WHAT ARE EDGES
This is basically the front perimeter of your hair. i.e ear to ear. This part is usually the most fragile of the entire hair but the one that faces most manipulation….. From brushing to slicking and braiding.
There are a number of reasons your edges can become sparse and in some cases totally absent.
1. Aging and stress
2. Bad hair habits : over styling, hard bristled brush, tight braids & ponytails
3. Diet
4. Traction alopecia
5. Scalp conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and excessive styling.
6. Genetics.
7. pregnancy : postpartum
8. Drastic weight loss
9. chronic illnesses like hypothyroidism, lupus, iron deficiency anaemia.
10. Hormone imbalances like polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The above are the most common reasons for hair loss, but for the last two points PLEASE DO NOT TRY ANY HOME-MADE REMEDY, PLEASE VISIT A PHYSICIAN.
NOW HOW TO GROW THEM BACK
Note: products do not outrightly grow hair, they only stimulate hair follicles which may be sleeping….hair would grow back due to these reasons.
- HEALTHY DIET: Lets relax on the obsession with hair products and deal with issues intrinsicly. Just like skin, the condition of your hair is an outward sign of inside health. The cells that make up each strand of hair require a regular supply of key nutrients, which can only be gotten through foods. You would need to take meals high in protein, iron, biotin, Fatty acids, Vitamin E, A,C & B12. For a more detailed post on nutrients & meal examples read HERE.
- HEALTHY HAIR HABITS: besides maintenance and prevention, when regrowing your edges, you have to stop making it worse with bad hair habits, this includes tight braids/wigs, irregular washing, excess heat, using glues/bonds, rough combing, sleeping without a silk/satin cap e.t.c. Our edges are fragile and cannot tolerate some of these manipulation, hence they break off. These little habits when done right can make a huge difference in retaining new growth.
- NIGHTLY SCALP MASSAGES : Massages stimulate the skin and encourage the blood vessels to increase blood flow and boost circulation to the scalp and hair follicles. Hair growth is like water and grass… This increased blood circulation brings more nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles which will aid in hair growth.
- SCALP STIMULATING PRODUCTS AND TREATMENTS: Applying hot oil treatments and products to the thinning areas/Bald spots can also aid in re-growing hair. These treatments will reduce the damage on your edges by repairing the follicles and encourage hair growth. Essential oils, carrier oils, and protein treatments are great for these. Examples are Rosemary oil, peppermint oil, Emu oil, Jamaican black castor oil and other branded products formulated around these natural extracts. SEE HERE for list of oils and uses.
- USE HEALTHY/NATURAL HAIR PRODUCTS AROUND YOUR HAIR LINE: I’ve once used a product and badly reacted to it. my edges dried up, became scaly, bled and some hair fell out. I wept so much because I realized late what was causing it. it was a store-bought hair product; Doctor miracles temple balm. It’s advisable to always do a patch test when using new products. Furthermore, try to keep facial cleansers, moisturizers and makeup away from your hairline, as they may cause more damage to the fragile area you are trying to regrow. Some acne treatments advise “do not apply product to your hairline” so make sure you check the back of the bottle.
- TRY SUPPLEMENTS:Though you can’t replace a bad diet with supplements. It’s always better to use a combination approach. You can talk to your pharmacist or doctor about the vitamins and supplements that may be right for you. Some supplements have been known to break people out, so it’s always good to consult an expert in making the right decision. However, the supplements to look out for are ones with vitamins, fish oil and Biotin. Biotin increases the density of your hair and helps you produce more hair. Fish oil makes hair really shiny and smooth by collapsing the cuticle to make it shinier from the inside out the way some conditioners coat from the outside. If you’re not into supplements, get more and better sleep, eat more nuts, vegetables and cut out processed and damaging foods, you should see an improvement in the condition of your hair growth. Ideally , anything that helps your cells work more efficiently will help the condition of your body, which will help the health of your hair.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO SEE RESULTS.
As with most routines, I have the 90-day rule. Give most products 3 months to assess results, during this time the body would have renewed itself, produced new cells and hair strands plus your diet nutrients would have kicked in fully.
