For millennia, men and women from different societies have been known to wear headgear for various reasons. Men in Western Europe donned the chaperone during the Middle Ages, while pharaohs in ancient Egypt wore Nemes – a piece of stripped head cloth. The escoffion and the hennin were popular headgears among women in England, France, and Germany in the late Middle Ages, while coifs dominated during the 10th century.
The evolution of headgear among men and women over time has been tremendous. One of the most iconic evolutions of our time has been the durag. Believed to have originated from the 19th century, durags have become a staple in our society.
Does wearing a durag cause hair loss? Let’s find out. Read on to also learn more about the use of durags and why it’s a good idea to wear durags.
What is a durag?
A durag is a hair accessory used by both men and women but commonly worn by men. It is very popular among African-American males and celebrities across the world. This trendy fashion piece is worn mainly as a fashion statement. Some of the other purposes of a durag are:
- Hair protection
- Starting and maintaining waves
- Flatten hairstyles
Durags are made from different types of fabrics:
Velvet
Velvet durags are the most aesthetically appealing. The downside is that they do not lock in moisture as well compared to silk and satin material.
Satin
Very good for sleeping is and keeping the moisture in the hair. A satin durag should fit tightly, and one should be careful not to tie it too tightly.
Silk
Besides being the trendiest, silk durags are best recommended for people who want to preserve hair moisture and prevent frizz. Silk materials are perfect for wavy and curly hair as they keep the waves and curls in good shape for a long time.
Mesh
Durags made from mesh material are breathable and lightweight, making them ideal for wearing during working out. When protecting the hair from moisture loss, mesh durags may not be the best option.
Does wearing a durag cause hair loss?
Does wearing a durag cause hair loss? Yes, and No. If worn correctly, durags have immense benefits on the hair and scalp and do not cause hair loss.
On the other hand, incorrectly worn durags have the potential to cause traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is a type of hair loss that may occur if the durag sits tightly along the hairline for long periods. The tight hold along the hairline may cause:
- hair breakage
- Stifled hair growth
- And eventually, loss of hair follicles from insufficient blood flow along the hairline.
Wearing a durag does not cause androgenetic alopecia, a type of complete hair loss commonly known as balding.
How to wear a durag
Steps
- Place a durag on the head.
- The longest part of the durag hangs from behind.
- Ensure that the durag is flat on the scalp with no uneven, creased, or folded areas.
- Hold the strings on either hand and cross them around the back of the head.
- Cross the strings back in front of your head and then bring them to the back.
- Tie the strings securely at the back. Ensure the durag strings are tight enough and comfortable. The durag should be breathable.
Signs of an incorrectly worn durag
An incorrectly worn durag may cause issues on the scalp. A durag worn too tightly on the scalp may cause:
- hair loss
- headaches
- Numbness on the scalp
- Tingling sensations on the scalp
Benefits of wearing a durag
1. The silk material used to make a durag is excellent in retaining moisture in your hair. Unlike different materials such as cotton that absorb moisture from the hair, a durag keeps moisture in the hair, preventing dry hair and hair breakage. Wearing a durag while sleeping to prevent your hair from rubbing on the cotton bedding is one way to promote healthy hair regrowth.
2. A durag also prevents hair damage from tangling and matting together.
3. Curls and waves unravel easily, especially while sleeping or during windy days. Wearing a durag helps maintain waves and curls by preventing unraveling and making them last longer. UV rays from the sun are known to cause several unwanted effects on the hair:
- hair dryness
- Penetrates the hair shaft and chemically changes the natural melanin of the hair shaft
- Interferes with color molecules in color-treated hair and changes the tone of color-treated hair.
4. Wearing a durag protects the hair from all these effects of sun damage on hair.
5. A durag comes in handy when treating hair with natural oils, deep penetrating protein, or moisture treatments. Covering your head with a durag after applying oil treatments or a deep-penetrating hair treatment helps keep the heat. Heat facilitates the opening of the hair cuticles and the penetration of oils and other beneficial elements in deep-penetrating treatments.
6. A durag is an excellent piece of headwear to use when at the gym or working out. It keeps hair from your face, absorbs sweat from your scalp, and keeps your hairstyle from ruining during the workout session.
7. Hairstyles such as lying edges with hair gel or laying hair using hair gel and styling it in a ponytail require that the hair is combed flat on the scalp. A durag ensures that hair lies flat with no flyaways.
Steps on using a durag to flatten hair
1. Detangle the hair and ensure there are no knots.
2. Apply hair gel evenly on the desired areas.
3. Comb the hair to ensure all hair lays flat with no uneven or raised areas on the scalp.
4. When laying edges, gently apply the hair gel and styles the edges as you desire
5. Carefully place a durag on the scalp without rubbing it over the hair.
6. Tie the durag on the head and wait for the hair to dry in the gel. The duration of hair drying depends on the following:
- Gel type
- Hairstyle
- Desired outcome
7. Remove the durag. The hair should be flat on the scalp.
Conclusion
In this post, we answered the question, “Does wearing a durag cause hair loss?” Whether a satin, velvet, or silk durag or wearing it to protect your hair or as a fashion statement, a durag is a hair accessory that does not cause hair loss if worn correctly.
Even celebrities had to wear a hairpiece to protect their hair. Check our celebrity female hair loss guide to learn more. If you don’t know how to tell if you are going bald, check with your doctor so you can get the best treatments for balding in men as soon as possible.
