Are you fond of sporting the classic ponytail? If yes, you may find those thin, flimsy strands around your forehead that are annoying for your hairdo. You may even need to slather some gel or pomade all over your mane to keep those fine-textured strands in place.
These soft feathery tresses are what you call edges – fragile and delicate baby hair strands that add volume to your hairline. Yes, they’re also called “baby” hair since they resemble a baby’s hair. They may look nearly invisible to your eyes, but they keep you from looking bald.
Learn more about the history of edges and discover ways to revitalize those wispy hair strands.
Way Back in Time: The History of Edges
Women back then have been dominated by swept-up hairstyles that make them look more presentable and dignified. These beauty standards have hindered Afro-women from adorning their delicate natural curls. During the 1960s, more women gave their messy baby hair strands an afterthought for styling purposes.
During the 70s, styling your baby hair had become an iconic feature when celebrities LaToya Jackson and Bernadette Stannis sported these wispy strands. These edges became both a fashion statement and an outcry for change among Black women. Even worldwide-famous pop star Beyoncé has made headlines because of letting her daughter go out in public hairstyle-free. Instead of slicking the hair with oil or straightening the locks using relaxants, more women have started embracing and showing off their baby tresses in various hairstyles.
Styling those edges is more than an acceptance of color, race, and culture. Women must take good care of their baby hairs, for they are delicate enough to get damaged. Losing your baby locks may also endanger your matured strands, leading to premature hair loss.
Growing Your Edges: Why do You Have Baby Hair?
Hair growth is one of the most complicated biological processes in your body. Its life cycle includes three stages: anagen (growth phase), catagen (transitional phase), and telogen (resting phase). During the anagen phase, your hair cells rapidly multiply, making your hair shaft longer and healthier. However, some circumstances shorten the anagen, producing the so-called baby hair.
Embracing your Baby Hair: Why Edges are Important
If you think your mane is good to go without your baby tresses, you are entirely wrong. A receding hairline, an evident sign of going bald, begins with having fewer edges surrounding your forehead, temples, and face. Thus, your baby hair makes your hairline look more voluminous. Therefore, if you don’t want your forehead to be overly wide, take good care of your edges.
The Mystery Behind Your Locks: Why Your Edges Don’t Grow Back
Are your edges missing in action? Get to know six reasons why your edges don’t grow back.
1. Shortened Growth Stage
As mentioned earlier, your edges are created when hair growth gets interrupted. There are several reasons why your hair stops growing in the anagen phase.
Infections and radiation can disrupt your follicle’s mitotic activities, making your hair susceptible to strand damage and hair shedding. On the other hand, autoimmune disorders, such as alopecia areata, can push your immune system to attack your hair follicles, leading to scalp patches and hair loss.
2. Dehydrated locks
If your hair isn’t well-moisturized, your hair cuticles start to crack, allowing water to break free from strands until nothing is left. This repercussion may be dangerous, especially for your follicles, which need water for cell production and hair growth. You may not be able to catch the sight of your edges because your strands don’t have enough cells to produce hair.
3. Irritated Scalp
Dandruff and scalp infections can adversely affect your edges. Certain scalp conditions can cause your pate to be dry, flaky, and itchy, tempting you to scratch your head now and then. As a result, you can accidentally tug your edges from scratching your scalp. Other scalp infections attack and weaken your follicles, forcing them to shrink and die.
4. Malnourished follicles
Having a healthy mane begins with having happy and satisfied hair follicles. No matter how small they are, these organs need nourishment, which they can get from your blood. Therefore, poor blood circulation can hinder the successful delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your follicles. As a result, follicles miniaturize and die, causing hair not to grow back anymore.
5. Hair loss conditions
Hair loss conditions, such as Traction alopecia, Androgenetic alopecia, and Telogen effluvium, can prevent your edges from growing back.
Traction alopecia occurs when your follicles become damaged due to the constant tugging of your hair shaft. This type of alopecia can be triggered when you wear super-tight hairstyles and headwear. Overbrushing your locks can also cause your strands and edges to fall out.
On the other hand, androgenetic alopecia happens when high levels of androgens disturb the hair growth cycle. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the super-testosterone, can bind and shrink your follicles, leading to hair loss.
Forced hair shedding can also affect your edges. Telogen effluvium, a hair loss disorder, drives your follicles to enter the telogen or resting phase, causing your hair to shed prematurely.
6. Hormonal imbalance
When your hormones go berserk, they can affect almost any biological activity in your body, including your hair growth. Since your edges are delicate, they can easily be affected by hormonal problems.
Stress is a primary culprit of hormonal imbalance. When your body experiences unpleasant or traumatic situations, it secretes your “fight-or-flight” hormones called cortisol. In moderation, these hormones cannot harm your hair. However, high-stress levels can lead to an overproduction of cortisol, which can attack, miniaturize, and destroy follicles.
Hair Recovery: How to Revive Those Edges
Don’t get stressed over your tresses, for you can still find a way to bring those edges back to the spotlight. Check out several ways to revive your edges.
1. Supply your follicles with enough hair growth nutrients.
If you can’t eat a nutritious diet, don’t bother doing the rest of the tips. You need to have a healthy supply of vitamins, minerals, and proteins to keep those edges bouncy. Therefore, you must include leafy greens, citrus fruits, animal meat, dairy products, plant beans, and chicken eggs to boost hair growth.
2. Shoo the stressors away.
As a leading cause of hair loss, stress can trigger androgen and cortisol productions, threatening your feathery edges. As much as possible, avoid being involved in stressful situations. If you can’t evade them, you must then learn how to manage your stress levels. Shooing the stressors away will not only keep your edges thriving, but it will make you physically healthy and mentally sound.
3. Be a gentle lover to your hair.
Too much of everything isn’t healthy, especially for your locks. Since your baby hairs are incredibly sparse and delicate, always be gentle whenever you brush those edges. Also, do not expose them to products with harsh chemicals that can further thin out the strands. Lastly, avoid sporting tight hairstyles to prevent irritating the follicles.
4. Moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize.
Your thin edges can be damaged in a wink of an eye. So, how can you protect those baby tresses? Moisturizing your locks does not only keep your hair soft and shiny, but it especially coats your strands with a protective layer. It also seals off the cracks on your cuticles, thereby preventing moisture loss. To maintain your mane’s moisturized condition, always keep yourself well-hydrated and apply hair products, such as conditioners and serums.
5. Avoid constant exposure to heat and pollution.
Exposing your hair to heat and pollution can lead to its ramifications. Heat can dry out your locks, leaving them brittle and thin. Avoid using heat styling tools, such as blow-dryers, curling irons, and hair straighteners. Do not bask under the sun for too long to prevent UV rays from harming your fragile strands. Meanwhile, pollution can trigger free radical production, which can invade and destroy your hair follicles.
6. Use the best hair growth products for your sleek edges.
Your edges also need an extra boost from hair growth products to maintain their healthy condition. Hence, use the best shampoo, conditioner, and serum to provide the best for your sleek edges.
Your hair care regimen must begin with cleansing your locks. Use a hair growth shampoo to get rid of the entire gunk for a refreshed and healthy scalp. However, some shampoos can leave your hair parched. Thus, you need to apply conditioning cream to nullify your shampoo’s drying effects. It will also make your mane softer and smoother. Lastly, do not forget to use your favorite hair growth serum. Serums are liquid-based products enriched with concentrated ingredients, such as essential oils and vitamins for hair regrowth and strength. This hair treatment can also revitalize your edges by reducing frizz, thinning, breakage, and shedding.
Keep Your Edges Edgy.
It’s time to rock those wispy strands. With proper care and love for your hair, you can leave both your edges and locks soft, lustrous and edgy. Keep your tresses healthy and revitalized by using the best hair growth products.
Get More.
Don’t stop looking for the best hair loss treatments. Get hold of the best hair growth serum for hair regrowth. Use the best shampoo and conditioner to keep your edges in style.
