White Bulbs Sticking Out of Braids

[CheLala13]

While inspecting my braids (I've had them in almost 3 weeks now) I noticed a lot of white around my hairline. I thought it was just dandruff so I washed, but they were still there. I plucked the hairs out and behold come to find out, my braids were too tight and pulled the hair out of the roots. It's already been 3 weeks, is it all going to be gone?

I'm so scared that my whole hairline, or worse, my whole head has now experienced this and I'm going to have little hair. Is it too late to just take them out and ask her to re-do the hairline?

I really need advice, ladies. TIA

 

[tocktick]

try not to panic too much! i'm sure everything will be ok. if you think the hair is too tight, take them out or re-do the sections you believe to be tight but make sure they're looser.

i've had experience with this problem before. in 2006, i had this problem with cornrows that were pulled so tight i had a "the rock" look (one eyebrow raised) for about 2 weeks. this was when i was still learning about hair and i didn't have the sense to remove the braids asap so i was left with a small bald patch .

pre-hair boards i was getting too tight braids on my edges and that ate them away. well, you'd never know now because my hair line is thick and full. what helped was to not get that area braided at all for a few months. it helps immensely.

recently, i got the white bulb thing but i believe that was due to sleeping without a scarf and pulling the extensions back too tight and too frequently.

all this to say that hair heals and recovers. even if your problem is a little more on the serious side, quick action will limit the damage and you'll be able to sort things out.

 

[JustKiya]

Youch!!

At this point (3 weeks in) most of the damage has most likely been done - but personally, yeah, I'd get her to redo the hairline just in case there are still some hairs holding on for dear life.

 

[jamaraa]

Yeah, just hurry up and take the fronts ones down and get her to redo them. I'll bet you're OK if you do something about it very soon. Braids that are too tight can be stealthy...sometimes you just don't know immediately after.

I don't think the hairline is completely shot...the white dots are telling you to loosen it up, but you might lose a few of the most tightly pulled strands.

 

[CheLala13]

Thanks for the advice. I got the braids because I'm transitioning and it's just too hard for me to do my hair. Classes start next week and I KNOW I will not be able to do my hair. I know that the hair line is sensitive so it's not like I didn't tell her or anything. Actually, I had to keep telling her every 2 or so braids "Not too tight" or I would ask her to loosen it up some more but they were still super tight for about 4 days, that's why I didn't worry. Until now.

 

[jamaraa]

You need to find a new braider...stat! Maybe you have a friend who can redo you or something. The dilemma w/ braids is the tightness issues vs neatness. I'd rather do them more freuqently than have them too tight. Even if you have to lose some money here, take them out.

It usually takes a long time for braids to start really pulling your hair out, but the hairline is more fragile than further back. That said, I think you're probably not that bad off if this is the 1st time you've had this problem.

 

[CheLala13]

I feel you. I don't trust people with my hair and my regular hair dresser did them for me but they came out horrible. They lasted maybe 4 weeks. I don't pay $170 for 4 week braids. This girl was cheaper and these are the best I've ever had. Unfortunately, don't have any friends that do these kind, I called her and told her that she needed to re-do them Saturday. We'll see.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

You need to find a new braider...stat!

ITA... the OP said she kept telling this braider not to do it so tight every other braid. The result is a hairline ripped out. PLEASE- even if you have to undo the braids at the hairline and cornrow them loosely yourself, covering up the hairline with headbands and scarves... don't let this woman jack up your hairline AGAIN. She braids too tight. Plain and simple.

If you know you wont' be able to do your hair for a while, maybe you can buy an inexpensive wig to wear for a while, letting your hair rest underneath.

There are many better choices than to let someone tear your hair out at the roots twice.

 

[BillyJay]

Ut oh.

This has happened to me. I got African Twists (the jumbo kind) and my hair was being ripped up by the follicles. My whole hairline was white and my scalp was red.
The hairs eventually came out and I had to start from scratch.

You will need to take good care of your scalp right now. This is crucial time.

Massage Castor oil and olive oil to help with irritation.
You'll also need good detanglers and a non stress style. You cant afford to pull on your hair anymore.

If you lose some, yeah, it will be devastating, but the great thing about it is that in most cases hair grows back.

 

[jamaraa]

I think you're OK now, but you can't afford (moneywise and otherwise) to have this sort of tightness issue happen again. I don't think you'll lose much hair after this time, but remember that a braider/loctician/twister is just like any other hairdresser...if they don't listen to you, run! It's your hair and sometimes a damaged hairline won't grow back. This happens to people who do very tight braids over long periods of time, but it also depends on the person. Too tight once or twice can be a killer.

If wigs are an option for you, that might work OR you could style it in large easy plaits that you can put in a ponytail. You'd redo them for neatness, but that wouldn't require much effort.

You might have to sacrifice long term braids for your hairline and go for more frequent and/or larger plait styles.

Here's an idea: If you have to go back to your braider, why not put your baby finger, a straw, something...at the front by your hair line and have her braid behind that. I'd rather it too loose at the front than too tight again. You need to protect your hairline at the cost of cuteness luv.

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

This advice comes from first hand experience...TAKE THOSE BRAIDS OUT, DON'T GET YOUR EDGES REDONE.

I did this exact thing, and my poor edges suffered severely, took me a year to grow them back (and they are still somewhat thin)

Your edges are fragile due to the tight braids, getting them rebraided will just cause more problems.

 

[1QTPie]

And if you're worried about neatness... invest in headbands to cover the edges up. Your hair is worth more than some overly tight braids.

Good luck!

 

[Oasis]

Some of the hair is could shed hair too.

After I have my braids in for a couple of weeks, I start seeing the shed hair mixed in with the braids.

 

[Qetesh]

I wouldn't get them redone at this point your hair has been though enough.

This happen to me the last time I had my hair braided as well I freaked out also and told them... actually so much of my hair was pulled that 2 braids ended up falling out from pulled hair ...BUT when it was all said and done i still had hair left after and it wasn't really noticeable.

 

[CheLala13]

My only option right now is to make her do them looser. Where if I experience any pain, I'm telling her to re-do it. It's not even about neatness, it's that I personally don't know how to braid my own hair. I think I'll leave some of my hair in the front out, really. Mask it as baby hair, because I see a lot of that growing in right now anyway since I'm no longer relaxing.

I just feel so bad. I should've known after I saw her hairline. The thing is that my head only hurt for about 4 days and that was it. I don't feel anything irritation anywhere. That kinda makes me scared. I really hope my hair can make a come back. I'm babying it right now with olive and coconut oil. Thanks for the responses.