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Your edges and the tension that adds up

Wear what you love. Just know what tight styles do to the same spot, day after day.

By the Her Crown Journal team · October 2026 · 3 min read

Braids, sew-ins, ponytails and glued lace are part of how we live, and nobody here is telling you to stop.

But pulling on the same spot every day adds up. Doctors call it traction alopecia: the hair at the temples and edges thins because the root is under constant tension.

The early signs are small bumps around the hairline, soreness after a fresh install, or a style that hurts for more than a day. That's your scalp telling you it's too tight.

Caught early, it often grows back once the tension stops. After years of it, the root can scar, and then nothing on top or inside brings it back. That's why timing matters more than any product.

Simple moves help: ask your stylist to go looser at the edges, give your hairline a break between installs, and skip the glue when you can.

Try this weekIf a new style still hurts after 24 hours, have it loosened. Don't wait it out.
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