ask an expert: what can i do to strengthen my edges?

Our expert, Dafina Nya Smith of Sunny’s Hair & Wigs is back to answer another reader’s question. Remember, if you have questions for our experts, you can submit them on our submissions page.

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Question:

I have thin sides from wearing a weave but my sides have always been very thin, almost bald near my ears. What can I do to strengthen my hair and my sides? The crown of my head is long full and natural. I can style my hair to cover the sides but I would like to wear a natural style and not be so conscious of my thin sides.

Answer:

You ask a question that is really close to my heart. At Sunny’s Hair & Wigs we see women every SINGLE day who have lost their edges to years of wearing tight weaves and braids. This type of traction alopecia, unfortunately, can be very difficult to hide and even more hard to regrow the edges. (Learn more about traction alopecia here.)

The first thing I would recommend is to do no more harm. The main sources of harm are as follows:

Wearing Weaves: The wear and tear on your edges can be catastrophic if you don’t have strong roots and constantly moisturize your hair. If for some reason you feel you cannot stop wearing weaves, consider not leaving out your hair at all on the sides and using a net to absorb some of the tension at the edges.
Tight Ponytails and Protective Styles: These styles are great for retaining length but over time the hairline takes the brunt of the damage. Opt for softer styles that don’t pull on your hairline and save the “snatch back” ponytails for special occasions.
Boar Bristle Brushes: These brushes are a staple in smoothing the edges down but because we begin brushing at the weakest point that area often takes the brunt of the tension. If you need to use a brush at all on your edges, start with an extremely soft baby brush.

There are several products that I recommend with hesitation. Different people respond in a multitude of ways to the same product and it can often feel like you are running in place searching for the “promised land” product. But from talking to a variety of people these are products I can recommend:

Latisse: You will need a prescription for this extremely expensive and small bottle of eye drops intended for your lashes. Doctors have found that when mixed with a carrier oil around the hairline this prescription drug can trigger hair growth of follicles that have been weakened or damaged.
Dr. Miracle’s Follicle Healer Hydrating Oil: This lightweight blend of oils including tea tree oil, jojoba and castor oil penetrates to the scalp to attempt to heal the follicle. I am not always a fan of Dr. Miracle’s products but I have heard rave reviews from women of all textures.
Bamboo Tea: This is one of the best and effective ways to intake silica which helps promote hair strength and growth. (Read Rebecca’s (This Woman’s Style) experience drinking bamboo tea for 2.5 months).

Baby your edges and be patient. I had years of thinning edges from wearing hair extensions. I now wear weaves for a short amount of time and keep my edges moisturized and protected in the braids. I also now live for adjustable U-Part Wigs that allow me the benefits of wearing hair extensions without the damage I can incur from sewing the hair too tight and not allow for proper circulation while under the hair extensions.

Sunny’s Hair & Wigs has provided hair extensions and wigs for feature film productions such as Flight, The Hunger Games, Drop Dead Diva and a whole bevy of television and reality TV projects.To learn more about Dafina and Sunny’s Hair & Wigs, visit www.SunnysHair.com.