Alex Gerrard's Warning Sign to Fans of Hair Extensions

Alex Gerrard's Hair Extensions

Alex Gerrard unwittingly revealed last week that the secret to her long, fulsome, blonde hair is in fact rows of hair extensions.

Alex, 28, the WAG wife of footballer Steven Gerrard, was snapped by paparazzi getting into her car just as a gust of wind blew her hair up and revealed her extensions to the world.

Perhaps most alarming was the number of extensions that Alex was sporting almost the whole of the back of her head appeared to be covered.

Not extending the life of your hair


Extensions may create the appearance of lustrous locks, but they can in fact cause immense stress and damage to the hair.

Women who rely on extensions too much may find that they start to experience hair loss as a result. These women are suffering from a condition called traction alopecia. Nowadays, this is a common cause of hair loss in women due to the growing use of hair extensions.

What is traction alopecia?


Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by excessive amounts of tension on the hair shafts. This causes the hair to be pulled and can damage the follicle. Over long periods of time under these circumstances, traction alopecia will cause the production of hair to slow down and finally cease.

Naturally, the more extensions you have, or the longer you use them for, the more likely you are to see the damage of traction alopecia. Alex Gerrard, with her excessive hair extensions, may be at risk of developing the condition if she continues to rely on them like her fellow celebrity Naomi Campbell, who has been seen to have developed bald patches at the sides of her head.

Treatment for traction alopecia


For those women who are suffering from traction alopecia as a result of using hair extensions too much, there is some hope.

Depending on the stage that the hair loss caused by traction alopecia has reached, it is possible to grow some hair back and stop any further hair loss as long as no more tension is applied to the areas. Once you suspect you may be developing traction alopecia, seeking out professional help as soon as possible could recover whatever damage has been caused.

If you have been using extensions for years and years and have very pronounced bald patches, you may find that your traction alopecia has reached an advanced stage. Unfortunately, in this case, any treatment will not be effective as the follicles will have stopped producing hair.

Belgravia can judge what stage your hair loss has reached and treat traction alopecia with a range of exclusive formulas based around minoxidil. We support this treatment with a range of hair growth boosters to ensure the course is as effective as possible.

If you’re worried about the damage that extensions are doing to your hair, why not contact us, or complete an online diagnosis form.

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The Belgravia Centre

The Belgravia Centre is a world-renowned group of a hair loss clinic in Central London, UK. If you are worried about hair loss you can arrange a free consultation with a hair loss expert or complete our Online Consultation from anywhere in the world for home-use treatment.

View our Hair Loss Success Stories, which includes the world's largest gallery of hair growth photos and demonstrates the level of success that so many of Belgravia's patients achieve.