It’s so common and so cute to see African American children’s hair styled in twists, braids, cornrows, or puffs. These styles are, after all, not only cute but also very practical for parents looking to get the most “bang” for their child’s weekly/bi-weekly hair care buck, right? Well, along with being practical and cute and common, these styles are also some common offenders in leading to stress on the hair and scalp. And, this is particularly true when these stressful styles are worn over a prolonged period of time and without a break in between these styles.
“How Can I tell if my Child’s Hair is Being Damaged?”
The most common sign that damage is occurring to your child’s hair as a result of this stress are fringes of shorter hair appearing along the hairline.
Asking your child if a certain style “hurts” is not an effective way to ascertain whether damage is taking place because there will be times when a style doesn’t hurt, but the signs of stress are still visible on the hairline. For this reason, it is vital that you check your child’s scalp daily to monitor its well-being.
Signs of Hairline Damage in African American Children
Along with shorter hairs appearing along the hairline, creating a fuzzy or “halo effect,” another serious condition resulting from hairline breakage in African American children is Traction Alopecia: This is a medical condition that results from the hair being pulled too tightly for extended periods of time. The constant pulling causes the hair follicle to weaken. This results in finer hairs, leading to, sometimes, permanent hair loss. Some warning signs of this condition are: hair loss, breakage, a receding hairline, bumps, hair thinning, etc. If you see any of these signs in your child, switch to a loose style and consult a dermatologist as soon as possible.
If your child’s hairline shows bumps, these bumps will typically be red or white and appear shortly after a “tight” hairstyle is given. If you observe these bumps, remove the offending hairstyle immediately. These bumps should go away on there on in one to two days, but if they don’t, consult a dermatologist as soon as possible.
Protecting Your Child's Hairline
Mikki Taylor, in "Preserve the Edges Around Your Hairline" recommends protecting the hairline by doing all of the following:
- Moisturize and condition your child's scalp along the hairline regularly using thick butters or oils (i.e., coconut oil)
- Ease the tension (Choose looser styles)
- Do not use relaxers or chemical straighteners on your child
- Do not use excessive amounts of heat on your child's hair
- Consult a dermatologist
Give the Scalp a Break!
While cornrows or puffs or braids are very cute, if they are causing your child’s hairline to suffer, then changes need to be made. It’s vital that you pay attention to how your child’s hair and scalp reacts to a style on a daily basis. When you observe damage, change your child’s style to give the hair and scalp a break.
More in this series:
How to Stop Hair Breakage in African American Hair
Sources
- Chantal McGee. How to Repair Hairline Breakage. Black Voices
- Mikki Taylor. Preserve the Edges Around Your Hairline. Essence Magazine
- Valerie Monroe. Broken Hairs and Strays Around the Hairline (Ask Val). O, The Oprah Magazine, August 2007 issue
Faye Davison - Faye Davison is a professional freelance writer based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
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