Question: My nape area is broken off so badly. I
can't wear my hair up because it's so thin and looks bad. What can I do
to bring it back?
Answer: First, let's figure out
why the breakage is happening to begin with. Once we know what caused
it, you can work on avoiding the issue in the future so that your nape
not only grows back in a healthy way, but doesn't suffer from this
problem again.
Typical Causes of Breakage in the Nape Area
- Tight styles such as ponytails, buns, braids and extensions
- Bad chemical application
- Constant manipulation
- Poor accessory choice
Ponytails
and buns are go-to styles for many women, but they can easily cause
damage all the way around the hairline. The same goes for tight braids
and extensions. Some ladies want sleek hairdos that don't budge in a
strong wind, so they may rely on heavy gels and lots of brushing to get
their edges as flat and smooth as possible. Constant tension along the
hairline will lead to thinning and breakage.
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Next, in the quest for a smooth hairline, bad relaxer application can also lead to a thinning nape. Either the chemicals are left on too long or the strength of the relaxer is too high.
Smoothing
over this area throughout the day, or manipulating it constantly, is
another way to thin the nape. Some women just have a hard time keeping
their hands out of their hair.
Finally, with all of the good
accessories available, there's no need to use any that will cause damage
and breakage. Avoid any scrunchies, elastics and headbands with metal
pieces. Wearing these hard pieces at the nape area is a sure way to pull
on the delicate hair there and break it off.
How to Get Your Nape Healthy Again
Maybe
one or all of these apply. If you're addicted to ponytails, you'll have
to find other styles that work for you, or stop making those ponytails
and buns so tight. Instead of sporting ponytails every day, reduce your
wearing time to no more than a few times per week. Wear loose hairstyles
the rest of the time so that your scalp and hairline get a break from
the tension.
It can be tough dealing with a "kitchen" that seems
to resist relaxing, but you'll need to adopt gentler relaxing techniques
to grow your nape back. Don't use a relaxer strength higher than you
need in your aim of getting super-straight hair. A medium strength is
suitable for most textures.
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Ditch any hair accessories
containing metal parts that come in direct contact with your hair. Now,
if you have "hand-in-hair" disease, it may be difficult to stop
fondling your hair all the time. But you must resist! Use techniques
that help you fight the urge; some are simple and rely on negative
association, such as wearing a rubber band around your wrist and
snapping it every time you catch yourself in the habit you're trying to
break.
Now that you know what to stop, one thing you can start is
massaging the nape every day. Overall scalp massage is great, but if you
only have time for one area, focus on your nape. A small dab of jojoba oil (or Jamaican Black Castor Oil)
can be used to massage along your hairline. Remember, as with any hair
growth, it takes time to see results.
By Del Sandeen
Black Hair Expert
