If you have read quite a few of my articles I like to talk about natural hair growth and how to promote healthy hair.
There is one thing that I have failed to talk about enough and that is about your edges and how to grow your edges back after a mishap.
Thinning edges can happen to anyone and you don’t have to do an awful lot in order for it to happen to you.
Today I want to talk about why people lose their edges, what you can do to grow your edges back if this ever happens and how to prevent it from happening to you in the future.
Having edges is important. No one wants to look like their hairline is on holiday.
***Please note that this site uses affiliate links if you would like to read the legal stuff you can find it here
The top question most people ask is why are my edges thinning?
There are a number of reasons that this can happen to a person so let’s start by taking a look at the top reasons people lose their edges.
1. Braids that are too tight and heavy
We all want our braids to look super-duper fly and fresh but that should not mean that your braids need to be as tight as possible. Sacrificing your edges just to keep your hair looking fresh is a huge NO-NO!
If after having your braids installed your scalp feels uncomfortable then it likely that your braids are way too tight. If the uncomfortableness persists for more than a few days then you need to go back to where you got them installed to get them loosened.
Personally, I wouldn’t even wait a few days because a lot of damage can occur during that time.
It’s not only having your braids too tight that can cause this, having braids that are too heavy will cause lots of damage to your hairline too.
With the wave of chunky braids being in fashion, it would be easy to get your hair braided like this and forget about your edges.
The sheer weight of the braids can rip the hair out of your scalp. If you see little bumps at your edges appearing then your braids are perhaps too heavy or too tight.
View this post on Instagram
2. Brushing your edges with a hard brush
We live in an age where having your edges laid is a must – or is it?
I’m all for laying your edges if you want too but not to the detriment of your edges.
If you do want to lay your edges you must do so gently. Don’t be tempted to use a hard brush in the hopes that it will keep your hair laid better. You don’t want to do that. Instead, you can use a soft toothbrush or a soft hairbrush like this one.
If you really want your edges to lay flat then you can use a good gel and put a headscarf on top for a few minutes until it sets.
Related post: The best gels for natural hair
3. Wigs can be problematic
People love wigs because they are easy to use and give you the ability to be flexible with your hairstyles. Whilst this can be a good thing, wigs can cause a lot of friction on your edges that can cause your edges to rub away.
If you do like to wear wigs be sure to put them on and take them off carefully so as not to disturb your edges too much.
4. Postpartum hair loss
Many women go through postpartum hair loss after pregnancy. When you get pregnant your hair pauses the usual cycle of shedding and growth.
Once you give birth all the hair that you should have shed during pregnancy begins to shed again. It may look like excessive hair loss to the outside eye.
During this time you need to be extremely careful with your edges.
Personally speaking, I wouldn’t even think about trying to lay my edges or even brush them during this time as your hair is much more fragile.
5. Medical issues
If you are suffering from medical issues sometimes this can be the cause of hair loss which can affect your hairline.
If you do notice this happening I would definitely consult your doctor or a hair specialist so that you can get the issue under control in the best way possible.
6. Hereditary
It’s not every time that when you lose your edges that it is something that you have done. Sometimes these things are nothing more than hereditary.
You can tell if you look at your family history if your issues with thinning edges are a family-wide problem or not.
If you do notice this make sure you take extra care with your edges so you can preserve them for as long as possible.
What can you do to grow your edges back?
1. Scalp massages
Doing scalp massages can be very helpful. When you massage your scalp you encourage blood circulation which promotes hair growth.
You can massage your whole scalp when you are doing this but when you massage your edges try not to be too aggressive. Just because you are massaging it doesn’t mean that you need to use all of your strength to do it.
2. Take biotin supplements
Some people have sworn that taking biotin supplements has helped them to grow their edges back fast.
I think if you are worried about losing your edges then it’s worth a shot. Any supplements that are for hair skin and nails should be able to help you regrow your edges.
You can consult a hair specialist if you are unsure.
3. Apply oils to encourage growth
Using oils to massage your scalp can help to speed up the growth process.
Oils such as Jamaican black castor oil and jojoba oil can help to regrow your edges.
You can even heat up the oils like a hot oil treatment before applying it to your edges to help increase blood circulation which will, in turn, boost the supply of nutrients to your hairs follicles.
How to prevent your edges thinning
There are a few precautionary measures that you can take to prevent your thinning edges getting any worse or to stop it happening to you in the future.
1. Sleep with a satin pillowcase or satin headscarf
One of the best investments that I ever made when I let my hair grow natural was to buy a satin headscarf to sleep with.
Not only does it help to keep your hair moisturised but it also reduces the amount of friction on your edges too.
Friction is a terrible thing for hair because it causes unnecessary breakage
Using a simple thing such as a or a satin pillowcase or a satin headscarf at night can reduce this.
2. Consider leaving your edges alone
We are obsessed with having our edges laid as flat as possible. Do they always have to be laid flat?
Perhaps it’s better to pick and choose when you want to have your edges laid rather than doing it every day.
The edges of your hair are like baby hairs and can, therefore, fall out very easily.
There is nothing wrong which with having fluffy edges once in a while.
If your edges are already thinning I would definitely leave them alone.
3. Use natural products
Using natural products in your hair is so much better than products that contain harmful silicones, sulfates and parabens.
Some of these ingredients do not help you as they can cause dryness which also leads to breakage.
Where possible use natural ingredients for your hair instead.
4. Keep your edges moisturised
It’s easy to moisturise your hair and forget about your edges.
Your edges are hair too and they need moisture just like the rest of your hair otherwise it will get dry and break in the same way the rest of your hair would.
Make a conscious effort to regularly moisturise your edges along with the rest of your hair as part of your hair regimen.
Best products for thinning edges
There are a few products out there on the market that are said to help with growing your edges back.
Here a few that you can try:
1. Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen Grow and Restore Edge Treatment
2. Dr. Miracles Temple and Nape Gro Balm
Final thoughts on how to grow your edges back
If you have lost your edges try not to get too embarrassed by it. The most important thing that you can do is to try to resolve the problem.
As long as the issue is not traction alopecia which is a much more complicated issue that needs the attention of a hair specialist or doctor you can always deal with it.
Don’t just try to cover up the issue because of embarrassment use the steps above and it due time your edges will grow back.
Related posts:
Lock moisture into your hair with the Cherry Lola treatment
How to tell if your hair is damaged
11 Benefits to regularly trimming your hair
