Traction alopeia and hair extensions

At what stage of your life does it become clear that you should stop wearing weaves? When it gets to be about the stage of Naomi Campbell's hairline (see photo).
Shocked and kind of angry was how I felt when I first saw the photo of Campbell's severely damaged hair line. If you have a passion for hair extensions, it should never be to the detriment of your own hair. Traction alopecia is sadly something most extension wearers are dealing with now after years of wear.
Alopecia is the clinical name for hair loss. Traction alopecia is a result of pulling the hair too tightly in a ponytail, which , according to a local dermatologist, "puts the hair margin under constant traction (pulling).”
Weaves and braids also of traction alopecia. But it should be noted that most women who suffer from it find wigs and weaves easy to cover up the balding areas.
Another cause of alopecia is relaxing the hair. If the chemical is left too long in the hair it can burn the scalp and cause damage to the hair.”
Hair loss in a woman can also have genetic causes. If a mother has lost her hair early in life; so will her daughter.
The condition is called female-pattern baldness, which 20 million American women are said to suffer each year.
When a woman loses hair, she usually does so in a different way from a man, with a woman’s hair loss being an overall thinning — two hairs where five used to be – rather than a bald area at the top of the head.
There are also some medical remedies for hair loss.
Rogaine, however, is approved for women and is said to be one of the better treatments for hair loss. Available in cream and liquid, Rogaine offers two versions, one with a two per cent formulation of minoxidil, which has been approved for men and women; and another with a five per cent formulation of minoxidil, which is not recommended for women because of its potency.
Extensions, with its many cuts and colours come and go but your real hair is all you will be left with at the end of the day. You owe it to yourself to give it some TLC and take care of it.
Here are my four step love your hair tips.

. Do massage your scalp with oils to stimulate growth
. Do sleep with your hair opened at least once a week - set it free from the rubber bands, scrunggies et al
. Do buy products, no matter how expensive you may think they are, for your hair. They are like food for your hair.