Has anyone's edges thinned out from pulling hair back ?

[deeshortesthair]

I finally can get my hair into a pony....ehhem I mean pigtail and I am tinking of doing the baggie method, I am happy with my edges even though they are gray and wiry and i am afraid I will loose them once I start combing my hair again .I only use a comb when I detangle in the shower and I never brush, how do I get a baggie without traumatizing my edges?

 

[kandyland]

My edges have definitely gotten thinner from pulling my hair back but I think its due to me using a brush to get it back. When I first went natural I was obsessed with getting the front of my hair smooth to get it into a puff...due to the thinning...I just use gel and smooth it down with my hand and put a scarf on it to smooth it down .... I've also started using MTG to fill the edges back in....

 

[Chicoro]

I wear my hair back all the time and usually have one bun or chignon and have not had any thinning.

I do what kandyland does, use gel and a scarf. I also use what jcoily mentioned: use a toothbrush to lay down my edges. It is gentle enough to not cause breakage but firm and dense enough to lay my edges down straight and smooth. I've done this for years. I don't think my edges have thinned at all but everyone is different. I think it's a matter of trial and error to determine whether or not a technique or style will work for you or not and that involves some risk, too. I think you will know rather quickly if what you are doing is damaging or not because you have probably developed a 'protective eye' regarding your hair.

 

[deedabug]

if what your using to secure the ponytail causes any tension...it's very possible to cause thinning...

i got away with putting a loose ponytail holder on nightly to keep my hair from tangling up thru the nite...

after months...3-6 mths..i noticed thinner hair right in the center of my forehead...

so i quit it...it was minimal but i quit before it spread....

 

[tal]

I have 4a/b relaxed hair and I wear my hair back on a daily basis. And yes, I have noticed thinning. I believe it is due to several things - hormones (my age), gels used for smoothing, and brushing to smoothe the gel through and get the hair flat looking.

I have used all kinds of products to fill in my the edges. While they work initially, the hair begins to thin out again from the brushing. I tend to use the more solid type of gels (Let's Jam & Elasta QP) for my edges, and they require a lot more brushing to work in. The more liquidy types of gels are used for the rest of my hair. I began using a toothbrush for my edges a while ago and am very pleased with the results. It allows you to really get to those baby hairs, and it's much kinder and gentler.

I wear my hair in a french roll and my objective has always been to pull my hair back as tight as possible to get a very smoothe and sleek look. This has been to my detriment.