Slow/no growth edges and nape - here's a possible CULPRIT...

NoNapNique

New Member
Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

Now, this may not be the culprit for EVERYBODY - because everyone is different. There could also be people who are not affected at all by securely tied scarves, But here's a thought....​
I always wondered why my edges and nape were so short - I found the CULPRIT: securely tied SCARVES, yes SCARVES - the very thing we were taught will SAVE our hair!!! Because think about it, most of the tension on the scarf is *AROUND* your head (edges, all around to the nape), cutting off that precious circulation that's needed for proper hair growth - and your body does the most rejuvenating and "growing" while you're sleep... And think about this too... even if you're not cutting off much circulation, with a scarf securely tied around your edges and nape, you're inhibiting the actual "space" that your hair has to "push out" out from the root... So literally, your new hair has no "room to grow" (but those flat, fresh-looking edges look SO good in the morning, don't they?).

So you get all this growth in the middle - because that's were the most "space" and blood circulation is overnight. So a couple nights a week I sleep on my satin pillow WITHOUT the scarf or anything around the edges of my head (not even a satin bonnet or hair net), and just make sure my hair is nice and secure in a loose bun or secured in braids/twists.
 
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Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

Yeah I figured this out in high school when my edges started disappearing. If the knot lays on your hair line it is bad also. My knot lays in the middle of my head near the crown and the tightness in my scarf is back from my edges.

The scarf and knot on the edges will literally rub the out.
 
Thank you for pointing this out cause i've been wearing scaves for a while now,and i've noticed my edges are not growing out like they should.:D
 
Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

Yeah, a former hairdresser of mine (wonderful lady!) pointed this out when I first started going to her b/c I was having temple issues. I took her advice and within weeks my temples were coming in full force. I definitely agree that this is a culprit for stunted temple/nape/hairline growth.
 
Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

Divine Inspiration said:
Yeah, a former hairdresser of mine (wonderful lady!) pointed this out when I first started going to her b/c I was having temple issues. I took her advice and within weeks my temples were coming in full force. I definitely agree that this is a culprit for stunted temple/nape/hairline growth.
So what do you in order to make sure that your edges lay down? I am a press and curl so you might not have this problem
 
I was wondering if the nightly wrappping was causing my shedding. I haven't quite had thinning edges because of it.

So what's the solution? I love the fact that the wrapping alllows me to go longer without heat. I can't sleep with my hair loose.

What do I do? A looser scarf?
 
aileendq said:
I was wondering if the nightly wrappping was causing my shedding. I haven't quite had thinning edges because of it.

Wrapping my hair at night definitely made my edges break off. But I believe scarves will do it too. I don't do either anymore. I do use heat though, so I'm not sure what you could do.
 
Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

tippy75 said:
So what do you in order to make sure that your edges lay down? I am a press and curl so you might not have this problem

You could do two things...

#1 Just alternate between scarf/no scarf nightly, so you can get your straight edges a couple days a week and still have thriving edges/nape

#2 Here's what I've done... In the morning, slick and smooth your edges down w/a little leave-in cond. Tie them down tight for 10 minutes. Then the last minute or so for a extra smoothness - run your blow dryer over the scarf - make sure it is a sheer scarf, or use a snug-fitting peice of pantyhose... Voila! Maybe they won't be SUPER flat like when you tie them down overnight, but flat enough to feel good about your style for the day... But when it's all said and done, I'd rather have growth than super flatness :)
 
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Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

NoNapNique said:
You could do two things...

#2 Here's what I've done... In the morning, slick and smooth your edges down w/a little leave-in cond. Tie them down tight for 10 minutes. Then the last minute or so for a extra smoothness - run your blow dryer over the scarf - make sure it is a sheer scarf, or use a snug-fitting peice of pantyhose... Voila! Maybe they won't be SUPER flat like when you tie them down overnight, but flat enough to feel good about your style for the day... But when it's all said and done, I'd rather have growth than super flatness :)

Sounds like a great idea! I think I will try the looser scarf idea AND the tying down with leave-in in the a.m.
Thanks!
 
aileendq said:
I was wondering if the nightly wrappping was causing my shedding. I haven't quite had thinning edges because of it.

So what's the solution? I love the fact that the wrapping alllows me to go longer without heat. I can't sleep with my hair loose.

What do I do? A looser scarf?

Yeah, a looser scarf would work. You could also get one of those adjustable wrap headbands from the BSS. They are kinda sheer and stretchy, with a velcro fastener... Or you could cut a 5-6 inch "headband" from the thigh area of a pair of old pantyhose (the silky lycra kind). That should still hold your wrap in place, while keeping it flat and smooth - without the extra tension.
 
Has anyone heard that the side that you sleep on is the side that is the weakest? My hair is bangin' on the right side but my left side is not as thick. I sleep on my left side. I've tried to alternate sides only to find myself on the left side the next morning. Must be turning in my sleep without knowing??? I was also told that it could be the direction you wrap your hair?? Has anyone heard that?
 
I go a little heavy handed on the moisture for those areas when I wrap or wear a scarf. Extra moisture along the hairline and nape, then tie scarf on looser. If you wrap you should also alternate which side you wrap to every night or every other night.
 
For some reason, I always thought that this was a myth (that wrapping and scarves cause thinning edges). To me, I feel wrapping gives the illusion that your edges are thinning b/c the side you wrap it on always comes out so smooth and the other side gets so much body-- especially if you are using a silk scarf since it doesn't damage the way a cotton one does. Like simplycee said, I think the most important factor is moisture and because they are so easily neglected, the dryness causes more breakage than the rest of the hair. But this is my opinion I could totally be wrong. :ohwell:
 
That is particularly why I don't wear scarves anymore...I prefer wearing satin bonnets instead...safer on my edges...the only time I would put a scarf over my head is if i want to flatten my new growth which is only a minimum of 30 mintues to 1 hr and off it goes.
 
NoNapNique said:
Yeah, a looser scarf would work. You could also get one of those adjustable wrap headbands from the BSS. They are kinda sheer and stretchy, with a velcro fastener... Or you could cut a 5-6 inch "headband" from the thigh area of a pair of old pantyhose (the silky lycra kind). That should still hold your wrap in place, while keeping it flat and smooth - without the extra tension.

Oooohhhh.....You're GOOD! I'm going to try the panyhose trick! How do youo keep it place? Bobbypins?
 
Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

NoNapNique said:
Now, this may not be the culprit for EVERYBODY - because everyone is different. There could also be people who are not affected at all by securely tied scarves, But here's a thought....​
I always wondered why my edges and nape were so short - I found the CULPRIT: securely tied SCARVES, yes SCARVES - the very thing we were taught will SAVE our hair!!! Because think about it, most of the tension on the scarf is *AROUND* your head (edges, all around to the nape), cutting off that precious circulation that's needed for proper hair growth - and your body does the most rejuvenating and "growing" while you're sleep... And think about this too... even if you're not cutting off much circulation, with a scarf securely tied around your edges and nape, you're inhibiting the actual "space" that your hair has to "push out" out from the root... So literally, your new hair has no "room to grow" (but those flat, fresh-looking edges look SO good in the morning, don't they?).

So you get all this growth in the middle - because that's were the most "space" and blood circulation is overnight. So a couple nights a week I sleep on my satin pillow WITHOUT the scarf or anything around the edges of my head (not even a satin bonnet or hair net), and just make sure my hair is nice and secure in a loose bun or secured in braids/twists.


NoNapNique!! Thanks so much for this discovery. You know, I had a feeling that my tightly tied satin/silk scarfs around my head were the culprit of thinning edges! You see, lately I've been noticing that my hair in the very front of my bangs have been thinning something fierce recently. I'm talking about almost a bald spot folks! :eek: For the longest time I've been wondering if it was the new relaxer my stylist gave me, but I'm starting to think that it's probably those scarfs I'm wearing on my head because I usually wear them semi-tightly (they always seem to come off my head at night and I HATE that! :mad: Not only that, but the KNOT that ties the scarf is usually right there on the front of my head where my bands are supposed to be. :nono:

I'm going to stop wearing scarfs so tightly, OR another good idea may be to get some of those silk or satin hair caps to wear at night. They almost look like shower caps, but they are supposed to be worn at night. I'm wondering if that might make a difference if I alternate between that and a scarf.

I have even stopped wrapping my hair at night since I have very fine hair that is prone to breakage. I'm hoping this will help my edges a little. Now days I just put my hair in a loose bun or some braids and put a scarf around it. No more wrapping for me!
 
I don't wear a scarf but a wrap thingy w/a velcor attachment in the front. Every night I sleep on a satin pillowcase and use mtg could this wrap thingy(it goes around the side of my head with the top begin left out) do the same thing as a scarf to my edges :perplexed ? tia
 
tishee said:
I don't wear a scarf but a wrap thingy w/a velcor attachment in the front. Every night I sleep on a satin pillowcase and use mtg could this wrap thingy(it goes around the side of my head with the top begin left out) do the same thing as a scarf to my edges :perplexed ? tia

Because the wrap headband is wide and fastens the entire width, there is not much tension. So I think that you're ok :) ... The key here is avoiding tension that cuts down the circulation (both air and blood) and space for hair to grow out
 
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Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

Crystalicequeen123 said:
I'm going to stop wearing scarfs so tightly, OR another good idea may be to get some of those silk or satin hair caps to wear at night. They almost look like shower caps, but they are supposed to be worn at night. I'm wondering if that might make a difference if I alternate between that and a scarf.

You are so welcome Crystalicequeen123!!!

Be careful with the satin bonnets/caps, because sometimes the elastic is sewn on kinda rough or the lace they put around it is rough - which could also contribute to thinning edges/nape area by rubbing. I have worn these in the past and over time literally had a thin, straight line of missing hair around my head. I think it was a combination of just having sensitive edges and a poorly made satin cap.
 
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aquarian1252004 said:
I thought it was okay as long as the scarf was satin or silk, not cotton :perplexed :ohwell:

It really doesn't matter if it is silk or satin, the problem is the tension that it is tied on with. Sometimes people will tie it on tight to keep their hair really straight and flat, but you are cutting off circulation (both blood and air critical for growth) and also limiting growth "space" with the concentrated tension around your head.
 
NoNapNique said:
Because the wrap headband is wide and fastens the entire width, there is not much tension. So I think that you're ok :) ... The key here is avoiding tension that cuts down the circulation (both air and blood) and space for hair to grow out

thanks NoNapNique!:)

BTW is that you in your avatar pic? If so, girl you and the lil one are gorgeous! Do you mind posting your regime? tia
 
Re: Slow/no grow edges and nape- here's the CULPRIT!...

NoNapNique said:
You are so welcome Crystalicequeen123!!!

Be careful with the satin bonnets/caps, because sometimes the elastic is sewn on kinda rough or the lace they put around it is rough - which could also contribute to thinning edges/nape area by rubbing. I have worn these in the past and over time literally had a thin, straight line of missing hair around my head. I think it was a combination of just having sensitive edges and a poorly made satin cap.

Thanks for warning me. Maybe I won't buy this afterall. :( I guess I'll have to buy a satin/silk pillow case and start wrapping my hair less tightly.
 
tishee said:
thanks NoNapNique!:)

BTW is that you in your avatar pic? If so, girl you and the lil one are gorgeous! Do you mind posting your regime? tia

Awww, thanks for the compliment! That is actually my baby sister. She's 11 and I'm 31. I am wearing a fall in that picture, but you can see my real hair and regimen in my album (see signature).
 
Yeah I'm agreeing with you about scarfs causing edges to break, I also thing that we should be careful of the scarfs with the elastics on them too, they've caused me drama...when I put my hair up at night I wrap the scarf around my head so there's no need to tie a tight knot that I know will cause havoc on my fragile hair line and at the nape of my neck.
 
Last night, I was thinking that my scarf might be the problem with the short hairs in the front , so I googled today. I tie my scarf very tightly but I don't do damaging styles or styling (heat free for over 5 years). I'm going back to using my old satin pillowcase until I can get a new satin or maybe silk pillowcase. I think I will do this for 6 months, I hope I see a difference.
ETA: thanks
 
I am having the same problem. I always wear my hair straight and wonder what I can do to prevent crazy looking ends as I do not want to put heat in my hair everyday.
 
Old thread, but very good advice. I tie my scarf on pretty tightly, so I'm going to use a satin pillowcase for a while instead and see if that helps my edges.
 
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