Who doesn’t love a good high ponytail? Like Ariana Grande-style snatched to the heavens high ponytail. 2018 was the year of the high and tight hairstyles, and 2019 is shaping up to be the same.

If you’ve ever pulled your hair all the way back for braiding or ponies, you know it hurts (like who needs botox when I can just pull my face back hurts?). That can’t be good for your hair, can it? The answer is no.

Unfortunately, so many popular hairstyles today can cause you hair loss. This week, I’m breaking down the hairstyles you want to avoid to make sure you aren’t causing excessive damage to your hair. This doesn’t mean that these are off-limits for the rest of time, but they’re not ones you want to wear everyday.

Ponytails

Ponytails can be your best friend and your worst enemy. Yes - they’re great for disguising the fact that you haven’t washed your hair in 4 days or that you just left the gym. However, they also cause stress to the hair at the point that they’re secured - especially when you use a tight-elastic ponytail or when you tie your hair in a knot using your own hair. Trust me, hairstylist can usually tell the way you wear your ponytail by the pattern in which your hair is breaking.

Tight Braids & Cornrows

I love braids. Just as ponytails can pull on hair strands and apply a lot of pressure to the hair and scalp, so can braids. This doesn’t mean goodbye to my favorite hairstyle, it just means knowing the difference between a braid and a too-tight braid.

Hot Tool Styles

Applying heat to your hair damages it. Period. If you cook your food at 350 degrees in the oven, guess what - you’re cooking your hair too. And not in the “that smells delicious what’s for dinner way.” Remember, if you do use hot tools on your hair, please do not forget heat protectant and never apply direct heat to wet hair!

Wet Styles

You just got out of the shower and you’re trying to fit three days worth of chores and errands into one. Nobody likes to go into public with wet hair, so you do your best to disguise your wet hair by pulling it back into a ponytail or bun. What you don’t know is that you’re ultimately causing a lot of damage to your hair. Your hair is weakest when it’s wet, and is more likely to break from pressure applied to it.

Some Hair Accessories

Ponytails, headbands or clips that you wear frequently in the same place are applying pressure to your hair. Try to avoid accessories that grip really hard into your hair. Yes - you want your hair secured, but you don’t need a rubber band to do it. Opt for looser hair accessories, like scrunchies or hair scarves to pull back your hair.

Some Extensions

Who doesn’t dream of having instantly thicker and fuller hair? Certain extensions - especially those that put a lot of tension on the hair, or those that are secured in the same place every time are doing you more bad than good. Don’t leave your extensions in for too long, and tell your hairdresser to change the placement to ensure that the same hair strands aren’t getting pulled from the scalp all the time.

How to Keep the Style Without Losing the Hair

I know there are a lot of favorite hairstyles on this list. Don’t worry - they’re not gone forever. The key to healthy hairstyling is not which hairstyles you wear, it’s how tight you have them and how often. Here are things you need to remember to keep your hair heathy while sporting your favorite, not-so-healthy looks:

Switch It Up - Do not apply pressure to your hair in the same place everyday. If you wear a high pony on Wednesday, wear a low pony on Thursday.
Loosen It Up - Everyday is not a “faux-botox ponytail” day. For the sake of your scalp and your follicles, please loosen up your styles. They may not last as long, but your hair will be happier for it.
Let Your Hair Rest - If you wear the same hairstyles most days, give your hair a rest at least one day a week. That means resting after getting your extensions taken out, not wearing your hair in a ponytail or bun every day, not wearing a wig every day. Pick a day of rest and honor that. Your hair will thank you and so will your hairstylist!

Everyday Hairstyles that Cause Hair Loss