This extremely popular hairstyle can cause hair loss, according to hairstylists

With over 895 million cumulative views on TikTok for tutorials on this topic alone, the “elegant” bun (French for “smooth and shiny”) has gone viral on social media. At the top of this season’s trends, with influencers Hailey Bieber and Sofia Richie making it their go-to hairstyle, it’s particularly popular for its chic and minimalist look, symbolizing the ‘clean look’.

However, for some time now, the “manicured bun” has been talked about not for its aesthetic qualities, but for the hair problems it can cause. Indeed, in early September, when Sofia Richie posted a video tutorial on her Tiktok account to recreate this look, many hairdressers began to warn netizens of the dangers her method could pose. Curling and tying wet hair is especially problematic.

Hair loss

“When you let your hair down, it has a natural fall and movement that allows you to breathe well. Any gesture that goes against the grain of this nature should not be exaggerated, – first warns the hairdresser Hovik Etoyan, founder of his salon of the same name in Paris, – so, in general, if you tie them too often and too tightly, you will end up. distorting this natural decline, and that will have consequences.” Hence the concern of professionals about the “elegant bun” technique, which especially involves many twists and intense hair pulling. “We pull them to make them smooth, then we tie them. therefore, we create a double stress on both the head and the lengths. Over time, these actions will not only cause pain to the scalp and prevent it from breathing, but also increase hair loss. If you do it for two days, it can become dangerous,” warns the expert, adding that “it’s worse if your scalp is sensitive or if your hair is dyed.”

In some extreme cases, this bad habit can even cause what’s called “traction alopecia,” a form of hair loss often seen among flight attendants and ballerinas from sporting their famous high, flat bun.

The fatal mistake, which was massively condemned on social networks, was the influence of hairdressers. Make a neat bun on wet hair, as shown by Lionel Richie’s daughter in her video. “When pulled while wet, the hair may appear softer and stretchier, but when it dries, it will return to its original shape and be more elongated, therefore more abuse,” explains M. specialist.

Suffocated scalp

Hairstylist Hovik Etoyan also advises not to use sticky and fixing materials at the roots, such as gels or extremely strong hairsprays, which are used to create that famous “clean and smooth” effect. “Sure, these products allow for more defined results and tame those little hairs that stick out… but you’ll be stressing your scalp and suffocating it,” continues the expert, “once again disrupting the proper functioning of the hair cycle.” and therefore growth because everything starts at the roots. Afterwards, you will inevitably have side effects such as an irritated scalp or dandruff or hair loss.

Besides, it doesn’t make sense to bet everything on hair products. “It’s the attachment that does 80% of the work. The remaining 20%, which is made up of cosmetics, consists only of small hairs that can stick out,” he adds.

Correct technique

So should we finally draw the line at this sophisticated ‘clean girl’ look? “Try to do it sometimes, for example, for the evening,” admits Hovik Etoyan. The hairdresser recommends doing this on dry hair and using hair care to create a “shiny” effect. “Apply a mask or nourishing cream to the roots. The rest of the hair should not be overloaded with product. If desired, you can apply a little serum to the lengths and ends before wrapping them with a soft elastic around the attachment point. Finally, spray hairspray or ultra-light hairspray for curls. The longer the hair, the less product you should use,” she explains.

The last important step in maintaining the health and beauty of your hair. “After a day or night, gently brush and detangle your hair. First of all, shampoo and systematically smooth, do not sleep without removing the material. “And the expert concludes: if possible, even exfoliate your scalp to get rid of excess product.