Traction alopecia from wearing hair up to sleep?

[buttercupmcgee]

I usually sleep with my hair down, but lately I've been experimenting with various updos at night.

Last night I coiled a loose cinnabun on top of my head, but I felt as if it was tugging at the roots around my face ever so slightly when I moved. (I sleep on my stomach, on a satin pillowcase. For I while I tried to stay on my back but I always wake up on my stomach.)

For those of you who sleep on your sides or stomachs, as anyone else experienced this sensation? Do you think sleeping with your hair up and having it rub and pull gently on the pillow all night as you toss and turn could do any damage?

[spidermom]

I almost always do a top of head braid, taking care not to pull it tight, and I've seen no sign of traction alopecia yet. I tend to worry more about that with buns, as over time they tend to sag and I definitely feel the pull.

[buttercupmcgee]

I almost always do a top of head braid, taking care not to pull it tight, and I've seen no sign of traction alopecia yet. I tend to worry more about that with buns, as over time they tend to sag and I definitely feel the pull.

Interesting, how do you create it? High pony on top of your head and then braid that?

[Madora]

I've been wearing my hair up in a loosely braided bun on the top of my head for over a year now and have never noticed any pulling or rubbing.

If your hair pulls or feels uncomfortable, then it is probably secured too tightly and over time that pulling back tightly might cause traction alopecia.

In order to braid my hair so that it sits comfortably on my head, I bend deeply at the waist and then start braiding. I always make sure that there is plenty of flexibility right at the point where the braid starts. It should be semi loose (enough to insert 2 fingers between scalp and the beginning of the braid).

[Purdy Bear]

Traction Alopecia is usually caused when an updo is done too tight, so if you do a loose version it may be ok.

Personally when I had long hair, I would put it into a simple English braid and then flip it over the back of the pillow. My Dr recommended this to me when I was in my teens and it worked pretty well.

[Anje]

I'm often a stomach sleeper, and it's from this pulling that I just don't sleep with my hair bunned. It bugs me, and I think my scalp deserves a break while I'm sleeping. Since I usually would end up sleeping on top of my braids, the thing I found that works best for me is a satin sleep bonnet, with my hair coiled around my hand, then dropped loose inside.

[buttercupmcgee]

I almost always do a top of head braid, taking care not to pull it tight, and I've seen no sign of traction alopecia yet. I tend to worry more about that with buns, as over time they tend to sag and I definitely feel the pull.


I'm often a stomach sleeper, and it's from this pulling that I just don't sleep with my hair bunned. It bugs me, and I think my scalp deserves a break while I'm sleeping. Since I usually would end up sleeping on top of my braids, the thing I found that works best for me is a satin sleep bonnet, with my hair coiled around my hand, then dropped loose inside.

Oh this sounds promising! (Although I can practically hear my boyfriend groaning from a distance right now....add this to the ever-growing list of skin cream/ teeth grinding guard/cuticle oil bedtime attractiveness!)

I'll look into it. Do you know of a brand that doesn't cause ridges on your skin? I've had them in the past but I wake up with marks on my forehead by my hairline.

[buttercupmcgee]

I've been wearing my hair up in a loosely braided bun on the top of my head for over a year now and have never noticed any pulling or rubbing.

If your hair pulls or feels uncomfortable, then it is probably secured too tightly and over time that pulling back tightly might cause traction alopecia.

In order to braid my hair so that it sits comfortably on my head, I bend deeply at the waist and then start braiding. I always make sure that there is plenty of flexibility right at the point where the braid starts. It should be semi loose (enough to insert 2 fingers between scalp and the beginning of the braid).

Thanks for the detailed description, Madora. What do you use to secure it?

[luxepiggy]

Yes!! When I first joined LHC, I tried several different sleep updos, but I experienced similar problems. Eventually I noticed that sleeping with my hair up actually increased the amount of breakage I was experiencing, so I've gone back to sleeping with it loose again, though I do use a silk pillow case (^(oo)^)

[Tealpuffin]

I wear my hair up in the day and night and I have never had any problems with hair falling out. At night I just use a very bug it up in a very loose pony or buny so it is. not uncomfortable x

[Anje]

Do you know of a brand that doesn't cause ridges on your skin? I've had them in the past but I wake up with marks on my forehead by my hairline.
I don't seem to get particularly stripy with the Stay-on-Satin ones that describe themselves as having a satin edge. Like this (http://www.amazon.com/Stay-Large-Satin-Edge-Bonnet/dp/B003I5ZMBG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317675443&sr=8-2), though you can find them cheaper at Walgreens, Walmart, or any of your assorted local Wal-stores (haven't been to Wall-Drug for the free ice water, so I can't say if they have them :) ). I can't say I never have lines, but if I do they're usually gone by the time I have both put my glasses on and then looked in the mirror in the morning.

[meeta]

lol I can't help but sleep on my belly too!

[Madora]

Thanks for the detailed description, Madora. What do you use to secure it?

Buttercupmcgee, I use 9 3 inch crimped hairpins. I only braid the braid 3/4ths of the way down, then coil it and tuck the tassle under the coil. I pin as I coil and try to catch just a tiny bit of scalp hair along with the braid.

[Vanilla]

I sleep on my side and I've also been experiencing traction alopecia by tying my hair up in a cinnabun and in a scarf at night. I love that I can stretch another day between washes, but I've noticed a few more cowlicks at the front of my head.