Hollywood ‘Hair Facelift’ Can Lead to Hair Loss

There’s nothing that a little dash of movie magic can’t fix, and it seems that even hair loss is something that can be addressed with a little Hollywood know-how.

Writing about the various ways that celebrities can make themselves look better for the cameras when out at red carpet events, the Refinery29 website sought tips from an assortment of insiders about the tricks the A-listers use to conceal receding hairlines and thinning hair.

While some are certainly crafty, most won’t work out in the “real world”. And one could actually lead to hair loss.

Concealing hair loss on the red carpet

“When it comes to the red carpet,” the article states, “the glam squad can spend hours getting a look just right for only a minute or two in front of the camera.”

One of the tricks used on celebrities is powdering using root touch-up make-up to hide the scalp where it would otherwise be peeking through. This can be done on partings or the hairline itself, and is especially useful when someone is being bombarded with the flash from photographers’ cameras. It is often used to make celebrities' hairlines look fuller and more even, especially in photos. Celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, best known for her work with the Kardashians, tells Refinery29: "I’ll just dab a little powder on [the parting] to fill it in. This is also great for filling in hairlines, as no-one has a perfect hairline."

Interestingly, this is not at all dissimilar to a technique used by “regular Joes” with thinning hair: several products exist that are known as hair loss concealers. They use tiny particles to make the hair appear fuller and sometimes to darken the scalp a little, too. While these can be very impressive from a distance, they are sometimes less convincing close-up and are not very practical to apply on a regular basis.

They have, however, proved reasonably popular among men and women with the genetic hair loss condition Androgenetic Alopecia - better known as Female and Male Pattern Baldness - as a quick fix. Even footballer Wayne Rooney is rumoured to use microscopic fibres to conceal his hair loss for matches and public appearances, despite his hair transplant operations.

Whilst this can give locks a cosmetic boost - especially when seen from a distance - many people with genetic hair loss opt for a more permanent and tangible solution. Non-surgical hair loss treatment courses, which can be tailored to each individual's specific needs can provide a more robust hair loss solution by stabilising shedding and encourage new hair growth.

Extremely tight braids

The article uses the term “Hollywood hair facelift” to describe an old trick that uses the tightness of the hairstyle to pull the skin back enough to provide a temporary 'lifted' look to the skin, hence the name. This is a more intricate version of the harsher Croydon Facelift - a term used to describe the effect of wearing your hair in a high ponytail tied so tightly that it pulls the skin on your face back and your eyebrows upwards.

View Belgravia Centre Clients Before and After Starting Treatment for Traction Alopecia Hair Loss (Results may vary and are not guaranteed)

This method is easily the most questionable Hollywood trick when tried at home. Whilst a celebrity wearing this style once in a while for photoshoots or red carpet events is unlikely to do too much damage, doing this yourself and wearing it on a regular basis is inadvisable as the tugging that creates the 'facelift' aspect can cause hair loss from Traction Alopecia.

Creating the hairstyle involves taking sections of hair from behind both ears, pulling them backwards and weaving them into extremely taut mini-braids which can then be tied tightly together disguised inside a ponytail or other style. Atkin tells R29: “The tension from the braids can definitely help tug on the skin, creating a tighter and slightly-lifted look.”

Adopting a hair facelift technique on a long-term basis increases the risks of developing Traction Alopecia which occurs when the follicles are put under too much pressure. This can result in hair loss, a receding hairline and hair breakage. Although it can often be addressed by wearing the hair naturally and allowing the follicles time to recover, whilst undergoing traction alopecia treatment at a specialist hair loss clinic if necessary, Traction Alopecia is also easily avoided by choosing a less punishing hairstyle in the first place.

The Hollywood hair facelift is only the latest in a long line of hairstyles that can cause hair loss from this fully preventable condition. It is often experienced by celebrities and dancers due to their constant hair changes or, in the case of ballerinas, their profession's requisite tight hairstyles. Other causes include hair extensions and weaves, braids, bantu knots, high ponytails and buns.