How can I avoid this ___ next time I braid?

[Fine 4s]

I didn't feel her braiding my hair too tight but my scalp was sensitive and not just in that area. This always happens when I get my hair braided though. I might have offended my braider when I told her I got these bumps because she braided my hair too tight. I don't know how else to tell whomever braiding my hair that I'm more concerned with hair health over style. So if your braiding is going to last only 2 days instead of a month because you didn't braid it tightly (according to the braider's standards) then so be it.

Any tips? Can I make it go away, it's pretty ugly and noticeable.
It looks like those bumps some men get after getting their hair cut from a barbe who didn't sterilize/clean their clippers. And I used my comb.....

Any suggestions?

 

[Vintageglam]

Aloe vera should soothe it a little and help with the swelling as well as preventing infection.

 

[Fine 4s]

Any other suggestions? So far, I got aloe vera...

 

[Nonie]

Oh Sweetie, I hope someone can help. I am sure there have been suggestions in previous threads with a similar story of products you can use to soothe your scalp (aloe?) but I never paid attention because I don't expect to be needing that info since I do my own hair.

My suggestion for NEXT TIME is to only go to a braider you've seen work on kids and the kids not been in tears. I had such a stylist growing up and she started doing my sister's hair when she was 2 and we would all fall asleep while she braided coz she was so gentle. And if a braider tells you that the style will unravel faster unless she yanks your brains out, Girl, thank her for her time and get the heck out of there because that's total BS. There is a difference between making the "rope" part of the braid firm so it lasts and showing your lack of skill by swearing you have to pull hard on the hair for it to be firm. What HOLDS isn't how taut it is between skin and rope, but how firm the rope is. I'm not saying that part should be loose but it can be firm w/o being tight. I'm not a professional and I can pull that off so anyone that says otherwise is full of you-know-what.

 

[ThickHair]

Don't let that person braid your hair again. Find someone who does not braid tight.

 

[SimJam]

And if a braider tells you that the style will unravel faster unless she yanks your brains out, Girl, thank her for her time and get the heck out of there because that's total BS.

exactly ... well I didnt leave, but I told her that my edges are more important than having my style look "fresh" LOL

 

[Fine 4s]

This might be a very silly sounding question but I want to make SURE before I give up my cheap, very cheap braider. Was this because it was too tight? or can it be other reasons? I ask because I didn't feel it was tight. This rash didn't develop until this week and I got thid done on the 12 days ago.

This didn't happen last time she braided me.

 

[cmw45]

I recommend using warm water on your scalp immediately. It has always helped to relieve some of the tension on my scalp in the past. HTH. And if you really feel it's too tight, you might have to take them out.

 

[SimJam]

This might be a very silly sounding question but I want to make SURE before I give up my cheap, very cheap braider. Was this because it was too tight? or can it be other reasons? I ask because I didn't feel it was tight. This rash didn't develop until this week and I got thid done on the 12 days ago.

This didn't happen last time she braided me.

hmmmmm, well Ive only seen that happen when hairs were pulled ie tight braids

but since u got them done so long ago ... I dunno erplexed

ETA: on closer look @ the pic it doesnt seem as if the red bumps are where hairs that were cought up in the braid wud have been

 

[Nonie]

This might be a very silly sounding question but I want to make SURE before I give up my cheap, very cheap braider. Was this because it was too tight? or can it be other reasons? I ask because I didn't feel it was tight. This rash didn't develop until this week and I got thid done on the 12 days ago.

This didn't happen last time she braided me.

Yes, it's because it was tight. Just because it didn't FEEL tight to you, doesn't mean it wasn't. Pain tolerance is different for different people and I've had someone I was braiding complain that I was braiding too loose because she couldn't feel it. She argued with me till I let her look at the braid in the mirror and then she spent the next lawd knows how long raving about how firm it is and you couldn't even tell until you looked.

IMO it is pulling tight that causes that. Notice it's at the start of the cornrow. It seems to always happen at the edge or the point they start braiding.

 

[Your Cheeziness]

Do you know someone who can take that braid down and redo it for you less tight? Until it grows out some, the bumps may continue even if you are just soothing the symptoms. I think you should address the cause of the irritation.

 

[200AndOne]

when i had way-too-tight cornrows, a coworker of mine suggested applying witch hazel to the area.

 

[Fine 4s]

Hey ladies, I have an update.
I did something baaaaaad.

The girl who caused this issue to begin with, re-braided me last week. I know silly.
I took the opportunity of being in a class with a trichologist to have him inspect my scalp, hair and specifically that section of my scalp discussed in this thread. The images were visible for the whole class to see. At the begining, folks ooed and ahhed (probably because they thought my hair was a weave) at my scalp and hair in the front. I was impressed too. My strands didn't look so fine under the microscope! Then the HORROR!

The bumpy area under the 'scope was a wide area of bumps, scabs and puss. One section in the infected area looked like there was a gash in my head which started to heal (scabs forming around it). Then, the killer. One hair strand had a bulb of PUSS at the root. I'm assuming this infection (puss) is what strangles the hair strand at the root until it falls off = alopecia. I was a perfect example of what NOT to do. The instructor pointed out that this was how traction alopecia begins when braids are too tight because you are forcing the hair out. I'm sure my scratching that area made it worse. So by soothing that area with aloe vera (or whatever), all we are doing is alleviating the symptoms and not clearing up the root of the problem.

As soon as I arrived back home I removed my braids. Now, I could go to a derm and get him to prescribe me some antibiotics but that's a little too extreme. Had I not examined my hair up close I would have never been so horrified and so eager to 'fix' it. I'm sure the scalp will heal itself and thank goodness I learned my lesson before a bigger disaster occurred. I will be massaging that area, once I clean it and will apply some topical antibacterial ointment. I might use some medicated 'poo.

Ladies, those bumps up close and personal ain't nuthin' nice!

 

[mspm]

If your infection has not cleared up yet, then I suggest that you see a good derm. I just left another thread where the OP had significant hairloss after perming and braiding. I used to braid my hair too (so I know what you're going through), but your infection should be clearing by now. If your hair follicles die, they can no longer grow hair!

The best thing to do when braids are too tight, is to keep wetting them. Get in the shower and rinse your hair or get a spray bottle and keep spritzing with water or braid spray. This will loosen them in a day or two. (I wore braid for several years without any traction alopecia because of this).

Until you can see the derm, using Cortaid with the antibiotic should help with the healing.

All the best to you!

 

[Fine 4s]

If your infection has not cleared up yet, then I suggest that you see a good derm. I just left another thread where the OP had significant hairloss after perming and braiding. I used to braid my hair too (so I know what you're going through), but your infection should be clearing by now. If your hair follicles die, they can no longer grow hair!

Luckily it's only a small portion of the back then! Phew....

The best thing to do when braids are too tight, is to keep wetting them. Get in the shower and rinse your hair or get a spray bottle and keep spritzing with water or braid spray. This will loosen them in a day or two. (I wore braid for several years without any traction alopecia because of this).

Until you can see the derm, using Cortaid with the antibiotic should help with the healing.


All the best to you!

Can I apply cortaid on my scalp? I went to the pharmacy and asked for something topical for my scalp and they stated that there was nothing they could recommend. I ended up putting jojoba mixed with tea tree oil on the area and gently massaged. It's definitely improving especially since (based on the size of the raised bumped which I don't feel anymore) I removed the braids but I want to be extra cautious. I wish I could take another look under a microscope. For sure, I don't need to visit a derm but I want to heal the skin as best as possible. Thank you for the recommendation!

 

[mspm]

Just saw this post . . .

Yes, you can put Cortaid (a very weak steroid) on your scalp. When derms treat for scalp problems, they prescribe very strong steroids (about 100 times as strong as Cortaid). Scalpicin also has a weak steroid, but it has a lot of alcohol in it and I found that to be very irritating.

Tea tree is a natural antibacterial, so that should definitely help get rid of remaining infection. Jojoba - also, rosemary and lavender oils are good for the scalp.

I'm glad to hear that you're on the road to recovery . . .

Can I apply cortaid on my scalp? I went to the pharmacy and asked for something topical for my scalp and they stated that there was nothing they could recommend. I ended up putting jojoba mixed with tea tree oil on the area and gently massaged. It's definitely improving especially since (based on the size of the raised bumped which I don't feel anymore) I removed the braids but I want to be extra cautious. I wish I could take another look under a microscope. For sure, I don't need to visit a derm but I want to heal the skin as best as possible. Thank you for the recommendation!