You know the feeling...
You are checking Instagram & Facebook posts, watching random pictures of children... Nice clothes, nice surroundings, their hair is looking full and shiny. Your baby's hair is not doing so well...
You ask yourself what to start doing today to improve her hair, her look; You start checking online products to grow your baby's hair; then you buy some to tackle the hair issue once for all!!. However, the progress is slow...
In the meantime, you start searching for temporary extensions or wigs to attend that coming birthday party or to post pictures of her on social media. Glamor in a minute. Which are the options...?
Attachment, Wool, Wigs
Orly Avitzur, M.D. Medical Adviser in an article from Consumer Report, exposes "Hair extensions, which transform even the thinnest head of hair into a luxurious mane by adding volume and length, are now quite the rage. Throngs of celebrities are rumored to wear them. Made of human hair, synthetics, or mixed blends, hair extensions can be added individually, in groups (weft), or by the clip-on method. In both methods, the hair is then attached to the head by bonding, gluing, heat fusing, metal tube clamping, or sewing. "
In the article, Hidden Danger of Weaves, Extensions revealed,Julie Skipper, a lawyer, and Latrecia Brown, a nurse, both wear weaves or extensions but haven’t had the same results. “It’s a chance to play a little bit,”
Brown said she had to cut most of her hair after a while “My sides were thinning,” Brown said. “You know, I had good hair. It was full and thick. It was thinning out. Some parts were short and some parts were long.”
Dr Nestor Demosthenous A doctor has issued a warning to women using hair extensions, highlighting how wearing them can lead to hair loss and even baldness.
Dr Nestor Demosthenous says traction alopecia - caused by pulling force being applied to the hair - is on the rise due to the growing popularity of extensions for women wanting thick, long tresses.
Hair loss and balding from the pulling and excess weight. The hair loss is believed to be caused by the loosening of the hair shaft from the follicle, as well as by chronic inflammation.
Stars including Naomi Campbell, who told the Evening Standard in May of 2017, has been very frank about her personal battle with traction alopecia, which is proof that extensions can be damaging even with the best hair care.
Randee Bank, a petite brunette interviewed, said she had loved the look of extensions so much that she wore them daily, and was willing to tolerate the headaches. It was when she began to notice several bald spots where the extensions had pulled out chunks of her hair that she finally stopped. A dermatologist told her that because of permanent damage to the hair follicles, her hair would never grow back.
“They’re all a disaster,” Bank says, describing the various methods she had tried over the years. “When you take them out, you look like a rat has chewed on your hair, so it becomes addictive and leaves you with little choice but to put them back in to hide the damage they’ve caused.”
CONTRAINDICATIONS AND SIDE EFFECTS OF HAIR EXTENSIONS
GRIVAMAX, a specialist on hair laser treatment solutions explains:
"The hair extension procedure is prohibited in the following cases:
- if the natural hair is weak and thin, or there are any signs of baldness;
There is another risk of getting hair extensions: sometimes, hair gets tangled at bonding points. Extra weight, chemicals, and lack of nutrients damage natural hair, causing breakage and hair loss."
"... If you still feel determined to try this procedure to add volume to your hair, be aware that you may need a hair restoration treatment in the future. After that, you will have to try different cosmetics and remedies to cure your damaged hair."
What are long-term consequences of extensions when introduced at a young age?
A post at Coils & Glory website, explains... "Like other parts of children’s bodies, the tiny follicles that control hair growth is still forming and developing into a more robust and healthy “root” which will produce healthy hair throughout the child’s lifetime. And so, great caution must be taken when manipulating the child’s hair."
Hairstyles that are uncomfortable for the child to bear will also be uncomfortable for her scalp to hold on to. This means that when the hairstyle is pulled too tight, it can pull some hair off the scalp which can damage the hair growth potential of the follicles where the hair was prematurely uprooted. Also, when extra weight is added to the hair in the form of extensions, it can also force the hair to be pulled from the scalp, resulting in balded edges.
Receding hairline is not cute on anyone, adult or kids, and so parents or the hairstylist of the child should be gentle-handed when handling children’s hair.
What to do?
As promoters of Natural Hair in our beloved treasures, our advice and recommendations will be biased. We firmly believe our children can enjoy long natural hair without the need to have exposure to harmful chemicals or extreme procedures.
In this post, we wanted to bring you references on technical concerns to consider if you decide to use Extensions or any other supplement in your child's hair.
Yes, extensions (wool and attachment) absorb all the goodness of hair care products, some are also laced with synthetic dyes/chemicals that are toxic to hair causing rashes, itchiness, and discomfort. To revert damage to your child's hair due to the effect of extensions and/or chemicals we advise our clients to:
- Review baby's hair care routine (read about reasons why your baby's hair might not be growing). As shown in the extract from medical reports above, in some cases the damage to hair follicles in children can be serious;
- Reduce use of extensions to eliminate exposure of your baby's scalp to harmful chemicals (check our blog's post here);
- Follow progress closely, maintain permanent communication with your preferred hair care product provider on the next steps. As manufacturers, we love to support all our clients on their hair care goals.
If you are facing similar challenges and you are willing to adopt a fully natural hair care system for your child, then FC Lifestyle will be a great fit for you; contact us through Whatsapp or social media for guidance on proven natural products and effective hair care routines we use to revert hair damage and avoid baldness concerns.
Join our growing family of happy mothers who always provide testimonials on consistent hair growth.
Have a great week ahead!
FC Lifestyle