Do Faux Locs Damage Your Edges? How to Wear Them Without Thinning Your Hairline

Las faux locs se ven fabulosas, homegirl. But your edges did not sign up to carry them.

You sat in that chair for six hours. You watched two whole movies on your phone. And when she spun you around to the mirror? Baby, you were BOOKED. Those faux locs were long, full and swinging like they had somewhere to be.

Then week three hit. Your forehead feels tight when you wake up. There are little bumps along your hairline. And when you pull the locs up into that big bun everybody loves, you see skin at your temples that was not there before.

So let's answer the question you already typed into your phone at 2am: do faux locs damage your edges?

Here is the honest answer. Faux locs do not have to damage your edges. But the way most of us wear them, too long, too heavy, too tight and too long in the head, can absolutely pull your hairline back. The good news is that every one of those is something you control.

Why Faux Locs Can Be Hard on Your Hairline

Faux locs, butterfly locs, goddess locs and soft locs are all extension styles. Your own hair gets braided or twisted, then synthetic hair gets wrapped around it to build the loc. That means every loc you see is your real hair holding up added hair.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) lists braids, locs and extensions among the styles that can cause traction alopecia, which is hair loss from pulling. Their tip is simple: choose thicker braids and locs, and keep them shorter, because longer hair is heavier and pulls more. Johns Hopkins researchers who reviewed hairstyles and hair loss put braids, locs, weaves and extensions in the highest risk group, and pointed to added weight plus steady tension as a big reason why.

Translation for the homegirls in the back: the style is not the villain. The load on your roots is. And your edges are the finest, most fragile hair on your head, so they feel it first.

Not sure if your hairline is just tired or really thinning? Take the free Find My Edge Routine quiz and get a routine matched to your edges.

1. The length is doing the most

Waist length goddess locs are a whole mood. They are also a whole lot of hair. Every inch of wrapped synthetic hair adds weight, and that weight hangs from a small patch of your scalp all day and all night. The front row sits on your thinnest hair, so it pays the biggest bill.

2. The front locs are too small

Tiny locs around the face look neat, but a tiny loc means fewer of your own strands are holding up the same heavy extension. Small parts plus long length is a lot to ask of baby hair.

3. The install is too tight

If your forehead is throbbing and you cannot sleep for three nights, that is not a sign of a good install. The AAD says it plainly: if your hairstyle feels painful, the style is too tight. Tight braiding at the base, plus wrapping that pulls the root even more, is a fast way to stress your edges.

4. The big bun every day

Faux locs look amazing piled on top of your head. But a high bun or ponytail gathers all that weight and hangs it from your hairline. Wear it up every single day and your edges never get a break.

5. You kept them in too long

We know. You paid good money and you want your money's worth. But old faux locs get heavier with buildup, your new growth starts to mat at the root, and the takedown gets rougher. The AAD suggests wearing braids no longer than 6 to 8 weeks.

Photo via Pexels

Signs Your Faux Locs Are Pulling Too Hard

Check your hairline in good light, front and both sides. Watch for:

• Soreness or a tight, pulled feeling at the front that lasts more than a day or two
• Small bumps along the hairline or around the base of the locs
• Tenting, where the skin lifts up at the root like a little tent
• Short broken hairs at your temples
• Edges that look thinner every time you take a style down

Pulling that goes on for a long time is harder to undo, so catch it early. If you have pain, bumps that will not calm down, or smooth shiny patches where hair used to be, see a board certified dermatologist. For a deeper look at what to watch, read Traction Alopecia Early Signs: Spot and Stop Hair Loss Fast.

How to Wear Faux Locs Without Losing Your Edges

Before the install: prep the hair you are working with

Go into the chair with clean, soft, moisturized hair. Dry, brittle edges snap faster when they get wrapped and pulled. Wash, condition, then use a leave in so the hair has some give before the braider ever touches it.

In the chair: ask for these four things

• Bigger parts at the front. Ask for medium or large locs around your face, even if the back is smaller.
• Shorter length. Shoulder or bra strap length is a lot kinder to your roots than waist length. The AAD tip again: thicker and shorter.
• A looser base on the perimeter. The braid at the root should lay flat, not lift your skin.
• Skip the edges. Leave your baby hairs out instead of braiding them into the first row. Thin hair was not built to hold a loc.

Thinking about crochet faux locs instead of individually wrapped ones? Crochet installs are often lighter on the scalp, but cornrows that are too tight can still pull. Read Do Crochet Braids Damage Your Edges? before you book.

While you wear them: switch it up and be gentle

Wear your locs down more days than they are up. When you do put them up, keep it low and loose, and switch where the weight sits. At night, tie them in a loose pineapple and sleep in a satin bonnet or on a satin pillowcase, with the band behind your hairline, not on it.

Your scalp still needs attention under all that hair. A couple of times a week, put a few drops of a light oil on your fingertips (not your nails) and give the hairline a slow two minute massage. No scratching, no digging between the locs.

Lay the edges soft, not snatched

We love a laid edge with faux locs. Just do not use edge control to drag your baby hairs back into a tight bun. Use a small amount, a soft brush and light strokes. And wash it off gently on wash day so it does not build up at the root.

Takedown day: go slow

Takedown is where a lot of edges get lost. Cut the faux locs just below where your real hair ends, never higher. Spray the base with water and leave in so the hair is soft, then unwrap and unbraid slowly with your fingers. Detangle the matted new growth at the root before you ever touch a comb. We break the whole process down in Takedown Day: How to Get Braids Out Without Taking Your Edges With Them.

Give your edges a break between installs

Do not go straight from one install to the next. Give your hair a few weeks in a low tension style first. And if you wear real locs, not faux, the rules are a little different. Read Thinning Edges With Locs for that.

How Long Until Your Edges Look Better?

Honest answer: it depends on how long the pulling went on and what your scalp is dealing with. Nobody can promise you a date. What we know is that nothing gets better while the pulling keeps going. Take the tension off first, stay consistent, and snap a photo of your hairline every few weeks in the same light so you can see the real story.

FAQ

Do faux locs damage your edges?

They can, but they do not have to. Faux locs add weight and tension to your roots. Long, heavy, tight or small locs at the front put the most stress on your hairline. Bigger front parts, shorter length and a looser install lower the risk.

How long should I keep faux locs in?

The American Academy of Dermatology suggests wearing braids for no longer than 6 to 8 weeks. Leaving extension styles in longer adds buildup and makes takedown rougher on your edges.

Are butterfly locs or goddess locs lighter than regular faux locs?

It depends on length, size and how much hair is used. Shorter locs and fewer, thicker locs weigh less. Ask your stylist about length and size before the install.

Should I leave my edges out when getting faux locs?

Leaving your baby hairs out of the first row is a gentle choice. Thin edge hair was not built to hold a heavy loc.

What should I do if my faux locs hurt?

Pain means the style is too tight. The AAD says to remove extensions right away if they cause pain or irritate your scalp. If pain, bumps or patches stick around, see a board certified dermatologist.

Sources: American Academy of Dermatology, "Hairstyles that pull can lead to hair loss" (aad.org); Johns Hopkins University Hub, report on risky hairstyles and traction alopecia (hub.jhu.edu, 2016).

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