Hey Curlies,

The other day I was in a store, and the woman in front of me had beautiful natural hair pulled back into a puff. It looked very thick and healthy. She soon turned around to look at the person next to her and I noticed that although her puff was thriving, her edges were just about gone.

It seems as if it has always been very hard for black people, especially women, to keep their edges very full and thick. The other day I seen a small girl who had her hair in ponytails, and she was crying because her mother did them too tightly.

The amount of stress we put on our hair is enormous, and our edges are usually the number one target.

Why do we have thin edges?

  • Too much focus on “laying down our edges”
  • The use of hard styling tools(ex:brushes)
  • Too much manipulation on the hair line (headbands too tight)
  • Chemicals (color,relaxers, etc)
A lot of people notice that after taking down their styles with extensions( braids, twists) that their edges are very thin. Usually when this style is done, the stylist make sure that they grab every little piece of hair so that the style lasts longer. Tell them to be gentle.
There are ways that you can still live by your current routine. Just make some small minor adjustments.
How to prevent thinning edges
  • Use hands for styling, instead of a brush
  • Moisturize the area daily (recommendation following)
  • Limit puffs,ponytails,buns,braids and any updo styles that put stress on the edges
  • If any updo style is worn, be sure that they aren’t very tight.
  • Be very gentle with the area
Ultimately, thinning edges can possibly lead to Alopeicia, a hair loss condition if not treated properly.

One of the biggest reasons people have thinning edges is the “gel then brush” method. When using a gel, find a product that doesn’t contain alcohol or any drying product, this can lead to breakage(FYI: Aloe vera gel is great). Some people decided to brush very hard after applying the gel. Be gentle.

Try This!
A great method for laying down your edges is using water/oil mix to spray your edges. Follow up by smoothing them down using your fingers and then  tie a satin or silk scarf on for about 5-10 minutes. When you take it off, your hair will be smoothed and laid down.

What I recommend doing is moisturizing the hair nightly before bed, that way the product can penetrate the scalp while you sleep. I highly recommend using coconut oil. It is a saturated oil, and is one of the only oils that actually sink down into the hair shaft instead of just sitting on top.
If you decide to use this oil, a little goes a long way and you also want to make sure that you buy the cold pressed coconut oil. It usually comes in a jar and is white and solid. It doesn’t smell like your typical coconut oil.
-Victoria (@ClassyCurlies)
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