Thinning edges can be a distressing and embarrassing issue for many women, impacting confidence and self-esteem. The fragile baby hairs of the hairline are delicate and can be the first place that damage shows up. Thankfully, regrowing thinning edges is often possible with the right approach and patience. In this expert guide, we'll delve into the causes of thin edges, and natural treatments to stimulate follicles to help your edges grow back.
What Causes Thinning Edges
It’s important to understand the causes of thinning edges if you want to maintain and grow your edges. Thinning edges can result from various factors, including:
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Traction Alopecia
One of the most common causes of thinning edges, traction alopecia occurs due to excessive tension on the hair follicles, often caused by tight hairstyles like braids, weaves, or ponytails. The constant pulling can damage the hair shaft and eventually lead to hair loss.
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Chemical Damage
Overprocessing hair with harsh chemicals such as relaxers or drying styling products can weaken delicate baby hairs and damage the hair follicles. Chemical relaxers alter the structure of the hair, making it more prone to breakage and thinning.
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Heat Damage
High heat from flat irons, blow dryers and curling irons can damage the delicate hairs around the hairline, especially if a heat protectant is not used. This can lead to the appearance of thinning edges.
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Nutritional Deficiencies
Inadequate intake of essential nutrients like vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as iron and protein, can contribute to hair thinning and loss. These nutrients are crucial to healthy hair and scalp, and they also help to support the hair growth cycle.
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Hormonal Imbalances
Fluctuations in hormones, particularly during pregnancy, menopause, or due to oral contraceptives or conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can impact hair growth. Hormonal changes can disrupt the natural hair growth cycle, leading to thinning edges and hair loss.
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Stress
Chronic stress can disrupt the hair growth cycle, sometimes causing excessive hair shedding, and leading to thinning edges. Stress triggers the release of hormones like cortisol, the stress hormone, which can negatively affect hair follicles and contribute to hair loss.
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Genetics
Some people are prone to develop hair thinning as they age. Thinning edges can be an early sign of androgenetic alopecia, genetic hair thinning.
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Medical Conditions
Illness, childbirth, hospitalization, medication changes and even weight loss can lead to a condition called telogen effluvium. In telogen effluvium, excessive hair shedding can lead to the appearance of thin edges.
Understanding the underlying cause of thinning edges is crucial for developing an effective treatment plan.
How to Make Your Edges Grow: 9 Ways
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Gentle Haircare Practices
Avoiding hairstyles that exert excessive tension and pulling on the hairline is essential for preventing further damage and for helping your edges grow back. Tight hairstyles like braids, weaves, and ponytails should be avoided. instead, opt for looser styles that do not pull on the hair follicles. When detangling hair, always use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to minimize breakage and hair loss.
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Be Careful with Wigs
Wigs that are too tight can put tension on the delicate baby hairs at the hairline, which can lead to thinning edges. If you wear a wig, be sure that it is well fitted, does not move around a lot on your head, and that it is not too tight around your edges.
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Scalp Massage
Regular scalp massages can help improve blood circulation to the hair follicles, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen for optimal hair growth. Using your fingertips, gently massage the scalp in circular motions for a few minutes each day. Using an antioxidant scalp oil with nourishing ingredients like argan oil during your massage can help promote scalp health, support healthy growth, and give additional benefits.
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Proper Nutrition
A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients is crucial for maintaining healthy hair growth. Incorporate foods high in vitamins A, C, D, and E, as well as iron and protein, into your diet to support hair health. Leafy greens, citrus fruits, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds are all excellent choices for promoting hair growth from within and encouraging your edges to grow back.
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Hydration and Moisture
Keeping your hair and scalp well-hydrated is essential for preventing dryness and breakage. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to maintain hydration from the inside out and use moisturizing hair products to keep your strands hydrated and nourished. Deep conditioning treatments can also help restore moisture to dry, brittle hair. To help grow back your edges, look for nourishing hair oils and serums that contain ingredients like argan, jojoba, and almond oil.
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Reduce Heat
Excess heat can damage the hair and lead to hairline thinning. Always use a heat protectant when you apply heat to your hair. Try not to use heat more than once a week, and always use an instrument with dialed heat control. Use the lowest heat setting that you can to achieve your look.
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Reduce Friction
When you sleep, your hair rubs against your pillow every time you move or change positions. This can lead to friction which can damage fragile hair, especially at the hairline. To help your edges grow back, use a silk or satin bonnet or scarf at night, or consider switching to a satin pillowcase. Your hair will glide over it, not snag!
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Exercise
Getting daily exercise is important for your physical and mental health. It can also be helpful for your hair. Exercise has been linked to improvement in hair loss. Exercise boosts circulation, bathing your hair follicles in the nutrients that are essential for healthy hair growth. Exercise also reduces stress, which is linked with hair shedding and hair loss.
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Reduce Stress
Mindfulness activities, spending time in nature, breathwork and exercise are all useful ways to reduce stress. Stress can lead to bald spots and thin edges. To help your edges grow back, learning to manage stress is key. Evening meditation and a nighttime tea-ritual with a stress reducing tea can also be helpful.
Growing Back Edges from Traction Alopecia
If you have traction alopecia, it’s important to avoid pulling, trauma, and traction to the delicate baby hairs of your hairline. Growing back your edges is dependent on reducing inflammation and irritation around the hair follicles, and also on defending them from additional damage. Avoid hairstyles that pull on the hairline, such as braids, weaves, and tight ponytails, and wear hairstyles that are low tension and loose. Also, try to change up your hairstyle. Avoid always parting or brushing your hair in the same direction. If you’re struggling with traction alopecia, be sure to see a dermatologist. They can assess the extent of your hair loss and recommend personalized treatment options tailored to your specific needs. They can also prescribe prescription medications to reduce inflammation and help grow your edges back.
Natural Treatments to Grow Edges
There are several natural treatments that are helpful for thinning edges. These natural options are helpful for people looking for a more holistic and botanical approach to growing back hair edges.
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Essential Oils
Essential oils like rosemary and peppermint have been used for centuries for their hair growth-promoting properties. These oils contain compounds that stimulate blood circulation to the scalp, nourish the hair follicles, and promote healthy hair growth. When using essential oils for growing back thinning edges, it’s important to always dilute the essential oil in a carrier oil, and to do a test spot to make sure that you’re not sensitive. To help grow back thinning edges, use a few drops of your diluted essential oil and massage it into the scalp regularly.
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Green Tea
Green tea is rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants help block DHT, a compound associated with hair loss. EGCG, a potent antioxidant found abundantly in green tea, is believed to promote hair growth and stimulate hair follicles. You can reap the benefits of green tea by drinking it, or you can use a green tea hair rinse to help naturally nourish and grow your edges.
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Lavender and Thyme
Lavender oil and aromatherapy with lavender oil have been shown to promote hair growth. Thyme is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. Aromatherapy with thyme oil has also been shown to help with treating hair loss. Incorporating a serum with lavender or thyme into your daily self-care routine is a natural way to support edge growth.
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Adaptogens
Adaptogens are a group of natural plants and mushrooms that help the body adapt to stress. They help to boost the stress protection response of the body and scalp, helping to keep balance and reduce harmful stress hormones that can cause hair loss. Popular adaptogens used to reduce hair loss and treat thinning edges include ashwagandha, schisandra and amla. Edjuva™ Nourish & Grow Edge Oil is formulated with adaptogenic schisandra, and growth promoting lavender and green tea. This edge growth treatment can be used twice daily as a natural edge growth treatment.
Summary: Regrowing Your Edges
Getting your edges to grow back requires being proactive and taking steps that address underlying causes and promote healthy hair growth. By incorporating gentle haircare practices, nourishing the body with essential nutrients, reducing stress, exercising, and exploring natural treatments, you can reclaim full, healthy edges and boost your confidence. Remember, consistency and patience are key when it comes to nourishing your baby hairs and getting your edges back. Results may not happen overnight, but with dedication and the right approach, you’ll be one step closer to achieving healthy edges!
REFERENCES:
Jiang Y, Shi Q, Huang Y, et al. Relationship between the exercise and severity of androgenic alopecia. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34382589/
Hay IC, Jamieson M, Ormerod AD. Randomized trial of aromatherapy. Successful treatment for alopecia areata. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9828867/
Kwon OS, Han JH, Yoo HG, et al. Human hair growth enhancement in vitro by green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17092697/
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