Kourtney Kardashian Develops Hair Loss from Tight Hairstyles

The eldest Kardashian sister is the latest to have hair loss problems as Kourtney revealed a bald spot caused by her love for tight hairstyles, in a clip for the 8th September 2019 episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Upon noticing the bald patch, her sister, Kim Kardashian West, took a photo and yelled, "Kourtney you have a really big spot on the top of your head. Look down. Kourtney. Oh my god, I’m afraid for your life. Have you seen that? Kourtney your hair is gone. You’re bald.”

Traction Alopecia caused by high ponytails

Unshakeable Kourtney Kardashian explained that it was due to a high ponytail extension she wore to a recent event, much like the signature hairstyle Ariana Grande is known for, and also has experienced hair loss from.

The Poosh founder said the extension had been so tight and painful that it had left a lump on her head and the hair around it had fallen out, leaving behind the bald patch Kim had spotted.

This type of hairloss is known as Traction Alopecia - something the Kardashians are no strangers to thanks to their love of hair extensions, tight braids, high ponytails and weaves - all the main culprits known to cause this issue.

It can cause hair loss and breakage around the area(s) where the style is fixed but, due to the extra strain these place on the follicles, a receding hairline, particularly at the temples - often known as thinning edges - frequently presents. Whilst more common in women of colour, due to the Afro hair type being naturally more fragile and traditional hairstyles being troublesome if the hair is not given regular breaks, all hair types are susceptible.

Whilst generally a temporary problem, if the troublesome hairstyling practices are not stopped - even temporarily to allow the follicles to recover - Traction Alopecia can cause permanent baldness.

Regrowing hair after Traction Alopecia

Should Traction Alopecia occur, there are a number of steps that can be taken, starting with wearing the hair naturally, not tied up, and removing any weaves or extensions. This will reduce the pressure on the stressed follicles.

If there is damaged hair - dry and frazzled - or breakage - snapped along the shaft - then visit a salon. Ask your hairdresser to trim away the unhealthy ends so the hair is healthier and, if you don't want to lose too much length, ask them to use a dusting technique.

In some cases where the damage is extensive, this may not be possible so be as open as possible when discussing what you're looking to achieve from the haircut so you get the best possible results. It may be worthwhile visiting a few different salons for consultations before choosing the one you feel most comfortable with, especially if you are particularly nervous.

Nourishing hair treatments and products designed to repair broken bonds in the hair, such as Olaplex, can help to address the condition of the hair, if it is dry and broken - this tends to be prevalent where heat styling or chemical use - bleach, perms or relaxers - is also a problem. But for the actual hair loss condition, a customised course of Traction Alopecia treatment may be beneficial.

At Belgravia this tends to revolve around topical applications of high strength minoxidil, a hair loss solution clinically-proven for promoting hair growth in cases of androgenetic alopecia, and additional hair growth supporting products.

These range from follicle-stimulating LaserBand devices to highly-targeted Hair Vitalics for Women food supplements which contain an exclusive blend of key vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanical ingredients to support the maintenance of normal healthy hair growth, including biotin, zinc and selenium.

Whilst Traction Alopecia should resolve itself with hair regrowth resuming naturally within up to three months in milder cases, where it is persistent, advice from a dedicated hair loss specialist may be worthwhile. A consultation, either in-person or online, should help to determine the extent of the damage and the most appropriate steps to take to encourage healthy regrowth and prevent further hairloss.

UPDATE [10/09/2019]: Kourtney Kardashian said she underwent PRP scalp injections - something her sister Kim helped to popularise when used as an 'anti-ageing' facial procedure. This involves having her blood taken, enriched and separated, then the platelet-rich solution injected back into her scalp. Whilst this technique has not been clinically-proven to work for hair loss - though it is thought to have potential benefits for some women with Female Pattern Hair Loss - it is reported to be commonly used by celebrities, particularly in America.