Quite a bit of time, energy, and patience goes into growing beautiful locs. So, waking up one morning to discover thinning locs or a chunk of hair gone is a nightmare. Right? Well, unfortunately, so many people experience either hair loss or thinning with their locs. However, there’s a difference between the two. 

Let’s start with those unbearable signs of hair thinning in terms of your locs. To start, there are several reasons why your dreads could thin, including:

• Stress - One of the easiest ways to wreak havoc on your locs, is by allowing stress to get the best of you. 

• Tension - Finding yourself drawn to more top not buns or ponytails? Be careful. Because the extra tension on your locs could lead to severe thinning. 

• Heavy hair products - Your hair needs room to breathe. So, if you’re constantly using heavy hair products on your locs, new growth can’t see the light of day. 

• Neglecting caring for your locs - Your locs are precious, which means you’ve got to be intentional about taking care of them. If you haven’t already, do some research to find the best loctician in your area. 

So, what’s the cause of hair loss within locs? 

Unfortunately, there are certain types of alopecia that are culprits for hair loss, including: 

Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia 

This type of hair loss is first noticeable towards the crown of your head. As time goes on, Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia can extend across the top of your head with scarring. Additionally, if you have Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia, you’ll experience these symptoms on your scalp: 

• Scaling
• Burning
• Itching 
• Redness 
• Itching 

And of course, if you’re experiencing these symptoms at first glance, then it’s a great idea to schedule an appointment with a specialized physician who can examine your crown. 

Traction Alopecia 

Your locs deserve tender, love, and care so be mindful of this when you’re thinking of styles that put our locs in danger. These styles include always tightly positioning your locs at the top of your head. Traction Alopecia can impact your edges on the front and side of your head. It also has some of the same symptoms of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia, including scaling, redness, and itching. 

While you think they’re fashionable at the moment, styles that tug at the most delicate areas can eventually wear and tear your locs - beginning with extreme thinning to hair loss.

Have you gained more insight on the difference between hair loss and hair thinning? 

If so, drop in the comments to share your thoughts.