6. Request a blood test to check for hormonal imbalance

Modify styling practices first. Avoid constant tightly-pulled looks. Secure any braided, pinned or slicked styles along the interior hair instead of edges. Always use a heat protectant before hot tools.

Spacing out chemical treatments is not going to help return your edges. So whether you decrease your amount of treatments each year, the best thing to do is contact your nearest trichologist.

Medication, supplements, hormone imbalance, stress, or health conditions can always be considered a factor for healthy hair. These issues should never be self-diagnosed always seek the advise of a health care professional.

Treating Thinning Edges

Treating thinning edges with a restorative treatment plan can help strengthen and regrow hair around the hairline. A comprehensive plan should include identifying the underlying cause, whether that's traction alopecia, hormonal changes, or another condition.

At Trichosynergy we can create a hair and scalp plan designed just for you.

Key elements often include:

1. Gentle haircare practices - switching to wide-tooth combs, silk pillowcases, loose hairstyles to minimize traction that can further thin the edges.
2. Topical treatments such as minoxidil to stimulate growth and peptides to support follicles. These are applied daily.
3. Nutritional supplements like biotin, zinc, iron to nurture hair internally.
4. Scalp masking or micropigmentation to cosmetically fill in thinning areas as the real hair regrows.
5. Platelet-rich plasma injections to spark regeneration, especially helpful for stubborn thinning resistant to other therapies.

By consistently following your hair care plan over 3-6 months, your edges should show noticeable improvement. Patience and persistence are crucial, as completely restoring edges takes time. But this multi-step approach helps create the optimal conditions for hair regrowth along the hairline.

 

Hairstyle & Product Suggestions

1. Styles like soft twists and loose updos, with hairline left free.
2. Use hairline edge control product.
3. Wide headbands and scarves to conceal areas.
4. Hair thickening and volumising shampoos.
5. Leave-in conditioners packed with ceramides.
6. Avoiding harsh combing and brushing manipulation.

While recovering your edges, opt for looser styles secured by fabric headbands or scarves that avoid tension. It is really important to give your edges a rest.  take the pressure of them by allowing then to be unrestricted. Try chunky twists, top knots, soft braided updos, but always leave your edges free.

Many people think  that wearing silk wraps or satin-lined hats also prevent breakage. This is a big No-No in my book. You are not allowing your scalp to breathe freely and encourage hair growth.

Sleep on a silk pillowcase instead.

Eat well …

A protein rich diet is recommended and ensure Vitamins B, C and D are included in your diet at the right levels.

With some TLC and strategic changes, your edges can regain their former glory. It takes diligence and daily care, but don’t lose hope! Address the problem early on and stick to a treatment regimen. 

Consult a trichologist if your edges are falling out……

With patience and time, you’ll see those edges reappear to complete your fabulous look.

Get started with treatment

If you are interested about finding out more about your hair and scalp, then click on the link below