Is Your High Ponytail Damaging Your Hair? [Quiz]

You don’t have to be Ariana Grande or Kourtney Kardashian to rock the high ponytail hairstyle. An easy-to-do, flawless, and stylish look that can take you virtually anywhere. Hey, even Beyoncé chose a high ponytail style for the MET Gala red carpet once. So, if your go-to style is a high ponytail, embrace it.

But, fashion and style often come with a high price tag. Recently, Khloe Kardashian experienced a hair emergency. In an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim Kardashian West notices a huge bald spot on Kourtney’s hair, which she believes is due to her high ponytail.

Was it?

Introducing: Traction Alopecia

This is the actual scientific name for what my mom used to express as “you’re going to end up bald with all those tight ballerina buns.” In her defense, she was right. Traction alopecia is a form of gradual hair loss caused primarily by pulling force being applied to the hair, aka wearing a ballerina bun or a high ponytail.

Celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Serena Williams have all experienced traction alopecia.

Do I Have It?

First signs include inflammation of the follicles, scaly skin, and in some cases, small pustules. Ouch. Over time, you can add large amounts of broken strands, hair that turns short and thin, and hair loss. If you choose to ignore all these signs, then you’ll start seeing bald spots that can’t be reversed.

There are treatment options like using hair loss shampoos and conditioners. Other treatments include scalp injections, which is another name for PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatments for the scalp. However, results for this type of treatment varies and can take anywhere between two to three months.

So, is your high ponytail damaging your hair? Take this GR8 quiz to find out.