April braided my hair for Burning Man, but I was in such excruciating pain I had to undo my hair. I…read moreevetually found a lady who did my braids and I made it to Burning Man three days later than originally planned. The braids I had did not hurt at all, and I would often forget I had them on my head (my entire hair was up, not down). And my braids lasted the entire Burning Mud 2023.
This is what I wrote the night after I came back from April's hair salon:
"My braids are the type of braids that go along your head, not the ones that hang down. I have small braids on the sides (above my ears) and then I have one large French braid in the middle. My scalp is non-stop throbbing from pain. She saw me curling up in the chair in pain (the entire time) and continued to braid them insanely tight. She was cracking up and kept repeating some phrase that basically communicated how they needed to be tight. I am a white girl who has no idea how braids should be done. So I believed April, but I thought they would stop hurting later.
I did have braids last year, also for the burn, and nothing was hurting.
I have had surgery done on my big toe without anesthesia, I had four premolars extracted when I was a kid without anesthesia, and April braiding my hair is No. 3 most painful experience in my life. For hair?! Is that normal?
I am in so much painful discomfort it is difficult to put into words. I am supposed to pack for Burning Man, and I literally cannot do anything because I don't know what to do with myself. It is hard to believe I can be in this much pain from braids, and it is hard to believe I need to be in this much pain from braids."
If, for some weird reason, you think pain with braids is ok, cosider this.
Here is what I found about painful braids. If they do not stop hurting by tomorrow, there is no way I am keeping them.
"Camp adds that prolonged tension on the hair from tight hairstyles, braids, buns, or ponytails can weaken the root of the follicle. Over time, the hair follicle may become permanently damaged, leading to hair loss.Wear your hair down to loosen any tension, thus weighing the braids down. This is a simple way to not tug at the roots or scalp."
""If a hairstyle pulls on the scalp and is causing pain, then it is likely too tight and causing mechanical damage to the hair follicle," explains Garshick."
"Tight braids can lead to hair loss down the road, especially if you make a habit of wearing tight braid styles. "If the braids are unbearably tight, I highly recommend taking them out to prevent hair loss or breakage," says Pounce."
"Tight braids can potentially cause permanent damage to the scalp and the hair," says Bailey. She explains that when braids are too tight, they can potentially cause soreness or follicular pustules (inflamed, sore, raised bumps on the scalp) in addition to traction alopecia."
"Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by continuous tension on the hair follicle," Camp explains. "Tight hairstyles, such as buns or braids, can weaken the root of the hair follicle. Traction alopecia is biphasic, which means that, initially, the hair loss is temporary and can be repaired if the tension on the follicle is removed. If the tension continues, the hair loss can be... permanent." Garshick adds that while traction alopecia can initially be considered non-scarring, it can evolve into a scarring hair loss if not addressed."
https://www.byrdie.com/braids-that-are-too-tight-5079461
"Yes, tight braids can cause sores on the scalp. When braids are too tight, they can pull on the hair roots, causing the hair follicles to become inflamed. This inflammation can lead to the formation of sores, which can be painful and even become infected."
"Wearing tight braids can have a number of negative consequences, including scalp sores, hair folliculitis, and even hair loss. Scalp sores from tight braids are often accompanied by itching, redness, and pain, making it difficult to comb, wash, or style your hair."
https://edgenaturale.com/blogs/news/scalp-sores-from-tight-braids-what-you-need-to-know
