The “Sleek bun” is trendier than ever but your hair isn’t too happy with it

the elegant bun is a hairstyle that consists of pulling the hair back to obtain a very tight bun. This way of styling your hair all the way comes from another trend of its own called the ” elegant look »that is, a regular rhythm.

With more than 200 million views to its credit, the hashtag #sleekhair is also one of the most consulted on TikTok at the moment. But despite this growing popularity, we can’t help but wonder if this slicked-back hairdo doesn’t generate a long-term hair loss…And sadly, the answer is yes. We explain.

Traction alopecia: a problem to be taken seriously

If the elegant bun it is a hairstyle full of elegance, it is however harmful to the health of the hair and, more generally, of the scalp. Reason why it is better to adopt it with thrift ! Why ? Because when regular tension is applied to the roots, hair can become brittle and eventually fall out. A phenomenon called traction alopecia.

Obviously, This observation does not happen overnight. (it is often reversible, by the way) and you may notice warning signs of alopecia such as when your scalp is irritated, there is hair thinning in the area where the elastic is placed or even when the pain in the roots it’s starting to feel.

But what exactly causes traction alopecia? Dr. Bodnar, a plastic surgeon specializing in hair transplants, explains it simply via his website:

“Constant tension in the affected area causes inflammation of the follicles. Over time, damage to the follicles causes them to atrophy and if the cause of the problem is not addressed permanently, they will stop producing hair.

Little reassuring…

How to avoid this phenomenon?

Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to avoid traction alopecia. If you want to adopt the elegant lookyou can, but to preserve your hair it will therefore be necessary avoid keeping the mass of hair too tight and pulled for a long time.

Rather bet on a freer version of elegant bun and avoid the classic rubber bandswhich tend to break the hair. Then opt for spiral or silk locks, specially designed to preserve the hair fiber, even when you keep your hair tied up all day.

An image credit: @kristina.manners.