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View Full Version : Updos give me bald spots!



thirstylocks
February 5th, 2015, 10:37 AM
Anyone else get this problem? Any updo I do, even a pony tail or half up style, gives me really noticeable bald spots. I have fairly full hair but it is a bit sparse at the hair line (I think?) and it doesn't help that I've always naturally had an uneven hairline riddled with baby hairs. My hair is also dark brown and the contrast to my white scalp is so strong. I feel a bit embarassed to put my hair up and as a result, I go months with letting my hair down and I know its killing the health of my ends.

Does anybody have any tips or tricks for this? I can post a picture if it would help to visualize it. My hair has no bald spots when its down and I'm really not concerned about the fullness of my hair - I am pretty happy with it. It just doesnt translate into updos.

So here is the bald spot and you can see a picture of the medium-fullness of my hair in my signature.
http://i61.tinypic.com/2pq2xq9.jpg

meteor
February 5th, 2015, 10:45 AM
Does anybody have any tips or tricks for this? I can post a picture if it would help to visualize it. My hair has no bald spots when its down and I'm really not concerned about the fullness of my hair - I am pretty happy with it. It just doesnt translate into updos.

That sleeked down look is pretty common for buns and ponies.

It's all about placing hair: maybe experiment with updos from half-ups (sectioned buns), because they can give poof/lift at the front or can cover up some areas that you'd sleek down normally. O you could do accent twists/braids along the head or position and pin that front hair strategically?

Ambrielle
February 5th, 2015, 10:45 AM
Do you wear your updos in the same spot/place all the time? It's good to change them so as to avoid putting pressure on the same spots and i'd avoid any hairstyles that feel "tight" against the scalp if you don't already. How long ago did you start noticing those spots? Have the baby hairs always been there or are they new growth?
A photo may help us if you are comfortable sharing :flower:

thirstylocks
February 5th, 2015, 10:49 AM
Ooh I like that side braid idea.

The pony tail I posted is actually a hybrid! It started as a half-up-do to give the middle part of my head more volume and then I just added another elastic and took all the hair in a pony.
I should also say that I didn't intend for it to look so sleek but my hair is a little oily since I havent washed it in a few days lol. There is not gel in it or anything.

thirstylocks
February 5th, 2015, 10:51 AM
Do you wear your updos in the same spot/place all the time? It's good to change them so as to avoid putting pressure on the same spots and i'd avoid any hairstyles that feel "tight" against the scalp if you don't already. How long ago did you start noticing those spots? Have the baby hairs always been there or are they new growth?
A photo may help us if you are comfortable sharing :flower:

No I don't wear it in the same spot - I barely wear it up at all unless I'm at home sleeping lol. My baby hairs have always been there - is that normal?? Some are new growth, but the ones on my hair line have looked like that since my 1st grade school photos!!! As for the bald spots, I always had some of my scalp peek through but the past year or so, it has been a LOT of scalp peeking through. :( It is only on the sides of my head around my hairline so I'm wondering if this is some hormonal thing?

I added a photo in the first post

yogagirl
February 5th, 2015, 11:32 AM
Before I saw the picture I thought your meant bald spots as in hair loss or rather hair pulled out in certain spots due to tension from updos. But you just mean that the hair separates in an unfortunate way, so a lot of scalp is visible. Am I understanding this correctly?

If yes, I also get that, especially when my hair is a bit oily. The only remedy I know is using my fingers or ideally a BBB to smooth the hair out better and break up the "stringy-ness", arranging it just so over the scalp.

Oh and by the way, my hair is also like that. Close to the hairline in the front I have tons of baby hair, and basically if you draw a line over my head between the ears, I don't have a lot of hair density in front of that line. So not only is the hair finer, there is also less per square inch. Doesn't help the visible scalp situation :(

bonbon58
February 5th, 2015, 11:46 AM
My hair is like this too! The oils from my scalp makes hair stringy starting day 2 after wash. Brushing my hairy before making an up-do helps a bit

sophiamermaid
February 5th, 2015, 11:53 AM
I sometimes get that and have to just brush that part back into it -- well, I gave to release it all and brush it in the direction the base of the updo is going to be (especially pronounced when I'm doing 2 high buns). That always fixes it for me!

Ambrielle
February 5th, 2015, 11:53 AM
No I don't wear it in the same spot - I barely wear it up at all unless I'm at home sleeping lol. My baby hairs have always been there - is that normal?? Some are new growth, but the ones on my hair line have looked like that since my 1st grade school photos!!! As for the bald spots, I always had some of my scalp peek through but the past year or so, it has been a LOT of scalp peeking through. :( It is only on the sides of my head around my hairline so I'm wondering if this is some hormonal thing?

I added a photo in the first post

i see, i was thinking in the same line as yogagirl, i thought you meant actual bald spots from hair loss or alopecia. I think it is normal for some to have those baby hairs there all the time, i can think of someone in my family at least who has many baby hairs in their front hairline, they never seem to grow any longer but they have had them since they were kids, i wouldn't worry about that.
And yes, i was thinking it could be hormonal if you have noticed a definite increase of those spots. Do you take an oral contraceptive? I used to go on and off the pill randomly (crazy and stupid i know), i did notice it messed up big time with my skin and hair. When i went on/off the first three months i'd experience very oily skin and hair loss but the truth is certain contraceptives actually seem to improve my hair (this could be because of a slight hormonal imbalance than the pill adjusted). Another thing to consider is oily scalps. An acquaintance of mine started to get those but hers were far more noticeable than yours and spread out all over her scalp. She thought she had alopecia and went to see a specialist. It turned out sebum was the culprit, there was so much of it on her scalp that it was clogging the new hair from coming through, i guess it was obstructing the follicles or something like that.

Ambrielle
February 5th, 2015, 11:58 AM
i forgot to mention i have a spot like that (or did! just checked and it's filled in with hair now wow, very strange). It was on the right side (temple) , i now have short hairs (about 6 inches long) where that spot was. I am not sure what caused it to be honest, i thought it was a mix of stress, mechanical damage (tight updos) but who knows:shrug:

Nadine <3
February 5th, 2015, 11:59 AM
I get scalp cleavage like that all the time, doesn't matter if my hair is clean or lightly dirty. I take a fine tooth comb after my hair is done and comb over the bald spots. It helps to spread the hair better and cover my scalp.

Panth
February 5th, 2015, 12:11 PM
I, too, get "scalp cleavage" like that. I use a BBB to smooth the hair and prevent it.

I'm surprised to see you're a C/ii. I tend to think of this as principally a fine/thin haired problem...

spidermom
February 5th, 2015, 12:16 PM
Do your very best to comb all the hair smoothly in the direction of your bun (or whatever). Once you've created the style, use a comb to go over your scalp from edges (face) toward the style.

I get this a lot with french braiding. Using the comb from edges toward braid puts things right (usually).

MINAKO
February 5th, 2015, 12:32 PM
i have that too, black hair and gleaming white scalp here. i wouldnt call it bald spots tho, all the hair that could possibly grow in that area is present, sooo... using a goat hair brush to smooth the hair down and spread it evenly, then a tiny bit of a waxy product. i also pluck my widows peak. and if i know im going to take pictures i even go as far as using a bit of eyebrow powder to perfect my hairline.

lapushka
February 5th, 2015, 12:40 PM
I thought this was about true bald spots that were the result of bunning. But this is about something else, called "scalp cleavage". You can get it loose, and you can get it from putting your hair up wrong. A comb would certainly help (fine tooth).

mamaherrera
February 5th, 2015, 12:59 PM
I have that too. and I have the baby hairs, and I'm a C/ii as well, so it's probably from the fact a bit that we have coarse hair, but not as much of it. I have it going on right now as I did double french braids, and I hate having scalp cleavage above my ears because that's where my white roots are, so I usually use bangs to go off to the sides to cover those areas, but today I wanted the bangs out of the way. Another reason I ALWAYS have scalp cleavage there is because all the hairs above my ears and temples, going in a about 1.5 inches only grow to max of about 6-7 inches, so they never stay "back" with the updo, so the direction of the hair goes down, and makes almost like a "part" and then I have scalp cleavage there, again where my white roots are!! It's fun, no. But yes, it totally has to do with direction of hairs as well. My part in the back looks thinner than on top but it's because the direction of the hairs. And because I have cowlicks, even if I use combs, my hair is stubborn about which direction it wants to go. I also have what you said, the baby hairs in front and the widows peak, "c's" on both sides of my temples, so it throws lots of dynamics in my updos, which is probably why I don't do them very often. I'm still not comfortable with my own big forehead. Don't worry. . . I think it's normal. I tell myself this to reassure myself as well!!

mamaherrera
February 5th, 2015, 01:02 PM
Before I saw the picture I thought your meant bald spots as in hair loss or rather hair pulled out in certain spots due to tension from updos. But you just mean that the hair separates in an unfortunate way, so a lot of scalp is visible. Am I understanding this correctly?

If yes, I also get that, especially when my hair is a bit oily. The only remedy I know is using my fingers or ideally a BBB to smooth the hair out better and break up the "stringy-ness", arranging it just so over the scalp.

Oh and by the way, my hair is also like that. Close to the hairline in the front I have tons of baby hair, and basically if you draw a line over my head between the ears, I don't have a lot of hair density in front of that line. So not only is the hair finer, there is also less per square inch. Doesn't help the visible scalp situation :(

That area is mine exactly the same!!! And then add in my "receded" temples that I've had since I was little!! Not fun!

cathair
February 5th, 2015, 02:29 PM
I get scalp cleavage like that all the time, doesn't matter if my hair is clean or lightly dirty. I take a fine tooth comb after my hair is done and comb over the bald spots. It helps to spread the hair better and cover my scalp.

Exactly this ^^^ :)

gwenalyn
February 5th, 2015, 02:44 PM
I have the same issues, and I always thought it was because I had straight, fine hair, but looking at the hair types of people on this thread it looks like a more common problem!

Once I'm done with the updo, I check it in the mirror. If it's really awful, I re-do it, but usually I can just strategically pull on some strands, spray dry shampoo around the bald spots, and when I rub it in I kind of ... fluff hair over the bald spot to hide it. It doesn't look fluffy though. Hard to explain. If you don't like dry shampoo I think you can buy "texturizing" powders that would do the same thing, I just don't like how those feel so I don't use them.

I have this theory that I have a cowlick or a natural part on the back of my head or something, so the placement of the sections (e.g. when french braiding) can really make a difference with how much scalp cleavage shows up. Try playing around with how you section the hair and see if that helps.

dulce
February 5th, 2015, 02:55 PM
I also have this,I agree it is scalp cleavage not actual bald spots.

curiop
February 5th, 2015, 03:45 PM
I always thought I was the only one that had this! I used to get embarrassed about it when I was younger thinking that only my hair had these strange gaps when I pulled it certain ways, I'm glad that I've come across this thread as I just assumed I had hair that was unnaturally resistant to doing what I want :whip: these days I either redo the hairstyle completely, brushing through the hair in the direction I want it to cover; or if I'm feeling lazy (most of the time :whistle: ) I just comb over the "cleavage" part.

mamaherrera
February 5th, 2015, 03:57 PM
I can brush all day and I still don't get it to go, it is part of the fact that hair is resistant to staying in a direction that you want it to go. My husband says that if I want it Picture perfect like many women I know, he said, you have to use gel and a "FINE" tooth comb, but I never will use one of those combs as my hair is coarse, so maybe that's why its' harder for us to get it to look all slicked back like a helmet. But many of my friends "ALWAYS" have that perfectly slicked back look, no scalp cleavage except at their edges.

yogagirl
February 5th, 2015, 04:20 PM
That area is mine exactly the same!!! And then add in my "receded" temples that I've had since I was little!! Not fun!
That's because we're hair twins!! I totally have those "receding temples" as well. I'm not bald there, but there's only tiny little baby hairs there that puff out sometimes when I want my hair slicked back neatly. Ack!

nicolezoie
February 5th, 2015, 07:43 PM
My hair separates like that. Basically, what some call "scalp cleavage." I do two things to combat it, although they don't always work. First is thoroughly brushing out my hair before putting it into a slicked back updo so that my hair is not 'glued' to my scalp. Then, once I've pushed/pulled/manipulated/aligned it back into the beginning of the updo but before it's constructed, I use a fine tooth comb to push back any gaps that form, or, if they're really bad, I'll start over. Once the gaps have been minimized, I finish the updo, and then use a boar bristle brush to smooth the surface on my scalp, and if there are any really bad bumps, I'll slide a hair stick under and in between layers against my scalp and push back the bumps so they're hidden under the updo. If that doesn't work, at least it makes the bumps far less obvious. And, throughout the day if I'm bothered enough by it, I'll smooth back my hairline halo with a BBB. Most of the time though I end up looking like I stuck my finger in an outlet...and the gaps return. Annoying, but that's what happens when hair is used to growing in one direction and you try to convince it it wants to go another.

thirstylocks
February 5th, 2015, 09:36 PM
Thanks to everyone for the many helpful suggestions and responses. I am pretty relieved that I am not the only one who experiences this! I never heard of hair cleavage before, so that definitely made me laugh a bit! I suppose what I was referring to isnt bald spots but just sort of thinning of the hair in some areass?

I wonder if anyone has ever tried hiding their scalp with make up the color of their hair? It sounds like a decent idea but potentially problematic because it could clog pores.

Majorane
February 5th, 2015, 11:06 PM
Ehm, I have succesfully hidden the demarcation line of white new growth/dark brown dye on the parting of a coworker.... with hairchalk (which really is just normal craft chalk) and she did it herself with eyebrow pencils and eyeshadow. It also got on her scalpskin, and it stayed there nice and happily. I think that it will not do that much harm. IF you brush it on gently (pulvarize the chalk first, or just use a soooooft eyeshadow), maybe not do it every day at the same spot.... and maybe carefully pat the area with a cotton pad and gentle make up remover in the evening???? Not that I'd have the discipline to do that, mind you....

Most of the particles in eyeshadow are too big to clog pores, if I remember the makeup tips from makeup guru's correctly. Nut have you ever tried a bbb to hide the cleavage?

As for you getting bald or thinning spots that come and disappear again: that IS cause for mild concern. Keep an eye on it, and if it keeps up, maybe get your blood checked or say hi to a friendly neighborhood dermatologist? It could just be your scalp being sassy and having a will of her own! If you have always had it, then no concern needed. But my dad once had a huge fungal infection on his head and that did eat the little hairs he had in the places where the fungus was living. Hairs got back after fungus was killed dead. :rockerdud And my dad is not a gross dude, mmmkay, he just is the tastiest thing skin fungusses have ever encountered. It's a family thing. Boo.

Panth
February 6th, 2015, 01:24 AM
Thanks to everyone for the many helpful suggestions and responses. I am pretty relieved that I am not the only one who experiences this! I never heard of hair cleavage before, so that definitely made me laugh a bit! I suppose what I was referring to isnt bald spots but just sort of thinning of the hair in some areass?

I wonder if anyone has ever tried hiding their scalp with make up the color of their hair? It sounds like a decent idea but potentially problematic because it could clog pores.

It's not even thinning per se. Rather, it's because your hair wants to lie one way (straight down) and you're pulling it another (back to the ponytail) and because your temples are sparser than your crown, there's not enough hair to cover what is essentially lots of natural partings. It's quite common around the front/temple region, like in your photo. Some people also get "scalp cleavage" where their parting naturally continues a few inches down from the crown towards the nape. It can be caused by having sparser hair in a region (e.g. temples) which is not the same as thinning, because it's always been like that, just like how some people have short hairs around the hairline at temples or nape. Other causes are scars on the head and cowlicks. It's annoying, but perfectly normal, particularly for people with i and ii hair.

Duchess Fuzzy Buns
February 6th, 2015, 01:29 AM
:rockerdud And my dad is not a gross dude, mmmkay, he just is the tastiest thing skin fungusses have ever encountered. It's a family thing. Boo.

:rollin: You're a funny gal Majorane!

Just wanted to chime in and say I too get the dreaded scalp cleavage. It's probably the thing that annoys me the most about my hair.

Majorane
February 6th, 2015, 01:52 AM
How can you say that? You have amazing curls! Your hair has nothing to dislike about. And thank you for the compliment :)

mamaherrera
February 6th, 2015, 02:33 AM
:rollin: You're a funny gal Majorane!

Just wanted to chime in and say I too get the dreaded scalp cleavage. It's probably the thing that annoys me the most about my hair.

Another hair twin of mine, and yes scalp cleavage can occur with us ladies that have coarse strands, but we are ii.'s I have it whereever, but it mostly bothers me where my white hairs are!

stachelbeere
February 6th, 2015, 04:42 AM
Thanks to everyone for the many helpful suggestions and responses. I am pretty relieved that I am not the only one who experiences this! I never heard of hair cleavage before, so that definitely made me laugh a bit! I suppose what I was referring to isnt bald spots but just sort of thinning of the hair in some areass?

I wonder if anyone has ever tried hiding their scalp with make up the color of their hair? It sounds like a decent idea but potentially problematic because it could clog pores.

Maybe this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P04pS4yQiNQ) will help?

Duchess Fuzzy Buns
February 6th, 2015, 10:28 AM
How can you say that? You have amazing curls! Your hair has nothing to dislike about. And thank you for the compliment :)

Aw, thank you. :o I like my hair in general, just scalp cleavage is annoying. It's a shame it's the only cleavage I got. :p

Duchess Fuzzy Buns
February 6th, 2015, 10:30 AM
Another hair twin of mine, and yes scalp cleavage can occur with us ladies that have coarse strands, but we are ii.'s I have it whereever, but it mostly bothers me where my white hairs are!

:waving: Hi hair twin!

mamaherrera
February 6th, 2015, 01:01 PM
Hey Hair Twin! I'm so with you on "it's the only cleavage on my whole body I got!" We're twins in many ways then!

Duchess Fuzzy Buns
February 6th, 2015, 01:23 PM
Hey Hair Twin! I'm so with you on "it's the only cleavage on my whole body I got!" We're twins in many ways then!
:hollie::hollie:

TrapperCreekD
February 6th, 2015, 01:26 PM
This happens to me too, when my hair gets oily. Nothing a comb won't fix, and maybe a little gel if you're worried about the hairs moving.

Jonas
October 29th, 2023, 10:23 AM
The same thing happens to me I have visible scalp on the top of my head because of how the hair falls after up dos :( thin or fine hair problems

ETJ CURLS
October 29th, 2023, 11:02 PM
I have one on each side of my head right where my glasses sit, so I suppose the hair just rubbed away over the decades. They're only really noticeable if I pull ALL of my hair up, so I normally pull out a little curl on each side, and that hides it pretty well.

ETA: Visual representation
https://i.ibb.co/52W7XB3/84861-BFC-8-AA8-4-C18-B744-BF681-D47-C1-AF.jpg

I was a little freaked out when I first noticed it, but looking at pictures going back years I realised it wasn't a new thing.