We’re all guilty of overwearing a certain type of hairstyle. A messy bun? Easy. A simple ponytail that takes a matter of seconds to perfect in the morning? Done. However, one particular hairstyle Olivia Hawkins has been wearing in the Love Island villa is sparking a debate on Twitter.
The 27 year old loves a half-updo, and there’s no denying she looks incredible with the slick style, but some watchers want to know if it’s healthy for the hair to wear such a tight updo morning and night. We say night because Liv seems to also choose variations of this hairstyle when she goes to bed.
“The way Liv wears her hair scrapped back EVERY DAY she’s gonna end up with traction alopecia,” says one Love Island watcher on Twitter, while a second adds: “Olivia’s hairstyle looks painful”.
A third poses: “Does Olivia ever let her hair rest from a high pony?” with a fourth asking: “How does Olivia not get a headache from wearing her hair up every night?”
It got us thinking, is there really any issue with wearing a tight pony to bed? To find out, we asked Dr Abdulaziz Balwi, hair surgeon and medical director Elithair, for his take on the matter.
“Yes, over-wearing these hairstyles could lead to a condition called traction alopecia further down the line. Traction alopecia or ‘bun’ alopecia is a type of hair loss caused by excessive tension on the hair, with bald patches or thinning most often localised to the temples and forehead area. Specifically, it’s when the hair falls out because it is pulled too hard and too often by hairstyling practices,” he says.
So how should we be wearing our hair to bed then?
"It's important to allow the hair to regenerate at night, so avoid all tight hairstyles. If you like to tie your hair up before going to bed, use a scrunchie instead of a hairband or a tight elastic. If you have curly or coily hair, wrapping your hair at night in a scarf is also a good way to keep hair healthy,” Dr Balwi explains.
“A low, loose ponytail or a loose plait instead of a tight bun or high ponytail would be the best option to avoid traction alopecia. Also, alternating between hairstyles should give your hair a break."
That’s the last time we sleep in a high ponytail, then!
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