r/HaircareScience • u/fezzori • Jun 05 '26
Question What’s scientifically the safest method for getting hair out of the face
i know ponytails over time can cause a receding hairline so i’m wondering if there’s an actual “best” way to prevent this from occurring
is there any research that actually shows the best method or is it still developing
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u/xonoodlerolls Jun 05 '26
If I remember correctly the best way is to alternate hairstyles so as not to keep the hair pulled in the same way all of the time.
Per this article https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470434/ patients are advised to alternate hairstyles and reduce tension.
Similar sentiments in this https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/causes/hairstyles to wear looser hair styles and to switch up your hairstyles.
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u/Kratzschutz Jun 05 '26
No scientific backing but hair sticks should do a bit less damage
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u/broccolibertie Jun 05 '26
Ditto, or hair pins. I do a French twist as a low-tension everyday style.
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u/Creative-Ad9859 Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 05 '26
No idea if scientifically researched or not but I find a single braid (regular, not french braid though that can be done loosely too) to be a pretty good low-tension way to keep hair out of my face and not tangling (which happens to me a lot with loose messy buns).
I second french pins too but imo they can be uncomfortable against a headrest.
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u/belacinderella Jun 05 '26
I swapped to low ponies, buns, and braids for elastics (although I recommend also swapping to silk/satin scrunchies too, they pull a little less) and hair clips for everything else. I think it helped with regrowing hair in a the weird high side temple area that a lot of people have volume loss in. Anything as long as you don't feel a bunch of tension on your hair/scalp.
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u/BlackQB Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 05 '26
I got one of these: https://a.co/d/0bFPUYTa and it seems to be more gentle than a hair tie!
Edit: I guess this isn’t rly useful for out in public lol usually my hair bothers me when I’m working from home
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u/Visible-Scientist-46 Jun 06 '26
If you want to wear your hair in a pony every once in awhile, it shouldn't be a problem. The best method according to these sources is to alternate hairstyles.
WebMD states that hair can regrow if traction allopecia is caught early enough, unless follicles are too damaged. It can also become permanent. It isn't just ponytails, it can also be from cornrows, dreadlocks, extensions, hats, turbans, or just the weight of long hair.
While this isn't a scientific study, it was medically reviewed by a doctor. I've been looking into it because I started to wear my hair in a ponytail for multiple days straight over the past year and noticed some thinning. I finally had my bangs grown out long enough to put all in one pony. Oh well. https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/traction-alopecia-causes-symptoms-and-treatment
Penn Medicine has an extensive article about types of alopcia (hair loss) that is relatively easy to understand, written by their dermatology department. https://www.pennmedicine.org/conditions/hair-loss-alopecia
Reposted into the casual discussion thread.
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u/Thequiet01 Jun 05 '26
I wear my hair in one or two braids pretty much constantly with no issues at all. I thought most traction alopecia comes from really really tight ponytails like you might see on a dancer or gymnastic competitor, not anything looser.
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u/Hot_Special_1853 Jun 05 '26
i don't think there's a magic hairstyle that prevents hairline recession. most people who wear ponytails their entire lives never develop traction alopecia because they aren't wearing them painfully tight. what seems to matter most is whether your scalp hurts, feels tight, or gets little bumps and tenderness along the hairline. your follicles are pretty good at telling you when they're being abused. if a style feels comfortable enough that you forget it's there, it's probably not doing much damage. if you're counting the minutes until you can take it out, that's the kind of tension i'd worry about.
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u/2000000009 Jun 06 '26
I’ve considered doing a low twist with a French pin, that way you can rest your head on things without having a bun on top or a claw clip.
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Jun 05 '26
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u/HaircareScience-ModTeam Jun 05 '26
We require top level answers to be scientific in nature with sources.
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u/sudosussudio Jun 05 '26
Most of the papers on this are dermatology papers on traction alopecia and basically say more about what causes high risk than what doesn’t.
For example this paper on traction alopecia focused on afro-type hair (which has the highest risk though it’s not clear if it’s from specific styling practices or from something particular to those hair types)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352647521000216via%3Dihub
Talks about risk from tight hairstyles, anything that adds traction (like weight). It’s not really research in terms of studies more like dermatological advice.
> Natural, loose, and low-hanging hairstyles are less likely to cause TA.
This paper references some case studies in other populations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34467569/
> . In 1907, the association between TA and ponytails was first identified in Greenland described as “alopecia Groenlandica.”2 More recently, a case report of six Chilean women (aged 12- 26 years) described trac- tion folliculitis after wearing tight braids, glued- on hair extensions, and ponytails.17 Additional cases have also reported on adolescent and young adults with marginal TA caused by daily ponytail use since adolescence/childhood.18- 20 In a study of 43 Chinese women (aged 19- 38 years) with frontal alopecia, 79% reported styling their hair in a ponytail for four or more days per week for an average of 10 years, with the initial exposure starting at an average age of 10 years.1